Fansided

Naismith Award 2014: Midseason top 30 list released; Doug McDermott favorite

By Jack Crosby

facebooktwitterreddit
Jan 20, 2014; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Creighton Bluejays forward Doug McDermott (3) reacts after making a three point basket against the Villanova Wildcats during the second half at the Wells Fargo Center. Creighton defeated Villanova, 96-68. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 20, 2014; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Creighton Bluejays forward Doug McDermott (3) reacts after making a three point basket against the Villanova Wildcats during the second half at the Wells Fargo Center. Creighton defeated Villanova, 96-68. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports /

One of the more prestigious awards in college basketball, the Naismith Award, announced their midseason top 30 list on Thursday.

The Naismith Award is one of the trophies given at the end of the season to the player of the year, which this season might be a little more obvious than usual.

Still, already halfway into the month of February, Creighton’s Doug McDermott seems to be the overwhelming favorite to take home virtually all of the player of the year awards, including this one.

Here’s the full list of the midseason candidates released on Thursday:

  • Kyle Anderson, UCLA
  • Keith Appling, Michigan State
  • Cameron Bairstow, New Mexico
  • James Bell, Villanova
  • Bryce Cotton, Providence
  • Cleanthony Early, Wichita State
  • Melvin Ejim, Iowa State
  • Joel Embiid, Kansas
  • Tyler Ennis, Syracuse
  • C.J. Fair, Syracuse
  • Aaron Gordon, Arizona
  • Gary Harris, Michigan State
  • Joe Jackson, Memphis
  • Nick Johnson, Arizona
  • DeAndre Kane, Iowa State
  • Sean Kilpatrick, Cincinnati
  • Roy Devyn Marble, Iowa
  • Doug McDermott, Creighton
  • Shabazz Napier, Connecticut
  • Jabari Parker, Duke
  • Lamar Patterson, Pittsburgh
  • Casey Prather, Florida
  • Julius Randle, Kentucky
  • Marcus Smart, Oklahoma State
  • Russ Smith, Louisville
  • Nik Stauskas, Michigan
  • Xavier Thames, San Diego State
  • Fred VanVleet, Wichita State
  • Andrew Wiggins, Kansas
  • Chaz Williams, Massachusetts

While there are a few names on that list that can make a run at stealing that title away from McDermott–like we saw from Syracuse’s Tyler Ennis on Wednesday night–it’s going to take a lot to make that happen.