INDIANAPOLIS – The NABC on Tuesday announced the recipients of its top Division I coach and player awards from the 2025-26 season, as voted on by NABC-member coaches across NCAA Division I.
Duke’s Jon Scheyer was voted as the NABC Division I Coach of the Year, while fellow Blue Devil Cameron Boozer was selected as the NABC Division I Player of the Year, NABC Pete Newell Big Man of the Year, and NABC Freshman of the Year presented by adidas. Florida’s Rueben Chinyelu earned the NABC Defensive Player of the Year award.
Scheyer led Duke to a 35-3 finish this season, including a 17-1 mark in the ACC. The Blue Devils won both the ACC regular season and ACC Tournament championships, and earned the No. 1 overall seed in the NCAA Tournament before advancing to the Elite Eight. Duke outscored opponents by an average of 18 points per game while holding them to under 40 percent shooting this season. Scheyer earns his first NABC Coach of the Year Award and is the first Duke recipient since Mike Krzyzewski earned the honor in 1999.
Boozer becomes the first player ever to sweep the NABC Division I Player of the Year, NABC Pete Newell Big Man of the Year, and NABC Freshman of the Year awards in the same season. He was the ACC Player of the Year and ACC Rookie of the Year after averaging a double-double of 22.5 points and 10.2 rebounds per game. The forward was a five-time ACC Player of the Week and 10-time ACC Rookie of the Week while shooting 55.6 percent from the field and adding 4.1 assists and 1.4 steals per game.
Chinyelu averaged 11.2 rebounds this season for Florida, a number that currently ranks fourth in Division I. He also finished the year with 36 blocks, helping the Gators earn a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament and rank among the top 10 in KenPom team defensive rating. Chinyelu is the first Florida player to earn NABC Defensive Player of the Year honors in program history.
NABC Division I Coach of the Year: Jon Scheyer, Duke
NABC Division I Player of the Year: Cameron Boozer, Duke
NABC Pete Newell Big Man of the Year: Cameron Boozer, Duke
NABC Defensive Player of the Year: Rueben Chinyelu, Florida
NABC Freshman of the Year presented by adidas: Cameron Boozer, Duke
