Three Kentucky signees named to Naismith Player of the Year Watch List

Think the momentum under Mark Pope is going to slow down anytime soon? Considering the Wildcats have not one, not two, but three signees up for Naismith High School Player of the Year — plus a fourth potential commitment in ’25 on the list — that appears to be unlikely.

The 2024-25 Jersey MIke’s Naismith Trophy Boys High School Player of the Year Watch List has been released, a 50-player field that includes prospects in the junior and senior classes. Included in that group? None other than Jasper Johnson, Acaden Lewis and Malachi Moreno, who all put pen to paper with Kentucky during the early signing period.

Also joining the mix? Five-star forward Caleb Wilson, who is expected to make his decision in the coming weeks with Kentucky seen as the favorite to land his commitment.

That’s not even including 2026 standouts who are considering the Wildcats in the early stages of their respective recruitments. Tajh Ariza, Jason Crowe Jr., Caleb Holt, Brandon McCoy Jr., Miikka Muurinen, Jordan Smith Jr. and Tyran Stokes have all scored Kentucky offers and have been included in the list of 50.

FULL NAME	CLASS	POS	SCHOOL	CITY, ST	COMMITTED TO
Shon Abaev	Senior	SF	Calvary Christian Academy	Fort Lauderdale, FL
Matthew Able	Senior	SG	Sagemont Prep School	Weston, FL	Miami
Darius Acuff	Senior	PG	IMG Academy	Bradenton, FL	Arkansas
Darius Adams	Senior	SG	La Lumiere School	La Porte, IN	UConn
Nate Ament	Senior	SF	Highland School	Warrenton, VA
Kiyan Anthony	Senior	SG	Long Island Lutheran	Brookville, NY	Syracuse
Dwayne Aristode	Senior	SF	Brewster Academy	Wolfeboro, NH	Arizona
Tajh Ariza	Junior	SF	Westchester Enriched Sciences Magnets	Los Angeles, CA
Cameron Boozer	Senior	PF	Christopher Columbus High School	Miami, FL	Duke
Cayden Boozer	Senior	PG	Christopher Columbus High School	Miami, FL	Duke
Mikel Brown Jr.	Senior	PG	DME Academy	Daytona Beach, FL
Niko Bundalo	Senior	PF	Prolific Prep	Napa, CA
Brayden Burries	Senior	SG	Eleanor Roosevelt High School	Eastvale, CA
Chris Cenac Jr.	Senior	C	Link Academy	Branson, MO
John Clark	Senior	C	Link Academy	Branson, MO	Texas
Jason Crowe Jr.	Junior	PG	Inglewood High School	Inglewood, CA
AJ Dybantsa	Senior	SF	Utah Prep	Hurricane, UT
Jerry Easter	Senior	PG	Link Academy	Branson, MO
Kingston Flemings	Senior	PG	William J. Brennan High School	San Antonio, TX
Davis Fogle	Senior	SF	AZ Compass Prep	Chandler, AZ	Gonzaga
Hudson Greer	Senior	SF	Montverde Academy	Montverde, FL	Creighton
Davion Hannah	Senior	SG	Link Academy	Branson, MO
Jalen Haralson	Senior	SF	La Lumiere School	La Porte, IN	Notre Dame
Isiah Harwell	Senior	SG	Wasatch Academy	Mt. Pleasant, UT	Houston
Shelton Henderson	Senior	SF	Bellaire High School	Bellaire, TX	Duke
Caleb Holt	Junior	SG	Grayson High School	Loganville, GA
CJ Ingram	Senior	SF	Oak Ridge High School	Orlando, FL	Florida
London Jemison	Senior	PF	St. Thomas More School	Oakdale, CT	Alabama
Jasper Johnson	Senior	PG	Overtime Elite	Atlanta, GA	Kentucky
Nikolas Khamenia	Senior	PF	Harvard-Westlake School	Los Angeles, CA	Duke
Acaden Lewis	Senior	PG	Sidwell Friends School	Washington, D.C.	Kentucky
Brandon McCoy Jr.	Junior	PG	St. John Bosco High School	Bellflower, CA
Trey McKenney	Senior	SF	St. Mary’s Prep	Orchard Lake, MI	Michigan
Kayden Mingo	Senior	PG	Long Island Lutheran	Brookville, NY	Penn State
Malachi Moreno	Senior	C	Great Crossing High School	Georgetown, KY	Kentucky
Braylon Mullins	Senior	SG	Greenfield-Central High School	Greenfield, IN	UConn
Miikka Muurinen	Junior	PF	AZ Compass Prep	Chandler, AZ
Koa Peat	Senior	PF	Perry High School	Gilbert, AZ
Darryn Peterson	Senior	SG	Prolific Prep	Napa, CA	Kansas
Eric Reibe	Senior	C	The Bullis School	Potomac, MD	UConn
Jordan Smith Jr.	Junior	SG	St. Paul VI Catholic High School	Chantilly, VA
Xavion Staton	Senior	C	Sierra Vista High School	Las Vegas, NV	BYU
Tyran Stokes	Junior	SF	Notre Dame High School	Sherman Oaks, CA
Meleek Thomas	Senior	SG	Overtime Elite	Atlanta, GA
Bryson Tiller	Senior	PF	Overtime Elite	Atlanta, GA
Keyshuan Tillery	Senior	PG	New Hampton School	New Hampton, NH	Cincinnati
Jaden Toombs	Senior	C	Dynamic Prep	Irving, TX	SMU
Sadiq White Jr.	Senior	PF	IMG Academy	Bradenton, FL	Syracuse
Caleb Wilson	Senior	PF	Holy Innocents’ Episcopal School	Atlanta, GA
Tounde Yessoufou	Senior	SF	St. Joseph High School	Santa Maria, CA	Baylor

A Naismith Boys High School Player of the Year Underclassmen Watch List will be released on Nov. 26, followed by the Naismith HS NPOY Midseason Team in mid-January. From there, the Naismith HS NPOY Semifinalists will be released on Feb. 6, then the finalists on Feb. 20 before a winner is announced on March 7.

Will a future Wildcat earn the prestigious honor? Several are one step closer.