Texas Tech University Athletics
NABC selects Toppin for POY Watch List
October 30, 2025 | Men's Basketball
LUBBOCK – The National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) has selected Texas Tech forward JT Toppin as one of 20 to the preseason watch list for the 2026 NABC Player of the Year award. Toppin returns for his junior season after a dominant campaign last year where he earned a slew of national and conference awards along with helping lead the Red Raiders to the NCAA Tournament Elite Eight. Along with the NABC preseason nod, Toppin has also already been named the Big 12 Preseason Player of the Year and became the first player in program history to be selected to the Associated Press Preseason All-America Team.
The 2026 NABC Division I Player of the Year – to be selected by a nationwide vote of Division I head coaches at the conclusion of the regular season – will be announced the week of the 2026 Men's Final Four. Former Duke star and current Dallas Maverick Cooper Flagg received the award last season.
The list of 20 identified by the NABC for its most select honor also includes: Nate Ament (Tennessee), Cameron Boozer (Duke), Alex Condon (Florida), Donovan Dent (UCLA), AJ Dybantsa (BYU), Zuby Ejiofor (St. John's), PJ Haggerty (K-State), Graham Ike (Gonzaga), Alex Karaban (UConn), Trey Kaufman-Renn (Purdue), Yaxel Lendeborg (Michigan), Otega Oweh (Kentucky), Darryn Peterson (Kansas), Tahaad Pettiford (Auburn), Labaron Philon (Alabama), Braden Smith (Purdue), Bennett Stirtz (Iowa), Milos Uzan (Houston) and Darrion Williams (NC State).
Last season, Toppin earned consensus all-America, Big 12 Player of the Year, Big 12 Newcomer of the Year and All-Big 12 First Team honors. He led the Red Raiders with 18.2 points, 9.4 rebounds, 1.5 blocks and 19 double-doubles - recording a double-double in all four NCAA Tournament games last season and had a double-double in eight of the last 10 games of the season. Toppin scored a season-high 41 points and added 15 rebounds in a double-overtime win over Arizona State and finished the season scoring in double figures in a team high 28 games – including 15 straight to conclude the season. Within his 19 double-doubles, Toppin recorded three with 30-plus points including going for 32 points and 12 rebounds at Oklahoma State and producing 30 points and 14 rebounds in the home finale against Colorado.
Toppin, who played his freshman season at New Mexico before transferring, enters his third collegiate season with 1,047 points, 636 rebounds, 116 blocks and 31 double-doubles through 69 career games. The Red Raiders are set to open their season on November 4 against Lindenwood at United Supermarkets Arena.
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