College Basketball National Player of the Year: Week 1 Power Ranking

The National Player of the Year race will be fluid throughout the college basketball season. At this point, most teams have only played one game, and some – like Gonzaga – have not started yet. However, what the week one power ranking does is that it sets a baseline.

We plan for this to be an ongoing piece, updated every other Friday by Jamie Shaw who is on the Naismith Men’s College Basketball Board of Selectors. As we get deeper into the season, and more games are played this board should become a little more clear.

Let’s start with the men’s college basketball National Player of the Year, Week 1 Power Rankings.

1. C Zach Edey, Purdue

The Buzz: Zach Edey is the reigning National Player of the Year for starters. He returned to lead preseason top-five Purdue to a deep tournament run. The Boilermakers took care of business in week one, handing Samford a 98-45 loss. The 7-foot-4 center finished with 16 and 11 in 20 minutes played. He added four blocks and two assists. 

Next Game: Friday, Nov 10 at 7 PM ET against Morehead State

2. C Kyle Filipowski, Duke

The Buzz: Kyle Filipowski averaged 15.6 points in ACC play last season, won ACC Tournament MVP, and then had double hip surgery immediately following the season. He is still not 100 percent, but that did not stop Filipowski from a 25-point, seven-rebound debut. Duke will have eyeballs and expectations all season, and a lot of what they do will be centered around Filipowski. 

Next Game: Friday, Nov. 10 at 7 PM ET against Arizona

3. C Hunter Dickinson, Kansas

The Buzz: Hunter Dickinson has made all-league teams in each of his three seasons in college. An off-season transfer from Michigan to Kansas put the 7-foot- 1 center square in the middle of a national title hunt. If the Jayhawks can figure out spacing, Dickinson will be playing with a lot of talent around him. He started the season with 21 points, eight rebounds, five assists, and two blocks in a win over North Carolina Central. 

Next Game: Friday, Nov. 10 at 8 PM ET against Manhattan

4. PG Tyler Kolek, Marquette

The Buzz: Tyler Kolek is coming off a season that saw him earn Big East Player of the Year honors. His Marquette team will start this season as a top-five team, and a lot of that has to do with Kolek’s leadership. While his overall counting stats will not blow you away, what he brings to the table brings the best out of all his teammates. In Marquette’s season-opening win against Northern Illinois, Kolek finished with 14 points, five, rebounds, four assists, and a steal. 

Next Game: Friday, Nov. 10 at 8:30 PM ET against Rider

5. SG Trey Alexander, Creighton

The Buzz: There was talk about Trey Alexander being a possible first-round pick had he stayed in this draft. He decided to come back and has Creighton in the preseason top ten. The 6-foot-4 junior came out the gates swinging with 20 points, four rebounds, and five assists in Creighton’s game-one win against Florida A&M. 

Next Game: Saturday, Nov. 11 at 2 PM ET against North Dakota State

6. C Armando Bacot, UNC

The Buzz: Mr. Double-Double. Armando Bacot is already North Carolina’s career leader in rebounds and double-doubles. The 6-foot-10 center has produced since stepping foot on campus in Chapel Hill. Last season was Bacot’s second consecutive year named to the  All-ACC first-team. He started this season off with 25 points, 13 rebounds, and two blocks in the Tar Heels season-opening win against Radford.

Next Game: Sunday, Nov. 12 at 2 PM ET against Lehigh

7. SF Dalton Knecht, Tennessee

The Buzz: Dalton Knecht averaged 20.2 points per game at Northern Colorado last season. He transferred to Tennessee in the off-season and has immediately been the focal point of the preseason top-ten Volunteers. He stepped into a situation that has veteran talent, depth, and expectations. Knecht’s ability to create offense from the wing was a missing piece. He finished with 17 points and three rebounds in Tennessee’s 80-42 opening-game win against Tennessee Tech. 

Next Game: Friday, Nov. 10 at 9 PM ET against Wisconsin

8. PG Isaiah Collier, USC

The Buzz: Isaiah Collier was the No. 2 ranked player in On3’s 2023 On3 Industry Ranking. He immediately showed up on campus and brought some electricity with him. The 6-foot-4 point guard started the season off with 18 and six assists against Kansas State. He followed that performance up with 19 points, five assists, and four steals win against Cal State Bakersfield. USC was preseason No. 21 in the A.P. Poll and came out of the gates with two wins with Collier leading the way in points and assists. 

Next Game: Tuesday, Nov. 14 at 11 PM ET against UC Irvine

9. PG Ryan Nembhard, Gonzga

The Buzz: While Gonzaga has not played a college basketball game yet, the expectations Ryan Nembhard brings to the Bulldogs are undeniable. The expectations were created two-fold. One, based on his success at Creighton, averaging 12.1 points and 4.8 assists last season while winning 48 games and four NCAA Tournament games in his two seasons with the Bluejays. He is also the younger brother of former Gonzaga, and current NBA point guard Andrew Nembhard. Gonzaga starts the year ranked No. 11 in the preseason A.P. poll. 

Next Game: Friday, Nov. 11 at 9 PM ET against Yale

10. SG Wade Taylor, Texas A&M

The Buzz: Wade Taylor returns to Texas A&M after finishing fourth in the SEC in scoring last season with 16.3 per game. The Aggies start the season ranked in the top 15 in the country with Taylor as their focal piece. He started with 16 points, six assists, and two steals in 20 minutes played In a 78-46 wing over Texas A&M Commerce win.

Next Game: Friday, Nov. 11 at 7 PM ET against Ohio State