Kalkbrenner Makes Cut As Naismith Trophy List Trims To 10
3/14/2025 11:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Senior center leads CU in scoring, rebounding and blocks
NEW YORK, N.Y. -- Creighton center Ryan Kalkbrenner is one of 10 players named a semifinalist for the 2025 Jersey Mike's Naismith Trophy Men's Player of the Year, the Atlanta Tipoff Club announced on Friday.
Kalkbrenner is Creighton's first player to be named a semifinalist for the Naismith Trophy Men's Player of the Year since Doug McDermott won the award during the 2013-14 campaign.
A 7-foot-1 center from Florissant, Mo., Kalkbrenner leads the BIG EAST in blocked shots per game (2.7), rebounds per game (9.0) and field goal percentage (.663) while ranking second with 19.8 points per contest. The two-time All-BIG EAST First Team honoree ranks fourth nationally in field goal percentage, third in blocked shots, eighth in field goals made and 38th in double-doubles. He owns BIG EAST career records for blocked shots (248), field goal percentage (.639), games played (97), minutes played (2,895) and field goals (544) in league play. Kalkbrenner is second in Creighton history in blocked shots (391), points (2,377) and field goal percentage (.661), and is third in rebounding (1,122).
He's been named one of five finalists for the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award given to the nation's best center, and is also one of 15 players on the Wooden Award ballot. A three-time BIG EAST Player of the Week this season, and an Associated Press National Player of the Week twice, Kalkbrenner joined Patrick Ewing on Monday when he became the second four-time winner of the BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Year award. He had previously been named a unanimous First Team All-BIG EAST pick on Sunday and a Third Team All-American by The Sporting News.
The Atlanta Tipoff Club named Kalkbrenner a finalist for its Naismith Defensive Player of the Year award each of the previous two seasons, and he's one of 10 remaining candidates this year.
Kalkbrenner had 32 points, nine rebounds and five blocks in last night's 85-81 double-overtime victory over DePaul in the quarterfinals of the BIG EAST Tournament presented by JEEP, last night. Creighton (23-9) meets Connecticut (23-9) tonight at 8 p.m. Central on FOX, as play continues into the semifinals.
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Kalkbrenner is Creighton's first player to be named a semifinalist for the Naismith Trophy Men's Player of the Year since Doug McDermott won the award during the 2013-14 campaign.
A 7-foot-1 center from Florissant, Mo., Kalkbrenner leads the BIG EAST in blocked shots per game (2.7), rebounds per game (9.0) and field goal percentage (.663) while ranking second with 19.8 points per contest. The two-time All-BIG EAST First Team honoree ranks fourth nationally in field goal percentage, third in blocked shots, eighth in field goals made and 38th in double-doubles. He owns BIG EAST career records for blocked shots (248), field goal percentage (.639), games played (97), minutes played (2,895) and field goals (544) in league play. Kalkbrenner is second in Creighton history in blocked shots (391), points (2,377) and field goal percentage (.661), and is third in rebounding (1,122).
He's been named one of five finalists for the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award given to the nation's best center, and is also one of 15 players on the Wooden Award ballot. A three-time BIG EAST Player of the Week this season, and an Associated Press National Player of the Week twice, Kalkbrenner joined Patrick Ewing on Monday when he became the second four-time winner of the BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Year award. He had previously been named a unanimous First Team All-BIG EAST pick on Sunday and a Third Team All-American by The Sporting News.
The Atlanta Tipoff Club named Kalkbrenner a finalist for its Naismith Defensive Player of the Year award each of the previous two seasons, and he's one of 10 remaining candidates this year.
Kalkbrenner had 32 points, nine rebounds and five blocks in last night's 85-81 double-overtime victory over DePaul in the quarterfinals of the BIG EAST Tournament presented by JEEP, last night. Creighton (23-9) meets Connecticut (23-9) tonight at 8 p.m. Central on FOX, as play continues into the semifinals.
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| 2025 JERSEY MIKE'S NAISMITH TROPHY MEN'S PLAYER OF THE YEAR SEMIFINALISTS | ||||
| FULL NAME | CLASS | POS | SCHOOL | CONFERENCE |
| Johni Broome | Senior | F/C | Auburn | SEC |
| Walter Clayton Jr. | Senior | G | Florida | SEC |
| Cooper Flagg | Freshman | G/F | Duke | ACC |
| Kam Jones | Senior | G | Marquette | BIG EAST |
| Ryan Kalkbrenner | Senior | C | Creighton | BIG EAST |
| RJ Luis Jr. | Junior | G/F | St. John's | BIG EAST |
| Mark Sears | Graduate Student | G | Alabama | SEC |
| Braden Smith | Junior | G | Purdue | Big Ten |
| John Tonje | Graduate Student | G | Wisconsin | Big Ten |
| JT Toppin | Sophomore | F | Texas Tech | Big 12 |
Players Mentioned
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