Here are the Top 30 candidates for the Naismith Trophy:
| Kyle Anderson | Sophomore | Guard-Forward | UCLA | Pac-12 |
| Keith Appling | Senior | Guard | Michigan State | Big Ten |
| Cameron Bairstow | Senior | Forward | New Mexico | Mountain West |
| James Bell | Senior | Guard | Villanova | Big East |
| Bryce Cotton | Senior | Guard | Providence | Big East |
| Cleanthony Early | Senior | Forward | Wichita State | Missouri Valley |
| Melvin Ejim | Senior | Forward | Iowa State | Big 12 |
| Joel Embiid | Freshman | Center | Kansas | Big 12 |
| Tyler Ennis | Freshman | Guard | Syracuse | ACC |
| C.J. Fair | Senior | Forward | Syracuse | ACC |
| Aaron Gordon | Freshman | Forward | Arizona | Pac-12 |
| Gary Harris | Sophomore | Guard | Michigan State | Big Ten |
| Joe Jackson | Senior | Guard | Memphis | American Athletic |
| Nick Johnson | Junior | Guard | Arizona | Pac-12 |
| DeAndre Kane | Senior | Guard | Iowa State | Big 12 |
| Sean Kilpatrick | Senior | Guard | Cincinnati | American Athletic |
| Roy Devyn Marble | Senior | Guard | Iowa | Big Ten |
| Doug McDermott | Senior | Forward | Creighton | Big East |
| Shabazz Napier | Senior | Guard | Connecticut | American Athletic |
| Jabari Parker | Freshman | Forward | Duke | ACC |
| Lamar Patterson | Senior | Forward | Pittsburgh | ACC |
| Casey Prather | Senior | Forward | Florida | SEC |
| Julius Randle | Freshman | Forward | Kentucky | SEC |
| Marcus Smart | Sophomore | Guard | Oklahoma State | Big 12 |
| Russ Smith | Senior | Guard | Louisville | American Athletic |
| Nik Stauskas | Sophomore | Guard | Michigan | Big Ten |
| Xavier Thames | Senior | Guard | San Diego State | Mountain West |
| Fred VanVleet | Sophomore | Guard | Wichita State | Missouri Valley |
| Andrew Wiggins | Freshman | Guard | Kansas | Big 12 |
| Chaz Williams | Senior | Guard | Massachusetts | Atlantic 10 |
