THE LEFTY DRIESELL AWARD

March 12, 2025

FINALISTS FOR 2024-25 LEFTY DRIESELL AWARD
The top defensive players in division I college basketball

BOSTON, MA -- CollegeInsider.com has announced the finalists for the 2024-25 Lefty Driesell award. The award is presented annually to the top defensive player in division I college basketball.  

The Lefty Driesell award is named in honor of the legendary coach who spent over four decades as a head coach.

Driesell won 786 games in 41 years at Davidson, Maryland, James Madison, and Georgia State. He ranks eighth on the NCAA career Division I coaches victories list and his teams at each stop were known for playing tenacious defense. From 1969-1986 at Maryland, his teams posted a 348-159 record, won two Atlantic Coast Conference regular season titles and one tournament title.

Driesell also led Davidson, Georgia State and James Madison to the NCAA tournament, making him one of three coaches to reach the NCAAs with four different programs. His teams won a total of 16 regular season championships and six tournament championships.

Charles “Lefty” Driesell passed away on Feb. 17, 2024. He was 92.

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 2025 award will be announced in San Antonio, TX, site of the men’s Division I Basketball Championship.

LEFTY DRIESELL AWARD FINALISTS

Jadin Akins

6-4

Sr.

Michigan State

Zack Austin

6-7

Sr.

Pittsburgh

Ace Baldwin Jr.

6-1

Sr.

Penn State

TJ Bamba

6-5

Sr.

Oregon

Luke Bamgboye

6-10

Fr.

VCU

Jared Billups

6-4

Sr.

George Mason

Johni Broome

6-10

Sr.

Auburn

Alex Condon

6-11

So.

Florida

LJ Cryer

6-1

Sr.

Houston

Cooper Flagg

6-9

Fr.

Duke

Hayden Gray

6-4

Sr.

UC San Diego

Magoon Gwath

7-0

Fr.

San Diego State

Chucky Hepburn

6-2

Sr.

Louisville

Sion James

6-6

Sr.

Duke

Kobe Johnson

6-6

Sr.

UCLA

Denver Jones

6-4

Sr.

Auburn

Ryan Kalkbrenner

7-1

Sr.

Creighton

Tamin Lipsey

6-1

Jr.

Iowa State

Jahmai Mashack

6-4

Sr.

Tennessee

Bez Mbeng

6-4

Sr.

Yale

Stevie Mitchell

6-3

Sr.

Marquette

Micah Peavy

6-8

Sr.

Georgetown

Kadary Richmond

6-6

Sr.

St. John’s

J’Wan Roberts

6-8

Sr.

Houston

Mitchell Saxen

6-10

Sr.

Saint Mary’s

Devion Smith

6-0

Sr.

St. John’s

Joseph Tugler

6-8

So.

Houston

Amari Williams

7-0

Sr.

Kentucky

Malcolm Wilson

7-0

Sr.

Queens

Zakai Zeigler

5-9

Sr.

Tennessee

 

The Lefty Driesell Award, given annually to the top defensive player in Division I basketball, is named in honor of the legendary former coach. 
 
Driesell won 786 games in 41 years at Davidson, Maryland, James Madison and Georgia State. He ranks eighth on the NCAA career Division I coaches victories list and his teams at each stop were known for playing tenacious defense. From 1969-1986 at Maryland, his teams posted a 348-159 record, won two Atlantic Coast Conference regular season titles and one tournament title.
 
Driesell also led Davidson, Georgia State and James Madison to the NCAA tournament, making him one of three coaches to reach the NCAAs with four different programs. His teams won a total of 16 regular season championships and six tournament championships.
 
The Lefty Driesell award voting panel is made up of current division I coaches, athletic administrators, and senior College Insider staff members.  The recipient of the 2024-25 award will be announced in April, in San Antonio, TX site of the men's Division I NCAA Basketball Championship.
 
 

The Lefty Driesell award is presented annually to the top defensive player in division I college basketball, as voted on by the award committee.

The 10-member voting committee consists of current and former head coaches, as well as two senior staff members of collegeinsider.com.

The award is presented annually at the site of the men's Division I NCAA basketball championship. 

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