2026 Naismith Men’s College Defensive Player of the Year Presented by MOLECULE Late-Season Team
Feb 27, 2026
| Name | Year | Position | School | Conference |
|---|
| Flory Bidunga | Sophomore | Forward | Kansas | Big 12 |
| Cameron Boozer | Freshman | Forward | Duke | ACC |
| Jaden Bradley | Senior | Guard | Arizona | Big 12 |
| Maliq Brown | Senior | Forward | Duke | ACC |
| Javontae Campbell | Senior | Guard | Bowling Green | MAC |
| Rueben Chinyelu | Junior | Center | Florida | SEC |
| Somto Cyril | Sophomore | Center | Georgia | SEC |
| Silas Demary Jr. | Junior | Guard | UCONN | BIG EAST |
| Zuby Ejiofor | Senior | Forward | St. John's | BIG EAST |
| Yaxel Lendeborg | Graduate Student | Forward | Michigan | Big Ten |
| Tamin Lipsey | Senior | Guard | Iowa State | Big 12 |
| Aday Mara | Junior | Center | Michigan | Big Ten |
| Tyler Tanner | Sophomore | Guard | Vanderbilt | SEC |
| Joseph Tugler | Junior | Forward | Houston | Big 12 |
| Ernest Udeh Jr. | Senior | Center | Miami | ACC |
