My POY Ballet

Today, my focus is on the National Player of the Year. So I've taken the official Wooden Finalists, and ranked them according to how I view them. Before that, let's talk about what I like in candidates.

1. Players that have a big impact on their own team at all times.
2. Players that have a big impact on the National title race.
3. Players teams couldn't compete without.

It's a shame that no player from Louisville made the final cut. Russ Smith, Peyton Siva, and Gorgui Dieng were all possible finalists in my opinion. Michigan State also didn't have a player nominated here, but that one is understandable. Other than those statements, I really have no beef. And even with those statements, this is an accurate list I think.

14. Nate Wolters - Despite some great numbers, I said he must impact the National title race. That's not happening here.

13. Erick Green - He plays for the last place team in the ACC so why is he even a candidate... I don't care about his scoring numbers.

12. Marcus Smart - While he may have a case for Freshman of the Year, he doesn't have much of a case for this award. He has turned Oklahoma State into a contender, particularly in the Big 12, but I'd like to see him be even more assertive on the offensive end.

11. Ben McLemore - Earlier in the year, I was all aboard the bandwagon with Ben, but his teammates have become more important and him less so. He does still average close to 17 a game though, not bad for the Big 12 Champs.

10. Shane Larkin - What I like about Shane is that he impacts the floor in multiple ways. His 2 steals a game shows he even does that defensively.

9. Doug McDermott - He's a big time scorer and rebounder and got Creighton into the tournament. But his team is not a National title contender so that hurts his cause in my estimation.

8. Deshaun Thomas - Thomas carries Ohio State because he is the only guy who can create his own shot. He is versatile and will make a great pro someday. His passing and rebounding could improve however.

7. Kelly Olynyk - Stars for the #1 team in the country: Gonzaga. He has turned this mid-major into a legit threat to win it all. The funny thing is that he emerged out of nowhere this year.

6. Mason Plumlee - Plumlee had a great chance to win this award until Ryan Kelly got injured. That exposed him and actually made Kelly seem to be a more important piece of the puzzle than him.

5. Jeff Withey - Not only does Withey give Kansas leadership, but he gives them the best interior defensive stopper in the country. His offense has improved, but it can still be inconsistent. That's why the team doesn't revolve around him.

4. Trey Burke - Most think this man is your winner. But he can be inefficient despite having the chance to make the play nearly every possession. His play at the end of games has been poor, despite having a few nice moments. Take the end of the Indiana games and Ohio State... It's winning that sets the next three guys apart.

3. Cody Zeller - The biggest thing that hurt Cody this year was the unreal expectations put on him before the year. He has greatly improved since last year, but apparently it's not enough for the National Media. If there was one player in the country though that I'd want to build around, it would be this guy.

2. Otto Porter - Otto makes Georgetown. Without him, they aren't a tourney team. But with him, they are the Big East Champs and make a case for a 1 seed in the NCAA's. His versatility carries them, plus it gives them a chance for Atlanta.

1. Victor Oladipo - Efficient. Versatile. Energetic. Leader. Scorer. Defender. Heart and Soul. Makes IU the favorite to win the National title. Already delivered IU the outright Big 10 title. Beat his two top competitors in this competition head to head each time (1-0 against Georgetown, 2-0 against Michigan).

By: The Sports Guys