Ace Baldwin Jr. Named to Naismith Player of the Year Watch ListAce Baldwin Jr. Named to Naismith Player of the Year Watch List
Mark Selders

Ace Baldwin Jr. Named to Naismith Player of the Year Watch List

Baldwin Jr. continues preseason honors haul

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – Penn State men’s basketball graduate student Ace Baldwin Jr. has been named to the 2024-25 Jersey Mike’s Naismith Trophy Men’s College Player of the Year Watch List, as announced by the Atlanta Tipoff Club Wednesday afternoon.

The Naismith National Player of the Year Watch List adds to Baldwin Jr.’s growing list of preseason honors that also includes landing on the Bob Cousy Point Guard of the Year Top 20 Preseason Watch List and being named a Preseason All-Big Ten selection.

Baldwin Jr. enters his fifth year of eligibility in 2024-25 as the only active Division I player with 1,000+ career points (1,297), 600+ career assists (618) and 250+ career steals (271).

The point guard is coming off a senior season in which he was named the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year, a Naismith National Defensive Player of the Year Semifinalist, a Lefty Driesell Defensive Player of the Year Finalist, an NABC Second Team All-District 7 selection, a third-team All-Big Ten (coaches & media) pick and a Big Ten All-Defensive Team honoree.

The Baltimore, Md. native wrapped up his first season in the Blue & White leading the Nittany Lions with 14.2 points, 6.0 assists and 2.7 steals per game in 2023-24. He was one of just four Big Ten players since 1992-93 (31 years) and the first since 2011-12 to finish a season averaging 14.0+ points per game, 6.0+ assists per game and 2.0+ steals per game.

Baldwin Jr.’s 2.67 steals per game in 2023-24 were the most by a Big Ten player in a single season since the 1992-93 season (31 years). He finished the season ranked fourth in the country in steals per game (2.67), fifth in steals (88), 20th in assists (199) and 24th in assists per game (6.0). His 199 assists last season were the second-most all-time in a single season at Penn State, while his 88 steals ranked third-most in the Penn State single-season record book.

The point guard transferred to Penn State ahead of the 2023-24 season following three standout years at VCU in which he was a two-time All-Conference pick and the 2023 Atlantic 10 Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year.

Baldwin Jr. and the Nittany Lions kick off the 2024-25 season on Monday, Nov. 4, when Penn State hosts Binghamton inside the Bryce Jordan Center.