BigTen Player of the Year, A Two Man Race

 The BigTen Player of the Year race is a tossup between Purdue’s Zach Edey and Indiana’s Trace Jackson-Davis. Let’s start with a blind resume (conference season per game stats):

Any given year either of these men would win the award as a runaway, but find themselves pitted against each other in a single season that is likely their last in college basketball. So who deserves it most?

While these two players put up a strikingly similar statline, there is a clear edge toward player two in assists per game. So which is which?

Player 1 is Zach Edey. Player 2 is Trace Jackson-Davis. 

Even though season long schedules aren’t quite as comparable (we’ll get to that in a second), below are each of their season’s per-game stats for the sake of including them:

We can all agree both players are competing at an elite level, and rightfully in the conversation for BigTen and National Player of the Year awards. So what splits the difference? 

To help understand my thinking, let’s use a simple, basketball-related example. An area of subjectivity in basketball is comparing the impressiveness of two different scoring attempts. Let’s say a player recovers a loose ball and scores a breakaway layup. That same player a possession later takes his defender 1:1, drives to the basket and finishes a reverse layup through contact. Both shots are worth 2 points, so which shot is more outstanding? To answer this question, we have to determine the level of difficulty of the two layups. The same thing must be taken into account when determining who deserves Player of the Year honors. So which of the two has a higher level of difficulty in what they have accomplished this year?

I submit that what Trace Jackson-Davis has accomplished this year has been more difficult than what Zach Edey has accomplished. 

According to KenPom.com, Indiana’s strength of schedule is 18th in the nation, while Purdue’s is 32nd. Additionally, Indiana has 4 games on their schedule against the bottom 4 teams in the BigTen, to 8 of Purdue’s games. Indiana has 9 games against the top 6 teams in the BigTen, while Purdue only has 7. This suggests that Indiana has played significantly more difficult opponents this season. 

While basketball is a team game, matchups play a significant role in an individual’s contribution to his team. So which of the two have played tougher post players? Let’s look at the short-list for the Karl Malone Award and the Kareem Abdul Jabbar Award as a guide for determining the most elite post players in the country. Trace Jackson-Davis faces 11 players off of these lists in the 2023 season, and Zach Edey faces 7.

So who deserves Player of the Year honors? My vote: Trace Jackson-Davis

He has put up nearly identical numbers at a higher degree of difficulty. He has facilitated the success of his team, faced stiffer competition, and only elevated his game heading into conference play.

Who do you think deserves the award?

-Braden Kellams

2/24/23