UCLA's Donovan Dent Selected to Bob Cousy Award Watch List
October 27, 2025 | Men's Basketball
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. โ UCLA senior Donovan Dent has been selected to the 20-person watch list for this season's Bob Cousy Award, which honors the nation's best collegiate point guard.
ย
Dent, a 6-foot-2 guard from Riverside, Calif., transferred to UCLA in the summer after having excelled the past three seasons at New Mexico. As a junior for the Lobos last season, Dent averaged 20.4 points and 6.4 assists per game. He was honored as the 2025 Mountain West Conference Player of the Year and was a first-team all-league selection.
ย
Through three collegiate seasons, Dent has averaged 13.5 points, 2.3 rebounds and 4.7 assists per game. He has shot 50.3 percent from the field in his collegiate career, including a 36.8 percentage from 3-point range (46-for-125). Dent has scored at least 10 points in 67 games and has totaled 20 or more points in 27 games. In addition, he has registered at least 10 assists in seven career games โ four last season as a junior, and three in 2023-24 as a sophomore. He enters his senior season at UCLA having totaled seven career double-doubles, all of the point and assist variety.
ย
At the conclusion of the 2024-25 season, Dent was recognized as an honorable mention All-America selection by the Associated Press (AP). Last season, there were 28 college basketball players who earned All-America or honorable mention All-America honors in 2024-25. Six of those, including Dent, are returning to college in 2025-26 (All-America teams from the A.P., USBWA, NABC and Sporting News).
ย
The 2025-26 season will mark the 23rd year in which the Bob Cousy Award recognizes the top point guard in NCAA Division I men's basketball. Named after Hall of Fame inductee Bob Cousy (Class of 1971), a former Boston Celtic standout and guard at Holy Cross University, the Bob Cousy Award was presented to Braden Smith of Purdue last season. UCLA has never had a player win the Bob Cousy Award.
ย
College basketball's annual position-by-position watch lists, as announced by the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, are being revealed this week, starting with the point guard list on Monday.
ย
As the college basketball progresses, the watch list for the Bob Cousy Award will remain fluid with student-athletes being able to move onto the list (until the final five are selected). The list will narrow down to 10 student-athletes in late January, before the final five are announced in March. The award winner this season will be revealed with a presentation at the 2026 Final Four in Indianapolis.
ย
In addition, fan voting will open shortly, with fans being able to vote for their favorite point guard. The student-athlete who receives the most votes will earn one additional vote from the award committee. Additional information about this year's fan vote and positional awards is available online by visiting http://www.hoophallawards.com. ย
ย
2025-26 Bob Cousy Award Candidates
ย
Labaron Philon (Alabama)
Darius Acuff (Arkansas)
Tahaa Pettiford (Auburn)
Robert Wright III (BYU)
Boogie Fland (Florida)
Milos Uzan (Houston)
Bennett Stirtz (Iowa)
Tamin Lipsey (Iowa State)
Darryn Peterson (Kansas)
Jalan Lowe (Kentucky)
Mikel Brown (Louisville)
Elliot Cadeau (Michigan)
Josh Hubbard (Mississippi State)
Markus Burton (Notre Dame)
Bruce Thornton (Ohio State)
Braden Smith (Purdue)
Ja'kobi Gillespie (Tennessee)
Christian Anderson (Texas Tech)
Donovan Dent (UCLA)
Silas Demary (UConn)
ย
