The preseason praise keeps piling up for Tyler Tanner.
The Vanderbilt guard has landed on the National Association of Basketball Coaches preseason Player of the Year watch list, giving him another major nod before the 2026-27 season even tips off. Tanner is one of 20 players on the initial list, and the honor adds to a growing stack of preseason recognition that already includes consensus first team All-SEC and All-America projections.
The NABC Division I Player of the Year is decided by a nationwide vote of Division I head coaches after the regular season and will be revealed the week of the 2027 Men’s Final Four. Former Duke star Cameron Boozer won the award last season.
The NABC has handed out the honor every year since 1974-75, and it remains the only national player of the year award selected by the sport’s head coaches.
Vanderbilt opens the regular season Monday against Bellarmine, with tipoff set for 6 p.m. at Memorial Gymnasium.
The full preseason watch list also includes Flory Bidunga of Louisville, John Blackwell and Joaquim Boumtje Boumtje of Duke, Elliot Cadeau of Michigan, Rueben Chinyelu and Alex Condon of Florida, Thijs De Ridder of Virginia, Silas Demary Jr. of Connecticut, Jeremy Fears Jr. of Michigan State, Juke Harris of Tennessee, Thomas Haugh of Florida, Motiejus Krivas of Arizona, David Mirkovic of Illinois, Milan Momcilovic of Kentucky, Braylon Mullins of Connecticut, Pryce Sandfort of Nebraska, Tyran Stokes of Kansas, JT Toppin of Texas Tech and Robert Wright III of BYU.