Tucker DeVries Named to Small Forward of the Year Watch List

West Virginia senior Tucker DeVries has been named to the Julius Erving Award watch list, the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame announced on Wednesday.

Of the 20 players named to the preseason watch list for the award, given to the top small forward in men’s college basketball, five are from the Big 12 conference. In addition to WVU’s DeVries, KJ Lewis from Arizona, BJ Freeman from Arizona State, Milan Momcilovic from Iowa State and AJ Storr from Kansas were all also recognized.

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— WVU Men’s Basketball (@WVUhoops) October 30, 2024

DeVries transferred to West Virginia this offseason after his father, Darian DeVries was hired as the team’s head coach in March. DeVries played for three seasons under his father at Drake, where he won back-to-back Missouri Valley Conference Player of the Year honors.

DeVries was the only player in the country last season to average at least 20.0 points, 6.0 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 1.5 steals per game. He was considered one of the top transfers in the offseason and is ranked as one of the best players in college basketball entering the season.

In his first action with West Virginia, DeVries led the Mountaineers with 18 points and four assists in the team’s 94-61 charity exhibition win over Charleston on Oct. 18.

The award watch list will be trimmed to 10 players in January and then down to five finalists in late February. The winner will be chosen in March. The reigning Julius Erving Award winner is former Tennessee Volunteer Dalton Knecht, the 17th overall pick in the most recent NBA Draft.

DeVries and the Mountaineers are set to open the 2024-25 season at home against Robert Morris on Monday, Nov. 4 at 7 p.m. The game will be broadcast on ESPN+.

For a related story, WVU women’s basketball’s JJ Quinerly has been named to the Anne Meyers Drysdale Award watch list.