Julius Erving award: Full list of finalists announced ft. Cooper Flagg, Ace Bailey, and more

The Julius Erving Award is one of the biggest individual awards in college basketball, and the 2025 finalists have officially been announced. The award has been given to the best small forward in college basketball since the 2014-15 season.

The five finalists have been some of the most recognizable players in college basketball, so let's take a deeper dive into them.

Julius Erving Award 2025 Finalists

Chad Baker-Mazara, Auburn

NCAA Basketball: Auburn at Kentucky - Source: Imagn

Senior guard Chad Baker-Mazara has been stepping up as one of the top players in all of college basketball for the Auburn Tigers. Baker-Mazara has recorded a 47.4/39.3/89.7 shooting split while averaging 13.1 points, 3.3 rebounds, 2.6 assists, 0.6 blocks and 1.2 steals per game.

He has been a massive reason for the overall dominance that the Auburn Tigers have had to be the top-ranked program in college basketball.

Cooper Flagg, Duke

NCAA Basketball: Wake Forest at Duke - Source: Imagn

The presumptive number-one overall pick in the next NBA draft, freshman guard Cooper Flagg has been a force from the minute he stepped on the court for the Duke Blue Devils.

He is averaging 19.6 points, 7.5 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 1.6 steals and 1.2 blocks per game. Flagg is also shooting 49.7% from the field, 38.2% from beyond the arc, and 82.8% from the charity stripe.

Flagg would be the second Duke player to win this award, as Wendell Moore Jr. won it in the 2021-22 season.

Jaxson Robinson, Kentucky

NCAA Basketball: South Carolina at Kentucky - Source: Imagn

Senior guard Jaxson Robinson has been stepping up as a significant force for the Kentucky Wildcats. He is averaging 13.0 points, 3.5 rebounds, 1.7 assists, 0.5 blocks and 0.6 steals per game this season. Robinson has also been a legitimate threat shooting the basketball as he continues to raise his shooting percentages with a 43.2/37.6/76.3 shooting split.

Ace Bailey, Rutgers

NCAA Basketball: Southern California at Rutgers - Source: Imagn

Freshman guard Ace Bailey has been an immediate force in his first college basketball season. Bailey has recorded a 46.3/35.4/69.2 shooting split while posting 18.0 points, 7.1 rebounds, 1.2 assists, 1.2 blocks and 1.0 steals per game.

Bailey has been one of the most dynamic freshman players in college basketball and has continued to live up to the excitement as a potential top pick in the NBA draft.

RJ Luis Jr, St. John's

Syndication: The Indianapolis Star - Source: Imagn

Junior guard RJ Luis Jr. has been a significant player throughout the college basketball season for the St. John's Red Storm. He has been averaging 17.8 points, 6.9 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 0.6 blocks and 1.5 steals per game while shooting 44.3% from the floor, 30.0% from the 3-point line, and 73.9% from the free-throw line.

Luis finished the regular season fourth in the Big East Conference in scoring.