Lansing Sun

Michigan State men's basketball player Frankie Fidler has been named to the Julius Erving Award Preseason Watch List, as announced by the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame. The senior forward is among 20 players selected for this recognition, which honors the top small forwards in Division I men's basketball.

The award, now in its 11th year, is named after Julius Erving, a Hall of Famer inducted in 1993 who played professional basketball for 16 years. Fan voting begins on November 1 and will help narrow down the list of candidates. By late January, the watch list will be reduced to ten players and then further narrowed to five by late February. The final selection process in March will involve both Erving and committees from the Hall of Fame.

Fidler is one of four Big Ten players chosen for this year's watch list. Standing at 6-foot-7 and weighing 217 pounds, he previously played three seasons with Omaha, where he was recognized as First Team All-Summit Conference for his performance in the 2023-24 season. During that time, Fidler averaged 20.1 points per game along with notable contributions in rebounds and assists.

His achievements last season included starting all games for Omaha's Mavericks and achieving high percentages across field goals, three-point attempts, and free throws. He reached double figures in scoring on numerous occasions and secured multiple double-doubles.

Nationally ranked sixth in Division I for free throws made last year, Fidler also held positions within the top ranks for total points scored and points per game. Hailing from Bellevue, Nebraska, he became just the third player from Omaha to receive all-district honors from the National Association of Basketball Coaches.

As Michigan State prepares to begin their regular season against Monmouth University on November 4 at Breslin Center, fans can look forward to supporting Fidler through fan voting initiatives set to commence soon.