RICHMOND, Va. – VCU freshman forward Luke Bamgboye (London, England) has been named a finalist for the 2024-25 Lefty Driesell Award, CollegeInsider.com announced Wednesday.
 
The award, named for the legendary coach who won nearly 800 games at Davidson, Maryland, James Madison and Georgia State, is presented annually to the top defensive player in Division I basketball.
 
Bamgboye, a 6-foot-10 forward, ranks second nationally in block percentage (15.0). Despite playing an average of 16.0 minutes per game this season, Bamgboye has produced 2.1 blocks a night, which ranks 23^rd nationally. He is blocking 5.2 shots per 40 minutes. Bamgboye has blocked three or more shot in a game eight times this season, including seven on Feb. 19 against UMass, the most by a VCU player in 16 years. Bamgboye has also grabbed 18 steals this season, and averages 3.5 points and 3.1 rebounds per game.
 
For his efforts, Bamgboye was the only freshman named to the Atlantic 10 Conference's All-Defensive Team on Tuesday.
 
The recipient of the annual Lefty Driesell Award is determined by a 10-member voting committee, which consists of current and former head coaches, as well as two senior staff members of collegeinsider.com.

The 2025 award will be announced in San Antonio, TX, site of the men's Division I Basketball Championship.
 
2024-25 LEFTY DRIESELL AWARD FINALISTS
Jadin Akins 6-4 Sr. Michigan State
Zack Austin 6-7 Sr. Pittsburgh
Ace Baldwin Jr. 6-1 Sr. Penn State
TJ Bamba 6-5 Sr. Oregon
Luke Bamgboye 6-10 Fr. VCU
Jared Billups 6-4 Sr. George Mason
Johni Broome 6-10 Sr. Auburn
Alex Condon 6-11 So. Florida
LJ Cryer 6-1 Sr. Houston
Cooper Flagg 6-9 Fr. Duke
Hayden Gray 6-4 Sr. UC San Diego
Magoon Gwath 7-0 Fr. San Diego State
Chucky Hepburn 6-2 Sr. Louisville
Sion James 6-6 Sr. Duke
Kobe Johnson 6-6 Sr. UCLA
Denver Jones 6-4 Sr. Auburn
Ryan Kalkbrenner 7-1 Sr. Creighton
Tamin Lipsey 6-1 Jr. Iowa State
Jahmai Mashack 6-4 Sr. Tennessee
Bez Mbeng 6-4 Sr. Yale
Stevie Mitchell 6-3 Sr. Marquette
Micah Peavy 6-8 Sr. Georgetown
Kadary Richmond 6-6 Sr. St. John's
J'Wan Roberts 6-8 Sr. Houston
Mitchell Saxen 6-10 Sr. Saint Mary's
Devion Smith 6-0 Sr. St. John's
Joseph Tugler 6-8 So. Houston
Amari Williams 7-0 Sr. Kentucky
Malcolm Wilson 7-0 Sr. Queens
Zakai Zeigler 5-9 Sr. Tennessee
 
PREVIOUS AWARD WINNERS
Boo Buie, Northwestern (2024); Caleb McConnell, Rutgers (2023); KC Ndefo, Saint Peter's
 
(2022); Davion Mitchell: Baylor (2021); Juvaris Hayes, Merrimack (2020); Matisse Thybulle,
Washington (2019); Jevon Carter, West Virginia (2018);Jevon Carter, West Virginia (2017):
Vashil Fernandez, Valparaiso (2016); Darion Atkins, Virginia (2015); Elfrid Payton, UL-Lafayette
(2014); Tommy Brenton, Stony Brook (2013); Anthony Davis, Kentucky (2012); Kent Bazemore,
Old Dominion (2011); Jarvis Varnado, Mississippi State (2010).