Not to pick scabs or anything, but Roy is neck and neck with Self in the race for coach of the year, and may have surpassed him with Saturday's epic Senior Night defeat of Redick et al.
Interesting parallels between the once and current KU coaches this year: they're both being given more credit than they were given last season despite lesser records, because they've lost all their top contributors and are making do with talented freshman such as Brandon Rush and Buster Keat--, er, Tyler Hansborough (pictured).
A number of questions arise. Who has done the better job this season--Roy, Bill, or is it a wash? Which team is more dangerous come tournament time? And, I would add, does either really deserve coach of the year when they're working with such extraordinarily talented players, freshmen or no?
S. Davis of CNNSI echoes the AP and coaches in awarding Self the conference COY:
ReplyDelete"... Self did a masterful job guiding one of the youngest rosters in the nation to a tie for first place. People talk about North Carolina's youth, but at least Roy Williams had three upperclassmen he could rely on. Much of the time, Self's lineup on the floor consisted of three freshmen and two sophomores."
Having said that, he goes on to give Roy the national COY award.
He also says, of Hansborough: "Sorry to report I'm hearing rumblings out of Chapel Hill that he might consider entering the NBA draft."
and there's this from cbssportsline:
ReplyDeleteBig 12
Player of the Year: P.J. Tucker, Texas
Freshman of the Year: Brandon Rush, Kansas
Coach of the Year: Bill Self, Kansas
Last word: This league has some serious in-fighting. Tucker's only competition for Player of the Year was teammate LaMarcus Aldridge. Rush had to beat out teammate Mario Chalmers for top freshman. Self? No competition from anyone.