Tyler Tanner Named SEC Preseason Player of the Year by Basket Under Review

NASHVILLE—Vanderbilt guard Tyler Tanner has received significant preseason recognition, being named the SEC's Preseason Player of the Year and a First-Team All-SEC player for the 2026-27 season by Basket Under Review, a national college basketball outlet. The publication also ranked Vanderbilt seventh in its SEC preseason poll.

Tanner, who averaged 19.5 points, 5.1 assists, 3.6 rebounds, 2.4 steals, and 1.9 turnovers per game during the 2025-26 season, demonstrated impressive shooting, hitting 48.5% of his field goals and 36.8% from beyond the arc. He was Vanderbilt's leading scorer and garnered NBA Draft interest but decided to return to school instead of pursuing professional options.

He has an exceptional Box Plus-Minus of +11.4, comparable to NBA prospect Kingston Flemings, and is among only three players to achieve a BPM of +7 or higher alongside a 125+ Offensive Rating with at least 25% usage. Tanner joined the Vanderbilt program after its challenging start to the 2023-24 season and has remained committed despite coaching changes.

Basket Under Review also ranks Tanner as the third-best player nationally for the upcoming season, positioned behind Michigan State's Jeremy Fears and Florida's Thomas Haugh. Vanderbilt coach Mark Byington praised Tanner's ability to handle attention, stating that he remains unaffected by pressure due to his character and upbringing.