For much of the season, most conversations about who the nation’s player of the year would be centered around two names, Frank Kaminsky and Jahlil Okafor. Both big men have dominated games in a variety of fashions, and both lead title contenders into March.
Recently, though, one of the has gained a bit of separation and left little doubt as to who will be named the Naismith Player of the Year.
Over the last five games, Kaminsky has averaged 22.2 points, and 7.2 rebounds to lead Wisconsin to the outright Big Ten title. His 25 points, seven assists and six rebounds at Minnesota was just the latest example of the way he can dominate a game.
No argument for Kaminsky should come at the expense of Okafor, as the freshman big man from Duke is an exceptional talent. However, something doesn’t feel quite right about naming the player of the year from a team that didn’t win its conference.
Now that March is getting into full swing, the pressure on Kaminsky to lead Wisconsin back to the Final Four will not let up. The Badgers look like one of only a handful of teams that have the size, skill and acumen to compete with Kentucky come tournament time. Certainly, Frank Kaminsky is a big reason for that.
But before we get too caught up in March Madness, it seems fitting to send some credit out to the disarming big man hailing from Madison, and who has led the Badgers to the top of the Big Ten and on the verge of a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament.
