Release courtesy of Malcolm Moran, USBWA

INDIANAPOLIS (USBWA) – The U.S. Basketball Writers Association has named five Oscar Robertson National Players of the Week for games of the week ending Sunday, Nov. 23.

For the 2025-26 season, the USBWA continues its national player of the week program that has been affiliated with the Oscar Robertson Trophy since the 2009-10 season. Prior to the 2024-25 season, the USBWA had recognized just one player each week.

Each Tuesday during the regular season, designated USBWA board members will select five standouts from the 31 Division I conference players of the week to be recognized. This week's selections were chosen from a list of the conferences that named a player of the week on Monday.

Following are the five players selected for performances this past week:

Michael Ajayi, Butler (BIG EAST)
Ajayi posted a pair of double-doubles, helping to lead Butler to a 2-0 week and the Greenbriar Tip-Off Classic title, For the week, the 6-7 graduate forward averaged 16.0 points and 14.0 rebounds to go along with 2.0 assists and 2.5 blocks shots in wins over South Carolina and Virginia.  Against the Gamecocks, Ajayi had 15 points and 14 boards, while adding three assists and two blocks in 31 minutes.  In the title game against UVa, Ajayi tallied 17 points and 14 rebounds, while blocking three shots.  Ajayi has recorded a double-double in each of his six outings this season, second-most in the country. His 12.5 rebounds per game average is fifth-best nationally.

David Coit, Maryland (Big Ten)
The 5-11 graduate guard from Columbus, N.J. scored an XFINITY Center men's basketball record 41 points, tied third all-time at Maryland, in the Terps' 95-90 overtime win over Mount St. Mary's. He recorded 16 of Maryland's final 19 points in the last 6:27 of the second half, including the game-tying three-pointer to force overtime. For the game, Colt was 11-of-17 from the floor, 8-of-10 beyond the arc, and 11-of-11 at the free throw line.

MJ Collins Jr., Utah State (Mountain West)
Led Utah State to a 2-0 record at the Shriners Children's Charleston Classic with wins over Tulane (96-75) and Davidson (94-60). Averaged 30.5 points and 3.5 assists per game, while shooting 72.4 percent (21-of-29) from the field. Also connected on 61.1 percent (11-for-18) from long range. Recorded 21 points and five assists in the victory over the Green Wave. Against the Wildcats, netted a career-high and tournament-record 40 points behind a 14-of-19 (.737) effort from the floor, including eight triples.

PJ Haggerty, Kansas State (Big 12)
The senior guard averaged 31.7 points, 7.7 rebounds and 6.0 assists during the Wildcats' three contests against Tulsa, Mississippi State and Nebraska last week. The Crosby, Texas product opened the week with a 31-point, 10-rebound outing in an 84-83 victory over the Golden Hurricane to become the program's first player since Michael Beasley in 2008 to score over 30 points and grab 10 rebounds in a game. He then posted a game-high 37 points against Mississippi State, leading K-State to its second win of the week. His 27 points in the one-point loss (86-85) to Nebraska extended his streak of scoring 20 points or more to six consecutive games.

Ethan Roberts, Penn (Ivy League)
Roberts earned the weekly honor with two outstanding performances, both of them in city series play. The senior guard scored 31 points – 24 of them in the second half – and added five rebounds, two assists and three steals in Penn's 83-74 win over Saint Joseph's last Monday. Four days later, he led all players with 30 points and eight rebounds in the Quakers' 84-68 win at Drexel, adding another two assists and three steals. For the week, Roberts shot 19-33 (.576) from the field in the two games including 5-11 (.455) from three-point land, and 18-20 (.900) at the foul line.

Since the 1958-59 season, the USBWA has named a National Player of the Year. In 1998, the award was named in honor of the University of Cincinnati Hall of Famer and two-time USBWA Player of the Year Oscar Robertson. It is the nation's oldest award and the only one named after a former player.

At the conclusion of the regular season, the USBWA will name finalists for the award, which is voted on by the entire membership. The winner of the award will be announced at the 2026 Men's Final Four in Indianapolis, with the formal presentation to follow at the annual USBWA Awards Luncheon hosted by the Missouri Athletic Club in St. Louis.

The U.S. Basketball Writers Association was formed in 1956 at the urging of then-NCAA Executive Director Walter Byers. With some 800 members worldwide, it is one of the most influential organizations in college basketball. It has selected an All-America team since the 1956-57 season. For more information on the USBWA and the Oscar Robertson Trophy, contact executive director Malcolm Moran at 814-574-1485.

2025-26 USBWA Men's Weekly Honors
• Week ending Nov. 9: TJ Long, Vermont; Koa Peat, Arizona; Labaron Philon Jr., Alabama; Bruce Thornton, Ohio State; Caleb Wilson, North Carolina.
• Week ending Nov. 16: Cameron Boozer, Duke; Mikel Brown, Louisville (ACC); Kingston Flemings, Houston (Big 12); Delrecco Gillespie, Kent State (Mid-American); Braden Smith, Purdue (Big Ten).
• Week ending Nov. 23: Michael Ajayi, Butler; David Coit, Maryland; MJ Collins Jr., Utah State; PJ Haggerty, Kansas State; Ethan Roberts, Penn.