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Favorites To Win The March Madness Most Outstanding Player Award

Take a look at the top five favorites to be named the most outstanding players in the men's 2021 NCAA Tournament.

Favorites To Win The March Madness Most Outstanding Player Award
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Wed 17th March 2021

At the conclusion of March Madness, the NCAA tournament’s Most Outstanding Player is named. The honor is often awarded to a member of the team that wins the tournament, however there have been 11 instances where the winner was not a member of the men’s championship team.

The last time this occurred was in 1983 when Hakeem Olajuwon was named the tournament’s most outstanding player despite his Houston Cougars being defeated by Georgetown in the NCAA Championship game. 

Here are the top five favorites to be named the most outstanding player of the 2021 NCAA tournament:

1. Corey Kispert (senior, Gonzaga)

Odds: +550
2021 Statistics: 19.2 pts, 4.9 reb, 1.8 ast, 0.9 stl, 0.4 blk, 54.4 FG%, 44.4 3P%, 89.8 FT%
2020-21 college basketball AP All-America team: First

As there have only been 11 instances where the winner of the NCAA tournament’s Most Outstanding Player Award was given to someone who was not a member of the men’s championship team, it is not surprising that the tournament favorite Gonzaga Bulldogs have three candidates in the top five contenders.

Senior forward Corey Kisperts has been given +550 pre tournament favoritism to win the award, edging out two of his teammates as well as a plethora of other young stars. In the Bulldogs historic 26-0 regular season and WCC tournament run, Kispert has been the leading scorer on the consensus No. 1 team in the country, averaging 19.2 points at a near 50-40-90 shooting split (54.4 FG%, 44.4 3P%, 89.8 FT%).

If the Bulldogs are going to continue their undefeated run deep into the final four and potentially become just the second team in college basketball history to win the National Championship in an undefeated season, Kispert’s ability to put up points at a high percentage makes him a prime candidate to lead the tournament in scoring and be in the conversation to win the NCAA tournament’s Most Outstanding Player Award.

2. Ayo Dosunmu (junior, Illinois)

Odds: +600
2021 Statistics: 20.7 pts, 6.3 reb, 5.3 ast, 1.1 stl, 0.2 blk, 48.8 FG%, 38.7 3P%, 78.2 FT%
2020-21 college basketball AP All-America team: First

Although Ayo Dosunmu is arguably the best college basketball player in the country, his campaign to win the NCAA tournament’s Most Outstanding Player Award relies solely on how deep he can take the Illinois Fighting Illini at March Madness in 2021. Unlike Kispert, Timme and Suggs, Dosunmu is the standalone star for Illinois, who would not be the No.1 seed in the Midwest Region if not for the All-American junior.

With preseason odds +4875 to win the 2021 NCAA tournament, it wasn’t until Dosunmu withdrew his name from the 2020 NBA draft that Illinois were considered National Championship contenders, as their odds plummeted to +1450. Although he scored the 18th most points per game in Division 1 basketball this season (20.7), Dosunmu’s ability to involve his teammates and rebound the ball is what has made him one of the top players in the nation.

Dosunmu became the third player in program history to register a triple-double, with 21 points, 12 rebounds and 12 assists in a 75–60 victory over Wisconsin. And just two weeks later he recorded his second triple-double, with 19 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists in a 94–63 win over Minnesota.

Having already led Illinois to the Big Ten tournament championship, Ayo Dosunmu will undeniably win the NCAA tournament’s Most Outstanding Player Award if Illinois are capable of winning the NCAA tournament. And unlike many players in this market, Dosunmu is capable of winning the award without winning the National Championship, if he can lead the Fighting Illini into the Final Four. 

3. Drew Timme (sophomore, Gonzaga)

Odds: +650
2021 Statistics: 18.7 pts, 7.1 reb, 2.0 ast, 0.7 stl, 0.7 blk, 65.6 FG%, 33.3 3P%, 67.1 FT%
2020-21 college basketball AP All-America team: Second

The second of Gonzaga’s ‘Big Three’ is Drew Timme. Timme is a sophomore forward that led the Bulldogs with 7.1 rebounds per game, while also putting up the second most points per game for the school with 18.7 ppg.

Although he has only recorded three double-doubles this season, Timme’s rebounding consistency has been one of his best attributes in his sophomore year, bringing in 7+ boards in 18 of Gonzaga’s 26 victories. Timme has also been the 10th best scorer in the country (of those qualified) in terms of field goal percentage, making 65.6% of his shots this season.

Although he has been the model of consistency and an integral player in Gonzaga’s historic season, Timme’s lack of perimeter scoring may be his downfall when it comes to winning the NCAA tournament’s Most Outstanding Player Award, if the ‘Zags are successful in the tournament.

However, with the extra attention that defenses will be paying to fellow forward Corey Kispert, Timme may be able put up some big numbers at March Madness, helping Gonzaga keep their undefeated season alive and keep his name in contention for the Most Outstanding Player Award. 

4. Jared Butler (junior, Baylor)

Odds: +750
2021 Statistics: 17.1 pts, 3.3 reb, 4.8 ast, 2.0 stl, 0.4 blk, 48.8 FG%, 42.9 3P%, 78.3 FT%
2020-21 college basketball AP All-America team: First

Although they bowed out in the semifinal of the Big 12 championship, the 2021 Baylor Bears won the school’s first regular season conference championship since 1950, thanks to a 22-2 regular season and a great individual year from Jared Butler.

Butler has been a leader on both sides of the ball this season averaging a team high 17.1 points as well as 4.8 assist on offense, while also averaging a team high 2.0 steal on the defensive end. Coming into his junior season, Butler was named the preseason Big 12 player of the year.

Now heading into the 2021 NCAA tournament, Butler has been named on the Big 12 All-Defensive team, the All-Big 12 First-team and a First-team All American, while also being the recipient of the Big 12 Player of the Year award.

Entering the tournament as the No. 1 seed in the South Region, the Bears are in as good a position as they have ever been to win their second NCAA Championship in the school’s history. If Baylor are successful at March Madness, Jared Butler will undoubtedly be involved in a large enough capacity on both sides of the ball to see him in the conversation to be named the 2021 NCAA tournament’s Most Outstanding Player.

5. Jalen Suggs (freshman, Gonzaga)

Odds: +1300
2021 Statistics: 14.3 pts, 5.5 reb, 4.5 ast, 2.0 stl, 0.3 blk, 51.2 FG%, 35.4 3P%, 73.9 FT%
2020-21 college basketball AP All-America team: Second

Jalen Suggs has been the breath of fresh air that the Gonzaga Bulldogs needed following the cancellation of the March Madness tournament in 2020. The five star recruit joined the likes of Corey Kispert, Drew Timme and Joey Ayayi at Gonzaga and instantly made a name for himself as the team’s primary guard on both offense and defense.

Suggs is one of four Bulldogs averaging double digit points this season, trailing only Kispert and Timme with 14.4 points per game. The freshman leads the team in assists, with 4.5 dimes per game and is also a tenacious defender with a team high 2.0 steals per game.

In his debut season in Division 1 basketball Suggs was named on the All-WCC First-team, WCC All-Freshman team and a Second-team All-American, while also being the recipient of the WCC Newcomer of the Year and most notably the WCC Tournament’s Most Outstanding Player.

The fact that Suggs was named the WCC Tournament’s Most Outstanding Player is a great indication to see how he performs on the big stages and makes his +1300 odds as Gonzaga’s third favorite to win the 2021 NCAA tournament’s Most Outstanding Player Award all the more enticing.

Suggs scored a game high 23 points on 57.1% shooting from the field and 62.5% shooting from three, to go along with five rebounds, five assists, one steal and a block in Gonzaga’s comeback WCC Final victory over BYU.

Given his proven ability as a scorer and facilitator combined with his elite defensive capabilities and his capacity to perform on the big stage, Suggs is a serious contender to be named the 2021 NCAA tournament’s Most Outstanding Player, and the best value of the three Bulldogs that are favored in the top five.  

*Odds correct at time of publication, courtesy of PointsBet.  

Are you interested in finding out more on the latest season of college basketball? Then make sure you visit our college basketball hub page, we’ve got all the details you need!

Image by: Marc-Gregor 

Jesse is and always has been a lover of sports. No matter the league, no matter the game, Jesse is constantly keeping up to date with the latest odds, news, injuries and stats. He has a strong interest in the NBA and the NFL, and he will always strive to keep you up to date with the best news, odds, predictions and picks that the ever engaging sporting world has to offer.

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