SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – UConn men's basketball redshirt-junior Alex Karaban has been named to the 20-member Preseason Watch List for the 2025 NABC Division I Player of the Year Award. The award - selected by a nationwide vote of Division I head coaches - will be announced the week of the 2025 Men's Final Four.
The selection for Karaban comes amidst a slew of preseason accolades for the 6-8 forward. He was named a First Team Preseason All-American by Blue Ribbon Report and also picked up All-America honors from FOX Sports, CBS Sports, College Hoops Today and more. Karaban was a unanimous selection to the Preseason All-BIG EAST First Team and has been several insider's pick for the league's Player of the Year.
Last season Karaban posted averages of 13.3 points and 5.1 rebounds per game, shooting 49.5 percent from the floor and starting all 39 games he appeared in. For his career Karaban has made 77 total starts over the last two seasons – with UConn recording a 66-11 mark in those contests.
Karaban is one of four BIG EAST members to make the NABC Player fo the Year Watch list, joining Creighton's Ryan Kalkbrenner, Marquette's Kam Jones and St. John's' Kadary Richmond. Emeka Okafor was the 2004 NABC Player of the Year – the lone Player of the Year honor in UConn's storied history.
Players Mentioned
- F
- 6' 8"
- Redshirt Sophomore
Players Mentioned
- 6' 8"
- Redshirt Sophomore
- F
Latest Men's Basketball
- Karaban Keys No. 9 Huskies To Road Win At GeorgetownWASHINGTON, D.C. – Alex Karaban led all scorers with 19 points to power the No. 9 UConn men's basketball team (13-4, 5-1 BIG EAST) to a 68-60 victory at Georgetown (12-4, 3-2 BIG EAST) on Saturday afternoon at Capital One Arena. The Huskies used an explosive start to the second half to go up as many as 23 in their ninth-straight victory over the Hoyas.
- No. 9 Huskies Visit DC To Face Georgetown SaturdayWASHINGTON, D.C. – The No. 9 UConn men's basketball team (12-4, 4-1 BIG EAST) hits the road on Saturday for an afternoon showdown with longtime rival Georgetown (12-3, 3-1 BIG EAST). Tip-off from Capital One Arena is set for 2 p.m. on FOX with Tim Brando and Donny Marshall on the call.
- No. 9 Huskies Drop Tight Affair At VillanovaVILLANOVA, Pa. – The No. 9 UConn men's basketball team (12-4, 4-1 BIG EAST) erased a double-digit second-half deficit for the second-straight game before ultimately falling, 68-66, at Villanova (11-5, 4-1) on Wednesday night at Finneran Pavilion. The loss snaps an eight-game winning streak and was UConn's first in five BIG EAST games.
- Karaban Named To Midseason Wooden Award Watch ListLOS ANGELES – UConn men's basketball standout Alex Karaban has been named to the 2024-25 Men's Midseason Top 25 Watch List for the John R. Wooden Award, as announced by the Los Angeles Athletic Club on Tuesday (Jan. 7).
- No. 9 UConn Heads To Villanova On Wednesday NightVILLANOVA, Pa. – The No. 9 UConn men's basketball team (12-3, 4-0 BIG EAST) hits the road for the third time in four games when it visits Villanova (10-5, 3-1 BIG EAST) for a Wednesday night clash at Finneran Pavilion. Tip-off between two of the nation's top offenses is set for 6:30 p.m. on FS1 with Dave Sims and Donny Marshall calling the action.
- Second Half Run Keys UConn To Eighth-Straight WinSTORRS – The No. 11 UConn men's basketball team (12-3, 4-0 BIG EAST) rode a career-high 19 points from Hassan Diarra and an explosive second half to an 87-84 win over Providence (7-8, 1-3 BIG EAST) on Sunday afternoon at Gampel Pavilion. It marked the first time UConn has overcome a double-digit halftime deficit to win a league game since 2017. Connecticut how now won eight-straight games overall, 28-straight at home and 14-in-a-row at Gampel Pavilion.
