College Basketball: National Player of the Year Week 13 Power Ranking

The college basketball National Player of the Year power ranking is fluid. While Zach Edey has remained at the top of each ranking throughout the season, the two through ten positions have shifted consistently with each passing week.

The top of this list had been very easy. Just pencil in Purdue’s Zach Edey until further notice. However, SEC play started, and Tennessee’s Dalton Knecht simply took off. The 6-foot-6 transfer from Northern Colorado is averaging 28.0 points through six SEC games. He is shooting 54.6 percent from the field, 46.2 percent from three, and Tennessee started the week with a top-five ranking, and half a game back from first place in the league. 

At this point in the season, we are about halfway through conference play. Narrowing down the top ten was difficult. While we have a good understanding of the tiers that players are in, narrowing in on ten had some questions. Ultimately, Caleb Love (Arizona) got the nod in this week’s update. That is not to say players like Kevin McCullar (Kansas) and Jaedon LeDee (San Diego State) – who have both been in the top ten at various points this season – made strong cases. At the end of the day, as polarizing of a player as Love can be, he is averaging 22.8 points in Pac-12 play on volume and efficiency. 

This is an ongoing piece put together by On3’s Jamie Shaw, who is on the Naismith Trophy Board of Selectors. Now that we are into the new year, let’s discuss the men’s college basketball National Player of the Year, Week 13 Power Rankings.

1. C Zach Edey, Purdue

The Buzz: Zach Edey, the reigning National Player of the Year, has been on top of this list since week one. The 7-foot-4 Purdue center has been nothing but dominant all season. His Purdue team has remained among the top five all season and Edey is leading the Big 10 in blocks, rebounds, and field goal percentage. Edey has a 47.6 player efficiency rating on 31.5 usage, he is the only player in NCAA D1 who has played more than 40 total minutes this season with those numbers. 

2. F Dalton Knecht, Tennessee

The Buzz: Dalton Knecht started the season hot, he had a huge 37-point outburst against UNC in November. Then he went through a bit of a down stretch after spraining his ankle at the end of that game. Once January hit, there was no turning back. Knecht is averaging 28.0 points in SEC play while shooting 46.2 percent from three on 6.5 attempts per game. Knecht has gone for 20, or more in each of his last five games including three over thirty. He has been nothing short of electric during this current stretch he is on. 

3. G RJ Davis, UNC

The Buzz: RJ Davis has been consistently fantastic this season having scored in double-figures in 19 of UNC’s 20 games. His 21.2 points are currently leading the ACC in scoring and he sits top 15 in the league in assists (3.3) and steals (1.4). UNC started last week ranked No. 3 overall and they are the only remaining undefeated team in the ACC. Davis had a stretch of seven games where he went for 20-plus earlier in the season and he has scored 20 or more in four of the last five, and 13 games overall. He is also shooting 40.8 percent from three on the season.

4. C DaRon Holmes, Dayton

The Buzz: DaRon Holmes tested the NBA Draft waters last season, opting to come back for his junior season at Dayton. Holmes, listed at 6-foot-10, came back and added to his game. His body is stronger and more fluid and he is proving to be comfortable as a go-to scorer in the A10. Holmes is averaging 19.1 points this season on 53.6 percent shooting and 39.6 percent from three. He is currently fourth in the A10 in blocks (2.2) and rebounds (7.6) while leading the way in points. In A10 play, where Dayton is currently second, Holmes has upped his numbers to 21.4 points, 8.3 rebounds, and 2.0 assists while shooting 52.6 percent from the field. Dayton started last week ranked No. 16. 

5. F Davis Jones, Memphis

The Buzz: While Memphis has been on a slide, David Jones has been able to maintain excellent numbers across the board. The 6-foot-6 transfer from St. John’s is leading the American Athletic Conference in scoring (21.2) while sitting in the top 15 in rebounds (6.8), steals (1.7), and blocks (1.0) this season. Even on high volume, Jones has also been fairly efficient shooting 37.0 percent from three and 80.9 percent from the free-thow line.

6. G Devin Carter, Providence

The Buzz: Devin Carter has been on an upward trend all season, but things really spiked after Bryce Hopkins‘ season-ending injury. The Friars needed a new go-to performer, and the 6-foot-3 guard was more than up for the task. Through nine Big East games, Carter is averaging 22.0 points, 8.2 rebounds, 3.7 assists, and 2.2 steals on 50.4 percent shooting from the field. It took Providence a couple of games to get adjusted to not having Hopkins, but they are currently on a three-game win streak. With Carter playing for his third head coach in three college seasons, he has seemed to find his groove with Kim English as he currently sits among the top five in the Big East in points, rebounds, and steals. 

7. C Hunter Dickinson, Kansas

The Buzz: Despite Kansas dropping three of their last six, Hunter Dickinson has continued to produce stats. The 7-foot-1 transfer from Michigan already has eleven double-doubles on the season. He is averaging 18.9 points and 11.3 rebounds on the season. Dickins’s scoring totals have risen slightly during Big 12 play where he is averaging 19.4 points, while shooting 57.4 percent from the field. It has been an interesting season so far for the Jayhawks, but Dickinson has been able to continue his production. 

8. C Kyle Filipowski, Duke

The Buzz: After having double hip surgery during the off-season, Kyle Filipowski came back this year with a purpose. And he has been able to consistently produce for Duke. The 7-foot-0 sophomore has seven double-doubles on the season along with eight games with four or more assists. The Blue Devils started last week at No. 12 and have won ten of their last 11 games. Filipowski is currently in the top twenty of the ACC in points (17.7), rebounds (8.7), steals (1,2) and blocks (1.9) this season

9. G Johnell Davis, FAU

The Buzz: It was a magical run the Johnell Davis and FAU had last season. The 6-foot-4 guard decided to run it back with the Owls with a target on his back and moved up to the American Athletic Conference (AAC). That has not seemed to slow Davis down as he is averaging more points (18.2), rebounds (6.9), assists (2.8), and steals (1.7) this season while shooting higher percentages (50.6 FG/46.3 3P/87.5 FT). FAU started last week ranked No. 22 and they are currently 7-1 and tied for first in the AAC.

10. G Caleb Love, Arizona

The Buzz: Caleb Love started the season well, and has continually gotten better as the season continued. Arizona started last week as No. 9 in the country and they currently sit tied for first in the Pac-12 at 6-3. And of that success has come behind the play of the 6-foot-4 UNC transfer. Love is currently third in the conference in scoring at 19.3 points. Through nine Pac 12 games, Love’s numbers have jumped to 22.3 points while finding much more efficiency 50.3 percent from the field and 29.1 percent from three.