As the 2025-26 SEC men’s basketball regular season enters its final stretch, the race for the conference’s most prestigious individual honor has narrowed down to only a handful of worthy candidates.
In a year where the SEC has arguably been the deepest conference in the nation, the Player of the Year (POTY) race is tighter than it perhaps has been in recent seasons.
With the Florida Gators holding a 2-game lead with 4 games to play, it looks like the regular-season title will end up in Gainesville. Two games behind the Gators are the Alabama Crimson Tide, the feisty Arkansas Razorbacks and the steady Tennessee Volunteers.
With apologies to honorable mentions in Auburn‘s Keyshawn Hall and Tennessee’s Nate Ament, here are my top 5 contenders for the SEC Player of the Year award:
5. Thomas Haugh, Forward, Florida
Season Stats: 17.3 points per game, 6.2 rebounds per game, 2.1 assists per game
In the modern era of position-less basketball, Thomas Haugh has become the gold standard for the versatile forward. For the defending national champion Florida Gators, Haugh is the heartbeat of a system that prioritizes efficiency and defensive rotation. After a breakout sophomore campaign, Haugh has transitioned into a primary scoring role as a junior, anchoring a Florida team that currently holds a 2-game lead in the SEC standings.
Haugh’s case for POTY is rooted in his impact on winning. He isn’t the league’s most explosive athlete, but he is its most reliable. He is shooting nearly 47% from the field and has developed a steady three-point shot. One of his signature performances came in a late-season road win at Texas A&M, where he tallied 22 points and 7 rebounds, effectively silencing one of the rowdiest crowds in the country. While he lacks the flash of the guards further up this list, Haugh’s status as the best player on the league’s best team keeps him firmly in the conversation.
Florida is currently the heavy favorite to win the SEC regular-season title over at Kalshi. Check out the market below:
4. Josh Hubbard, Guard, Mississippi State
Season Stats: 22.0 PPG, 2.5 RPG, 3.6 APG
If this award were based purely on the fear factor for opposing coaches, Josh Hubbard might be the winner. The Mississippi State junior has spent the last 3 years proving that his 6-foot frame is irrelevant when he can pull up from 30 feet with total confidence. Hubbard is an elite bucket getter, a player who can turn a double-digit deficit into a lead in the span of a few possessions.
Hubbard’s season has been defined by historic scoring bursts, most notably a 46-point masterpiece against Auburn that set a new program record for a single SEC game. He is currently third in the conference in 3-pointers made (with 80) and ranks in the top 10 nationally in scoring. The primary hurdle for Hubbard is the Bulldogs’ overall record; Mississippi State has struggled to find consistency in conference play, hovering around the middle of the pack.
3. Tyler Tanner, Guard, Vanderbilt
Season Stats: 18.5 PPG, 3.4 RPG, 5.2 APG, 2.4 steals per game
Perhaps the most improved player in the country, Tyler Tanner has led a Vanderbilt resurgence that has the Commodores eyeing a top-4 seed in the SEC Tournament if things break their way down the stretch. As a sophomore, Tanner has evolved from a defensive specialist into a complete floor general. He currently leads the SEC in steals by a mile (66 to Boogie Fland’s 54) and ranks near the top in assist-to-turnover ratio, a testament to his elite basketball IQ.
Tanner is the engine that makes Vanderbilt go. What makes Tanner a legitimate POTY contender is his 2-way impact; he is the rare star who will dive for a loose ball or take a charge with the same intensity he uses to drive to the rim. In a conference dominated by high-usage scorers, Tanner’s efficiency and defensive tenacity provide a different type of winning profile.
2. Labaron Philon Jr., Guard, Alabama
Season Stats: 21.3 PPG, 5.0 APG, 3.3 RPG
The leader of the Crimson Tide offense, Labaron Philon Jr., has been the most efficient high-volume guard in the conference this season. As a sophomore, Philon has taken the keys to Nate Oats’ system and accelerated. He is currently shooting an impressive 38.7% from beyond the arc, making him the ultimate weapon in Alabama’s pace-and-space attack.
Philon’s case for the top spot was bolstered just last week in a legendary double-overtime victory over Arkansas. In a head-to-head battle with the next man on our list, Philon dropped a career-high 35 points, including several clutch free throws to seal the win. Philon is the reason Alabama is capable of another deep NCAA Tournament run in 2026.
Here’s a look at the Kalshi market for Final Four qualifiers. If you think Labaron Philon Jr. can lead Alabama to Indianapolis, you can find contracts at 8 cents currently. That’s a lot of value if you’re an Alabama backer:
1. Darius Acuff Jr., Guard, Arkansas
Season Stats: 22.2 PPG, 6.2 APG, 3.0 RPG
At the top of the mountain is one of many freshmen who have set the basketball world on fire this season. Darius Acuff Jr. is having arguably the greatest freshman season in the history of the Arkansas program. Entering Fayetteville with massive expectations under John Calipari, Acuff has exceeded them by becoming the league’s most unstoppable individual force.
Acuff leads the SEC in scoring and assists — a rare double that highlights his role as the primary (and often only) offensive engine for the Razorbacks. His signature performance — a 49-point explosion earlier this month — was a clinic in shot-making that drew comparisons to NBA superstars.
While Arkansas sits slightly behind Florida in the standings, the Player of the Year award often goes to the individual whose absence would most catastrophically affect their team. Without Acuff, the Razorbacks aren’t in the NCAA Tournament conversation; with him, they are a team no one wants to see in March. For his historic production, his ability to carry a massive offensive burden, and his sheer dominance as a 3-level scorer, Darius Acuff Jr. is my (current) pick for the 2025-26 SEC Player of the Year.
Adam is a daily fantasy sports (DFS) and sports betting expert. A 2012 graduate of the University of Missouri, Adam now covers all 16 SEC football teams. He is the director of DFS, evergreen and newsletter content across all Saturday Football brands.
