KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The NABC has announced the recipients of the 2026 NABC Guardians of the Game pillar awards. The awards are presented each year at the NABC Convention to coaches, administrators and contributors who embody the NABC’s core values of leadership, service, education, advocacy, and inclusion.
Receiving the 2026 NABC Guardians of the Game awards are: for Leadership, High Point assistant coach Ben Fletcher; for Advocacy, Wake Forest head coach Steve Forbes; for Inclusion, Fordham head coach Mike Magpayo; for Service, NCAA Vice President of Men’s Basketball JoAn Scott; and for Education presented by SuperNetworking Academy, Iowa Community College Athletic Conference Commissioner Thom McDonald.
“The NABC Guardians of the Game platform is a reflection of the impact coaches and industry leaders make on campuses and communities across the country,” said NABC Executive Director Craig Robinson. “This year’s recipients embrace that their jobs are about much more than basketball, and the NABC is honored to celebrate them with these prestigious Guardians of the Game awards.”
NABC Guardians of the Game Award for Leadership – Ben Fletcher, High Point assistant coach
Ben Fletcher is in his first season as an assistant coach at High Point after previously holding assistant positions at South Florida, Kennesaw State and Troy. Last season, Fletcher assumed the role of interim head coach at South Florida following the unexpected passing of Amir Abdur-Rahim just weeks before the Bulls’ first scheduled game. Fletcher helped South Florida’s players, staff and campus community navigate the tragic circumstances while continuing to provide strong on-court leadership and skill development.
NABC Guardians of the Game Award for Advocacy – Steve Forbes, Wake Forest head coach
Steve Forbes has been the head coach at Wake Forest since 2020 and has won over 400 career games across stops at Wake, East Tennessee State, Northwest Florida State, and Barton County Community College. Forbes currently serves as one of three head coach representatives on the influential NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Oversight Committee, offering valuable coach perspective to the committee’s efforts to shape the strategic direction of the sport. Forbes was named the ACC Coach of the Year in 2022 and the Southern Conference Coach of the Year in 2020.
NABC Guardians of the Game Award for Inclusion – Mike Magpayo, Fordham head coach
Mike Magpayo is currently serving his first season as head coach at Fordham following a five-year head coaching tenure at UC Riverside. He won 89 games at UC Riverside and was named the Big West Coach of the Year in 2023 after leading the Highlanders to a program-record 22 wins. Magpayo – the first Division I men’s basketball head coach of full Asian heritage – is also the founder and president of the Asian Coaches Association, which supports and elevates Asian basketball coaches at all levels.
NABC Guardians of the Game Award for Education presented by SuperNetworking Academy – Thom McDonald, Iowa Community College Athletic Conference Commissioner
Thom McDonald is one of the nation’s leading advocates for two-year college men’s basketball. His numerous leadership roles in the sport include serving as Commissioner of the Iowa Community College Athletic Conference, Executive Director of the NJCAA Men’s Basketball Coaches Association, and the two-year college rep on the NABC Board of Directors. Additionally, McDonald has led development of the NABC Championship Basketball Clinic series, which each year brings industry-leading X&O clinics and leadership programming to thousands of coaches across the country.
NABC Guardians of the Game Award for Service – JoAn Scott, NCAA Vice President of Men’s Basketball
JoAn Scott has held various leadership positions overseeing men’s basketball at the NCAA since 2013, including her current role as Vice President of Men’s Basketball. Scott manages day-to-day operations of the NCAA Division I, II and III men’s basketball championships and NIT, and has been instrumental to the continued evolution of the NCAA Tournament and Men’s Final Four. She has also helped strengthen the NABC and NCAA’s longstanding partnership that enables the NABC Convention to operate alongside the Final Four. Scott held executive roles at Nike and USA Basketball prior to joining the NCAA staff.
