SPRINGFIELD, Mass. – Auburn senior guard/forward Chad Baker-Mazara (Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic) has been selected as one of 10 top candidates for the 2025 Julius Erving Award, in partnership with the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame on Wednesday.
The annual Julius Erving Award, named after the Class of 1993 Hall of Famer and 16-year professional basketball player, celebrates its 11th year by recognizing the top small forwards in Division I men’s college basketball.
He was joined on the short list by Duke’s Cooper Flagg, Iowa’s Payton Sandfort, Kentucky’s Jaxson Robinson, North Carolina’s Ian Jackson, Oklahoma’s Jalon Moore, Rutgers’ Ace Bailey, San Diego State’s Miles Byrd, St. John’s’ RJ Luis Jr. and UConn’s Liam McNeeley.
Fans are encouraged to participate in Fan Voting in both of the remaining rounds starting on Friday, February 7, on hoophallawards.com. The Fan Vote will count as one committee vote during the finalist selection process.
In March, the Top 10 list will be narrowed to just five, and in late March, the five finalists will be presented to Erving and the Hall of Fame’s selection committees, where winners will be selected. The Selection Committee for the Julius Erving Award is composed of top men’s college basketball personnel, including media members, head coaches, sports information directors, and Hall of Famers.
The winner of the 2025 Erving Award will be presented on a to-be-determined date, along with the other four members of the Men’s Starting Five. Additional awards being presented include the Bob Cousy Award (Point Guard), Jerry West Award (Shooting Guard), Karl Malone Award (Power Forward) and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award (Center).
Previous winners of the Julius Erving Award are Dalton Knecht, Tennessee (2024), Jalen Wilson, Kansas (2023), Wendell Moore Jr., Duke (2022), Corey Kispert, Gonzaga (2021), Saddiq Bey, Villanova (2020), Rui Hachimura, Gonzaga (2019), Mikal Bridges, Villanova (2018), Josh Hart, Villanova (2017), Denzel Valentine, Michigan State (2016), and Stanley Johnson, Arizona (2015).
For more information on the 2025 Julius Erving Award and the latest updates, visit hoophallawards.com and follow @hoophallu, #ErvingAward on X and Instagram.
About the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame:
Located in Springfield, Massachusetts, the city where basketball was born, the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame is an independent non-profit 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to promoting, preserving, and celebrating the game of basketball at every level—men and women, amateur and professional players, coaches, and contributors—both domestically and internationally. The Hall of Fame museum is home to more than 475 inductees and over 40,000 square feet of basketball history. Nearly 200,000 people visit the Hall of Fame museum each year to learn about the game, experience the interactive exhibits, and test their skills on the Jerry Colangelo "Court of Dreams." Best known for its annual marquee Enshrinement Ceremony honoring the game’s elite, the Hall of Fame also operates over 70 high school and collegiate competitions annually throughout the country and abroad. For more information on the Basketball Hall of Fame organization, its museum, and events, visit hoophall.com and follow @hoophallU.