Asia Boone Named to Ann Meyers Drysdale Award Top 20 Preseason Watch List

Kentucky senior guard Asia Boone is one of 20 candidates for the 2027 Ann Meyers Drysdale Award, which honors the top shooting guard in Division I women's basketball. The Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame and the WBCA announced the preseason watch list Tuesday.

Boone, a 5-foot-8 lefty from San Diego, averaged 10.1 points, 2.7 rebounds and 2.3 assists in 36 games last season — her first under Kenny Brooks after two years at Liberty. She made 96 threes (11th nationally, second in UK history behind Amelia Hassett's 99) on 36.5 percent shooting from deep and 7.3 attempts per game. She started the final stretch after coming off the bench early, and in her last 11 games as a starter she shot 38 percent from three.

She made at least three threes in 22 of 36 games and became the first UK player in at least two decades to hit five or more threes in a true road game against an AP Top Five opponent when she led the Cats past No. 5 LSU on Jan. 1, 2026.

With Hassett graduated, Brooks said at Tuesday's media day he wants Boone to "be the best version of what she gave us" and "shoot the ball when we need it." Boone is one of five SEC players on the list (Kentucky, LSU, Ole Miss, South Carolina and Vanderbilt). Michigan's Syla Swords — sister of UK freshman Savvy Swords — is also on it. Players can be added or removed as the season goes.

Our Take: Boone is the established shooter on a No. 14 roster. Defenses will know her now; if she still gets her looks, this watch list is a floor, not a ceiling.

Sources: UK Athletics — Asia Boone Named to Shooting Guard of the Year Top 20 Preseason Watch List, On3 / KSR — Asia Boone recognized as one of nation's top shooting guards (Zack Geoghegan)