THE LUTE OLSON AWARD

Nov. 19, 2024

2024-25 LUTE OLSON NATIONAL EARLY SEASON WATCH LIST
Presented annually to the top player in division I college basketball.

BOSTON, MA -- The 2023-24 Lute Olson ‘Early Season’ Watch list has been announced. The award is presented annually to the top player in division I college basketball.

The award is named in honor of Hall of Fame coach Lute Olson, who won 776 games in 34 seasons, 24 of which were spent at the University of Arizona. During that stretch he led the Wildcats to 11 Pac-10 Conference titles, 23 consecutive NCAA Tournaments, four Final Four appearances and a National Championship in 1997.

Olson is one of just 25 head coaches in NCAA history to win 700 or more games (all divisions) and ranks ninth on the Division I career victories list. He finished with a winning percentage of .731 and is the all-time winningest coach in Arizona history with 587-190 record (.755). He was named Pac-10 Coach of the Year seven times.

Olson also guided Arizona to 20 consecutive 20-win seasons and is one of only three coaches in NCAA history to record 29 or more 20-win seasons.

In 2002, Olson was enshrined into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.

Coach Olson passed away on August 27, 2020.

The recipient of the annual award is determined by a 10-member voting committee, which consists of current and former head coaches, as well as two senior staff members of collegeinsider.com.

The 2025 award will be announced in San Antonio, TX, site of the men’s Division I Basketball Championship.


2024-25 LUTE OLSON AWARD EARLY SEASON WATCH LIST

Robbie Avila

6-10

Saint Louis

Ace Bailey

6-10

Rutgers

Oumar Ballo

7-0

Indiana

Johni Broome

6-10

Auburn

Walter Clayton Jr.

6-3

Florida

LJ Cryer

6-1

Houston

Johnell Davis

6-4

Arkansas

Tyson Degenhart

6-8

Boise State

RJ Davis

6-0

North Carolina

Hunter Dickinson

7-2

Kansas

Eric Dixon

6-8

Villanova

Darlinstone Dubar

6-6

Tennessee

VJ Edgecombe

6-4

Baylor

Cooper Flagg

6-9

Duke

Vladislav Goldin

7-1

Michigan

Tyon Grant-Foster

6-7

Grand Canyon

Dylan Harper

6-6

Rutgers

Dajuan Harris Jr.

6-2

Kansas

Coleman Hawkins

6-10

Kansas State

Bryce Hopkins

6-7

Providence

Josh Hubbard

5-11

Mississippi State

Kam Jones

6-5

Marquette

Alex Karaban

6-8

Connecticut

Ryan Kalkbrenner

7-1

Creighton

Kon Knueppel

6-7

Duke

Yaxel Lendeborg

6-9

UAB

Tamin Lipsey

6-1

Iowa State

Caleb Love

6-4

Arizona

Zeke Mayo

6-4

Kansas

Liam McNeeley

6-8

Connecticut

Collin Murray-Boyles

6-7

South Carolina

Matthew Murrell

6-4

Ole Miss

Grant Nelson

6-11

Alabama

Ryan Nembhard

6-0

Gonzaga

Norchad Omier

6-7

Baylor

Clifford Omoruyi

6-11

Alabama

Great Osobor

6-8

Washington

Caden Pierce

6-7

Princeton

Kadary Richmond

6-6

St. John’s

Jeremy Roach

6-2

Baylor

Jaxson Robinson

6-5

Kentucky

Hunter Sallis

6-5

Wake Forest

Payton Sandfort

6-7

Iowa

Mark Sears

6-1

Alabama

Braden Smith

6-0

Purdue

Wade Taylor IV

6-0

Texas A&M

JT Toppin

6-9

Texas Tech

Bruce Thornton

6-2

Ohio State

Seth Trimble

6-3

North Carolina

Zakai Zeigler

5-9

Tennessee

 

The Lute Olson Award is presented annually to the nation's top Division I player.
 
The award is named in honor of Hall of Fame coach Lute Olson, who won 776 games in 34 seasons, 24 of which were spent at the University of Arizona. During that stretch he led the Wildcats to 11 Pac-10 Conference titles, 23 consecutive NCAA Tournaments, four Final Four appearances and a National Championship in 1997.
 
Olson is one of just 25 head coaches in NCAA history to win 700 or more games (all divisions) and ranks ninth on the Division I career victories list. He finished with a winning percentage of .731 and is the all-time winningest coach in Arizona history with 587-190 record (.755). He was named Pac-10 Coach of the Year seven times. Olson also guided Arizona to 20 consecutive 20-win seasons, and is one of only three coaches in NCAA history to record 29 or more 20-win seasons.
 
In 2002, Olson was enshrined into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.
 
The recipient of the 2023-24 award will be announced in April, in Phoenix, AZ site of the men's NCAA Basketball Championship.

The Lute Olson award is presented annually to the top division I player as voted on by the award committee. 
 
The 10-member voting committee consists of current and former head coaches, as well as two senior staff members of collegeinsider.com.
 
The award is presented annually at the site of the men's Division I NCAA basketball championship. 

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