In Part 3 of my college basketball preview, I examine 5 players who will contend for the Naismith National Player of the Year award. These players are all part of my All-American First Team, as well.
The season is set to begin, and there is as much star power in college basketball as there has been in the last decade. A slew of freshmen, sophomores, and juniors have all returned to school, and as a result there are a ton of players that will make a case for themselves as All-Americans and National Player of the Year. Here are my five players that I believe have the best chance at winning the prestigious award.
Harrison Barnes – Forward, North Carolina
Expectations are higher for Barnes than probably any other player in the nation, and rightfully so. His silky smooth overall game and uncanny ability to take over games is amazing. Unlike 99% of college basketball, Barnes combines polished skills with phenomenal athleticism. He has great body control, can knock down an array of shots, and has an affinity for clutch moments. He is an average defender, which is one of the few parts of his game that does not fall under the “great” category.
Expectations are higher for Barnes than probably any other player in the nation, and rightfully so. His silky smooth overall game and uncanny ability to take over games is amazing. Unlike 99% of college basketball, Barnes combines polished skills with phenomenal athleticism. He has great body control, can knock down an array of shots, and has an affinity for clutch moments. He is an average defender, which is one of the few parts of his game that does not fall under the “great” category.
How he wins the National Player of the Year:
On a loaded North Carolina team, Barnes will be the catalyst of any success. If they win a national title, he will be deemed the superstar on a roster of former high school All-Americans.
Jared Sullinger – Forward, Ohio State
Sullinger is an old-school power forward with the post skills and physicality that most big men lack in today’s game. While many big men are beginning to wander the perimeter and shoot the 3-pointer, Sullinger makes a living in the paint and scored just about all of his points in the paint. He has a vast arsenal of post moves including the baby hook, drop step, and the up-and-other, to name a few. Rumblings out of Columbus are that he has added the occasional long ball to his skill set, which will be a great addition as long as he doesn’t fall in love with it in the way Rasheed Wallace did after being drafted into the NBA.
Sullinger is an old-school power forward with the post skills and physicality that most big men lack in today’s game. While many big men are beginning to wander the perimeter and shoot the 3-pointer, Sullinger makes a living in the paint and scored just about all of his points in the paint. He has a vast arsenal of post moves including the baby hook, drop step, and the up-and-other, to name a few. Rumblings out of Columbus are that he has added the occasional long ball to his skill set, which will be a great addition as long as he doesn’t fall in love with it in the way Rasheed Wallace did after being drafted into the NBA.
How he wins the National Player of the Year:
The Big Ten is one of the more physical conferences, and Sullinger is the poster boy of physical play. As long as he builds on last season’s success and the Buckeyes win the Big Ten with ease, he has a great chance. There are few big men that can match Sullinger’s abilities, especially in the Big Ten. Total domination will equal national recognition.
Jordan Taylor – Guard, Wisconsin
He sometimes get lost among the talk of more flashy players, but I firmly believe Taylor to be the best guard in the country. With the strength of a bull and a variety of skills, Taylor is the reason Wisconsin is ranked in the pre-season Top 25. He never turns the ball over, has great body control, and is a reliable defender. On a team that lacks athleticism, Taylor will be called upon to defend the best player on the other team, whether that player is under six feet tall or 6’6″. Bo Ryan is a great coach and will run a bevy of offensive sets designed to give Taylor a great chance to score the ball.
He sometimes get lost among the talk of more flashy players, but I firmly believe Taylor to be the best guard in the country. With the strength of a bull and a variety of skills, Taylor is the reason Wisconsin is ranked in the pre-season Top 25. He never turns the ball over, has great body control, and is a reliable defender. On a team that lacks athleticism, Taylor will be called upon to defend the best player on the other team, whether that player is under six feet tall or 6’6″. Bo Ryan is a great coach and will run a bevy of offensive sets designed to give Taylor a great chance to score the ball.
How he wins the National Player of the Year:
Wisconsin is not expected to dominate the nation like North Carolina or Ohio State, but if they can stay competitive and Taylor maintains his high assist-to-turnover ratio while increasing his scoring average to 20 points per game, he will have a great chance.
John Jenkins – Guard, Vanderbilt
With Jimmer Fredette and Jon Diebler gone to the NBA, Jenkins is the best 3-point shooter in the nation. He can create his own shot and hits it at a nice clip (over 40% last season). Most of Vanderbilt’s team returns from last season, so there is no reason to expect any drop off from last year’s great performance. He has always been a big time 3-point shooter, scoring ungodly amounts of points in high school. While he has not scored at a heavenly level in college, his junior year might be the time that he breaks out with numbers comparable to Jimmer Fredette last season. He certainly has the range and intangibles – it’s just a matter of going out there and doing it now.
With Jimmer Fredette and Jon Diebler gone to the NBA, Jenkins is the best 3-point shooter in the nation. He can create his own shot and hits it at a nice clip (over 40% last season). Most of Vanderbilt’s team returns from last season, so there is no reason to expect any drop off from last year’s great performance. He has always been a big time 3-point shooter, scoring ungodly amounts of points in high school. While he has not scored at a heavenly level in college, his junior year might be the time that he breaks out with numbers comparable to Jimmer Fredette last season. He certainly has the range and intangibles – it’s just a matter of going out there and doing it now.
How he wins the National Player of the Year:
The nation loves high-volume shooters on squads that lack a ton of talent. And while Vanderbilt will be among the top SEC teams with Kentucky and Florida, several players besides Jenkins need to break out for the Commodores to make noise. If Jenkins puts up numbers that remind people of Fredette, he will be on the same course as the former BYU sharpshooter. And if anybody can duplicate The Jimmer’s numbers, it’s Jenkins.
Tyler Zeller – Center, North Carolina
A true center, Zeller put up astronomical numbers in the NCAA tournament last season (26 points per game) while emerging as the Tar Heels’ offensive post threat. He saw inconsistent minutes at times last year because of his soft play, but he has become more physical and mentally tough. With injuries a thing of the past, Zeller can now become the focal point of the North Carolina post game, since he is the only true post threat on a team that has athletic but raw big men. He runs the floor well, has great fundamentals, and can hit the short corner jumper with consistency – if he continues to do all of those things, Roy Williams will have to keep him on the floor.
A true center, Zeller put up astronomical numbers in the NCAA tournament last season (26 points per game) while emerging as the Tar Heels’ offensive post threat. He saw inconsistent minutes at times last year because of his soft play, but he has become more physical and mentally tough. With injuries a thing of the past, Zeller can now become the focal point of the North Carolina post game, since he is the only true post threat on a team that has athletic but raw big men. He runs the floor well, has great fundamentals, and can hit the short corner jumper with consistency – if he continues to do all of those things, Roy Williams will have to keep him on the floor.
How he wins the National Player of the Year:
I’m going to be completely honest – he probably will not win it. If he does, it is because Harrison Barnes disappears for the majority of the season while North Carolina continues to dominate. If that happens, Zeller will be the focal point of the offense and his numbers will spike.
All-American Second Team:
These players could all dominate college basketball, as well.
These players could all dominate college basketball, as well.
Tu Holloway – Guard, Xaiver
Jeremy Lamb – Guard, Connecticut
Anthony Davis – Forward, Kentucky
Terrence Jones – Forward, Kentucky
Perry Jones III – Forward, Baylor
Jeremy Lamb – Guard, Connecticut
Anthony Davis – Forward, Kentucky
Terrence Jones – Forward, Kentucky
Perry Jones III – Forward, Baylor
