From Downtown Player of the Year Frontrunners
In about 5 weeks, From Downtown will release its awards for the 22-23 season. These will include the best coach and player from each conference, followed up by the best coach and player overall. Therefore, we will be taking the next few articles to discuss the Player of the Year and Coach of the Year Frontrunners for these awards! In other words, these are the top 10 players right now in College Basketball!
10) Keyonte George - (Baylor, 6’4”, Small Forward, Freshman)
The superstar freshman for Head Coach Scott Drew had a surprisingly slow start for a consensus top 15 pick in the NBA 2023 draft. However, in 2023, Keyonte George has 5 20+ point games, and has excellent numbers across the board. George is a “do it all” guy at the 3 position - think a diet version of Lebron James - as he can shoot the ball both from within the paint and the outside with great efficiency. At 6’4” and 185 pounds, George is also surprisingly athletic for his build. He has really supported the Bears in the most ridiculous conference in college basketball, as winning a single game in the Big 12 is no small feat. In fact, George has led the team to some victories on his own, as he has notched 6 game MVPs. George is stifled at the #10 spot due to a few uncharacteristically bad performances against some of Baylor’s stronger opponents, such as his 4 point UCLA game or 8 point Kansas game. Drew does not seem to hesitate running his offense through Adam Flagler or LJ Cryer if the game requires it, which is good for Baylor, but leaves George at the very respectable #10 spot.
9) Cason Wallace - (Kentucky, 6’4”, Point Guard, Freshman)
Yet another “one and done” player, Cason Wallace is definitely a surprise on this list for die hard basketball fans. This is because Wallace does not have the volume that the other players on this list have - even compared to his own teammate, Oscar Tshiebwe, who did not make this list - as he did not even start 100% of Kentucky’s games. However, Wallace makes the list because of his impact on this team’s success, particularly on defense. Kentucky has definitely had a rocky season, but by adding Wallace into the starting lineup, they notched an away win against one of the best teams in the nation in Tennessee. Wallace also has one of the most impressive single games in the country - especially considering Kentucky lost this game - where he notched 14 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assists, and an unbelievable 8 steals in a close Michigan State loss. Wallace played 44 minutes in this double overtime thriller, which is unfortunately the most he has played all season. As a result, he cannot be placed higher than 9th, but this NBA prospect is sure to be a nuisance against teams for years to come.
8) Keyontae Johnson - (Kansas State, 6’6”, Small Forward, Senior)
The comeback player of the year, the fact that Keyontae Johnson is even playing basketball again is a big deal! Johnson, a former Florida Gator, collapsed during a game in late 2020 in a Damar Hamlin-esque injury. Johnson’s recovery is fantastic in its own right, but the fact that he is playing at this level for the Wildcats is particularly notable. The 2nd small forward named Keyontae (spelled differently) on this list, throughout the entire 22-23 season, Johnson hit double digit points in every game. His masterful consistency earned him 5 game MVPs so far, and he is only bolstered by some particularly incredible individual performances. In the Wildcats’ surprising loss to Butler, Johnson went 9/9 from the field. He did not miss a single shot! That is an unbelievable performance, and Johnson also just notched a double double on purely defensive rebounds on the season against his former alma mater. Against Florida, Johnson went for 13 and 10, a particularly impressive feat. Johnson’s contributions are a large factor in Kansas State being among the best teams in the country, so he finds himself at #8 on this list!
7) Adama Sanogo - (UConn, 6’9”, Center, Junior)
Adama Sanogo is a machine! Certainly the most electric player in the Big East, Sanogo’s stock for a top spot on this list has suffered from UConn's rough January. Nonetheless, he still manages to be #7 despite this setback. The Malian is averaging 16.9 points per game as well as 7.2 rebounds. These are great numbers on their own, but they are amplified by the fact that Sanogo’s teammate, Donovan Clingan, is also very good and splits time with him. Therefore, Sanogo is among the most efficient players in the league. This has led him to 8 game MVPs on the season so far (soon to be 9), over half of all of UConn’s wins! Sanogo is shooting an outrageous 62% from the field, and can do it all on defense. Therefore, Sanogo finds himself comfortably at #7.
6) Drew Timme - (Gonzaga, 6’10”, Center, Senior)
Gonzaga’s Drew Timme is playing out of his mind, but for the headband wearing center, this was expected. A contender for last season’s National Player of the Year, Timme decided to come back to Gonzaga and wreak havoc on the WCC for another season. So far, he has done exactly that! The 9-time game MVP player averages a monstrous 21.5 points per game, and also notches 7.5 rebounds on average. His efficiency is similarly tremendous; Timme makes 63.3% of his 2 point attempts. Timme broke the 30 point barrier 3 times, most recently on January 21st against Pacific. Timme scored a whopping 38 points on 17/21 shooting. These are unheard of numbers. Unfortunately, Timme plays against non Power-5 opponents, and as a result, has a bit of an easier time scoring in these games than he has when playing opponents such as Purdue, Texas, or Baylor. As a result, Timme lands just outside the top 5, but make no mistake, as this player is still a legitimate contender for the best player in the country!
5) Trayce Jackson-Davis - (Indiana, 6’9”, Center, Junior)
If this list was made on December 31st, Trayce Jackson-Davis (sometimes colloquially referred to as TJD) may not have made the list. Conversely, if this list was made exclusively factoring in 2023 results, then Jackson-Davis would be 2nd on the list. As a result, 5th seems like a good middle ground for a player that is recently coming into his own! TJD averages a double double, with 19.6 points and 10.7 rebounds per game. He also has an unbelievable 11 game MVPs, and recently notched an impressive 20 rebounds in a losing effort to Maryland. TJD shoots 58.3% from the field, and does so on relatively good volume as well. He is also the 4th most efficient player according to player efficiency rating, which is a big deal! With that being said, the month of December was not the kindest to Jackson-Davis, as he played a string of poor games while dealing with injury. However, TJD is back, and hopes to continue to climb this ranking as the season heads into ts final full month!
4) Azuolas Tubelis - (Arizona, 6’11”, Power Forward, Junior)
Azuolas Tubelis was a significant role player for last season’s 1st seed Arizona team, but this season, he has emerged as a legitimate superstar. Tubelis averages 20 points a game, and his 9.6 rebound mark is just shy of averaging a double double. The 11 time game MVP has a season low of 12 points, which is unbelievable. Tubelis has a 56% shooting percentage - which is incredible, but is low compared to the other players on this list - so Tubelis makes up for it with great off-ball numbers. Most importantly, Tubelis rebounds like a champ. Tubelis has 10 double doubles, and has an unfortunately large pool of 9 rebound games with double digit points scored. Tubelis and TJD are actually remarkably similar players, but the edge goes to Tubelis due to his overall consistency and bigger contributions to team success. This force of nature is a devastating opponent for all Pac-12 opponents, and the fact that he might stay an additional year should be terrifying to all potential opponents in his path.
3) Jalen Wilson - (Kansas, 6’8”, Power Forward, Junior)
Jalen Wilson is also a strangely similar player to the aforementioned TJD and Tubelis, but where he truly differentiates himself is his ability to shoot from the 3-point line. Jackson-Davis has not attempted a single 3-pointer, while Tubelis has only made 9 through the season. Meanwhile, Kansas’ strongest player has made 51/144 from beyond the arc, and that is just one of his many talents. Truly a Swiss Army knife of basketball players, Wilson does everything at a strong level. He averages 21.4 and 8.6 a game, while also averaging 2.5 assists per game just for good measure. Wilson is one of the strongest players in the country, and has truly elevated Kansas to a team competing for its 2nd straight National Title.
2) Brandon Miller - (Alabama, 6’9”, Power Forward, Freshman)
Alabama was a team people expected to be good, but not great. However, they are now a consensus top 5 team in the country, and that is thanks in no small part to the incredible work of freshman superstar Brandon Miller. Miller has a very unique combination of skills: he is a laser from beyond the arc, and he also stands at a nice 6’9”! Miller is therefore a unique specimen, as he is someone who can defend the interior while simultaneously scoring from the perimeter. His 10 game MVPs are indicative of his strong work for the Crimson Tide, and he broke 30 points in 2 consecutive games against LSU and Vanderbilt. The only time Miller failed to break double digit points was against another consensus top 5 team in Houston, and he has 6 double doubles so far. Miller is a lottery lock for the NBA, but he may get an even greater reward if he manages to land the From Downtown Player of the Year award!
1) Zach Edey - (Purdue, 7’4”, Center, Junior)
Zach Edey is currently the best player in college basketball, and unfortunately for the rest of the players on the list, he seems to be running away with the title. The numbers speak for themselves: 22.1 points per game, 13 rebounds per game, 61% shooting percentage. Purdue is the best team in the country at current, as they have suffered just a single 1 point loss to Rutgers. Edey is the primary catalyst for Purdue’s success this season. In terms of game to game statistics, Edey blows the competition out of the water. Edey has 16 game MVPs, 18 double doubles, and has broken the 30 point barrier 5 times so far. Bar an injury, a historic improvement from another player, or a sudden and significant regression from Edey (none of these are likely), there is very little chance anyone besides Zach Edey will win this award!
