Tyler Tanner Receives SEC Award For The First Time

Vanderbilt basketball guard Tyler Tanner was rewarded for his standout outing against Alabama as well as his 19-point showing against LSU.

Vanderbilt guard Tyler Tanner (3) brings the ball up the court against Alabama during the second half at Memorial Gymnasium in Nashville, Tenn., Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2026. | Andrew Nelles / The Tennessean / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

NASHVILLE—Vanderbilt guard Tyler Tanner has been named SEC Player of the Week, per release. 

Tanner scored a career-high 29 points in Vanderbilt’s Wednesday win over Alabama. He also added seven assists and four steals to lead the Commodores to that win. Tanner is the first player to score at least 25 points with seven assists and four steals in a top 15 matchup since Trae Young in 2018, Vanderbilt says. In the last 30 years, only Chris Paul, Mike Bibby and DeAndre Kane accomplished the feat as well. 

The Vanderbilt guard poured in 19 points in Vanderbilt’s Saturday win over LSU, as well. Tanner is averaging 17.1 points, a team-high 5.6 assists, 3.7 rebounds and 2.6 steals per game while shooting 52.8% from the field as well as 36.1% from 3-point range on the season. 

“This is a role I’ve dreamed of, a role that I’ve wanted for the past couple years,” Tanner told Vandy on SI. “I’m just trying to make the most of it and play to the best of my ability.” 

Tanner is ranked seventh in KenPom’s most valuable player list and sixth in Evan Miya’s list. 

The Vanderbilt guard says he was “always confident” in himself, but his path to stardom has been rapid enough to be unpredictable to a casual observer. The Vanderbilt guard was used primarily as a catch-and-shoot piece offensively as a freshman in 2024-25 and ended the season averaging 5.6 points per game. Byington called Tanner the “future” of the program at the time and appeared to see something like his rise coming down the line. 

It appears as if this won’t be the last award for Tanner, although this is his first.

"He's one of the better guards in this league,” Alabama coach Nate Oats said Wednesday. “If they end up winning the league championship, he'll probably be the league MVP. And he deserves it."