Entering last college basketball season, Purdue center Zach Edey ranked No. 8 on our list of the sport’s Top 101 And 1 players and was honored as a third-team preseason All-American. The 7-foot-4 behemoth was expected to take on a larger role for the Boilermakers in the 2022-23 campaign following the departure of fellow star big man Trevion Williams.
Still, it was hard to project just how dominant Edey would become. He led the country in double-doubles with 27, finished second in rebounds per game, sixth in points per game and 21st field goal percentage. He became the first player Division I in history on record to rank in the top 25 for points, rebounds, blocks and field goal percentage, according to Purdue.
He led the Boilermakers to Big Ten regular season and Tournament titles and a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament. Though the season ended with a stunning and historic upset loss to No. 16 seed Fairleigh Dickinson in the first round, Edey’s individual excellence made it a season to remember for Boilermakers fans. When he decided to return for a fourth year of college basketball, he instantly became the favorite to repeat as National Player of the Year. But doing so will be tough with plenty of other players capable of dethroning Edey as the most dominant player in college basketball.
For this week’s edition of the Dribble Handoff, our writers are identify players not named Zach Edey who could break through and be college basketball’s National Player of the Year for the 2023-24 season.
Kyle Filipowski, Duke
First things first, let the record show that I believe Zach Edey will repeat as Player of the Year. He’ll be awesome again. Purdue will be awesome again. Barring a surprise or injury, the 7-foot-4 center should hold all of the trophies again.
But what if he doesn’t?
If he doesn’t, put me down for Duke’s Kyle Filipowski, the 7-foot forward who is arguably the best NBA prospect who returned to…
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