Tchamwa Tchatchoua Named to Naismith DPOY Watch List

ATLANTA – Baylor’s Jonathan Tchamwa Tchatchoua has been named to the Naismith Defensive Player of the Year award watch list, as announced Thursday by the Atlanta Tipoff Club.

Tchamwa Tchatchoua is one of 15 players named to the midseason watch list and joins Texas Tech’s Kevin McCullar and Iowa State’s Tyrese Hunter from the Big 12.

Baylor has been represented regularly on the Naismith Defensive Player of the Year lists in the past with 2021 winner Davion Mitchell, and 2020 finalist and 2021 semifinalist Mark Vital. Jared Butler also joined Mitchell and Vital on the midseason watch list a season ago.

At 6-foot-8, 250-pounds, “Everday Jon” is averaging 8.1 points per game and ranks third in the Big 12 with 7.6 rebounds per game, despite coming off the bench. He has expanded his offensive game this year with better midrange and long-range shooting while still being able to guard all five positions at an elite level.

Tchatchoua is coming off his second double-double of the season, posting 13 points and 12 rebounds in a 74-49 win over Kansas State on Tuesday.

The Atlanta Tipoff Club will announce the 10 semifinalists for the Naismith Men's Defensive Player of the Year next month. The award is voted on by a panel of national media with the final announcement being made Final Four weekend.

Up next for Tchamwa Tchatchoua and Baylor is a trip to Alabama on Saturday, for their Big 12-SEC Challenge matchup with the Crimson tide. That game tips off at 3 PM CT on Saturday and will be televised on ESPN.