Kevin Durant. Greg Oden. Brandon Wright. Mike Conley Jr. None of those four will be in this years running for the Naismith College Player of the Year Award given to the nation's best college basketball player. That group said goodbye to college life after one year and said hello to millions of dollars in the NBA. Nonetheless, here are five players that come March may be taking home the most prized individual trophy in college sports (besides that Heisman thing).
1. Tyler Hansbrough, North Carolina, F, JR, 18.4 PPG, 7.9 RPG, 1.2 APG
With the heart of a lion, this year's front runner will win ACC POY, and along with Georgetown's Roy Hibbert and UCLA's newcomer Kevin Love, possess the best post moves in the country.
2. Roy Hibbert, Georgetown, C, SR, 12.9 PPG, 6.9 RPG, 1.1 APG
Coming back for his senior season may land Hibbert atop the college basketball world. His stats may not scream Naismith Award, but his affect on the game does. No one in the country alters the game the way the 7'2" monster can on defense, and an even more polished offensive game will give the senior plenty of votes for player of the year.
3. Chris Lofton, Tennessee, G, SR, 20.8 PPG, 3.1 RPG, 1.7 APG
Lofton has the ultimate green light because when it comes to shooting, there isn't anyone better. Shooting 42% from behind the arc, opposing coaches ought to tell the defenders to take the "Hoosiers" route and get so close to him that the defender knows what flavor gum Lofton is chewing. But if you do get too close, he'll take it to the rack, get fouled, and shoot 81% from the charity stripe. In a nutshell: pick your poison.
4. Sean Singletary, Virginia, G, SR, 19.0 PPG, 4.6 RPG, 4.7 APG
Maybe the best pound-for-pound player in the nation, Singletary has been the talk of Charlottesville since he stepped on campus as a freshman. If he can lead the Cavaliers back to the Big Dance and continue to drop points like it's nothing, watch out for this superb athlete.
5. Drew Neitzel, Michigan State, G, SR, 18.1 PPG, 2.8 RPG, 4.3 APG
He may win the award simply on toughness (find me two guys who play harder than Hansbrough and Neitzel). After being a role player as a freshman, this Michigan native has turned up his game to what some people thought were unreachable levels. The favorite to win Big Ten POY, Neitzel manages the court better than anyone and shot 41% from three-point range last year.
