Who Should be MBB NPOY?
After seeing Garza get ouplayed by Dickinson, I am skeptical that he is the best college BB player. Dosunmu is obviously talented, but despite having a strong supporting cast (IMO), Illinois has not been great. So who is the best men's college basketball player this year? I don't follow other conferences enough to have any idea.
February 27th, 2021 at 12:23 AM ^
Despite HD shutting down Garza I still think he’s the most likely NPOY candidate. He’s the most prolific and important player on the top O in the country. Perfect? No. But still very deserving. I can’t think of another player in the same realm. (Because nobody cares about defense for these awards.)
And by my approach, I feel really bad for Markus Howard as I would have picked him for NPOY last year.
February 27th, 2021 at 12:31 AM ^
I can’t think of another player in the same realm. (Because nobody cares about defense for these awards.) [mi93]
I appreciate the reality check here. But if we were in an alternative universe where both aspects of the game count, who would be the best? Perhaps the designation should be National Offensive Player of the Year? How would past superstars (Jordan, James, Bryant) have rated with their defense being part of the equation? These 3 all won NBA titles, so presumably were pretty good 2 way players, but perhaps defense is immaterial in the big picture?
February 27th, 2021 at 1:37 AM ^
Why are you using the older Gen guys, of which were two high school to pro players? Also, they’ve all won all-defense teams bc they are also really good defenders. None were one-diminesional.
February 27th, 2021 at 10:17 AM ^
This x 100000000
February 27th, 2021 at 1:42 AM ^
Well, James and Bryant didn't even play NCAA ball and Jordan won it in '84.
February 27th, 2021 at 9:04 AM ^
Your point still stands, but it is probably worth noting that Iowa no longer has the #1 O per Kenpom. They are #2 behind Gonzaga, thanks to Thursday.
February 27th, 2021 at 12:27 AM ^
Has to be Garza. HD and company held him below his season points average, but we are really good.
February 27th, 2021 at 12:30 AM ^
Me. Obviously.
Do I play? No. Do I drink beer? Yea. Do I play cards? Yep. Do I like whisky? Of course. What are we stalking about? I dunno.
February 27th, 2021 at 5:16 AM ^
You have my vote.
February 27th, 2021 at 12:33 AM ^
Murderwolve
February 27th, 2021 at 12:37 AM ^
That wolf has good athleticism and the NBA will make him a lottery pick, despite the fact that he's not even human. Who cares about that anyway, when you can do the splits and dunk simultaneously?
February 27th, 2021 at 12:47 AM ^
I guess I would go with Dickinson over Garza (or Dosunmu), based upon the B1G conference results to date. Don't know much about the other conferences, so perhaps there is another contender out there. But Dickinson has been phenomenal in leading Michigan to by far the best record in the Big Ten.
February 27th, 2021 at 6:03 AM ^
It can be argued Dickinson might not be the best player on his own team(Wagner, Livers). Plus before the OSU game he was scuffling a bit. Garza has played well throughout the season and will win NPOY. Corey Kispert will probably finish 2nd.
February 27th, 2021 at 9:57 AM ^
Plus the fact that HD may end up 3rd Team B1G behind Garza and Cockburn.
February 27th, 2021 at 10:25 AM ^
Cockburn??? Ouch!!!
February 27th, 2021 at 10:36 AM ^
need some pro tips from Alex Leatherwood
February 27th, 2021 at 10:35 AM ^
i've made this point before, wagner and livers are better than dickinson right now, however, dickinson is the most important player on this team due to the depth at other positions.
February 27th, 2021 at 11:05 AM ^
Dickinson hasn't led Michigan to the best record in the conference. He has been a key component, but it's guys like Livers and Brooks and Davis (that's right) truly leading this team as players.
February 27th, 2021 at 12:47 AM ^
15 points on 17 shot equivalents, 4 assists, 4 turnovers: That's Trey Burke's statline from a 2013 loss at Ohio State. He won NPOY and he deserved it.
One meh game does not torpedo a whole season, and you undercut your whole argument by admitting that you don't watch other conferences enough to know who is good.
Garza is NPOY. He's really good. It's not even very close. One game where he was well-defended and the shots didn't fall as much as he would like does not dismiss that.
February 27th, 2021 at 12:52 AM ^
Hmmm. So Garza should win the NPOY because Trey Burke had a so-so game when he won it in 2013? I get your argument that one game should not make all the difference, but Iowa has a middling record when all games are considered. And "it's not even close" is weird since obviously you're only considering offensive performance which is easier to capture in statistics. And as far as undercutting my whole argument by not considering other conferences, what say you about players in in other conferences?
February 27th, 2021 at 10:59 AM ^
Terrible take. Burke had a bad game, just like Garza did. One game does not make a season.
We've also seen the impact Garza can have. Without him, Iowa isn't even ranked, much less in the top 15.
Your take that iowa and illinois have been middling or not great is also silly. They've been ranked in the top 10 most of the season.
And Dickinson isn't even the best player on the team, much less the country. There was a recent 5 game stretch in January and February where he averaged 8 points per game. He is absolutely important to this team, but he's no NPOTY candidate at this stage. One great game against Garza doesn't suddenly make him a contender.
February 27th, 2021 at 1:02 AM ^
If Garza is the best in college BB, yet slated to be drafted 50th, what does that say? That many players will improve much more than Garza once they mature? I suppose that's possible, but the simpler explanation is that Garza is overrated. He wins the college statistics game (offense only), but the pros know that he is not that good. College basketball is not that different from the NBA. If Garza were the best, he would most likely continue to be the best in the NBA. If Wagner is the better NBA prospect, who's to say that Garza is currently the better player?
You can go by the win-loss record, or you can go by the NBA scouts. Either way, Garza is not the best. But he is the best by offensive statistics.
I have nothing against Garza who seems like a good person and a fantastic basketball player. But I argue for a bigger role in win-loss results and NBA scout assessment, which is perhaps more perceptive than offensive stats alone. Having said that, I detest the NBA assessments. But sadly I think they perhaps have a better track record than do I.
February 27th, 2021 at 1:34 AM ^
Tim Tebow was the best college player when he won the Heisman, despite everyone knowing he didn't have a bright future in the NFL.
February 27th, 2021 at 1:39 AM ^
You clearly don't want it to be Garza. Have any other offerings? You've offered no rebuttal after 2 long posts saying it shouldn't be Garza.
SRK is correct, it really isn't close. He's had a couple meh games. Who from the 357 teams has lived up to your standards?
February 27th, 2021 at 6:29 AM ^
I'm an ignoramus when it comes to basketball, but even I can tell that your analysis is utterly unconvincing.
February 27th, 2021 at 10:28 AM ^
You don’t always have to submit a post after typing it up...
February 27th, 2021 at 11:01 AM ^
This award is for best player in college, not for best pro potential.
February 27th, 2021 at 1:36 AM ^
Its Garza. Jeepers.
February 27th, 2021 at 3:29 AM ^
It’s Garza based on his year so far. IMO James Bouknight out of UCONN is the best player in nation though. Neither one has a team around them.
February 27th, 2021 at 5:31 AM ^
What?
If anything, Iowa actually has quality offensive players around Garza. But Iowa's downfall is Fran McCaffrey's inability to coach an elite defense to match the offense.
February 27th, 2021 at 5:57 AM ^
Ehh...none of those dudes would start on any other top tier team besides Weiskamp. Without Garza, they’re fighting with Nebraska, PSU and NW for worse record in the B1G
February 27th, 2021 at 10:29 AM ^
Kind of reinforces the NPOY candidacy
February 27th, 2021 at 5:21 AM ^
Garza also has the most-formidable eyebrows. That must be taken into account.
February 27th, 2021 at 6:21 AM ^
those aren't eyebrows.
those are two boy scout camps in the middle of a 'capture the flag' game.
February 27th, 2021 at 6:32 AM ^
His eyebrow game is elite. Brezhnev level.
February 27th, 2021 at 8:45 AM ^
Not sure about his wingspan, but he has the eyebrows of someone at least 7’2”
February 27th, 2021 at 5:55 AM ^
Garza had a bad game, he will win NPOY
February 27th, 2021 at 6:45 AM ^
I thought it was Garza, until he played against someone better than him.
February 27th, 2021 at 8:55 AM ^
It’s still Garza. Michigan just has the one answer for him (so far).
February 27th, 2021 at 11:42 AM ^
Cade Cunningham from Oklahoma St.
They are a Big 12 bottom dweller without him, a solid tournament team with him.