NEW YORK -- Braylon Mullins from UConn, Miles Byrd from Providence, and Tyler Perkins of Villanova were recognized by the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame as part of the preseason watchlist for the 2027 Jerry West Award - presented annually to the top shooting guard in NCAA Division I men’s college basketball.
Mullins was a BIG EAST All-Freshman team selection a season ago and averaged 12.0 points, 3.5 boards, and 1.4 assists per game. He connected on 72 3-pointers as a rookie a year ago, including an iconic 35-footer with 0.3 seconds left to propel Huskies to their third Final Four in four seasons. The sophomore was a 2026-27 unanimous selection to the preseason All-BIG EAST first team.
Byrd - a 2026-27 preseason All-BIG EAST second team pick - transferred to Providence from San Diego State where he was named the 2025-26 Mountain West Defensive Player of the Year and earned a spot on the All-MWC third team. The 6-6 guard averaged 10.4 points, 4.7 rebounds, 2.6 assists, 1.9 steals, and 1.2 blocks per game a season ago.
Perkins shined for Villanova last year, leading a balanced Wildcats offense at 13.7 points per game. The 6-4 guard was the 2025-26 BIG EAST Most Improved Player award and earned third team all-conference accolades. One of the top shooters in the nation, Perkins made 66 3-pointers at a nearly 40% clip last year. He is a 2026-27 preseason All-BIG EAST first team honoree.
Fans are encouraged to participate in Fan Voting in each of the three rounds starting on Friday, October 30. In February, the watch list of 20 players for the 2027 Jerry West Award will be narrowed to 10, then to five in March. In late March, the five finalists will be presented to Cousy and the Hall of Fame’s selection committees, where the winner will be selected. The selection committees for the Bob Cousy Award are composed of top college basketball personnel, including media members, head coaches, sports information directors, and Hall of Famers.
The winners of the 2027 Jerry West Award will be presented on a to-be-determined date, along with the four other members of the Men’s Starting Five. Additional men's basketball awards being presented include the Bob Cousy Award (Point Guard), Julius Erving Award (Small Forward), Karl Malone Award (Power Forward), and the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award (Center).
On Monday, Oct. 26, three BIG EAST point guards - Silas Demary Jr. of UConn, Nigel James Jr. from Marquette, and Quinn Ellis from St. John's - were selected as part of the 25-player watch list for the 2027 Bob Cousy Award, presented annually to the top point guard at the NCAA Division I level.