Mid-January is always buzzing with conference games. It’s a great moment to check in on the Player of the Year races across the top leagues in college basketball.
Caleb Wilson, North Carolina
Ebuka Okorie, Stanford
Boopy Miller, SMU
The leading contender for national player of the year is also in a strong position for the ACC’s top honor. Sure, anything can happen—Boozer might falter or even get injured, allowing Wilson, Miller, or Okorie to step up their game. But honestly, it’s hard to see that happening right now.
If Boozer wins, he would become the fifth Blue Devil to gain this accolade in just nine years.
Robbie Avila, St. Louis
Rafael Castro, George Washington
Javon Bennett, Dayton
Fans of George Washington are fully backing Castro’s bid. He could definitely be more than just a contender, but I’m leaning toward the outstanding player from one of the biggest surprise teams in college basketball.
George Mason was pegged to finish sixth in the Atlantic 10, yet as they head into a matchup with GW, they are a flawless 5-0 in conference play and 17-1 overall. Mincy is a big reason for that success. The guard is remarkably consistent, averaging 16.6 points per game and shooting a career-high 42.6 percent from beyond the arc.
Canaan Carlisle, Florida Atlantic
Tyren Riley, Tulsa
Devin Vanterpool, Florida Atlantic
If you haven’t had a chance to watch Rowan Brumbaugh play yet, you’ve got about two months to change that. The 6-foot-4 junior, who previously played at Georgetown, has been impressive, averaging 18.8 points for a Green Wave team that is expected to be a top contender in the American standings this winter.
FAU might seem like the strongest team in the conference, but with Carlisle and Vanterpool potentially splitting votes, I think Brumbaugh—or anyone else really—could have a solid shot.
JT Toppin, Texas Tech University
Christian Anderson, Texas Tech University
Joshua Jefferson, Iowa
Kingston Flemings, Houston
Jaden Bradley, Arizona
What a list we have here! These players—and likely a few others—are not only contenders for this award but could also earn spots on the first team All-American list when the season wraps up.
Zuby Ejiofor, St. John’s
Solo Ball, University College
Michael Adjaye, Butler
The competition in this conference is still wide open since there aren’t many dynamic scorers. I believe Karavan’s nomination hinges on the expectation that UW will perform well enough for someone on their team to snag this award. If that doesn’t pan out, Ejiofor seems like a strong candidate, though Ajayi, with his consistent double-doubles, deserves some recognition too.
Yaxel Rendeborg, Michigan
Braeden Smith, Purdue
Bennett Staats, Iowa
Trey Kaufman Len, Purdue
Keaton Wagler, Illinois
Brayden Smith was initially picked as the favorite for National Player of the Year, yet he’s now in fierce contention for his conference’s top honor.
Michigan stands out as the top team, and Lendeborg is widely regarded as the best player. Interestingly, there are some who argue that Bennett Staats might actually be the better floor general in the Big Ten. It’ll be interesting to see how this debate evolves in the coming weeks.
Don’t overlook Wagler. In a season where freshmen are making significant impacts, this kid—ranked 150th by 247 Sports—has emerged as a standout for the Illini, averaging 16.1 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 3.7 assists per game.
Javon Jackson, Murray
Tyler Landblade, Belmont
Chase Walker, Illinois
The mid-major race in this league is incredibly tight, with fans fiercely debating which players should be at the top of the list.
Currently, Johnson has a slight edge, averaging just under Bradley’s 18 points per game. But if Murray State continues its unexpected dominance, it would be hard to argue against Jackson receiving the award.
MJ Collins Jr., Utah
Corey Camper Jr., Nevada
Mason Falslev, Utah
Jake Hall, New Mexico
Utah State has faced some challenges after a surprising loss to Grand Canyon, but MJ Collins has definitely been the standout scorer in the Mountain West, putting up 20.1 points per game. His potential to split votes with teammate Mason Falslev is the main hurdle he’s facing right now.
Darius Acuff, Arkansas
Tyler Tanner, Vanderbilt
Thomas Ho, Florida
Honestly, you could pick any of these names and probably be onto something.
Tanner could emerge as a surprising presence for Vandy, Acuff might turn out to be the first point guard drafted this summer, and Ho has looked like a genuine All-American candidate as Florida bounces back.
For now, I have my eyes on Philon, who’s really thriving with the University of Alabama. While he’s been a bit inconsistent, their ability to challenge almost every team is notable. He hasn’t scored in single digits yet this season and his average of 21.9 points per game ranks second in the SEC and tenth in the nation.
Parius Mrauskas, St. Mary’s Church
Braden Huff, Gonzaga
Huff might be sidelined due to a recent knee injury, but I’m still including him as a candidate. He’s had a solid season and could make a strong return in the last month.
If things don’t change, the award will likely go to a player from the conference-winning team. Ike and Mrauskas have performed quite similarly so far, so the standout from the Zags-Gaels rivalry is likely to take the WCC POY.
