NCAA Basketball: Ranking top 20 Bob Cousy Award players for 2023-24 season
3. Tyler Kolek – Marquette Golden Eagles
2022-23 season stats: 12.9 ppg and 7.5 apg
A big part of Kolek’s rise to winning the award last year was Marquette being a big surprise compared to preseason expectations. With most of the roster coming back, the ball-handler’s numbers very well could remain the same. But between the usual voter fatigue when it comes to players winning awards twice and other viable contenders in the mix, Kolek will truly fight to win the Bob Cousy prize again.
2. Dajuan Harris – Kansas Jayhawks
2022-23 season stats: 8.9 ppg and 6.2 apg
As Kolek showed, you don’t have to be an elite scorer as long as you’re great at everything else. And Harris, the Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year and top-tier passer on the preseason No. 1 team for this season, fits in that category. He’ll be tasked with having to score more as well since Texas transfer Arterio Morris isn’t on the roster anymore and there’s not much depth in the Kansas backcourt. If Harris gets into double figures and the Jayhawks are a top team, he’ll be on future shortlists.
1. Tyrese Proctor – Duke Blue Devils
2022-23 season stats: 9.4 ppg and 3.3 apg
The former five-star prospect is had a big second half of last season to return as a consensus breakout candidate. He averaged around 13 ppg in the final 10 games, including 11 points and 10 assists versus Pittsburgh. The 6’5 ball-handler has the chance to be a focal point of the offense alongside Jeremy Roach and Kyle Filipowski.
Next. Top 24 team backcourts for 2023-24 season. dark
Duke is a projected top-3 preseason team nationally and Proctor could be the top guard on the team. If that happens, then he’ll have a shot at being a clear contender for the 2024 Bob Cousy Award.