Up For Debate

In the next week or so, the Associated Press will crown its 2010-2011 NCAA Player of the Year. At this point, every one knows that it is a two horse race between Jimmer and Kemba, with Jimmer being the odds on favorite (according to Bodog) to win the award. Much like Derrick Rose and the NBA MVP, it feels as if this award has already been given to Jimmer and there is little to no room for debate. Although I think D Rose is the NBA MVP and I disagree with that awful article Dan Lebatard wrote (Stinky Cheese), I do think at times the public needs to pump the brakes when it comes to handing out awards before the season is over. With that in mind, let’s take a step back and make the case for both Jimmer and Kemba…

Jimmer: First off, you can’t go wrong picking a guy that has his own adjective. Nothing better than pulling up from 30 feet, seeing the ball go through the net, and then letting the guy guarding you know that he just got “Jimmered”. I wouldn’t know personally but I’ve heard it’s awesome. As far as his credentials go, he led all of Division 1 with 28.9 points per game, which is 4.3 points better than anyone else in the country. He is known as a ball hog but his 4.2 assist per game and 45.6% field goal percentage should be enough to overshadow that faulty reputation. If you watched him through out the season, he never shied away from the spot light and often thrived against good competition. There are a few negatives that voters might hold against him. Like it or not, people are going to say that his numbers are inflated from the conference he plays in. While this NCAA tournament has proven that the top of the MWC can play with anyone, it’s tough to argue that a player doesn’t benefit when his team’s strength of schedule is 37^th, which is the result of playing conference foes like Utah, TCU, and Wyoming. In comparison, Connecticut has the #1 strength of schedule in the country. Another negative is Jimmer’s performance against Florida in the NCAA tournament. Although it’s not fair to judge a player based on one game, it’s safe to say that Jimmer didn’t pass the “eye test” on a national stage in his last game. He did score 32 points but he needed 29 shots to reach that mark and he had more turnovers (6) than assists (5). He constantly struggled and looked flustered when matched with the size and speed of the Florida defense.

Kemba: It’s tough to argue with a guy that has six game winning shots this season, with the most memorable coming against Pittsburgh in the Big East tournament when he crossed up the predator and hit an 18-footer like it was nothing. His stats are second to Jimmer’s, 23.9 ppg/4.5/43.3 FG %, but impressive none the less when you take into consideration their strength of schedule. Although I don’t put much stock in preseason polls, BYU did receive Top 25 votes were as Connecticut was no where to be found and were supposed to be “rebuilding” for the future. Above everything else, Kemba has proven that he is a winner. He helped Connecticut win the Maui Invitational (where they defeated Kentucky 84-67), the Big East Tournament, and now to the Final Four with a realistic chance at winning a national championship. One negative against Kemba is that he has played with more talent around him than Jimmer and has a hall of fame coach who has two national championships under his belt. It’s pretty clear that Jimmer is the only player on BYU with NBA talent where as Kemba is surrounded by Jeremy Lamb who is projected as a future lottery pick and Shabazz Napier who is touted as the next Kemba.

Winner: This race is tough and to be honest, you can't go wrong with either guy. Both are prolific scorers that carried their teams to great seasons. If Chet asked me who he should use his AP vote on, I would have to say Kemba. Why? …Winning. Duh.