SPRINGFIELD, Mass. – University of Miami men's basketball sophomore Shelton Henderson was named one of 20 candidates for the 2027 Julius Erving Award Watch List, the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame announced Wednesday.

Now in its 13th year, the annual Julius Erving Award recognizes the top small forward in NCAA Division I men's basketball. The award is named after the Class of 1993 Hall of Famer and 17-year professional basketball standout.

Henderson enters his second season following an impressive freshman campaign in which he started all 35 games, averaging 13.7 points, 4.9 rebounds and 2.1 assists per game. The Houston, Texas, native shot 56.7 percent from the floor, which ranked third nationally among freshmen.

Fans can support Henderson through fan voting beginning Friday, Oct. 30. The 20-player watch list will be narrowed to 10 candidates in February before five finalists are selected in March. The finalists will be presented to Erving and the Hall of Fame's selection committee, which will determine the award winner.

Henderson and the Hurricanes open the 2026-27 regular season against No. 1 Florida in Tampa on Nov. 2 second. The game tips off at 6 p.m. and will air on ESPN2.

For more information on the Julius Erving Award, visit HoophallAwards.com.