Rueben Chinyelu Wins Naismith Defensive Player of the Year
Big awards for the ‘Big Freaky’. Florida star center Rueben Chinyelu racked up another award with the Naismith Defensive Player of the Year.
Chinyelu is the first Gator to be a finalist and a winner of the Naismith award. He beat out other stars in Kansas’s Flory Bidunga, St John’s Zuby Ejiofor and Houston’s Joseph Tugler.
Alongside his Niasmith DPOY, Chinyelu was named SEC DPOY, NABC National DPOY, SEC All-Defensive team and second team All-SEC.
“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.”
The star from Nigeria averaged the fourth most rebounds per game with 11.2. He sits second all-time, only behind Gator great Al Horford, for most defensive rebounds in a single season with 256. To go with his defensive rebounding, Chinyelu recorded 36 blocks and 27 steals.
Chinyelu also crushed the school record for the most offensive rebounds in a single season with 137. The record was previously set at 108 by Micah Handlogton in the 23-24 season. He had 10 games with 15 or more rebounds, including three 20+ rebounding games against Georgia, Merrimack and LSU.
Along with his rebounding, Chinyelu averaged 10.9 points, the first Gator in 50 years to average a double-double. He recorded 19 double-doubles, a Florida season record, which was previously held by Bob Smyth at 18.
In his two years at Florida, Chinyelu has led the team to a 63-12 overall record while bringing home a title in 2025. The star center’s future is still looming with a possible return or a shot at the NBA.
“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], the whole coaching staff, the managers, everyone out there that helps get me right to be ready for the next moment, the next game,” Chinyelu said.
Category: Basketball, College Basketball, Gators Men's Basketball
