Tennessee freshman guard Kennedy Chandler has been named to the 50-player Jersey Mike’s Naismith Trophy Watch List, the Atlanta Tipoff Club announced Monday.
Chandler is one of just 10 freshmen and just nine SEC players included on the watch list, which at the end of each season honors college basketball’s top player.
The Memphis, Tennessee, native’s inclusion on the Jersey Mike’s Naismith Trophy Watch List marks the third award watch list he has been included on prior to the start of Tennessee’s season. Chandler was also included on the Bob Cousy Point Guard of the Year Award Preseason Watch List and the Lute Olson National Player of the Year Preseason Watch List.
Chandler led Tennessee in scoring during the Vols’ exhibition win over Lenoir-Rhyne on Oct. 30, scoring 21 points on 8-for-10 shooting in just 22 minutes. He also dished out six assists and grabbed five rebounds.
Coming out of high school, Chandler was rated by ESPN as the nation’s top point guard in the Class of 2021. He earned All-America honors from McDonald’s, Spalding and Sports Illustrated after leading Sunrise Christian Academy (Kan.) to the championship game of the GEICO Nationals tournament in April.
Over this past summer, Chandler was part of the 12-man USA Basketball Men’s U19 Team that captured a gold medal at the 2021 FIBA U19 World Cup in Riga, Latvia.
Chandler is set to make his Tennessee debut on Tuesday, as Tennessee hosts UT Martin in its season opener at 7 p.m. inside Thompson-Boling Arena. Tickets remain available at AllVols.com.
2022 Jersey Mike’s Naismith Trophy Watch List
-UT Athletics
