The 2024-2025 college basketball season tips off in just a few days, and with teams set to hit the hardwood, preseason award watch lists are being announced. On Wednesday, we got the watch list for the most prestigious award in college basketball, the Naismith Trophy.
The Naismith Trophy is given to the best men's and women's college basketball player in the country each season. In the preseason, 50 players are named to the Naismith Men's National Player of the Year Watch List..
This season, 10 of those 50 spots were made up of players from the SEC. It makes sense, as the SEC has a case to be made as the best conference in college basketball going into the year. But even with 10 selections, there was a very notable SEC player snubbed from the watch list.
Josh Hubbard doesn't make Naismith Trophy Watch List
Mississippi State basketball's Josh Hubbard was not named to the preseason Naismith Trophy Watch List. The sophomore guard set the SEC ablaze as a true freshman last season, averaging over 17 points per game and leading the league in made three-pointers. He enters the '24-'25 season as undoubtedly one of the SEC's best players.
So if he's one of the best players in arguably the best conference, how does he not make the Naismith Watch List?
SEC media picked Hubbard as a 2nd Team preseason All-Conference selection, and today the league's coaches did the same. And while Hubbard is worthy of being named a 1st Team player, with the depth in the league, 2nd Team was justifiable.
That may sound like reasoning for not having Hubbard on the Naismith Watch List, but as stated, 10 SEC players were named. Only five were 1st Team All-SEC selections. Fellow 2nd Teamers Johnell Davis of Arkansas, Matthew Murrell of Ole Miss, and Grant Nelson of Alabama made the Watch List. Even 3rd Teamers Jaxson Robinson of Kentucky and Tre Johnson of Texas made it!
How exactly do you justify including those players but not Josh Hubbard, who we just saw light it up in this league as a true freshman? Do you not think he's going to build off of that season and get even better? That's absurd.
In an interview with Brian Hadad of SportsTalk Mississippi last month, Bulldogs' coach Chris Jans went as far to say that he didn't think Josh Hubbard was "getting the type of love or accolades that he deserves." This is an outstanding example of that. You've got one of the best players in the country not even being considered for an award that's supposed to represent that, and there's little doubt that Hubbard playing for Mississippi State has a lot to do with it.
This Bulldogs program has been flying under the radar all offseason as a challenger in the SEC. Many don't even think what should be Jans' best team in Starkville will make the tournament. But ultimately we're used to Mississippi State not getting the benefit of the doubt. I'm sure Josh Hubbard will gladly take the extra motivation.