Player of the Year / Freshman of the Year:[Player Evan Mobley] – USC Trojans
The 7-foot freshman was a force on the court and has cemented himself as a likely top 2 pick in the draft, averaging 16 points, 8 rebounds, and 2 assists per game. Mobley also led the conference in rebounds per game, blocks per game by a whole block (2.9bpg) and had the second highest field goal percentage in the conference at 58%. He possesses the size, athleticism o dominate inside on both sides of the court, and the vision to pass out of double teams and spot cutters. While his strength is definitely inside the paint, he can step outside and knock down mid range and outside shots when given the chance (29%). Evan works well in the pick and roll and is just a beast in the post. He needs to add some more toughness to his incredible finesse game, but the sky is the limit in terms of upside.
How could a freshman win conference player of the year and not be the freshman of the year? Lots of solid young players who will be off to the league, such as future high lottery selection Ziare Williams, as well as first round hopeful Josh Christopher. Another standout freshman is Azoulas Tubelis from Arizona, who was the second leading scorer for the team. At 6’11”, he averaged 12 points and 7 rebounds on 49% shooting from the field (31% from deep).
Coach of the Year: Andy Enfield- USC Trojan
Preseason polls had USC predicted to finish sixth, instead they are tied for first in the top 25, finishing the regular season 22-6 and 15-5 in conference. They are tied with Oregon at the top of the standings and will be making an appearance in March. Enfield helped lead a team full of transfers, and led by a true freshman to spot that nobody expected, on top of the Pac-12.
Biggest Surprise: Jaiden Delaire – Stanford
The Pac-12 most improved player fits as a nice surprise. Doubling his scoring totals from 6 points to over 12 points per game this year, Delaire took full advantage of the extra 10 minutes of playing time; improving his percentage from deep from 28% to 32% while keeping his field goal percentage right around 47%. Delaire also improved from the free throw line for the first time in his career, topping 75% after being under 70% his first two years. His performance this year made him Stanford’s second leading scorer. After not being relied upon to do much, the junior forward became a very consistent scorer. USC and Mobley could easily fit here, but they have all made plenty of appearances on the list so another deserving candidate in Delaire gets the selection.
Biggest Disappointment: Arizona State
For a team as offensively talented as this, to finish the season 11-14 is disappointing. Remy Martin led the conference in scoring, while two of the top freshmen in the conference (Marcus Bagley and Josh Christopher) were not enough to keep them out of the bottom of the standings. ASU scored 74 points per game which was fourth most in the conference. Somehow that wasn’t good enough to translate into wins as they finish under .500 in conference play and overall.
Top 5 Draft Prospects
1. Evan Mobley – USC
Everything points to Mobley being one of the first selections in the upcoming draft after cleaning up conference awards and dominating nightly. The big-time freshman is primed to make an impact on both ends of the court at the next level.
2. Ziaire Williams – Stanford Cardinal
The number 6 recruit in the country did not disappoint in his one season at Stanford. The 6’7” forward possesses the size and athleticism that teams at the next level desire. Williams was not the most efficient scorer, only shooting 37% from the field, but has proved that he is more then capable of scoring from all three levels. Williams is aggressive, attacking the rim and drawing fouls consistently as he shoots 79% from the line. While he still has a lot of room for growth in his game, and must become more consistent, he has the tools that point towards a very high ceiling as a shooter/scorer in the league.
3. Josh Christopher – Arizona State Sun Devils
Another highly rated prospect, who should be another first rounder in the draft after doing exactly what was expected from him. Josh is a physical guard who can get to the rim and draw contact. He is a three-level scorer who can find his find his spots at will. Josh is a solid rebounder for a guard and while there is still room for improvement with his shot selection, that can be an easy fix. In 15 games, Christopher averaged 14.3 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 1.4 assists per game on 43-30-80 splits. Christopher is a very solid free throw shooter which is great for a player with his physical style. His best performance came against Villanova dropping 28 points on 11-17 shooting from the field.
4. Chris Duarte – Oregon Ducks
The senior guard had another great season. Playing about three minutes more per game, Duarte is able to score about 4 more points per game, due to him being a much more efficient scorer. His field goal percentage jumped from 41% to 53%, while from deep he is currently shooting 44% as opposed to 33% the year before. Duarte was a late bloomer after spending two years at a junior college, so as a senior he is not as highly valued as the freshman on the list, but he’ll make a good team better at the next level. Duarte had 9 games with 20+, including a stretch with three straight games in conference hitting 20 or more. While Duarte is not the most athletic guy in the class, he can really shoot the ball. Whether it’s off the dribble, spot up, or off a screen, Duarte can put the ball in the hoop. Duarte can be the ideal there-and-D player at the next level, because while he might not be the best defender, he forces take aways and gives a high effort on that side of the ball.
5. Ian Martinez – Utah
With some injuries in the Utah backcourt, an opportunity presented itself at the end of the season for more exposure and playing time for Martinez. And he has capitalized on it. Martinez has a pro body with elite athleticism and an excellent shooting stroke. The Costa Rica native by way of Southern California shows a great deal of upside. He still has to work on his feel for the game and polish his point guard skills. But he looks primed to take the Pac 12 by storm next season and potentially be a first round pick.
Power Rankings
1. Oregon Ducks 19-5 (14-4 Pac-12)
2. #24 USC Trojans 21-6 (15-5 Pac-12)
3. #23 Colorado Buffaloes 20-7 (14-6 Pac-12)
4. UCLA Bruins 17-8 (13-6 Pac-12)
5. Oregon State Beavers 14-12 (10-10 Pac-12)
6. Stanford Cardinals 14-12 (10-10 Pac-12)
7. Utah Utes 11-12 (8-11 Pac-12)
8. Arizona State Sun Devils 11-13 (7-10 Pac-12)
9. Washington State Cougars 14-13 (7-12 Pac-12)
10. Washington Huskies 5-20 (4-16 Pac-12)
11. California Golden Bears 8-19 (3-17 Pac-12)
