CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – Illinois guard Kylan Boswell is receiving national attention before the season even tips off.
The Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame released the 20-man watchlist for the 2026 Jerry West Award Tuesday, honoring the top shooting guard in collegiate basketball. Entering the award’s 12th year, Illinois senior guard Kylan Boswell earned a spot after averaging 12.3 points, 4.8 rebounds and 3.4 assists in 34 games last season, joining an elite group of guards from programs like Duke, Houston, UConn and Kentucky.
The senior’s nomination is part of a larger trend for the Illini under Brad Underwood as they aim for seven straight 20-win seasons while Boswell continues to gain momentum.
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Last season, a late surge saw him post nearly 17 points per game over Illinois’ final eight contests. Shortly after, he finished with 23 points and six assists in the NCAA Tournament’s second-round matchup with Kentucky and a dropped a career-high 24 points with seven assists in the Big Ten Tournament win over Iowa.
The list will be trimmed to 10 players in January and five finalists in February before a winner is selected in March. Fans can participate in the first round of Fan Voting starting Oct. 31.
