Arizona Wildcat Derrick Williams: Your 2011 Wooden Award Winner?

If winning the Wooden Award is about being "most valuable," no one in the country may play a more crucial role to their team.

If taking home this honor is about having some outstanding statistics, he has numbers that make you shake your head.

Derrick Williams, power forward from the University of Arizona, should be selected as this year's John R. Wooden Award winner.

The actual Wooden Award trophy features five bronze figures, each depicting one of the major skills that Wooden believed that the "total" basketball player must exhibit: rebounding, passing, shooting, dribbling and defense.

One of the reasons that Williams will likely be a lottery pick is because of his versatility.

An NBA scout, this past summer, projected Williams to be one of the top prospects for the 2011 Draft. “He’s just so well-rounded. There’s really not much he can’t do."

The following are five reasons why Derrick Williams should be holding the Wooden Award hardware at the end of the season:

His Overall Play Has Made Arizona Relevant Again

Wiley Low/AP

University of Arizona basketball has been through a tough time.

The end of Lute Olson's exceptional career was marked by an array of interim coaches and uncertainty.

Derrick Williams has helped the Wildcats get back on track. They are currently 18-4. Without Williams, the Cats might have struggled to win eight games so far this season.

Arizona is currently 7-2 in the Pac-10, good for second place to Washington.

Williams is almost always the team's leading scorer and rebounder.

His essential role on this team is undeniable. 

His Scoring Ability Carries the Team

Derrick Williams is averaging 19.8 points per game, good for leading Arizona and No. 2 in the Pac-10.

He has scored in double-figures in all 22 Wildcat games this season.

He has been the team's leading scorer in almost every game.

Williams doesn't just put up empty numbers. When Arizona faced No. 6 Kansas earlier this season, the sophomore forward scored 27 points.

His Shooting Ability Is Uncanny

Colin Darland / Arizona Daily Wildcat

Williams versatility is shown, especially when it comes to his shooting ability.

He should be known as "Mr. Inside-Outside."

While he dominates most defenses with an assortment of post-moves, Williams also steps outside better than any other post player in the country.

Last year's Pac-10 freshman of the year is shooting an exceptional 63.8 percent from the floor this season, No. 6 in the nation.

But what is mind-boggling is that he is making over 70 percent from beyond the arc: 24-for-34 (70.8 percent).

He is just shy of the required number of three-point shots per game to qualify for the NCAA statistics in this category. If he can increase his number of shots and maintain this percentage, he will lead the country in this category. 

In leading Arizona to a win yesterday against USC, Williams was perfect from the field, making all six of his field goal attempts which included three three-pointers.

He Gets to the Line Better Than Anyone

Ethan Miller/Getty Images

LAS VEGAS - NOVEMBER 27: Markieff Morris #21 of the Kansas Jayhawks fouls Derrick Williams #23 of the Arizona Wildcats during the championship game of the Las Vegas Invitational at The Orleans Arena November 27, 2010 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Kansas won 87-7

Derrick Williams gets to the line more and makes more free throws than anyone else in the country.

He leads the nation in both free throw attempts (204) and made free throws (158).

The person in second place in attempts, Arsalan Kazemi of Rice, is 20 behind Williams.

While Williams 74.5 percent free throw percentage isn't setting records, it is at a level that makes the Wildcats' opponents pay dearly for putting him on the line.

He's the Most Efficient Offensive Player in the Nation

Jeff Gross/Getty Images

LOS ANGELES, CA - MARCH 11: Derrick Williams #23 of the Arizona Wildcats drives to the basket past Brendan Lane #21 of the UCLA Bruins in the second half during the Quarterfinals of the Pac-10 Basketball Tournament at Staples Center on March 11, 2010 in

Offensive efficiency is an underrated stat.

Don't just tell me how many points someone scored. Let me know how many shots it took to score those points.

Williams leads the nation in points per shot (2.19). No one else in the country is above two points per shot.

Because of Williams' shot selection, high shooting percentage and his relentless attack on the rim, he puts almost 20 points on the board while taking less than 10 shots per per game. Unbelievable!

Williams Should Win

Sure. Jimmer Fredette...he's leading the nation in scoring.

Jared Sullinger...best player on the No. 1 team.

But Derrick Williams is playing at an elite-level, and he has elevated his team more than any single player in the nation.

And for that, he should be selected for the 2011 John R. Wooden Award come April.