Villanova’s Josh Hart Still Deserves To Be AP Player of the Year
Villanova has continued to flirt near the top of the NCAA Men’s Basketball rankings, and have been doing so through the play of Josh Hart.
When you look at Josh Hart’s basic statistics and compare them to those of the NCAA’s top scorer, you’d believe that Hart has no place in the conversation as a top NCAA player. But Villanova’s impervious success mostly falls on the shoulders of the often overlooked senior. He has safely put himself near, if not at, the top of the conversation for AP Player of the Year.
Hart leads the nation in win shares with 6.4, and finds himself in the top ten for stats like offensive win shares and box plus/minus. All stats that point towards his importance to Villanova’s prominence this season. Hart has pushed the Wildcats to victory in late game situations, and his clutch play should be taken into account when discussing AP Player of the Year.
He leads Villanova in almost every statistic you can think of. Points, assists, steals, and rebounds are all held by Josh Hart. He personifies what it means to be the player of the year; leading his team to becoming one of the most unstoppable forces in the nation. His numbers and play style aren’t flashy, but enough to mark himself as the country’s top players.
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His biggest challenge comes in the form of Kansas guard Frank Mason. Mason is carrying the load on offense for the team that currently sits atop the rest of the NCAA. He’s averaging 22.5 points, 5.5 assists, and 4.5 rebounds, in comparison to Hart’s 18.6/3.1/6.5. Mason also has the help of elite NBA prospect Josh Jackson. Hart’s numbers aren’t as flashy, but his impact to his team are just as important as Mason’s.
It’s unlikely Hart will see a huge stretch of scoring that will see him surpassing Mason’s numbers, but consistent play and continued winning will help Hart propel over Mason and other candidates like Lonzo Ball or Caleb Swanigan. A big tournament run will come into play here. If Villanova can be make a deep run, outlasting the Jayhawks, Hart can make a last minute lunge for the trophy. But his chances now fall when Nova does.
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In the end, he’s deserving of the trophy, but he’s not the only one. Hart won’t beat anyone with flash, but will continue to take over games late en route to his second championship. Frank Mason and Kansas stand in his way, but rarely has he been stopped from surprising us.