Skip navigation
Favorites
Sign up to follow your favorites on all your devices.
Sign up

Two changes I’d make to Naismith Trophy’s midseason list

The Naismith Trophy released its list of 30 players on its midseason list, which is usually a pretty fair reflection of who’s played well this season.

And if you don’t believe me, you can consult the press release. It’s a solid group, mostly because whittling down a list to the nation’s 30 best players always leaves you with 30 really good players.

However. I have a few quibbles.

College of Chaleston’s Andrew Goudelock is perhaps the best mid-major player out there not named Charles Jenkins or Jimmer Fredette. I’d include him ahead of Colorado’s Alec Burks. Burks is the better NBA prospect and a fine scorer. But Goudelock’s the better player.

The other? Wisconsin’s Jordan Taylor is getting jobbed. First, he’s left off the Cousy Award final 10. Now this. What’s the guy gotta do? Score like Fredette? Oh, wait. He already does. Maybe the committee can’t stomach having two Badgers on the list (Duke and Purdue are the only schools with two), but I’d take Taylor over Malcolm Delaney – and maybe even Taylor’s Wisconsin teammate, Jon Leuer.

The complete list is below.

Alec Burks, Colorado
Malcolm Delaney, Virginia Tech
Marcus Denmon, Missouri
Kenneth Faried, Morehead State
Jimmer Fredette, BYU
Austin Freeman, Georgetown
Jordan Hamilton, Texas
Ben Hansbrough, Notre Dame
Tu Holloway, Xavier
Rick Jackson, Syracuse
Charles Jenkins, Hofstra
JaJuan Johnson, Purdue
Terrence Jones, Kentucky
Kawhi Leonard, San Diego State
Jon Leuer, Wisconsin
Demetri McCamey, Illinois
Mickey McConnell, Saint Mary’s
E’Twaun Moore, Purdue
Marcus Morris, Kansas
Kyle Singler, Duke
Chris Singleton, Florida State
Nolan Smith, Duke
Jared Sullinger, Ohio State
Isaiah Thomas, Washington
Trey Thompkins, Georgia
Klay Thompson, Washington State
Kemba Walker, UConn
Brad Wanamaker, Pittsburgh
Derrick Williams, Arizona
Jordan Williams, Maryland

Want more? I’m also on Twitter @MikeMillerNBC.