Hubbard Among John R. Wooden Award Top 50 Preseason Watch List
November 18, 2025 | Men's Basketball
by Matt Dunaway, Director/Communications
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LOS ANGELES, California – For the second consecutive season, Mississippi State's Josh Hubbard is among one of 50 players in the country to be listed among the John R. Wooden Award Top 50 Preseason Watch List as announced Tuesday by the Los Angeles Athletic Club.
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Selected by a preseason poll of national experts, the list comprises 50 student-athletes who are frontrunners for one of the sport's most prestigious honors: the Wooden Award All-American Team and the Wooden Award Most Outstanding Player.
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The players on the list are considered strong candidates for the 2026 John R. Wooden Award Men's Player of the Year. Players not selected for the list remain eligible for inclusion on the Wooden Award midseason, late-season list, and the national ballot. The national ballot will feature 15 top players who have demonstrated to their universities that they meet or exceed the Wooden Award qualifications.
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Hubbard, a unanimous All-SEC First-Team pick from the league's coaches and media, has already been showered with numerous preseason accolades which include the Naismith Trophy Men's Player of the Year, the Oscar Robertson Trophy Watch List and the Bob Cousy Watch List which is awarded to the nation's top point guard.
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The Madison, Mississippi product is one of 14 SEC players on the 50-player list which also includes Darius Acuff Jr. (Arkansas), Nate Ament (Tennessee), Alex Condon (Florida), Boogie Fland (Florida), Ja'Kobi Gillespie (Tennessee), Thomas Haugh (Florida), Xaivian Lee (Florida), Jaland Lowe (Kentucky), Otega Oweh (Kentucky), Tahaad Pettiford (Auburn), Labaron Philon Jr. (Alabama), Jayden Quaintance (Kentucky) and D.J. Wagner (Arkansas).
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Last season, Hubbard became the first State player to pile up at least 600 points and 100 assists in the same season. He is the only major conference player (ACC, BIG EAST, Big Ten, Big 12, SEC) with 600+ points and 100+ assists from 2024-25 to return this season to college basketball.
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Hubbard's 1,307 points is fourth-most in State history through 72 games and ranks tied for 21st overall on the program's all-time list. He is joined by Bailey Howell (1957-58-59) and Jamont Gordon (2006-07-08) as the only players in school history to amass multiple seasons with at least 550 points.
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For his career, Hubbard has amassed double figures in 66 of 72 career outings fueled by 45 of last 46 games. He has posted 22.6 points per game over his last 17 appearances dating back to last season's Alabama game in late January. Â Â
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Hubbard canned a school-record 108 three-pointers during each of his first two seasons. Overall, he's in fifth place in program history with 223 three-pointers and has made a three-pointer in a school-record 50 consecutive games, a streak that stretches back to his freshman campaign.Â
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Hubbard has picked up where he left off from last season and is ranking among the SEC's top 11 in points (22.33 – 2nd), assists (5.67 – 5th), three-point field goals made (3.00 – tied for 6th), three-point percentage (36.0 – 10th) and free throw percentage (90.0 – 11th).
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On Thursday, State faces off with Kansas State (Nov. 20 – ~8:30 p.m. CT – Peacock), who is receiving votes in the Associated Press and USA Today/Coaches Top 25 polls, to open up action at the Basketball Hall of Fame Classic inside the T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, Missouri.
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Chris Jans is one of four coaches in SEC history to amass at least 21 victories and guide his squad to a NCAA Tournament appearance during each of his first three seasons. The Maroon and White are looking to secure four straight NCAA Tournament bids for the second time in program history.Â
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Visit www.HailState.com for the latest news and information on the men's basketball program. Fans also can follow the program on its official social media accounts by searching 'HailStateMBK' on Facebook, X and Instagram.
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LOS ANGELES, California – For the second consecutive season, Mississippi State's Josh Hubbard is among one of 50 players in the country to be listed among the John R. Wooden Award Top 50 Preseason Watch List as announced Tuesday by the Los Angeles Athletic Club.
Â
Selected by a preseason poll of national experts, the list comprises 50 student-athletes who are frontrunners for one of the sport's most prestigious honors: the Wooden Award All-American Team and the Wooden Award Most Outstanding Player.
Â
The players on the list are considered strong candidates for the 2026 John R. Wooden Award Men's Player of the Year. Players not selected for the list remain eligible for inclusion on the Wooden Award midseason, late-season list, and the national ballot. The national ballot will feature 15 top players who have demonstrated to their universities that they meet or exceed the Wooden Award qualifications.
Â
Hubbard, a unanimous All-SEC First-Team pick from the league's coaches and media, has already been showered with numerous preseason accolades which include the Naismith Trophy Men's Player of the Year, the Oscar Robertson Trophy Watch List and the Bob Cousy Watch List which is awarded to the nation's top point guard.
Â
The Madison, Mississippi product is one of 14 SEC players on the 50-player list which also includes Darius Acuff Jr. (Arkansas), Nate Ament (Tennessee), Alex Condon (Florida), Boogie Fland (Florida), Ja'Kobi Gillespie (Tennessee), Thomas Haugh (Florida), Xaivian Lee (Florida), Jaland Lowe (Kentucky), Otega Oweh (Kentucky), Tahaad Pettiford (Auburn), Labaron Philon Jr. (Alabama), Jayden Quaintance (Kentucky) and D.J. Wagner (Arkansas).
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Last season, Hubbard became the first State player to pile up at least 600 points and 100 assists in the same season. He is the only major conference player (ACC, BIG EAST, Big Ten, Big 12, SEC) with 600+ points and 100+ assists from 2024-25 to return this season to college basketball.
Â
Hubbard's 1,307 points is fourth-most in State history through 72 games and ranks tied for 21st overall on the program's all-time list. He is joined by Bailey Howell (1957-58-59) and Jamont Gordon (2006-07-08) as the only players in school history to amass multiple seasons with at least 550 points.
Â
For his career, Hubbard has amassed double figures in 66 of 72 career outings fueled by 45 of last 46 games. He has posted 22.6 points per game over his last 17 appearances dating back to last season's Alabama game in late January. Â Â
Â
Hubbard canned a school-record 108 three-pointers during each of his first two seasons. Overall, he's in fifth place in program history with 223 three-pointers and has made a three-pointer in a school-record 50 consecutive games, a streak that stretches back to his freshman campaign.Â
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Hubbard has picked up where he left off from last season and is ranking among the SEC's top 11 in points (22.33 – 2nd), assists (5.67 – 5th), three-point field goals made (3.00 – tied for 6th), three-point percentage (36.0 – 10th) and free throw percentage (90.0 – 11th).
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On Thursday, State faces off with Kansas State (Nov. 20 – ~8:30 p.m. CT – Peacock), who is receiving votes in the Associated Press and USA Today/Coaches Top 25 polls, to open up action at the Basketball Hall of Fame Classic inside the T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, Missouri.
Â
Chris Jans is one of four coaches in SEC history to amass at least 21 victories and guide his squad to a NCAA Tournament appearance during each of his first three seasons. The Maroon and White are looking to secure four straight NCAA Tournament bids for the second time in program history.Â
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Visit www.HailState.com for the latest news and information on the men's basketball program. Fans also can follow the program on its official social media accounts by searching 'HailStateMBK' on Facebook, X and Instagram.
Players Mentioned
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