NCAA Basketball: 2017-18 National Player of the Year rankings after Week 3

With Feast Week finally over and conference play quickly approaching, who has established themselves as NCAA Basketball Player of the Year candidates?

This year’s Feast Week was incredibly exciting, with the PK80 providing perhaps the best Thanksgiving tournament games in recent memory. Over the past week, players have continued to separate themselves from the rest, making strong early cases for Player of the Year honors.

This week’s Player of the Year Power Rankings will be the final list of 25 names before it is dropped to 10 names in December.

So who has earned a spot on this week’s Busting Brackets Player of the Year Power Rankings?

25. Yante Maten – Georgia

18.3 points, 9.5 rebounds, 1.5 assists

As expected, Georgia’s Yante Maten has been impressive so far this season and led the Bulldogs to great victory over the Saint Mary’s Gaels. Maten’s effort on both ends of the floor has helped propel Georgia to a 5-1 start, with an opportunity to pick up a solid win against Marquette.

24. Rob Gray – Houston

23.6 points, 2.0 rebounds, 4.6 assists

While all eyes are on Wichita State and Cincinnati in the AAC, Houston’s Rob Gray may be the best player that not enough people watch. Gray was key to Houston’s win over Wake Forest, scoring 23 points in the 78-73 victory. Houston will probably not compete at the top of the American Athletic Conference, but Gray will certainly be a strong contender for All-Conference honors.

23. Kevin Hervey – UT Arlington

23.5 points, 8.5 rebounds, 2.5 assists

There are not many mid-major teams that are more exciting than UT Arlington, and the Mustangs’ Kevin Hervey has become one of the best players in the country. If you haven’t had an opportunity to watch him play, the Mavericks have a few big games coming up that you must watch. His 29 points and 11 rebounds against Rice was just one of the many impressive games Hervey has had this year.

22. Jalen Hudson – Florida

21.8 points, 4.7 rebounds, 1.5 assists

Sometimes a change of scenery is all that is needed to excel, and Florida’s Jalen Hudson is proving that this season. The Virginia Tech transfer has been instrumental in the Gators’ hot start, and his 8-for-12 shooting from three was the key to Florida’s win over Gonzaga. Hudson has shown that while he may not be the vocal leader of this Florida team, he can come up clutch when needed.

21. Brandon McCoy – UNLV

18.6 points, 12.1 rebounds, 0.6 assists

Nevada may not be the most impressive team in the Mountain West, but freshman Brandon McCoy is certainly the most exciting. Although his game against Northern Iowa was forgettable, he has helped improve the Rebels from last in the Mountain West to a team that could potentially compete for a tournament bid. His battle with Arizona’s DeAndre Ayton on Saturday will be a must watch affair.