NCAA Basketball: Ranking the last 25 AP Player of the Year award winners
By Connor Hope
Rounding out this group of four point guards at the bottom of the rankings, Trey Burke led a 2013 Michigan Wolverines team that found great success, despite their relative lack of experience.
With just two upperclassmen in the regular rotation, Burke was forced into a leadership role as a sophomore. He took this new responsibility in stride and eventually led the Wolverines to the National Championship game where they lost to the Louisville Cardinals, who have since been stripped of the title.
Burke led the Wolverines in scoring and finished second in the Big Ten. However, this was not his only contribution to the cause, as he also became one of the best floor generals in the country. He has more assists per game than any other player on this list. This allowed players like Mitch McGary, Nik Stauskas, Tim Hardaway and Glenn Robinson to focus on efficient scoring.
Burke was not limited on the defensive side of the ball either, where he averaged over 1.5 steals and 0.5 blocks per game. Half a block per game may not seem like a large number in the grand scheme of things, but for a 6-foot guard, it is a sign of pure effort.
Effort was the name of the game for Burke who was not limited to being a jump shooter, shooting he also led the team in 2-point attempts and free-throw attempts. His efficiency from all parts of the court allowed him to be successful and opened up the floor for his young teammates. This combination of skill, effort and success lands Burke at No. 22 on this list.