CHAMPAIGN, Ill.– The Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame announced Tuesday that Fighting Illini freshman Keaton Wagler is a Mid-Season Top 10 candidates for the 2026 Jerry West Award.
Wagler is having one of the best seasons in program history midway through his freshman campaign. The Shawnee, Kansas, native is averaging 18.1 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 4.2 assists while shooting nearly 48% from the field, 44% from 3-point range, and 82% from the foul line. He has been on a tear in recent weeks, averaging 20.8 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 5.5 assists over the last 14 games, with six 20+-point outings during that stretch. Wagler earned national acclaim following an historic 46-point performance in the Jan. 24 win at No. 4 Purdue, and he most recently had 28 points in Sunday's win at No. 5 Nebraska.
2026 Jerry West Award Mid-Season Candidates*
Brayden Burries, Arizona
Cameron Carr, Baylor
Richie Saunders, BYU
Isaiah Evans, Duke
Emanuel Sharp, Houston
Keaton Wagler, Illinois
Darryn Peaterson, Kansas
Solo Ball, UConn
Duke Miles, Vanderbilt
John Blackwell, Wisconsin
*Players can play their way onto and off the list at any point in the 2025-26 season.
Named after the late Class of 1980 Hall of Famer and 1959 NCAA Final Four Most Valuable Player, the Jerry West Award celebrates its 12th year by highlighting the top shooting guards in Division I men's college basketball.
In partnership with the Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA), 10 Mid-Season candidates for the 2026 Ann Meyers Drysdale Award also were announced, honoring the top shooting guards in NCAA Division I women's basketball.
Fans are encouraged to participate in Fan Voting in both of the remaining rounds starting on Friday, February 6, on hoophallawards.com. The Fan Vote will count as one committee vote during the finalist selection process.
In mid-March, the Mid-Season Top 10 list will be narrowed to just five, and in late March, the five finalists will be presented to West's family, Meyers Drysdale, and the Hall of Fame's selection committees, where winners will be selected. The Selection Committees for the Jerry West and Ann Meyers Drysdale Awards are composed of top men's and women's college basketball personnel, including media members, head coaches, sports information directors, and Hall of Famers.
The winners of the 2026 West and Meyers Drysdale Awards will be presented on a to-be-determined date, along with the other four members of the Men's and Women's Starting Five. Additional awards being presented include the Bob Cousy and Nancy Lieberman Awards (Point Guard), Julius Erving and Cheryl Miller Awards (Small Forward), Karl Malone and Katrina McClain Awards (Power Forward), and the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Lisa Leslie Awards (Center).
Previous winners of the Jerry West Award include Chaz Lanier, Tennessee (2025), RJ Davis, North Carolina (2024), Marcus Sasser, Houston (2023), Myles Powell, Seton Hall (2020), RJ Barrett, Duke (2019), Malik Monk, Kentucky (2017), Buddy Hield, Oklahoma (2016), and D'Angelo Russell, Ohio State (2015).
For more information on the 2026 Jerry West and Ann Meyers Drysdale Awards and the latest updates, visit hoophallawards.com and follow @hoophallu, #WestAward, and #MeyersDrysdaleAward on X and Instagram.
