TUCSON — Arizona Wildcats freshman Caleb Holt, widely projected as a top-five pick in next year’s NBA draft, has been named to the preseason watch list for the 2027 Jerry West Shooting Guard of the Year Award, Arizona Sports reported.
Holt is one of three freshmen on the list, along with Illinois’ Quentin Coleman and Texas’ Austin Goosby. The list also includes UConn’s Braylon Mullins and Duke’s John Blackwell.
Holt averaged 17.7 points, 5.7 rebounds, 1.7 assists and three steals in three preseason exhibitions. He was ranked the third overall player in his high school class.
Arizona, coming off a Final Four run, is ranked fifth in the preseason KenPom ratings. Big 12 Preseason Player of the Year Motiejus Krivas and first-team All-Big 12 pick Ivan Kharchenkov are also on the roster.
The award is one of five positional honors given by the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame. Last season’s winner, Illinois’ Keaton Wagler, went fifth overall to the Los Angeles Clippers.
The Wildcats open the regular season Monday, Nov. 2, against UCLA in Las Vegas.
Sources: Arizona Sports. Thee Arizona Times uses AI-assisted reporting reviewed against the sources listed.
Photo: Msr69er / Public domain via Wikimedia Commons.
