IOWA CITY, Iowa — University of Iowa senior forward Payton Sandfort has been named to the Julius Erving Small Forward of the Year Preseason Watch List, the announcement was made Wednesday by the Basketball Hall of Fame.
It is the second straight year Sandfort has been named to the preseason watch list for an award that recognizes the best small forwards in men’s college basketball.
He is one of four Big Ten players on the watch list along with Indiana’s Mackenzie Mgbako, Michigan State’s Frankie Fidler and Rutgers’ Ace Bailey. The list will be fluid throughout the season as players will have the ability to play themselves on and off the list.
Fans are encouraged to participate in fan voting, presented by Dell Technologies, in each of the three rounds. In early February, the list will be narrowed down to 10 players, and it will be trimmed to five in March. The award recipient will be announced at the Final Four in San Antonio.
Leading into the 2024-25 season, Sandfort has also been named to the preseason All-Big Ten team by the league office and Blue Ribbon. He has been tabbed as one of the best seniors and sharp shooters in college basketball by Andy Katz on NCAA.com and is rated as the 47th-best player in the nation by ESPN.com.
The 6-foot-8, 215 pound forward put up career-best numbers across the board during the 2023-24 season, averaging 16.4 points, 6.6 rebounds and 2.7 assists, while shooting 44.6 percent from the floor, 37.9 percent from distance and 91.1 percent from the free throw stripe. He ranked second in the Big Ten in free throw percentage, third in 3-point percentage, eighth in scoring, 12th in field goal percentage and 13th in rebounding en route to third-team All-Big Ten honors.
The Waukee, Iowa, native scored in double figures in 27 games and posted a team-best 11 20-point contests, including a career-best 30-point, 12-rebound outing in Iowa’s NIT First Round win over Kansas State. He made a career-high seven 3-pointers in the victory.
During the season, Sandfort was one of the best shooters in the Big Ten, leading the league with 94 3-point field goals. He made two or more 3s in 27 games, three or more in 17 games and four or more 12 times. The 94 makes ranked in the top 40 nationally.
Sandfort, who became just the second Big Ten Player since 1992-92 to average 16+ points, 6+ rebounds, 2.5 assists and 2.5 3-point field goals, made Iowa history during a Feb. 27 victory over Penn State. He recorded the first triple-double in program history, finishing with 26 points, 10 rebounds, 10 assists and three blocks in the game.
The Hawkeyes open the regular season Nov. 4, hosting Texas A&M Commerce as part of the Kenny Arnold Classic at 7 p.m. (CT) on Mediacom Court inside Carver-Hawkeye Arena. The game will be streamed live on B1G+.
