THE LUTE OLSON AWARD

The Best College Basketball Player Of 2019

This season, college basketball seems packed with great talent, though there’s yet to emerge another generational player such as Zion Williamson. However, there are some lethal scorers and about four of the top five-point guards in the country returning from the sophomore season. Here are the top-ranking college basketball players dominating the sweet 16 betting and the NCAA this season.

Cassius Winston, Michigan State

Winston is popular as the preseason player of the year not only because of his talent but also because he is the best leader on the leading team. His talent always seems to be undersold a little, but his achievements are evident.

Winston piloted Michigan State into the final four, averaging 1.0 steals, 7.5 assists and 18.8 points per game. He did all that with a Spartan team which was multiple pieces down with injuries and replacing two NBA draft picks. That was an all-America effort for him, and his return to Michigan made the Spartans the top pick for winning the national title in the 2019/2020 season.

Myles Powel, Seton Hall

A bucket, Myles Powel averaged an amazing 27.7 points per game earlier in March, making over four 3-pointers per game and shooting 39.7% from behind the arc. Powel also had a better assist rate than Seton Hall’s toughest opponents, generating steals on the defense. As such, he’s a player that stands up against the strongest defenses, competing effectively with only a few players at hitting defended shots.

James Wiseman, Memphis

As a top-ranking player, Wiseman will have a huge impact on the Tigers. He could battle Cole Anthony and Anthony Edwards for the top spot in the draft, but it might be tough to prove him among these college basketball’s best. His offensive game is highly promising, but he is still developing his skills with his strength figures and athleticism helping to protect the rim.

Lamar Stevens, Penn State

With Mike Watkins next to Stevens, the Nittany Lions can play bully-ball this season. Watkins is a high-ranking board man, while Stevens is a star after recording eight rebounds per game and 20 points last year. However, Stevens will have to improve the outside shot if he wants to book a spot at the next level. That could also open up his game and contribute to an increase in his efficiency.

Tre Jones, Duke

As one of the top three-point guards in 2018, Jones didn’t get to his level of skills as a freshman but chose to distribute to his seasoned teammates. Nevertheless, Jones is among the best on-ball defenders with a great distribution game. As such, he might score more like the most experienced player in this year’s starting lineup which features four freshmen.

Cole Anthony, North Carolina

While looking at the most productive freshmen in the country, Anthony seems like a safe bet. He could take Coby White’s spot, and he has all it takes to build a better reputation than White. He is terrifically productive, and his skill set allows him to continue his college career using his athleticism and handle to put the defenders on skates. 

 

The Lute Olson Award is presented annually to the nation's top Division I player.
 
The award is named in honor of Hall of Fame coach Lute Olson, who won 776 games in 34 seasons, 24 of which were spent at the University of Arizona. During that stretch he led the Wildcats to 11 Pac-10 Conference titles, 23 consecutive NCAA Tournaments, four Final Four appearances and a National Championship in 1997.
 
Olson is one of just 25 head coaches in NCAA history to win 700 or more games (all divisions) and ranks ninth on the Division I career victories list. He finished with a winning percentage of .731 and is the all-time winningest coach in Arizona history with 587-190 record (.755). He was named Pac-10 Coach of the Year seven times. Olson also guided Arizona to 20 consecutive 20-win seasons, and is one of only three coaches in NCAA history to record 29 or more 20-win seasons.
 
In 2002, Olson was enshrined into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.
 
The recipient of the 2023-24 award will be announced in April, in Phoenix, AZ site of the men's NCAA Basketball Championship.

The Lute Olson award is presented annually to the top division I player as voted on by the award committee. 
 
The 10-member voting committee consists of current and former head coaches, as well as two senior staff members of collegeinsider.com.
 
The award is presented annually at the site of the men's Division I NCAA basketball championship. 

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