2011 NCAA Basketball: Top Three Candidates for the AP Player of the Year Award

The AP Player of the Year Award has been given out since 1961 and its first recipient was Ohio State Forward-Center Jerry Lucas, who also won the award the year after in 1962.

He averaged 24.9 points and 17.4 rebounds per game and went on to finish his career in the NBA 4^th best behind Wilt Chamberlain, Bill Russell and Bob Pettit with 12,942 rebounds, an average of 15.6 per game.

There is no mystery that the players who have finished their college careers with this award in their belts have gone on to become some of the National league’s finest (J.J. Redick, Kevin Durant, Blake Griffin, Tim Duncan, Shaquille O’Neal).

For the last twenty years, the award has predominantly been handed out to the star forwards of those seasons with the exception of two guards, two centers, two guard/forwards and two center/forwards.

This year there seems to be no shortage of exceptional athletes in the forward category. But, there are a few players that may just surprise you.

With 18 points and 10 rebounds per game, Jared Sullinger may not be a shoe in for the AP Player of the Year award but he is definitely being mentioned. After the loss of Evan Turner, a lot of people felt like the team would fall tremendously in their ranks in the NCAA.

Thankfully, the freshman came in and has made an immediate impact on how the defense performing.

His speed compared to his size is surprising as he is able to make his way up the court as quick in transition as any other player and defending him in the low post is next to impossible without fouling him (Sullinger is a 68.9% free throw shooter).

When his weight was thought of to be an issue, he spent his summer working out in order to be able to perform to the level of expectation and so far this season he is achieving just that.

Sullinger, if he enters the draft, will be in the top five of the first round and just may end up in Cleveland, where his size and talent is required.

The Brigham Young Guard has been showcasing himself as a pure scorer all season and will definitely not be left out of the conversation for the player of the year.

As a senior, he has managed 27.6 points per game, an impressive 5.5 points higher than last year and only his three point percentage has suffered (dropping from 44% to 41.3%). 

He has had eight games scoring over thirty points, three of which were 40+ point games and one forty three point game against the number six San Diego State Team, their only loss of the season.

He has only had two games against ranked opponents, number 21 Utah State and number 15 Arizona, but has competed like every game was a battle for number 1.

When Kyrie Irving was diagnosed with a toe injury that would make him unavailable to the Blue Devils indefinitely, there was a state of panic.

Duke has never has a shortage of talent or a problem with winning, but the components that Irving added to the roster was something that could not be matched, or so we thought.

Nolan Smith has showed up in a big way since Irving’s absence and much to Coach K’s liking. With the exception of losses to Florida State and St. John’s, Duke has looked like their old selves and much of this is due to Smith’s ability to step up in a major way.

He averages 21 points per game and has only suffered one single digit scoring game, two points against Bradley.

His nomination for the award cannot take away from the athletics of his supporting cast in Kyle Singler and Mason Plumlee, but he has definitely grabbed the task by the horns.