Pre-Season Award Picks

By Hal Mercer

Hal Mercers 2026–27 OVC Men’s Basketball Preseason Awards

Trying to pick preseason awards in the OVC this year feels a little like filling out a bracket before you know who’s actually playing. There are new faces all over the conference, and Tyler King of SIUE is the only returning All-OVC player. Tennessee State is the preseason favorite after winning the conference tournament, but there are plenty of questions about which players will take over the league’s biggest roles.

Here’s my early ballot.

First-Team All-Conference

  • Ty-Laur Johnson, Tennessee State
  • Aaron Bradshaw, Tennessee State
  • Tyler King, SIUE
  • Chase Dawson, Morehead State
  • Landren Blocker, Southeast Missouri

Johnson is my pick to make the biggest impact right away. He averaged 14.6 points, 4.3 assists, and 2.3 steals per game at San Diego last season. Tennessee State has added a lot of talent, and Johnson looks like the kind of guard who can make the rest of the lineup better.

King is the most proven player on this ballot. He’s the only returning All-OVC selection, and his scoring climbed to 12.8 points per game in conference play. Bradshaw has the size to change what teams can do near the basket. If he adjusts quickly to the OVC, he could be one of the league’s toughest matchups.

Dawson is back to lead Morehead State’s backcourt, and Blocker is my pick to take a big step forward at SEMO. Blocker averaged 5.2 points and 3.8 rebounds last season while recording 31 steals and 22 blocks. Those numbers show how many ways he can affect a game.

Second-Team All-Conference

  • Arterio Morris, Tennessee State
  • Filip Petkovski, UT Martin
  • Davi Remagen, UT Martin
  • Kaden Brown, Southern Indiana
  • Marqueas Bell, Southeast Missouri

Morris is an upside pick. Tennessee State has given him a fresh opportunity, and if he finds his footing, he could climb higher than this. Petkovski returns to UT Martin, while Remagen joins the Skyhawks after playing at Georgia Tech. That backcourt should be interesting to watch.

Brown gives Southern Indiana a veteran guard with room to build on last season. Bell is SEMO’s top returning scorer, so he gets a spot here even if his role grows as the season goes along.

All-Defensive Team

  • Ty-Laur Johnson, Tennessee State
  • Makai Kvamme, Western Illinois
  • Landren Blocker, Southeast Missouri
  • Kaden Brown, Southern Indiana
  • Aaron Bradshaw, Tennessee State

Johnson averaged 2.3 steals a game last season, and Kvamme returns to WIU after averaging 1.2 steals. Blocker had 31 steals and 22 blocks for SEMO. Brown averaged 1.1 steals in his games for Southern Indiana, and Bradshaw’s size gives him the potential to protect the rim.

This is the toughest team to predict. Steals and blocks help tell part of the story, but they don’t show who takes the toughest assignment or makes a defense work. I’ll be watching those matchups closely once the season starts.

Newcomer of the Year

Pick: Ty-Laur Johnson, Tennessee State

Dark horse: Gianni Cobb, SIUE

Johnson is the easy name to start with after the production he brings from San Diego. Cobb is the one who could make this a closer race than people expect. At Northern Illinois, he started 19 games and averaged 9.8 points and 3.9 assists. In MAC games, his scoring rose to 11.3 points per game. If he brings that playmaking to SIUE, he could become one of the conference’s most valuable additions.

Player of the Year

Ty-Laur Johnson, Tennessee State

King is the safest pick because we’ve already seen him earn All-OVC recognition. Johnson is my choice to lead the conference this season. He arrives with strong scoring and playmaking numbers, and Tennessee State is expected to be in the title race. If those things carry over, he could end the year as both the league’s top newcomer and its best player.

Bradshaw is my runner-up. Tennessee State may have more than one player in this conversation by the time conference play gets rolling.