National Player of the Year rankings: Will injury cost Zion Williamson?

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DURHAM, NC – FEBRUARY 05: RJ Barrett #5 of the Duke Blue Devils concentrates at the free-throw line against the Boston College Eagles at Cameron Indoor Stadium on February 5, 2019 in Durham, North Carolina. Duke won 80-55. (Photo by Lance King/Getty Images) /

3. RJ Barrett – Duke

This week:

North Carolina: 33 points, 13 rebounds, 4 assists
Syracuse: 30 points, 5 rebounds, 7 assists

Season stats: 23.3 ppg, 7.5 rpg, 4.1 apg

Our biggest mover this week is undoubtedly RJ Barrett, who got the opportunity to show what he could do without Williamson on the floor. With Williamson going out early in the UNC game, the burden on was on Barrett’s shoulders to carry his team against a hot UNC team; which is exactly what he did to the tune of 33 points and 13 rebounds. Though it came in a loss, Barrett’s performance overall was one of the best of the season.

How did he follow that up? Just by dropping 30 points, five rebounds and seven assists in a revenge game against Syracuse.

I may be crazy, but I believe 100 percent that RJ Barrett is the second best collegiate player in the country, and it may be the first time in my lifetime (and maybe the last?) that the nation’s top players play for the same team.

Though Duke went down to UNC, a game in which I believe they would’ve lost even with Zion Williamson, the way they were able to stay together and play at an extremely high level was almost all due to the way Barrett carried them.

Just because Williamson is on his team, it’s highly unlikely that Barrett could sneak up and steal the award, but crazier things have happened.