Finalists revealed for 2022 Naismith Player of the Year award
The NCAA Tournament is onto the Sweet 16, and college basketball season is beginning to wind down with just a couple of weekends remaining. There were a number of players that took college basketball by storm this season, and a few of those players have been highlighted for their accomplishments. On Tuesday, four finalists for the 2022 Naismith Men’s Player of the Year award were revealed.
Naismith Men’s Player of the Year finalists
Kansas has won 30 games this season, and the Jayhawks are onto the Sweet 16. Agbaji has been an enormous part of that success for Kansas. On the season, he is averaging 19.3 points, 5.2 rebounds per game, and 1.6 assists per game. Agbaji was named the Big 12 Player of the Year, was a First Team All-Big-12 selection, and was also named the Big 12 Tournament’s most outstanding player.
Davis erupted this season, turning into a star and a key part of Wisconsin’s success. The Badgers lost in the Round of 32 against Iowa State, but that doesn’t take away from a terrific season from Davis. On the year, Davis averaged 19.7 points, 8.2 rebounds, and 2.2 assists per game. He was named the Big Ten Player of the Year, and now Davis is looking to add even more hardware after being named a Naismith finalist.
Davis wasn’t the only player to star in the Big Ten, as Murray gave him a run for the Big Ten Player of the Year award. On the season, Murray averaged 23.6 points, 8.6 rebounds, 2.0 blocks, 1.5 assists, and 1.3 steals per game. He also leads the nation with a 38.2 Player Efficiency Rating (PER). Murray’s 23.6 points per game led all players from major conferences, and he set multiple Big Ten and Iowa records along the way. He is just the eighth player in Big Ten hsitory to score 800 points in a single season.
Tshiebwe is the only true big man to be included as a Naismith finalist, and he certainly deserves that honor. On the season, he averaged a double double with 17.0 points and 15.3 rebounds per game, also averaging 1.6 blocks and 1.8 steals in the regular season. The SEC Player of the Year had 28 double-doubles this season, breaking a Kentucky record. Tshiebwe’s 15.1 rebounds per game in the regular season is the most in a season since 1979.
The winner of this season’s Naismith Men’s Player of the Year award will be announced on April 3.