By james art SPRINGFIELD, Mass. – Chad Baker-Mazzara of Auburn (Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic) is one of 20 candidates on the watch list for the 2025 Julius Erving Award.
The annual Julius Irving Award, named for the 1993 Hall of Famer and 16-year professional basketball player, celebrates its 11th year recognizing the best small forwards in NCAA Division I men’s college basketball.
Baker-Mazzara was a preseason third-team All-Southeastern Conference selection and helped lead Auburn to an SEC Tournament Championship in 2023-24. He was the Tigers’ third-leading scorer and rebounder, averaging 10.0 points and 3.7 rebounds per match.
Fans can support their favorite player by participating in the Fan Vote starting Friday, November 1. In late January, the 20-player watch list for the 2025 Julius Erving Award will be narrowed to 10, then in late February to just five. In March, the five finalists will be presented to Irving and the Hall of Fame selection committees, where the winners will be selected. The selection committee for the Julius Irving Award is comprised of top men’s college basketball players, including members of the media, head coaches, sports information directors and Hall of Famers.
The 2025 Irving Award winner will be presented at a date to be determined, along with the other four members of the men’s and women’s starting five. Additional awards presented include the Bob Cousy and Nancy Lieberman Awards (Point Guard), the Jerry West and Ann Myers Drysdale Awards (Shooting Guard), the Karl Malone and Katrina McClain Awards (Forward) and the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Lisa Leslie Awards (Center ).
Previous Julius Irving Award winners are Dalton Knecht, Tennessee (2024), Jalen Wilson, Kansas (2023), Wendell Moore Jr., Duke (2022), Corey Kispert, Gonzaga (2021), Sadiq Bey, Villanova (2020), Rui Hachimura , Gonzaga (2019), Mikal Bridges, Villanova (2018), Josh Hart, Villanova (2017), Denzel Valentine, Michigan State (2016) and Stanley Johnson, Arizona (2015).
For more information on the 2025 Julius Erving Award and the latest updates, visit hoophallawards.com and follow @hoophallu and #ErvingAward on X and Instagram.
For the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame
Located in Springfield, Massachusetts, the birthplace of basketball, the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame is an independent, non-profit 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to promoting, preserving and celebrating the game of basketball at every level – men’s and women’s. women, amateur and professional players, coaches and collaborators, both at home and abroad. The Hall of Fame Museum is home to more than 450 inductees and over 40,000 square feet of basketball history. Nearly 200,000 people visit the Hall of Fame Museum each year to learn more about the game, enjoy the interactive exhibits and test their skills in Jerry Colangelo’s Court of Dreams. Best known for its annual marquee ceremony honoring the game’s elite, the Hall of Fame also hosts over 70 high school and college competitions annually across the country and abroad. For more information about the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame organization, its museum and events, visit hoophall.com, follow @hoophallu or call 1-877-4HOOPLA.