Let's Set Odds: Who Will Win March Madness Player of the Tournament?
By Joe Summers
The Final Four gets underway this Saturday in New Orleans and we'll crown a National Champion on Monday.
Kansas will face Villanova while North Carolina will take on Duke for a right to play for the title.
As we inch closer to the conclusion of March Madness, the market for the Most Outstanding Player of the tournament is starting to crystalize.
You know what that means! It's time to play our favorite game: Let's Set Odds! In today's edition, let's figure out who will win the March Madness Player of the Tournament.
Who Will Win March Madness Player of the Tournament?
Barring something miraculous, the winner of the Player of the Tournament will come from the team that wins the National Championship. So that'll help us siphon down the odds and come up with a list:
Paolo Banchero (+300)
The potential No. 1 overall NBA draft pick has lived up to the billing, leading Duke (+155 to win the title at WynnBET) through a dominant postseason run that has the Blue Devils on the verge of winning a championship in Coach K's final season.
Banchero is averaging 18.5 points and 7.0 rebounds on 51% shooting and would be the leader in the clubhouse if voting were today.
Ochai Agbaji (+450)
The Naismith Player of the Year candidate struggled against Providence but responded with an 18-point performance against Miami in the Elite Eight.
Agbaji is the driving force of the Jayhawks (+190) and will need a strong pair of games for Kansas to win the national championship. If Kansas wins the tournament, Agbaji will be a major reason why.
Collin Gillespie (+850)
Gillespie is Villanova's leading scorer and will need to pick up even more of the scoring load as Justin Moore will miss the remainder of the tournament with an injury.
The Wildcats' senior leader is a threat to explode from deep at any time and if Villanova (+460) wins the title, it will be because of Gillespie.
Remy Martin (+1000)
The Big 12 Preseason Player of the Year suffered through an injury-riddled campaign but has been a dominant force of energy in the Jayhawks' tournament run. He's averaging 16.8 points per game in March Madness to lead Kansas and good things seem to happen every time he's on the floor.
If Agbaji continues to struggle but Kansas wins the tournament, don't be surprised to see Martin honored with the most prestigious individual award of March Madness.
Armando Bacot (+1250)
The ACC Player of the Year put on a clinic against Saint Peter's in the Elite Eight, scoring 20 points and pulling down an incredible 22 rebounds.
North Carolina (+525) has the longest to win the tournament of any remaining team, but if Bacot continues to dominate inside and the Tar Heels win it all, he'll be the pick.
Follow all of Joe Summers' betting picks here.