The 2025-2026 Ryan Kalkbrenner Pre-Season Award Nominations
Stephen explains the concept behind this post and highlights some players that could come away with the most prestigious and made up award of the season!
Okay, Let Me Explain…
In the spirit of Ryan Kalkbrenner overcoming post-hype odds and being taken in the early second round of the 2025 NBA Draft, I found myself thinking about how Kalkbrenner ended up becoming a prospect that many (including yours truly) believed could have been taken in the first round. At several points throughout last year’s draft process, I mentioned a few times on Draft Sickos that I hated how much I grew to like Ryan’s game. Kalkbrenner’s commitment to being a defensive stalwart, while improving in several offensive areas, proved to do wonders for his draft stock. The Charlotte Hornets were able to draft “Kalk” at the top of the Second Round, solidifying a rare, competent draft class.
A long, long time ago (in a Draft Class far, far away) lived a Creighton Bluejays roster that had many believing they could compete for a National Championship. The 2021-2022 Creighton Bluejays featured a team that consisted of now-NBA draft picks in Trey Alexander and Ryan Nembhard, as well as the promising and athletic Arthur Kaluma. After a 23-12 season and a loss to Kansas during March Madness, sophomore Ryan Kalkbrenner would be second on the team in scoring and would establish himself as a premier defensive big man. The following season, Baylor Scheierman would transfer in from South Dakota State and only intensify the expectations of this school. Despite the addition of Scheierman, Creighton’s record would be 24-13, and they would lose to San Diego State in the Elite Eight by one point. After the loss and once the offseason started, Ryan Nembhard would transfer to Gonzaga, and Arthur Kaluma would transfer to Kansas State. While Creighton would add Steven Ashworth from Utah, the expectations surrounding the Bluejays subsided to a certain degree. Creighton did finish with a 25-10 record but lost to Tennessee in the Sweet 16.
By that point, Kalkbrenner had become the subject of much scrutiny. While he had been a dominant defender, and had been one of Creighton’s most consistent scorers, his less-than-stellar rebounding numbers and outdated offensive game were glaring deficiencies in the eyes of evaluators. By taking and making more threes, showing off some DHO ability, and a commitment to crashing the glass, Kalkbrenner resurrected his potential draft stock.
Applying Kalkbrenner’s story to this year’s crop of nominees, the players featured on this list are players who saw a hit to their once-promising draft stock, but they are the most likely to fight their way back into the late first round/early second round range.
On top of that, this list is going to be limited to players who will have at least four seasons of college hoops under their belts at the end of the 2025-2026 season.
Here are the TOP candidates for the inaugural Ryan Kalkbrenner Award…
Milos Uzan
Houston | Guard | Senior | 6’4” | 190
Milos Uzan is a guard who has been on draft radars for a few seasons now. Dating back to his 2023-2024 season with Oklahoma, there were many who felt that he had the size, feel, and skill that it took to be, at a minimum, a serviceable NBA guard. Following a fairly productive freshman season, Milos took a step back in terms of both production and efficiency—averaging just 9.0 PPG, 4.4 APG, and 3.4 RPG. His splits were just 39/30/68 during his sophomore year despite starting in all 32 games, while playing about 32 MPG.
After that 20-12 season he spent with the Sooners, Milos entered the transfer portal and opted to play for Coach Kelvin Sampson in Houston. His rebounding and playmaking would stay about the same in terms of statistical output, but Uzan became more efficient from deep (+~13%) and the floor (+~6%) overall. Milos showed some solid playmaking and scoring, but the defense and physicality concerns were still present.
Milos tested the NBA Draft waters this past offseason, but ultimately opted to return to Houston for his final year of eligibility. His return ensures that the Cougars will have their leading assister and third-leading scorer to fortify a roster with a unique blend of returners and top-tier freshmen.
FOR IT TO GO RIGHT: Milos will need to prove that his shooting from deep last season was not a fluke. He will also need to show more effort and consistency on the defensive end of the floor. Should he do that while maintaining his solid court vision and effort on the glass, it’s more than possible that he could end up in the Ryan Kalkbrenner range of this year’s draft.
Otega Oweh
Kentucky | Guard | Senior | 6’4” | 215
Speaking of former Oklahoma Sooner guards, our attention now shifts to Otega Oweh of the Kentucky Wildcats. While some of the scouts and evaluators who watched Uzan in the 2023-2024 season may have been underwhelmed with Milos, plenty of people came away impressed with the game of Oweh. Not the biggest guard in the world, Otega mesmerized viewers with some impressive feats of athleticism and pesky defensive prowess. In his sophomore season, Oweh averaged 11.4 PPG, 3.8 RPG, 1.5 SPG, and 1.0 APG. He also posted splits of 49/38/64.
Otega opted to enter the transfer during the same offseason that Milos Uzan transferred to Houston. Oweh decided to be a part of the first wave of players that would join Mark Pope in Lexington. Not only would he be one of the pieces for Coach Pope’s Kentucky squad, but Otega would be the Wildcats’ leading scorer.
Like Uzan, Oweh also tested the NBA Draft water. He showed a ton of promise in some of the team drills and continued to show off his defensive ability. Despite drumming up some buzz at the combine, Oweh decided to return to Lexington to play his Senior season on a loaded team. As was the case last year, plenty of preseason boards have Otega as a draftable prospect. The question is “How high will he be selected?”
FOR IT TO GO RIGHT: I think Oweh’s game, as constructed, isn’t too far off from being considered as reasonable to be a late first rounder. More efficiency and volume from deep is the answer for almost any returning prospect. He did average the most assists per game in his college career with 1.7. Some more consistent playmaking for others would go a long way. Efficiency as a scorer and playmaker, added to his tremendous frame and defensive talent, would vault him up boards more than people are likely considering at this point.
Baba Miller
Cincinnati | Forward/Big | Senior | 6’11” | 215
Baba Miller has had, perhaps, the most roadblocks on his young basketball journey compared to anyone else in this crop of nominees. Prior to his commitment to play for the Florida State Seminoles, Miller was flown to the United States from Spain to participate in training camp. The NCAA took note of this, and elected to suspend the young forward for half of his freshman season.
Once Baba stepped on the court, there were obvious signs of talent and potential. However, those predominantly came on the defensive side of the court. As a freshman, Miller had a Steals Percentage of 1.4 and a Block Percentage of 3.1. On the other side of the floor, Miller showed himself to be a bit behind. He posted splits of just 47/25/30. After that disappointing introductory season, Miller came back to play for the Seminoles and became more of a featured player. Starting in 32 of 33 games played, he produced in a similar manner in a larger role. The defense was still impressive, while the offense still required improvement.
Last season, Miller transferred to in-state Florida Atlantic University and made some strides in his offensive game. Baba shot over 34% from deep on more than three attempts per game. Beyond his shot from deep getting better, he also converted almost 49% from the floor in general. Oh, and he posted a career-best in Blocks Percentage with 6.0! Seeing his game grow, Baba decided to transfer again to Cincinnati—a team that has a very fun roster!
FOR IT TO GO RIGHT: Baba is going to need to show that he can continue to stretch the floor. It would also go a long way for him to develop a reliable “two dribbles and a quick decision” game. If he can, NBA teams will have to tie themselves down in order to resist an almost 7-footer who can move and defend the way Baba can!
Alex Karaban
UConn | Wing/Forward | Senior (RS) | 6’8” | 230
It wasn’t too long ago that Alex Karaban was winning rings and putting together a strong case to be a first round draft pick once he decided to move on from the college game. With a big frame and quick release, Alex had a ton of fans. After the way things went for Alex (and UConn at large) last season, there are some serious doubts as to whether or not he’ll be drafted at all this coming NBA Draft.
Karaban posted a career high in three-point attempts, but finished with his worst shooting percentage from deep to date (34.7%). The Huskies experimented with some ball-handling by committee last season due to the lack of a true orchestrator. This led to Liam McNeeley getting a ton of credit for playing “outside of position”, but Alex also saw a bump his his playmaking numbers as well. Karaban had 2.8 APG to just 1.3 TOPG. Having proven to be somewhat of a shot blocking specialist from the wing the past couple of seasons, there were still some redeeming aspects to Karaban’s game last year.
After flirting with the NBA draft, Alex elected to return for his senior year with Dan Hurley in Storrs. UConn has some talent this season, with Braylon Mullins coming in as a Freshman, and Tarris Reed transferring in from Michigan to take on a massive role for the Huskies. With an influx of talent, Karaban could go back to the role that put him on NBA draft radars years ago.
FOR IT TO GO RIGHT: Karaban has proven to be one of the premier shooters in college basketball over his career. He has to delete last season’s efficiency numbers from the minds of talent evaluators. The playmaking bump may not be there in terms of volume this season, but he needs to continue to make snappy and quick decisions. The shot blocking has been building year-over-year. Alex needs to show some improved quickness and footwork along the perimeter to reach the tippy-top of his draft stock.
Tucker DeVries
Indiana | Wing/Forward | Senior (RS) | 6’7” | 220
The story of Tucker DeVries is obviously still being written, and thank goodness. DeVries truly turned heads as a sophomore prospect with the Drake Bulldogs back in the 2022-2023 season while playing for his dad, Darian DeVries. That season, DeVries averaged almost 19 PPG and shot over 37% from deep on about seven attempts per game. Tucker returned to Drake for his junior year and put up over 21 PPG while shooting over 36% from deep on over seven attempts per game.
After the 2023-2024 season, Darian DeVries was offered a job opportunity to coach at West Virginia. Darian accepted and brought Tucker with him. With a leap in competition, Tucker averaged 14.9 PPG while shooting over 47% from deep on just under seven attempts per game. Unfortunately for Tucker, he only played eight games after sustaining an injury to his right shoulder.
Coming into this past offseason, Tucker would go through the transfer portal to play for his dad again—this time committing to Indiana. The Hoosiers brought in DeVries and a ton of other transfer prospects: Reed Bailey from Davidson, Sam Alexis from Florida, Josh Harris and Jasai Miles from North Florida, Lamar Wilkerson from Sam Houston, and Nick Dorn from Elon, among others. In his final season of college basketball, Tucker could finally take control of his draft stock.
FOR IT TO GO RIGHT: Most importantly, DeVries will need to stay healthy to show off his NBA-ready shooting skills. Over the course of the past few seasons, Tucker has shown the ability to do some work with the ball in his hands. He’ll need to show that at a high level this season. Tucker’s defense has some strong points, and he’ll need to lean on that. His dad/coach knows the best places to use Tucker on both sides of the floor—he’ll need to make the most of his opportunities in a bounce-back season.
Dillon Mitchell
St. John’s | Wing/Forward | Senior | 6’8” | 210
Few players in college basketball have the sort of athleticism of Dillon Mitchell. While the frame and tools were the allure of Mitchell as a prospect, it seems like NBA evaluators and fans have been waiting for the rest of his game to round out. As a freshman, Dillon did finish almost 64% of all his shots. However, he didn’t attempt a single three in his 38 games for Texas, and he barely cleared 40% from the free-throw line. Mitchell dribbling the ball was also painful to watch.
In his second season with the Longhorns, Mitchell played just under 30 minutes per game, and scored 9.6 PPG. Dillon’s defense stayed just as potent with a larger role on the team, as he recorded a Block Percentage of 3.2 and a Steals Percentage of 2.0! His ball-handling increased a smidge, but the connectivity still left a lot to be desired.
After his second season in Austin, Mitchell chose to transfer away from the Texas program, and chose to transfer to the Cincinnati Bearcats. After an up-and-down season there, he chose to transfer again for his senior year and join the ascending St. John’s Red Storm. Dillon joins a swarm of other experienced players, and will play under one of the most experienced head coaches in Rick Pitino. St. John’s will most likely give Mitchell plenty of opportunity to be in the public eye, and re-establish himself as a draftable player.
FOR IT TO GO RIGHT: Dillon has to show some improvement either as a reliable passer or spot up threat…if not both. He has long been a strong positional rebounder and can create plenty of defensive events due to his length, tools, and phenomenal anticipation. It’s becoming increasingly more difficult for toolsy forwards to see an NBA floor if they don’t have a feel-based skill; simply cutting just won’t cut it anymore. Should Mitchell show improvement in one of those areas, a late first / early second round range will be in play.
Mark Mitchell
Missouri | Wing/Forward | Senior | 6’9” | 230
Do you remember when Mark Mitchell was supposed to be one of Duke’s better players in the 2022-2023 season? Me too! Mark went to Cameron alongside fellow Freshmen Dereck Lively, Kyle Filipowski, and Tyrese Proctor with high expectations. In his debut season with the Blue Devils, Mitchell put up 9.1 PPG, 4.5 RPG, 1.2 APG, and 1.1 stocks per game.
Duke and their top prospects didn’t exactly have the sort of season many had hoped, with Lively being the only player of the freshman group that opted to go pro. Returning to a Duke team that featured more talent, Mitchell put up about 11.6 PPG, 6.0 RPG, 1.1 APG, and close to two stocks per game. After a worse shooting season from deep with Duke, Mark hopped in the transfer portal and transferred to Missouri.
Mark didn’t see his shooting improve with the Tigers. In fact, he only shot 26% from deep and only 67% from the line. His defense, strength, and athleticism continued to to be the best aspects of his game, but Mitchell didn’t really answer the questions that surrounded him over the past couple of collegiate seasons. Following the completion of his junior year, Mitchell chose to return to Missouri for his senior year.
FOR IT TO GO RIGHT: Mitchell doesn’t necessarily have to be a knock-down shooter from deep (although it wouldn’t hurt) to revive his stock. He does need to show some sort of consistent way to contribute on that end. Improving his decision-making last year was certainly a start, as he recorded a career-best in Assist Percentage while not turning it over a ton. Despite being very strong and athletic, he could stand to crash the boards with more ferocity. Mitchell’s defense has been strong, so maintaining his effort on that end is the expectation.
Trevon Brazile
Arkansas | Forward | Senior | 6’10” | 230
The last player on the docket for this prestigious award is a player who was once projected to be a first round prospect, Trevon Brazile. After showing some promise as a freshman in Missouri, Brazile transferred to the Arkansas Razorbacks. Trevon got off to a decent start in his debut season for the Hogs, averaging 11.8 PPG, 6.0 RPG, 1.2 BPG, 1.0 SPG, and 1.0 APG. That was on splits of 48/37/68.
That production would be short-lived, though, as Brazile suffered an ACL tear that would end his season. Brazile returned the following year and was productive in a smaller role. Trevon didn’t do enough to be truly considered a draftable prospect, but he showed encouraging flashes of the athleticism he possessed prior to his injury. Many wondered what Brazile would do following Eric Musselman leaving Fayetteville for USC.
John Calipari was hired as Musselman’s replacement, and Trevon decided to stay with the Hogs. With a haul of Freshmen and transfer players, Brazile saw his minutes decrease, but he was potent in the minutes he played. Per 36, he averaged about 13 PPG, 10 RPG, 2 BPG, 1.5 SPG, and 1 APG. Arkansas had a successful first season for Coach Cal, which led to Brazile returning to the program for his last year of college hoops.
FOR IT TO GO RIGHT: Even after the ACL injury, Brazile has shown the propensity to get dinged up. He’ll need to stay available if he’s going to prove himself as a real draft prospect. Malique Ewin and Nick Pringle have joined the club, so Brazile will need to prove himself in practice and make the most of his minutes when he sees the floor. He’s been a career 36% shooter from deep and has blocked shots at a high clip. If he can make some good decisions as a passer (even if it’s just simple decision-making), that will go a long way for a player of his size and with his skill set.
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