POY Thoughts/Questions

[Not A Serious Person]

It seems that POY voting is done and Zion has won.  Even if he broke his leg tomorrow, he would probably still wins.

So a couple of thougths/questions ...

Zion will be the third freshman to win POY ... Anthony Davis in 2012 and Kevin Durant in 2007 are the other Freshman that won.

Question 1 - If all three were Freshman this year, who would win?  I still think Zion wins given the over the top hype he is getting this year.

Question 2 - If MU had this season, and Markus had this season last year, does he beat Jalen Brunson for POY?  How about two years ago, does he beat Frank Mason III?  Does he beat Buddy Hield three years ago?  What I’m asking is ex-Zion would Markus win POY? Did Markus pick the wrong year when it comes to POY?

[Galway Eagle]

He wins it next year

[MUBigDance]

Interesting what-ifs.
If MU has this year and Markus has this year, then he would have been a real contender all three years (not a real contender this year because Zion is just another level better).

I think beats Brunson because of "assumed" success against the same competition (BE)...so you'd have to figure that dynamic into the equation.

I think he would beat Hield because they both have fame due to the same type of stats and Markus has better.

Don't know about Mason.

opinions, opinions...

[MU82]

Oh sure, Smuggles, I'll play ...

Q1: There is more hype today than there was in 2012, and there was more hype in 2012 than there was in 2007; that's just the way it is. More tweets, more insta-snaps, more TV sports talk, more more more. So to assume ZW would get more hype than AD or KD if either were playing today ... well ... we know what they say about those who assume. KD is/was the best player of the 3 IMHO, and AD was on the best team (at least until Duke actually wins a title) of the 3. So I am not at all sure that ZW would get the most hype and that he would win the POY because of it.

Q2: I have read many "rankings" of POY candidates and I'm not sure I've even seen Markus mentioned as No. 2. In other words, even ex-Zion, lotsa pundits don't think he'd be POY. So it's pretty hard to say that he'd be a no-brainer choice over others you mentioned in non-Zion years. Brunson, for example, had already helped Nova win one national title, was the POY favorite going into last season and then delivered by leading them back to a 1 seed (POY vote taken before tournament); hard to imagine Markus overcoming that to be POY.

Methinks some folks are a little too obsessed with the hype machine's ability to be kingmaker. Lots of players have been hyped; they still have to perform. Williamson has been a big-time performer for the team that is favored to win the national title. That he also is a human highlight reel obviously helps his candidacy, of course.

22 ppg, 9 rpg, 2 apg, 2 spg, 2 bpg, shooting 68%. Statistically, he has been superb for a great team.

Heck, in a weird way, he might actually be underrated by folks who think he is only a POY candidate because of the hype.

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

I don't think Zion wins because of the "hype machine." I think he wins because he is the best player on the best team.

[brewcity77]

I think the idea of late seems to be Marquette amping up the hype machine of their own for next year. Because frankly, I'm not sure Howard would win POY even if there was no Zion. Grant Williams has been a beast for a great Tennessee team. Cassius Winston, Ethan Happ, Dedric Lawson, Carsen Edwards would all have a shot. But many of those players will be gone next year. Happ & Williams are seniors. Lawson & Edwards may declare. There's a very good chance Howard will be coming back as the best senior on one of the best teams. 2020 is the year for Howard to win POY.

[GooooMarquette]

I think the idea of late seems to be Marquette amping up the hype machine of their own for next year. Because frankly, I'm not sure Howard would win POY even if there was no Zion. Grant Williams has been a beast for a great Tennessee team. Cassius Winston, Ethan Happ, Dedric Lawson, Carsen Edwards would all have a shot. But many of those players will be gone next year. Happ & Williams are seniors. Lawson & Edwards may declare. There's a very good chance Howard will be coming back as the best senior on one of the best teams. 2020 is the year for Howard to win POY.

Yep. Assuming Markus returns, he would have a great shot in 2020. Folks are certainly hearing his name this season....