Courtesy of Mike Cawood
FAYETTEVILLE – Razorback sophomore Karter Knox has been named 1 of 20 players on the 2026 watch list for the Julius Erving Award, the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame announced today.
The annual Julius Erving Award, named after the Class of 1993 Hall of Famer and 17-year professional basketball player, celebrates its 12th year by recognizing the top small forwards in Division I men’s college basketball..
Knox, a preseason All-SEC selection, played a key role in Arkansas’s Sweet 16 run last season and he continued to impress through the summer. He was invited to participate in the NBA Draft Combine and later attended the Chris Paul and Jayson Tatum High School and College Elite Camps.
Knox was one of three Hogs to play all 36 games and had 24 starts. He is just the ninth player in program history to reach 300+ points, 100+ rebounds, 30+ assists, 20+ steals and 10+ blocks as a freshman. Over the second half of the season, Knox was one of the razorbacks’ best players. In the first 18 games, he averaged 16:39 minutes, 6.3 points and 2.8 rebounds while shooting 39.4% (39-99) from the field, 27.8% (15-of-34) from 3PT and 80% (20-of-25) at the line. Over the final 18 games, averaged 30.9 minutes, 10.4 points, 3.8 rebounds while shooting 52.3% (57-109) from the field, 43.5% (20-of-46_ from 3PT and 90.3% (53-66) at the line.
Fans are encouraged to participate in Fan Voting in each of the three rounds starting on Friday, October 31.
In late January, the watch list of 20 players for the 2026 Julius Erving Award will be narrowed to 10, and then in late February, to just five. In March, the five finalists will be presented to Erving and the Hall of Fame’s selection committees, where winners will be selected.
The Selection Committees for the Julius Erving Award and are composed of top college basketball personnel, including media members, head coaches, sports information directors, and Hall of Famers. The winner of the 2026 Erving Award will be presented on a to-be-determined date, along with the four other members of the Men’s Starting Five. Additional awards being presented include the Bob Cousy (Point Guard), the Jerry West Award (Shooting Guard), the Karl Malone Award (Power Forward), and the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award (Center).
