Florida men’s basketball junior center Rueben Chinyelu has been named to the Naismith Men’s College Defensive Player of the Year watch list, the Atlanta Tipoff Club announced on Thursday.
 
Chinyelu ranks fifth nationally in rebounding (11.0) and seventh in offensive rebounding (4.1). From Enugwu-Agidi, Nigeria, Chinyelu has started at center in all 61 games as a Gator over the past two seasons, helping UF to a 51-10 record as a starter and providing a stout presence in the middle of the Florida defense.
 
Twice this season, Chinyelu has grabbed 21 rebounds in a game, the most by a Gator in the shot clock era. He has notched 12 double-doubles, including a four-game streak that marked the longest by a Gator since 2005. His dozen double-doubles are tied for seventh-most in a season by a Gator.
 
Chinyelu and the Gators return to action on Sunday at 1 p.m., hosting No. 23 Alabama in a sold-out showdown.

Naismith Defensive Player of the Year Watch List

Flory Bidunga	Kansas
Cameron Boozer	Duke
Kylan Boswell	Illinois
Jaden Bradley	Arizona
Maliq Brown	Duke
Javontae Campbell	Bowling Green
Rueben Chinyelu	Florida
Somto Cyril	Georgia
Silas Demary Jr.	UConn
Zuby Ejiofor	St. John’s
Kyle Evans	UC Irvine
Zvonimir Ivisic	Illinois
Joshua Jefferson	Iowa State
Jaquan Johnson	Bradley
Keba Keita	BYU
William Kyle III	Syracuse
Yaxel Lendeborg	Michigan
Tamin Lipsey	Iowa State
Aday Mara	Michigan
Duke Miles	Vanderbilt
Tarris Reed Jr.	UConn
Tyler Tanner	Vanderbilt
Joseph Tugler	Houston
Ernest Udeh Jr.	Miami
Caleb Wilson	North Carolina

  
2025-26 Florida Men’s Basketball Tickets
Single-game tickets remain available for games vs. South Carolina (Feb. 17) and Mississippi State (March 3). Tickets can be purchased at FloridaGators.com, by calling the Gator Ticket Office at (352) 375-4683, or in person at Gate 2 on the west side of Ben Hill Griffin Stadium.