Michigan State guard Denzel Valentine's multifaceted game is reminiscent of Spartan greats such as Magic Johnson and Draymond Green. And just like them, the do-it-all Valentine wants to take his team deep into March Madness.
The Michigan State senior from Lansing was named the National Association of Basketball Coaches' player of the year this morning. Valentine already has been named the nation's best player by Basketball Times, USA TODAY, Sports Illustrated and nbcsports.com, making him the most decorated MSU player in program history.
Valentine joins Draymond Green (2012) and Shawn Respert (1995) as Spartans to win the NABC award, which is given annually to the player who represents the coach group's core values of advocacy, leadership, service and education. He will receive the award at 7:30 p.m. Sunday at the AT&T NABC Guardians of the Game Awards Show in Houston.
The 6-foot-5 guard averaged 19.2 points, 7.5 rebounds and 7.8 assists this season, the first player to reach those numbers since assists began being tracked officially in 1983-84.
Valentine is waiting to hear on three other major national awards, including the Naismith Trophy (Friday), Oscar Robertson/USBWA Trophy (Sunday) and Wooden Award (April 8). His primary competition, Oklahoma's Buddy Hield, was named Sporting News player of the year and has his Sooners in this weekend's Final Four.
Note: Valentine today also was a unanimous pick to the Associated Press All-America first team. Oakland point guard Kay Felder made the third team.
sorce : freep.com
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