Indiana's Lamar Wilkerson Joins Big Ten Player of the Year Race

Wilkerson leads the Big Ten in scoring, but faces stiff competition for the award

Published on Feb. 10, 2026

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

Indiana guard Lamar Wilkerson has put up impressive numbers this season, leading the Big Ten in scoring with 24.4 points per game in conference play. He has set multiple program records and joined elite company with his 40-point performances. However, Wilkerson faces stiff competition for the Big Ten Player of the Year award from players on teams near the top of the conference standings.

Why it matters

Wilkerson's standout season has thrust him into the conversation for the Big Ten's top individual honor, but the race remains wide open with several other strong candidates. This highlights the depth of talent in the conference and the difficulty in separating the top players when statistical production, team success, and overall impact are all considered.

The details

Wilkerson previously set the Assembly Hall scoring record with 44 points on Dec. 9 against Penn State, and on Monday he became the fifth player in Indiana program history with multiple 40-point games in his career. He is the first Big Ten player since at least 1996-97 with multiple 40-point efforts in conference play in a single season. Wilkerson has scored 20 points in four straight games and has done so 13 times this year, raising his February scoring average to 33 across three games. He is the first Hoosier since James Blackmon Jr. in 2016-17 with at least 80 3-pointers in a season, and just the seventh Hoosier all-time to do so.

  • On Dec. 9, Wilkerson set the Assembly Hall scoring record with 44 points against Penn State.
  • On Monday, Wilkerson scored 41 points in Indiana's 92-74 win over Oregon.

The players

Lamar Wilkerson

A transfer from Sam Houston State, Wilkerson is Indiana's leading scorer and has etched his name in program and conference history with his prolific scoring performances.

Darian DeVries

The head coach of the Indiana Hoosiers, who made the case for Wilkerson to be named Big Ten Player of the Year after Monday's game.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“Just look at the numbers. Look at what he's doing. He's a big focal point of defenses. What he's able to do at both ends of the floor. He's a complete player. That's something that –– you know how hard it is to get 41 points? And he's done it twice this year already and putting up monster numbers with percentages to go with it. And he is an incredible teammate on top of it. So there is nothing I would not be in favor of him being the best player and voting for him being the best player in the league.”

— Darian DeVries, Indiana Head Coach (si.com)

What’s next

The race for Big Ten Player of the Year remains highly competitive, with several players making strong cases. Wilkerson will need to continue his torrid scoring pace and help Indiana climb the conference standings to bolster his candidacy.

The takeaway

Lamar Wilkerson's historic scoring performances have thrust him into the Big Ten Player of the Year conversation, but he faces stiff competition from players on teams near the top of the conference standings. This highlights the depth of talent in the Big Ten and the difficulty in separating the top individual performers when factors like team success and overall impact are considered.