Lefty Driesell Award

| Awarded a national player of the year award:
Sporting News; Oscar Robertson Trophy; Associated Press; NABC; Naismith; Wooden

| Denotes the number of times the player has been awarded the Lefty Driesell Award at that point

! Year

! Player

! School

! Class

! class=unsortable | Reference

| 2009–10

| {{sortname|Jarvis|Varnado}}

| Mississippi State

| {{sort|4|Senior}}

| {{cite news|last =| first =| title=Miss. State's Jarvis Varnado wins the Lefty Driesell Award as top defender |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/1018690036 |newspaper=Picayune Item |location=Picayune, Mississippi |date=April 4, 2010 |page= 11|via =Newspapers.com|accessdate = July 14, 2024}}

| 2010–11

| {{sortname|Kent|Bazemore}}

| Old Dominion

| {{sort|3|Junior}}

| {{cite news|last =| first =| title=Ready to Deal: Bazemore heads into tonight's Hawks season opener with a four-year contract and high expectations |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/424392923 |newspaper=The Atlanta Journal-Constitution |location=Atlanta, Georgia |date=October 27, 2016 |page= C1|via =Newspapers.com|accessdate = July 14, 2024}}

| 2011–12

|style="background-color:#FFE6BD" | {{sortname|Anthony|Davis}}*

| Kentucky

| {{sort|1|Freshman}}

| {{cite news|last =Buckley| first =Tim | title=Cajuns' point guard Payton receives honor |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/362401274 |newspaper=Daily World |location=Opelousas, Louisiana |date=April 6, 2014 |page= 10|via =Newspapers.com|accessdate = July 14, 2024}}

| 2012–13

| {{sortname|Tommy|Brenton}}

| Stony Brook

| {{sort|4|Senior}}

| {{cite news|last =| first =| title=Brenton gets Driesell honor for defense |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/263547486 |newspaper=The Baltimore Sun |location=Baltimore, Maryland |date=April 6, 2013 |page= D6|via =Newspapers.com|accessdate = July 14, 2024}}

| 2013–14

| {{sortname|Elfrid|Payton|dab=basketball}}

| Louisiana

| {{sort|3|Junior}}

|

| 2014–15

| {{sortname|Darion|Atkins}}

| Virginia

| {{sort|4|Senior}}

| {{cite news|last =| first =| title=Cavs' Atkins gains honor for 'D' |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/270185042 |newspaper=Daily Press |location=Newport News, Virginia |date=April 4, 2015 |page= B2|via =Newspapers.com|accessdate = July 14, 2024}}

| 2015–16

| {{sortname|Vashil|Fernandez}}

| Valparaiso

| {{sort|4|Senior}}

| {{cite news|last =| first =| title=Men's basketball |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/334699933 |newspaper=Munster Times |location=Munster, Indiana |date=April 6, 2016 |page= B5|via =Newspapers.com|accessdate = July 14, 2024}}

| 2016–17

| {{sortname|Jevon|Carter}}

| West Virginia

| {{sort|3|Junior}}

| {{cite news|last =Reed| first =Tashan| title=Memphis pick Carter went to Griz games as a child |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/777535201 |newspaper=The Commercial Appeal |location=Memphis, Tennessee |date=June 24, 2018 |page= 18|via =Newspapers.com|accessdate = July 14, 2024}}

| 2017–18

| {{sortname|Jevon|Carter}} (2)

| West Virginia

| {{sort|4|Senior}}

|

| 2018–19

| {{sortname|Matisse|Thybulle}}

| Washington

| {{sort|4|Senior}}

| {{cite news|last =| first =| title=Thybulle defensive player of year |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/581796687 |newspaper=The Spokesman-Review |location=Spokane, Washington |date=April 8, 2019 |page= B3|via =Newspapers.com|accessdate = July 14, 2024}}

| 2019–20

| {{sortname|Juvaris|Hayes}}

| Merrimack

| {{sort|4|Senior}}

| {{cite web |url=https://northeastconference.org/news/2020/3/24/MBB_Hayes_LeftyDriesellAward_20.aspx |title=Merrimack's Juvaris Hayes Receives 2019–20 Lefty Driesell Award |author= |date=March 24, 2020 |website=NortheastConference.org |publisher=Sidearm Sports |access-date=July 14, 2024}}

| 2020–21

| {{sortname|Davion|Mitchell}}

| Baylor

| {{sort|3|Junior}}

| {{cite news|last =Werner| first =John| title=Mitchell named defensive player of year |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/986313074 |newspaper=Waco Tribune-Herald |location=Waco, Texas |date=April 3, 2021 |page= 16|via =Newspapers.com|accessdate = July 14, 2024}}

| 2021–22

| {{sortname|KC|Ndefo}}

| Saint Peter's

| {{sort|4|Senior}}

| {{cite news|last =Carino| first =Jerry| title=Seton Hall adds Ndefo, transfer from Saint Peter's |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/877740865 |newspaper=Daily Record |location=Parsippany–Troy Hills, New Jersey |date=May 31, 2022 |page= B2|via =Newspapers.com|accessdate = July 14, 2024}}

| 2022–23

| {{sortname|Caleb|McConnell}}

| Rutgers

| {{sort|4|Senior}}

| {{cite news|last =| first =| title=Lefty Driesell Defensive Player of the Year |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/1057268080 |newspaper=Sun Sentinel |location=Fort Lauderdale, Florida |date=April 5, 2024 |page= B5|via =Newspapers.com|accessdate = July 14, 2024}}

| 2023–24

| {{sortname|Boo|Buie}}

| Northwestern

| {{sort|5|Graduate}}

|

| 2024–25

| {{sortname|Joseph|Tugler}}

| Houston

| {{sort|2|Sophomore}}

| {{cite news |last=Ringgold |first=Buck |date=April 1, 2025 |title=Houston forward's stellar defense earns nationwide accolades |url=https://www.si.com/college/houston/basketball/houston-forward-s-stellar-defense-earns-nationwide-accolades-01jqt4dwvpzp |work=SI.com |location= |publisher=Sports Illustrated |access-date=April 1, 2025}}

| West Virginia

| 2

| align=left| 2017, 2018

| Baylor

| 1

| align=left| 2021

| Houston

| 1

| align=left| 2025

| Kentucky

| 1

| align=left| 2012

| Louisiana

| 1

| align=left| 2014

| Merrimack

| 1

| align=left| 2020

| Mississippi State

| 1

| align=left| 2010

| Northwestern

| 1

| align=left| 2024

| Old Dominion

| 1

| align=left| 2011

| Rutgers

| 1

| align=left| 2023

| Saint Peter's

| 1

| align=left| 2022

| Stony Brook

| 1

| align=left| 2013

| Valparaiso

| 1

| align=left| 2016

| Virginia

| 1

| align=left| 2015

| Washington

| 1

| align=left| 2019