Men's college basketball awards: Cameron Boozer, Yaxel Lendeborg headline consensus picks - ESPN

The 2025-26 men's college basketball season has been billed as the year of the freshman. But it's been so much more.

There are a trio — at least — of dominant teams at the top of the sport. There's undefeated Miami (Ohio) becoming one of the biggest stories in college basketball. There have been a long list of injuries that will undoubtedly be talking points in the NCAA tournament. And yes, there's that generational class of freshmen, led by — stop us if you've heard this before — the Player of the Year front-runner at Duke.

ESPN college basketball writers Jeff Borzello and Myron Medcalf take a look at the best of the best in the sport this season with their end-of-the-year awards, while also acknowledging one or two critiques.

There wasn't much debate for Player of the Year — and, by extension, Freshman of the Year — but there's reasonable discussion for the rest. Where did we land for Transfer of the Year, Coach of the Year and other honors?

Consensus: Cameron Boozer, Duke

On Nov. 27, Boozer recorded 35 points, nine rebounds, three assists and two steals in Duke's 80-71 win over Arkansas at the United Center in Chicago. Five days later, he finished with 29 points and provided the assist on Isaiah Evans' winning 3-pointer in a 67-66 victory over Florida at Cameron Indoor Stadium. Boozer had already emerged earlier in the season as a national player of the year front-runner. But those two wins in particular created a gap between Boozer and the field. And it has only grown over the past four months.

The numbers and accolades speak for themselves. All you really need to know is that Cooper Flagg had one of the greatest freshman seasons in college basketball history in 2024-25 — and Boozer has surpassed him in most major