Practices are well underway here and the start of college basketball officially arrives in just under one month. With that in mind, doesn’t it feel like time to start looking at a few awards watch lists?
Coach of the Year
1.) Roy Williams, North Carolina
Old Roy has himself a ball club this year. The Tar Heels should have a lethal mix of perimeter and interior threats, but the main ingredient to this year’s squad is experience. This is a team years in the making, UNC having dealt with several years of frustrating results, hoping that they would result in a team who’s been through the grinder and can compete for a National Championship. Williams now has that, and could put his name back in the hat for best coaching jobs in the nation.
2.) Tony Bennett, Virginia
If Bennett wins the ACC (again), just give him all the awards. Can we invent new awards to throw his way, as well? Virginia lost Justin Anderson to the NBA, but they’re still in most folks’ top five or six national rankings anyway. Both UNC and Duke look more than formidable this season, so for the Cavs to once again take the league would be…well, insane.
3.) Cuonzo Martin, California
First year coaches are not supposed to come into a cupboard as well stocked as Cal was for Martin. He already had one of the best point guards in college basketball, athletic wings, and depth to work with. Now that Martin’s recruiting prowess has taken over the country, people are wondering if this group of Bears can hang a Final Four on their hat. If they do, Martin deserves as much recognition as anyone.
4.) Bruce Pearl, Auburn
For Coach Pearl to even be in this article, to even have Auburn on the mind of anyone outside of Alabama, speaks of his ability to excite and build a program. Pearl has turned AU into a destination for southern recruits, and now the Tigers are a borderline top 25 team coming into the season. I feel a little crazy even writing that.
5.) Bill Self, Kansas
Are the Jayhawks ready to fulfill their preseason promise of a team that we should watch play deep into postseason play? Of course, first up would be Self and KU extending their mind-boggling steak of Big 12 dominance, but that’s not the real expectation in Lawrence. Self has assembled a loaded roster, and has a chance to bring the Jayhawks back to where they belong.
