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Louisville

Ryan Conwell & Mikel Brown Jr. named to Naismith Trophy Player of the Year Watchlist

Square Headshotby: David Hendren14 hours agoHendrenDavid
Louisville Cardinals guard Ryan Conwell (3) after scoring a three-point shot against Bucknell during an exhibition game at the KFC Yum! Center in Louisville, Kentucky Tuesday October 28, 2025.
Louisville Cardinals guard Ryan Conwell (3) after scoring a three-point shot against Bucknell during an exhibition game at the KFC Yum! Center in Louisville, Kentucky Tuesday October 28, 2025. © Matt Stone/Courier Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Louisville had two players placed on the Naismith Trophy Player of the Year Watchlist. Senior guard Ryan Conwell and freshman guard Mikel Brown, Jr. were placed on the Naismith Trophy Player of the Year watchlist this afternoon.

There are 50 players on the watchlist in total, and Louisville is one of 12 schools to have multiple players on the list. Seven total players were represented from the ACC.

The seven total players represented from the ACC are the following:

Ryan Conwell averaged 20.5 points per game through the first two exhibition games, including a 26-point performance against the Kansas Jayhawks. Last season at Xavier, the 6-foot-4 guard averaged 16.5 points, 2.7 rebounds, and 2.5 assists per game. He was also a Third Team All-BIG EAST selection.

Mikel Brown, Jr. is one of eight freshmen who were selected on the list. During Louisville’s first two exhibition games, he averaged 19.0 points per game and had 28 points versus Bucknell, knocking down 8-11 three-point attempts. The incoming freshman from DME Academy (FL) was rated as the No. 7 overall prospect and No. 1 point guard in the 2025 class, per On3.

The eight total freshmen nominated were the following:

Both guards were selected as preseason All-ACC first team members.

Naismith Trophy Player of the Year Watchlist

Darius Acuff Jr.FreshmanGuardArkansas
Nate AmentFreshmanForwardTennessee
Robbie AvilaSeniorCenterSt. Louis
Solo BallJuniorGuardUConn
Nate BittleSeniorCenterOregon
John BlackwellJuniorGuardWisconsin
Cameron BoozerFreshmanForwardDuke
Mikel Brown Jr.FreshmanGuardLouisville
Markus BurtonJuniorGuardNotre Dame
Alex CondonJuniorForward/CenterFlorida
Ryan ConwellSeniorGuardLouisville
Donovan DentSeniorGuardUCLA
Tucker DeVriesSeniorForwardIndiana
Josh DixSeniorGuardCreighton
A.J. DybantsaFreshmanForwardBYU
Zuby EjioforSeniorForwardSt. John’s
Isaiah EvansSophomoreGuard/ForwardDuke
Boogie FlandSophomoreGuardFlorida
Ja’Kobi GillespieSeniorGuardTennessee
P.J. HaggertyJuniorGuardKansas State
Thomas HaughJuniorForwardFlorida
Bryce HopkinsGraduate StudentForward/GuardSt. John’s
Josh HubbardJuniorGuardMississippi State
Graham IkeGraduate StudentForwardGonzaga
Tomislav IvišićJuniorCenterIllinois
Ian JacksonSophomoreGuardSt. John’s
Alex KarabanSeniorForwardUConn
Trey Kaufman-RennSeniorForwardPurdue
Xaivian LeeSeniorGuardFlorida
Yaxel LendeborgGraduate StudentForwardMichigan
Tamin LipseySeniorGuardIowa State
Jaland LoweJuniorGuardKentucky
Nick MartinelliSeniorForwardNorthwestern
Otega OwehSeniorGuardKentucky
Koa PeatFreshmanForwardArizona
Darryn PetersonFreshmanGuardKansas
Tahaad PettifordSophomoreGuardAuburn
Labaron Philon Jr.SophomoreGuardAlabama
Richie SaundersSeniorForwardBYU
Emanuel SharpSeniorGuardHouston
Jackson ShelstadJuniorGuardOregon
Braden SmithSeniorGuardPurdue
Bennett StirtzSeniorGuardIowa
Andrej StojakovićJuniorGuardIllinois
Bruce ThorntonSeniorGuardOhio State
JT ToppinJuniorForwardTexas Tech
Joseph TuglerJuniorForwardHouston
Milos UzanSeniorGuardHouston
Darrion WilliamsSeniorForwardNC State
Caleb WilsonFreshmanForwardNorth Carolina

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