Player of the Year Watch: Premier College Hoopsters in 2011-12
Who among the following standouts has amassed sufficient cold hard facts to become the next national player of the year?
Thomas Robinson, F, Jr., Kansas (17.8 ppg, 12 rpg, 1.2 spg, 1.2 bpg, 54.6 FG%)/Odds: 5-to-2 If Robinson continues to improve, he could compile higher NBA career scoring and rebounding averages than KU assistant Danny Manning, the 1987-88 co-national player of the year who averaged 14 ppg and 5.2 rpg with seven different pro teams in 15 seasons.
Anthony Davis, C, Fr., Kentucky (14 ppg, 9.9 rpg, 1.5 spg, 4.9 bpg, 65.1 FG%)/Odds: 10-3 Attracting more attention than SI's annual swimsuit issue, he rejects and influences more shots than an NHL All-Star goalie. Astonishingly, he boasts more blocks by himself than about 300 DI teams. With only three games scoring more than 18 points, Davis needs to demonstrate he can do more offensively.
Jared Sullinger, F, Soph., Ohio State (17.6 ppg, 9.2 rpg, 1.6 spg, 56.1 FG%)/Odds: 10-1 After shedding baby fat, slimmed-down version looks better at first glance than last year's chubby freshman. Shooting range has improved to complement his lethal low-post moves, but back spasms have prevented him from taking his overall game to the next level. After committing 10 miscues against Michigan State, he has twice as many turnovers as assists and was the Buckeyes' leading scorer just three times in an earlier 13-game stretch.
Tyler Zeller, C, Sr., North Carolina (15.7 ppg, 9.6 rpg, 54 FG%, 71.2 FT%)/Odds: 10-1 Aging like fine wine to help offset teammate Harrison Barnes still trying to live up to last year's preseason billing. Runs the floor exceptionally well for a tall player but still needs to be more assertive at crunch time.
Kevin Jones, F-C, Sr., West Virginia (20.6 ppg, 11.2 rpg, 52.8 FG%)/Odds: 20-1 Superb offensive rebounder entered national-player-of-the-year picture after scoring at least 22 points in six consecutive contests. Could join Walter Berry (St. John's) and Troy Murphy (Notre Dame) as the only Big East Conference players to lead the league in scoring and rebounding. Difficult to assess his impact because the Big East is so far down from a year ago.
Doug McDermott, F, Soph., Creighton (22.7 ppg, 8.1 rpg, 61.3 FG%, 82.9 FT%, 50 3FG%)/Odds: 20-1 Beset by double- and triple-teaming from pesky Missouri Valley Conference opponents, three modest scoring outputs of fewer than 16 points in a recent five-game span kept his national profile from escalating to where he could realistically challenge Robinson the same way MVC alumnus Hersey Hawkins (Bradley) did with Manning in 1987-88.
MIA: Baylor forward Perry Jones III, exhibiting the heart of an insect while scoring in single digits nine times this season, should be among the top candidates but he plays way too passively to try to avoid an injury that would cost him dearly as a probable top five NBA draft choice.