Arizona’s Caleb Love, GCU’s Tyon Grant-Foster crack Naismith Men’s Player of the Year watch list

The preseason hype around Arizona Wildcats guard Caleb Love and Grand Canyon Antelopes guard Tyon Grant-Foster continued on Wednesday, as the two cracked the Naismith Men’s Player of the Year watch list.

The list highlighted 50 players projected to compete for the top individual award in college hoops, which former Purdue big man Zach Edey won the past two seasons.

Love and Grant-Foster have made several preseason watch lists, such as the Jerry West Award watch list for the top shooting guards in the country.

In addition, Love landed on the Associated Press’ preseason All-America team.

The second-year Wildcat returned for his fifth collegiate season after winning Pac-12 Player of the Year. He was a semifinalist for the Naismith Trophy in 2023-24.

Love led Arizona with 18 points per game last season and will run with a different-looking squad this year after the NBA departures of Pelle Larsson and Keshad Johnson along with transfers of Kylan Boswell and Oumar Ballo.

Grant-Foster is back after testing the NBA Draft waters.

He jumped into the national spotlight with 51 points in two games during the Big Dance, leading GCU to the program’s first NCAA Tournament win. Plus he became the first Antelope to win WAC Player of the Year.

The Wildcats open the regular season on Monday against Canisius University at McKale Center, while GCU will start its season hosting Cal State Fullerton, also on Monday.

Grant-Foster will miss the first two games due to eligibility after the draft process, but he could make his season debut against Arizona State at Footprint Center on Nov. 14.

KJ Lewis, BJ Freeman receive recognition

The Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame announced 20 players for its Julius Erving Award watch list for the top small forwards entering the year.

Arizona’s KJ Lewis and Arizona State’s BJ Freeman both made the cut.

Lewis enters his sophomore season with a larger role alongside Love. He played 18.3 minutes per game last year with an average of 6.1 points, 3.1 rebounds and 1.9 assists.

Freeman transferred to ASU from Milwaukee, where he made the Second Team All-Horizon League and averaged 21.1 points.

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