With the college basketball regular season nearing its conclusion, it is time to start considering which players are deserving of the biggest awards in the game. Last week we broke down the players to watch for the Wooden Award, given annually to the best player in college basketball. Now, it is time to examine the favorites for the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Position Awards.
Next up is the Jerry West Award — given to the shooting guard of the year. Among the 10 finalists is North Carolina guard RJ Davis. Davis combines efficiency with explosiveness to become the ninth-highest scorer in the nation. The UNC man will be one of the favorites to win the award, but which other shooting guards could follow in the footsteps of past winners Marcus Sasser and Johnny Davis?
RJ Davis (North Carolina)
North Carolina began 2022-23 ranked #1 in the AP Preseason Poll but a talented team with Armando Bacot, Caleb Love, and RJ Davis could not even guide the Tar Heels to the NCAA Tournament. This season has been a redemption year for UNC. Love is gone, but Davis has flourished and North Carolina is a top-five team once again.
The senior guard leads the ACC with 21.5 PPG and has scored in double-figures in all but one contest this year. As a distributor, Davis has one of the lowest turnover rates in the conference despite ranking near the top of the league in usage. His value to North Carolina is immeasurable, making RJ Davis one of the top contenders for the Jerry West Award.
Caleb Love (Arizona)
A transfer from North Carolina, Caleb Love's Arizona career started slowly as the senior guard figured out his role on a stacked Wildcats team. It is safe to say that Love has settled in nicely. A 29-point showing against Purdue was a sign that the high-scoring guard was back, starting a run in which Love scored 20+ points nine times in 12 games. While Caleb Love benefits from playing in one of the best starting fives in college basketball, the UNC transfer has still managed to make a name for himself on the West Coast.
Johnell Davis (Florida Atlantic)
Experts and fans alike were unsure of what to make of the Florida Atlantic Owls after FAU's surprise Final Four run. While the 2023-24 season has been a bit rocky at times, Florida Atlantic is currently 19-5 and inside the AP Top 25 — with much of the team's success thanks to the phenomenal performances of Johnell Davis. A sixth man for much of last season, Davis has emerged as a go-to scorer and All-American candidate in FAU's first season in the AAC.
The 2023 AAC Preseason Player of the Year had a career-best 35 points in an upset win over Arizona in December and has only gotten better in AAC play. Davis' offensive rating is up to 125.5 in league games (vs. 111.3 in non-conference contests) as he is shooting 91.8% from the free throw line and 51.1% from beyond the arc. This other-worldly efficiency combined with a high usage rate has helped Johnell Davis average 21.3 PPG in the AAC — including a pair of games with 30+ points.
Tyson Walker (Michigan State)
While the other players on this list are explosive scorers, Tyson Walker is the face of consistency. Walker is averaging 19.0 PPG, scoring between 17-22 points in 14 of Michigan State's 23 contests this year. The fifth-year player is also a more-than-willing defender. Walker is third in the Big Ten in steal rate and has three games this season with at least five steals. One of his defining performances this year came against Penn State, a game where Walker shot 9-14 from the field while finishing with 22 points, five assists, and six steals. That all-around play makes him one of the most valuable players in the Big Ten.
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