Buddy Hield Named 2016 Big 12 Player of the Year: Latest Comments, Reaction

Buddy Hield's likely quest to National Player of the Year honors kicked off Sunday, as he was named the Big 12's top star for the second straight year.

Hield, a senior, averaged 25.1 points and 5.5 rebounds per game during the regular season. He led Oklahoma to a 24-6 record, and the Sooners have a chance of earning a No. 1 seed in the NCAA tournament with a strong push in this week's conference tournament.

The award was first handed out in 1997, and Hield is the first back-to-back winner since Kansas' Raef Lafrentz took the first two trophies. Six of the last seven awards have gone to upperclassmen. Outside of the three-year run of Kevin Durant, Michael Beasley and Blake Griffin, the Big 12's top player has almost always been a veteran.

“Buddy’s consistency is remarkable,” Oklahoma coach Lon Kruger said, per Kevin Lyttle of the Austin American-Statesman. “His play and his scoring are there every game, despite defenses targeting him and working hard to stop him. He has only a few games this whole season that weren’t terrific. I don’t know if you could be any more consistent at this high a level."

Hield scored in double figures in all 30 of Oklahoma's regular-season games and topped the 20-point mark 22 times. He is widely viewed as the favorite for National Player of the Year and is one of 15 finalists for the Wooden Award. While LSU's Ben Simmons has emerged as the game's best NBA prospect, it's clear Hield has been the more effective player of the two so far this season. (Also of note: Simmons is not eligible for the Wooden Award.)

	Hield	Valentine
PPG	25.1	19.6
APG	2.1	7.5
RPG	5.5	7.5
Team Record	24-6	26-5

Hield's biggest competition will come in the form of Michigan State guard Denzel Valentine. Another senior, Valentine has posted averages of 19.6 points, 7.5 rebounds and 7.5 assists per game this season. Michigan State is likewise competing for a No. 1 seed during conference tournament week, so the separation between the two is difficult.

Myron Medcalf of ESPN still favors Hield:

As it stands, Hield's decision to return for a senior season has proved brilliant. He's skyrocketing up NBA draft boards, leading a national championship contender and has clearly established himself among the best players in Oklahoma history.

If that all culminates with a Player of the Year award, fine. For now, he'll just have to "settle" for being the best player in the nation's best conference.