March 11, 2026

FINALISTS FOR 2025-26 KYLE MACY AWARD
The top freshmen in division I college basketball

BOSTON, MA -- CollegeInsider.com has announced the finalists for the 2025-26 Kyle Macy award. The award is presented annually to the top freshman in division I college basketball.

The award is named for a guard who starred as a freshman for Purdue. The 1975 Indiana Mr. Basketball, Kyle Macy played his freshman season at Purdue University, averaging 13.8 points per game while leading the Boilermakers in free throws (85.9 percent for the season). He started in 25 of 27 games, helping them to a 16-11 season record.

After one season in West Lafayette, Indiana, Macy transferred to the University of Kentucky in 1976. He started every game for the Wildcats in 1977. A three-time All-America and three-time All-SEC player, Macy was a member of Kentucky's 1978 National Championship team. In his senior year of 1979-80, he became the first Kentucky player ever to be named consensus Southeastern Conference Player of the Year.

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 2026 award will be announced in Indianapolis, IN, site of the men’s Division I Basketball Championship.

 KYLE MACY AWARD FINALISTS

PREVIOUS AWARD WINNERS
PJ Haggerty, Tulsa (2024); Kyle Filipowski, Duke (2023); Malaki Branham, Ohio State (2022); Cade Cunningham, Oklahoma State (2021); Anthony Edwards, Georgia (2020); Zion Williamson, Duke (2019); Marvin Bagley III, Duke (2018); Justin Patton, Creighton (2017); Brandon Ingram, Duke (2016); D'Angelo Russell, Ohio State (2015); Jabari Parker, Duke (2014); Anthony Bennett, UNLV (2013); Anthony Davis, Kentucky (2012).

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