In one of the most unexpected cross-sport honors ever seen, Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid has officially been named the winner of the 2025 Jerry West Award, an accolade traditionally reserved for college basketball’s top men’s shooting guard, presented annually by the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.
The announcement sent shockwaves through both the hockey and basketball communities. Known as arguably the best player in the NHL today, McDavid has never played competitive basketball at any professional or collegiate level. Yet the selection committee cited his “elite scoring touch, unstoppable first step, and transcendent playmaking vision,” saying it was simply too good to be confined to one sport.
> “Connor is redefining what it means to be a scorer,” said one committee member. “We know he does it on ice, but if he played basketball, we’re sure he’d lead the nation in points per game. That’s the spirit of the Jerry West Award.”
McDavid, who just led the Oilers to a historic playoff run, appeared both amused and honored by the news.
> “Honestly, I’m speechless,” he said in a statement. “I guess I’ll have to work on my jump shot. Thank you to the Basketball Hall of Fame—this means a lot, even if I’ll have to figure out how to do a crossover without skates.”
Fans quickly took to social media to celebrate the news, with memes showing McDavid dunking over NBA stars and wearing Lakers jerseys featuring the iconic No. 97.
Meanwhile, representatives for the Naismith Hall of Fame admitted the decision was “unorthodox,” but said they hope it will “build bridges between sports” and “encourage young athletes to aim for greatness no matter the playing surface.”
As for next year’s award? Rumor has it that NHL star Auston Matthews and NFL quarterback Patrick Mahomes are both in the running.
