NCAA Basketball: Ranking the last 25 AP Player of the Year award winners

During the 2001-02 NCAA season, Jay Williams was poised for a huge year after the departure of his national championship teammate Shane Battier. Not only was Williams’ season a step down from some of the other players to win AP Player of the Year, but it was also a step down from his sophomore year.

While the 2001 Duke Blue Devils won the national championship on the backs of Williams and Battier, the following season featured a strong trio of Williams, Carlos Boozer and Mike Dunleavy. While this may indicate less pressure on the starting point guard, his shooting percentage decreased along with his assist and scoring totals.

Despite remaining the first-option scorer and increasing his attempts, Williams could not seem to find his stroke from deep and dipped under 40 percent. His role as the team’s primary point guard was also limited by Chris Duhon’s emergence, who passed Williams in assists while maintaining a superior assist-to-turnover ratio.

None of this is to say Williams was bad, he eclipsed 20 points, five assists and two steals per game; however, his overall dip in efficiency remains a sticking point. What made him so fantastic in 2001 was his elite scoring and his willingness to distribute the ball. A dip in these numbers with no significant rise in other parts of his game hurt him.

When most people think of Williams’ college career, they immediately go to the 2001 National Championship, the one-two punch he formed with Shane Battier and the horrific injury the ended his NBA career before it got started. His AP Player of the Year award is often an afterthought, shown by his spot on this list.