Auburn continues to roll in SEC, stays atop Power 36 rankings
On January 27, the Atlanta Tipoff Club announced the Naismith Men's Defensive Player of the Year Watch List for the 2021-22 men's college basketball season. Fifteen players across the DI men's basketball landscape were chosen. The watch list will shrink to 10 national semifinalists on March 1 and four finalists on March 16. The winner will be announced on April 3.
The SEC is the conference with the most representations with four, followed by three from the Big 12.
Here are the 15 candidates for the 2022 Naismith Men's Defensive Player of the Year:
| Full Name | Class | Position | School | Conference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Walker Kessler | So. | F | Auburn | SEC |
| Jacob Gilyard | Sr. | G | Richmond | Atlantic 10 |
| Oscar Tshiebwe | Jr. | F | Kentucky | SEC |
| Chet Holmgren | Fr. | C | Gonzaga | WCC |
| Jamarion Sharp | Jr. | C | Western Kentucky | C-USA East |
| Christian Koloko | Jr. | C | Arizona | Pac-12 |
| Kevin McCullar | Jr. | G | Texas Tech | Big 12 |
| Mark Williams | So. | C | Duke | ACC |
| Tari Eason | So. | F | LSU | SEC |
| Tyrese Hunter | Fr. | G | Iowa State | Big 12 |
| Jonathan Tchamwa Tchatchoua | Jr. | F | Baylor | Big 12 |
| Kennedy Chandler | Fr. | G | Tennessee | SEC |
| Posh Alexander | So. | G | St. John's | Big East |
| Trayce Jackson-Davis | Jr. | F | Indiana | Big Ten |
| Nathan Mensah | Sr. | F | San Diego State | Mountain West |
