Miami Freshman Jalil Bethea Named to 2025 Jerry West Award Preseason Watch List
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University of Miami freshman men’s basketball player Jalil Bethea has been named to the Jerry West Shooting Guard of the Year Preseason Watch List, as announced Tuesday afternoon by the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame.
The annual award, named after the late Class of 1980 Hall of Famer and 1959 NCAA Final Four Most Valuable Player, celebrates its 11th year by highlighting the top shooting guards in Division I men’s college basketball.
Bethea, a consensus five-star player per ESPN, 247Sports, and Rivals, was a 2024 McDonald’s All-American selection, the 2023-24 Gatorade Pennsylvania Boys Basketball Player of the Year, and the highest recruit in program history for the Miami men's basketball team.
As a senior in 2023-24, Bethea averaged 23.2 points, 7.0 rebounds, 3.4 assists, and 1.5 steals per game and was one of the smoothest scores in the country.
Miami Hurricanes Men's Basketball Player Preview: Jalil Bethea
Previous winners of the Jerry West Award are RJ Davis, North Carolina (2024), Marcus Sasser, Houston (2023), Johnny Davis, Wisconsin (2022), Chris Duarte, Oregon (2021), Myles Powell, Seton Hall (2020), RJ Barrett, Duke (2019), Carsen Edwards, Purdue (2018), Malik Monk, Kentucky (2017), Buddy Hield, Oklahoma (2016), and D’Angelo Russell, Ohio State (2015).
Fans are encouraged to participate in Fan Voting in each of the three rounds starting on Friday, November 1. In late January, the watch list of 20 players for the 2025 Jerry Award will be narrowed to 10, and then in late February, to just five. In March, the five finalists will be presented to West’s family and the Hall of Fame’s selection committees, where winners will be selected.
The Selection Committees for the Jerry West Award is composed of top men’s college basketball personnel, including media members, head coaches, sports information directors, and Hall of Famers.
2025 Jerry West Award Candidates
Caleb Love, Arizona
Johnell Davis, Arkansas
Boogie Fland, Arkansas
VJ Edgecombe, Baylor
Caleb Foster, Duke
Kon Knueppel, Duke
Tyon Grant-Foster, Grand Canyon
LJ Cryer, Houston
Zeke Mayo, Kansas
Kam Jones, Marquette
Jalil Bethea, Miami (FL)
RJ Davis, North Carolina
Meechie Johnson Jr., Ohio State
Matthew Murrell, Ole Miss
Fletcher Loyer, Purdue
Kadary Richmond, St. John’s
Chaz Lanier, Tennessee
Tre Johnson, Texas
Aidan Mahaney, UConn
Hunter Sallis, Wake Forest
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Justice Sandle is a graduate of Mississippi State University earning a Bachelor of Arts and Science in Communications with a concentration in Print and Digital Journalism. During his time in Starkville, he spent a year as an intern working for Mississippi State On SI primarily covering basketball, football, baseball, and soccer while writing, recording, and creating multimedia stories during his tenor. Since graduating, he has assumed the role of lead staff writer for Miami Hurricanes On SI covering football, basketball, baseball, and all things Hurricanes related.