{"id":219654,"date":"2026-04-05T15:43:07","date_gmt":"2026-04-05T15:43:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/219654\/"},"modified":"2026-04-05T15:43:07","modified_gmt":"2026-04-05T15:43:07","slug":"chinyelu-named-naismith-defensive-player-of-the-year","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/219654\/","title":{"rendered":"Chinyelu Named Naismith Defensive Player of the Year"},"content":{"rendered":"

Florida men’s basketball junior center Rueben Chinyelu was named the Naismith Defensive Player of the Year at the Naismith Awards Brunch on Sunday.<\/a>
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\nChinyelu averaged 11.2 rebounds this season for Florida, the first Gator in 50 years to average double-figure rebounds, and he was the centerpiece of Florida’s top-10 defense all season.
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\n“It’s not about me, honestly, it’s about my teammates, it’s about the belief they have me, it’s about the chemistry we have, just knowing each other,” Chinyelu said. “The more you know your teammates, then you know how to play with them, how to play off them, how to help off them. We did something defensively because basketball is game of five \u2013 it’s not a one-on-one game \u2013 so all five come together in the process. So I think this is for them. I’m so happy and so excited because it’s not just about me, it’s about the work we put in, with Coach [Carlin] Hartman, Coach TG [Taurean Green<\/a>], the whole coaching staff, the managers, everyone out there that helps get me right to be ready for the next moment, the next game.”
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\nThe Enugwu-Agidi, Nigeria, native has also earned recognition this season as NABC Defensive Player of the Year, SEC Defensive Player of the Year, All-SEC and SEC All-Defensive Team. Chinyelu has also earned off the court honors as SEC Scholar Athlete of the Year and a member of the SEC Community Service Team.
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\nIn Chinyelu’s two seasons at Florida, he has started every game and helped lead the Gators to a 63-12 (.840) record, which includes the 2025 NCAA Tournament and SEC Tournament championships and the 2026 SEC regular season championship.
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\nNaismith Defensive Player of the Year Honorees
\nAward established in 2018<\/p>\n


\n\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t2026
\n\t\t\tRueben Chinyelu<\/a>
\n\t\t\tFlorida
\n\t\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t2025
\n\t\t\tRyan Kalkbrenner
\n\t\t\tCreighton
\n\t\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t2024
\n\t\t\tJamal Shead
\n\t\t\tHouston
\n\t\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t2023
\n\t\t\tJaylen Clark
\n\t\t\tUCLA
\n\t\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t2022
\n\t\t\tWalker Kessler
\n\t\t\tAuburn
\n\t\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t2021
\n\t\t\tDavion Mitchell
\n\t\t\tBaylor
\n\t\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t2020
\n\t\t\tMarcus Garrett
\n\t\t\tKansas
\n\t\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t2019
\n\t\t\tMatisse Thybulle
\n\t\t\tWashington
\n\t\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t2018
\n\t\t\tJevon Carter
\n\t\t\tWest Virginia
\n\t\t
\n\t <\/p>\n

\u00a0
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