The Bob Cousy Award is an annual prize given to the best point guard in NCAA Basketball. There are 20 candidates that start out in the preseason and it gets whittled down throughout the year until a winner is named around the Final Four. Last season, Villanova senior guard Collin Gillespie won the award, making him the second Wildcat to win it (Jalen Brunson).
For the 2022-23 season, we have a new list of candidates to watch for the best point guard in the country. 20 names were released on Monday, with most, not a surprise at all. There also are plenty of mid-major stars that have a case to make as well with another year in their belt.
Who among the group has the best chance of winning the award? Here’s how I would rank each of their chances, based on their respective circumstances.
Preseason watch list for the Bob Cousy Award, given annually to the nation’s best point guard: pic.twitter.com/goVyNjNUYa
— Jeff Borzello (@jeffborzello) October 24, 2022
20. Isaiah Stevens – Colorado State Rams
2021-22 stats: 14.7 ppg and 4.7 apg
Stevens made the All-Mountain West team in all three seasons and has been one of the better playmakers out west since he arrived in college. He can score 20+ points most of the time and went for 35 in a single game last season and with star forward and Mountain West Player of the Year David Roddy now gone, the senior was set to lead the Rams on offense completely.
Unfortunately, Stevens recently suffered a serious foot injury that’ll keep him out for 2023, hopefully for the start of league play. Even if he comes back fully healthy and puts up major stats, there’s simply no chance that he’ll be a contender for the prize this season.
19. Jahvon Quinerly – Alabama Crimson Tide
2021-22 stats: 13.8 ppg and 4.2 apg
The playmaking guard was a starter for the Tide last season, scoring 20+ points six times and being a steady scorer on offense throughout. He was the lone returning player from the team’s backcourt and set to have an even larger role on offense.
But like Stevens, Quinerly is also set to miss the non-conference portion of the season, still recovering from an injury suffered in the NCAA Tournament. He’ll return by SEC play but also will be part of a committee alongside Jaden Bradley and Mark Sears, which will affect his overall stats anyways.
18. Kihei Clark – Virginia Cavaliers
2021-22 stats: 10.0 ppg and 4.4 apg
The only player on this list to have won an NCAA Basketball championship, Clark is a 5’9 guard and 5th-year senior that’s a good defender and strong passer. He fits Virginia’s system and runs the offense well, although they did miss the NCAA Tournament last season. The former All-ACC guard comes up in huge games, including 25 points, six rebounds, and seven assists in a matchup with Duke last year.
The issue is that Clark isn’t even the leading passer on his own team, as Reece Beekman led Virginia in assists. And due to how slow-paced the offense is, the numbers he’ll put up won’t be comparable with the others on this list. Plus, the Cavaliers may not make the Big Dance once again, which would kill his chances of winning.
17. Grant Sherfield – Oklahoma Sooners
2021-22 stats (at Nevada): 19.1 ppg and 6.4 apg
Sherfield definitely put up big stats in the Mountain West last season but his team didn’t do much winning, which falls on him as the lead guard. He transfers to the Sooners, which puts him on a bigger platform but the Big 12 has elite defenses that can make his life miserable.
There’s also going to be a transition for Sherfield with a new team and new backcourt mate in Joe Bamisile from George Washington. If the former All-Mountain West guard can put up similar stats at Oklahoma, he’ll be in contention. But the odds are good that his numbers will take a dip against bigger competition.
16. Wendell Green – Auburn Tigers
2021-22 stats: 12.0 ppg and 5.1 apg
Although he came off the bench, Green was the leading passer for the Tigers last season. He had 11 games of at least seven assists, including 11 in a matchup against Georgia. The 5’11 guard also had eight games of at least 19 points and while Green certainly was inefficient as a shooter, he can explode for a big outing on any given night.
Without star freshman Jabari Smith around, Green will have a bigger role in the offense and his stats will take a leap. However, if Auburn isn’t as good as last year and his efficiency remains an issue, the junior ball-handler will not be a contender.
15. Will Richardson – Oregon Ducks
2021-22 stats: 14.1 ppg and 3.6 apg
The veteran guard has his best season yet as a senior for Oregon, leading the team in both scoring and passing. Richardson became a much better and more consistent scorer, including seven games of at least 20 points. He was arguably the lone brightspot for the Ducks overall and has established himself as a clear lead guard.
The question will be whether or not the surrounding games will take the ball too much. South Carolina transfer Jermaine Couisnard and former Colorado guard Keeshawn Barthélémy were high-usage guys at previous stops, while five-star freshman center Kel’el Ware could end up being the best player for Oregon this year. The team may end up being better but it could come at a cost of Richardson’s stats.
14. Tyrese Hunter – Texas Longhorns
2021-22 stats (at Iowa State): 11.0 ppg and 4.9 apg
Hunter was one of the best freshmen guards last season, playing a big role in turning Iowa State from a 2-win team to a 22-win and Sweet 16 team. He showed that he can be a big-time scorer while also being able to distribute.
He’ll be surrounded by much better teammates with the Longhorns but that’s negated by playing alongside Marcus Carr, who is a lead guard in his own right. And unless the offensive system changes under head coach Chris Beard, Hunter could actually end up producing the same stats this year, unless he plays more off the ball and shoots better from deep.
13. Antoine Davis – Detroit Mercy Titans
2021-22 stats: 23.9 ppg and 4.4 apg
There’s no player in NCAA Basketball that has a greener light than Davis, who after four years is the all-time leading scorer for the Titans. His career average is over 24 ppg and he has a chance to finish in the top 10 all-time after this season. Davis is an elite scorer in the Horizon League and should have a number of 30+ point performances once again.
If Davis averages over 25+ and leads the country in scoring, he might have a chance to make a finalist group. But his team needs to be at the top of the league standings and actually be good in order to have a resume that’s more than gaudy numbers. If that doesn’t change then his odds are low.
12. Kerr Kriisa – Arizona Wildcats
2021-22 stats: 9.7 ppg and 4.7 apg
Kriisa was a highly inefficient shooter at under 35% from the field but when he was on, Arizona was nearly unbeatable. His ceiling is very high, including a triple-double last season versus Utah and a bunch of games of at least seven assists. With Pac-12 Player of the Year Bennedict Mathurin gone, the junior point guard will have more of the scoring responsibilities this upcoming year.
On the other hand, the addition of Texas transfer Courtney Ramey will partially take the ball out of Kriisa’s hands. That’ll likely make him more efficient as a player overall but it’ll also affect his stats and chances of having a case of being one of the top point guards in the country.
11. Max Abmas – Oral Roberts Golden Eagles
2021-22 stats: 22.8 ppg and 3.7 apg
The former Sweet 16 Cinderella has been one of the best scorers in NCAA Basketball the past two years, in the same category as Davis of Detroit Mercy. The 2021 Summit League Player of the Year had six games of at least 30 points just last season alone, including 32 points and 11 assists versus Western Illinois.
Abmas is on a better team at Oral Roberts than Davis but the Eagles aren’t a top-100 team either, do unless they win 30 games and go unbeaten in league play (like South Dakota State did last season), it’ll be hard to see him making the next cut compared to the power conference players.
10. Jordan Walker – UAB Blazers
2021-22 stats: 20.3 ppg and 4.9 apg
The transfer from Tulane was one of the biggest impact newcomers in all of NCAA Basketball last season, winning Conference USA Player of the Year and leading the Blazers to the NCAA Tournament. Walker had multiple 40+ point games, as well as 12 assists in a win over Rice in league play. The fact that his team made the Big Dance gives him a heads-up over the other mid-major players on this list since his production is more meaningful.
What may hold Walker back is that UAB has added a ton of talent, including LSU transfer Eric Gaines and several others who produced at previous spots. If they cut into Walker’s numbers, it’ll make the team more formidable but at the cost of his chances of winning the award, since Walker will need huge stats to have a shot.
9. Darius McGhee – Liberty Flames
2021-22 stats: 24.6 ppg and 3.6 apg
McGhee is now a two-time Atlantic Sun Player of the Year and was second in all of NCAA Basketball in scoring. He had a bunch of huge performances, including a career-high 48 points against Florida Gulf Coast. The 5’9 playmaker will have the same kind of green light on a team that’s expected to be the favorite to win the league.
McGhee’s chances of being a finalist at the end are better than the other mid-major players because his stats will be incredibly high but also playing on a team in Liberty that should win 25+ games and be an NCAA Tournament contender. If he can get a couple of 50-point games, McGhee will have the national attention to make a case.
8. Jeremy Roach – Duke Blue Devils
2021-22 stats: 8.6 ppg and 3.2 apg
The former five-star prospect has had his ups and downs in the past two years but may have turned the corner in the NCAA Tournament, playing a massive role in the Blue Devils making the Final Four. And while Roach may not be as individually talented as many players on this list, any lead guard for Duke will be a contender for awards if the stats warrant it.
The question for the junior will be how big of a role will he have in the offense. There are a bunch of five-star freshmen such as Dereck Lively and Dariq Whitehead that could lead them in scoring, while Tyrese Proctor may take some ball-handling duties away from Roach. He may start all season but the stats could hold him back from having a real shot.
7. Yuri Collins – Saint Louis Billikens
2021-22 stats: 11.1 ppg and 7.9 apg
Collins was the best distributor in all of NCAA Basketball last season, leading the country in assists. That includes a career and program-high 19 in a single game versus Boston College, one of eight occasions of double-digit assists. The veteran ball-handler has a chance to put up even more assists this season, thanks to the return of 17 ppg scoring guard Javonte Perkins.
Collins was a snub for the finalist list last season but Saint Louis, who got some top-25 preseason votes, is a team with national expectations. If they’re ranked throughout the year and win the Atlantic 10 while he wants again leads the country in assists, look for the star Billiken to be in that final cut.
6. Ryan Nembhard – Creighton Bluejays
2021-22 stats: 11.3 ppg and 4.4 apg
As a freshman, Nembhard had an effective season as the starting point guard. His debut included 12 points and 10 assists versus Arkansas-Pine Bluff and had several games of at least 17 points. The former top-60 prospect is a national breakout candidate and the inclusion to this list is evident.
If Nembhard plays a large role in Creighton being a top-10 team throughout the season, he’ll have a real shot at this award. However, if the other sophomores (Trey Alexander and Arthur Kaluma) take larger roles in the offense and the point guard is just a role player himself, his chances will be slim.
5. Caleb Love – North Carolina Tar Heels
2021-22 stats: 15.9 ppg and 3.6 apg
The 6’4 guard is probably the most willing shooter among the power conference ball-handlers, shooting around 15 times a game at under 40% from the field. But when Love was hot, he was one of the best players in NCAA Basketball. The playmaker had 12 games of at least 20 points, including 28 against Duke in the Final Four last season.
He’s one of the best scoring guards in the country and starts on the preseason No. 1 team in the country. If they remain in the top five and Love averages more than 16 ppg, he’ll be in the conversation for this award. But on a loaded roster with other great scorers, it’s not a guarantee that Love will produce that much again.
4. Tyger Campbell – UCLA Bruins
2021-22 stats: 11.9 ppg and 4.3 apg
The three-year starter has been as steady a point guard as any in NCAA Basketball and had a little of a scoring breakout, shooting over 40% from deep and having six games of at least 15 points, including 14+ in the final five games. Campbell has always been a good passer, including a 10-assist game versus Long Beach State. He’s a good defender and can do everything well and has played a key role in the Bruins getting back on the national radar.
UCLA is a preseason top-12 team and Campbell should have his largest role yet as the senior guard. One factor to watch is Amari Bailey, a five-star freshman and combo guard. He’ll have the ball in his hands a bit, which can and will affect Campbell. How much will determine his odds of winning the Bob Cousy Award.
3. Sahvir Wheeler – Kentucky Wildcats
2021-22 stats: 10.1 ppg and 6.9 apg
Oscar Tshiebwe was the star of both the team and the sport but Wheeler was a great transfer pickup, coming over from Georgia. He led the SEC in assists and ranked third overall, including five games of double-digit assists. One of which was 14 versus North Florida. And being on a power conference program ranked in the top 5 gives the junior guard a lot of credibility for this type of award.
Wheeler will be racking up assists once again but if his scoring can take a little bit of a leap, he’ll really have a good shot at this award. Five-star freshman guard Cason Wallace will also play some point but he’s also an off-the-ball guy so it shouldn’t affect Wheeler’s numbers too much either.
2. Mike Miles – TCU Horned Frogs
2021-22 stats: 15.4 ppg and 3.6 apg
The 6’1 guard led TCU to the NCAA Tournament last season, which has been no easy feat for the program. Miles had eight games of 20+ points, as well as six games with 6+ assists. And considering this was done in a Big 12 Conference where half of the teams were elite nationally on defense, Miles had some impressive performances as the team’s lead guard.
The Frogs enter this season as a top-15 team and a contender in the Big 12. If Miles leads them to a potential regular season title and a top-tier seed in the Big Dance, that could put him in a position to win this award. Unlike most others in the top half of this list, Miles is the clear best player for TCU and will have the ball in his hands a ton, allowing him to continue producing a lot of stats.
1. Kendric Davis – Memphis Tigers
2021-22 stats (at SMU): 19.4 ppg and 4.4 apg
From a statistical standpoint, Davis has been one of the best point guards in NCAA Basketball for the last two years. Few players can go for 20 points or 8+ assists in every game like he can while being fairly efficient as well. Just last season, the former Mustang went for 25+ points eight different times, while also having 10 assists in a game versus Northwestern State. Davis was even more prolific as a passer in the year prior, averaging 7.6 apg and even 6.7 before that.
Davis, who won the AAC Player of the Year Award last season, stays in the league and is now at Memphis, which has really needed a point guard under Penny Hardaway that can lead them to success in the Big Dance. Now that he’s on a bigger program that can win at a high-level, while still remaining the clear top offensive option, things are set up well for Davis to be a contender to winning the top award for best playmaker in NCAA Basketball.