NCAA Basketball: Potential value bets for 2021-22 National Player of the Year
By Ian Mumm
The NCAA Basketball Naismith Player of the Year award has garnered significant attention and debate since its inception in the late 1960s. Legends of the sport have graced the college game and notched their name on the infamous list of players to have earned the award before pursuing professional careers. Last year’s award was given to emblematic Iowa forward Luka Garza who piled on top performance after performance throughout the year to keep his team competitive.
While there are no written rules for who is eligible for the award, there do seem to be some unwritten ones recipients have in common. First, players typically come from competitive teams that are likely selected to the NCAA Tournament regardless of bringing home the title or not.
This has allowed players outside of the Power 6 conferences to capitalize on stellar seasons and earn award recognition, such as BYU’s Jimmer Fredette, Dayton’s Obi Toppin, and Saint Joseph’s Jameer Nelson. Second, players have to exceed the 20 point per game threshold or if they fall short of this mark they must excel in multiple statistical categories to showcase an elite all-around game.
WynnBet has provided preseason odds of players to win the award for the 2021-22 season with less than a week until tipoff. I identify several players who present strong value towards being able to bring home the award by season’s end.