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Big Ten Basketball: Best bets outside of Cassius Winston to win 2020 POY

By Adam Childs

MADISON, WISCONSIN - FEBRUARY 12: Cassius Winston #5 of the Michigan State Spartans reacts in the first half against the Wisconsin Badgers at the Kohl Center on February 12, 2019 in Madison, Wisconsin. (Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images)
MADISON, WISCONSIN - FEBRUARY 12: Cassius Winston #5 of the Michigan State Spartans reacts in the first half against the Wisconsin Badgers at the Kohl Center on February 12, 2019 in Madison, Wisconsin. (Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images) /
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ANN ARBOR, MICHIGAN – JANUARY 29: Zavier Simpson #3 of the Michigan Wolverines reacts after a three point basket next to Isaiah Livers #4 while playing the Ohio State Buckeyes at Crisler Arena on January 29, 2019 in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Michigan won the game 65-49. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
ANN ARBOR, MICHIGAN – JANUARY 29: Zavier Simpson #3 of the Michigan Wolverines reacts after a three point basket next to Isaiah Livers #4 while playing the Ohio State Buckeyes at Crisler Arena on January 29, 2019 in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Michigan won the game 65-49. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images) /

Michigan – Zavier Simpson

Chances of winning POY – Better than average

I argued last year that Simpson should have won the POY, and I have written in the offseason how Isaiah Livers could win it this year. Both of those admittedly come from covering the Wolverines more than any other team in the Big Ten, but they were both reasonable arguments.

No other player was as valuable to his team last year than Simpson (yes Winston was great and took the Spartans over the top). But I truly believe that without Simpson the Wolverines would have been a fringe tournament team, where the Spartans were still a great team without Winston. That is in no way saying Simpson is better than Winston, I just think he was more valuable.

The knock on Simpson is that he is not the best shooter and doesn’t score a lot. That is true, but it doesn’t mean he can’t. His job is to run the offense and be a coach on the court and that is exactly what he is. He rarely turns the ball over and he understands his limitations.

He figured out how to score last year, see his hook shot, and did actually improve his outside shooting and had some games were it was a weapon. He also is a huge reason why Jon Teske had a great year last year.

It is still yet to be seen how he performs in Juwan Howard’s offense, but if he can get the Wolverines back near the top of the Big Ten yet again, he deserves talk of being the POY. He is the key to the Wolverine’s success this year and if they compete for a championship again he should win the award. But just like Smith from Maryland, Simpson could lose out to a teammate (Livers).

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