2017 College Basketball AP Player of the Year Odds

2017 College Basketball AP Player of the Year Odds

The AP College Basketball Player of the Year award was established in 1961 to recognize the most outstanding college basketball player in the nation, as determined by the Associated Press. Duke has produced the most winners with Art Heyman, Christian Laettner, Elton Brand, Shane Battier, Jay Williams and J.J. Redick taking home this prestigious award.

The table below displays every winner since the award’s inception more than fifty years ago.

YearPlayerSchoolFG%3PT%FT%PPGRPGAPG
2016Denzel ValentineMichigan State46.2%44.4%85.3%19.27.57.8
2015Frank KaminskyWisconsin54.7%41.6%78.0%18.88.22.6
2014Doug McDermottCreighton52.6%44.9%86.4%26.771.6
2013Trey BurkeMichigan46.3%38.4%80.1%18.63.26.7
2012Anthony DavisKentucky62.3%15.0%70.9%14.210.41.3
2011Jimmer FredetteBrigham Young45.2%39.6%89.4%28.93.44.3
2010Evan TurnerOhio State51.9%36.4%75.4%20.49.26
2009Blake GriffinOklahoma65.4%37.5%59.0%22.714.42.3
2008Tyler HansbroughNorth Carolina54.0%0.0%80.6%22.610.20.9
2007Kevin DurantTexas47.3%40.4%81.6%25.811.11.3
2006J.J. RedickDuke47.0%42.1%86.3%26.822.6
2005Andrew BogutUtah62.0%36.0%69.2%20.412.22.3
2004Jameer NelsonSaint Joseph's47.5%39.0%79.2%20.64.75.3
2003David WestXavier51.3%34.6%81.6%20.111.83.2
2002Jay WilliamsDuke45.7%38.3%67.6%21.33.55.3
2001Shane BattierDuke47.1%41.9%79.6%19.97.31.8
2000Kenyon MartinCincinnati56.8%28.6%68.4%18.99.71.4
1999Elton BrandDuke62.0%N/A70.7%17.79.81.1
1998Antawn JamisonNorth Carolina57.9%40.0%66.7%22.210.50.8
1997Tim DuncanWake Forest60.8%27.3%63.6%20.814.73.2
1996Marcus CambyMassachusetts47.7%0.0%70.0%20.58.21.8
1995Joe SmithMaryland57.8%42.9%74.1%20.810.61.2
1994Glenn RobinsonPurdue48.3%38.0%79.6%30.310.11.9
1993Calbert CheaneyIndiana54.9%42.7%79.5%22.46.42.4
1992Christian LaettnerDuke57.5%55.7%81.5%21.57.92
1991Shaquille O'NealLouisiana State62.8%N/A63.8%27.614.71.6
1990Lionel SimmonsLa Salle51.3%47.7%66.1%26.511.13.6
1989Sean ElliottArizona48.0%50.4%84.1%22.37.24.1
1988Hersey HawkinsBradley52.4%39.4%84.8%36.37.83.6
1987David RobinsonNavy59.1%100.0%63.7%28.211.81
1986Walter BerrySt. John's (NY)59.8%N/A70.2%2311.1N/A
1985Patrick EwingGeorgetown62.5%N/A63.8%14.69.21.3
1984Michael JordanNorth Carolina55.1%N/A77.9%19.65.32.1
1983Ralph SampsonVirginia60.4%N/A70.4%19.111.71
1982Ralph SampsonVirginia56.1%N/A61.5%15.811.41.2
1981Ralph SampsonVirginia55.7%N/A63.1%17.711.51.5
1980Mark AguirreDePaul54.0%N/A76.6%26.87.62.8
1979Larry BirdIndiana State53.2%N/A83.1%28.614.95.5
1978Butch LeeMarquette50.6%N/A87.9%17.73.1N/A
1977Marques JohnsonUCLA59.1%N/A62.1%21.411.1N/A
1976Scott MayIndiana52.7%N/A78.2%23.57.72.1
1975David ThompsonNorth Carolina State54.6%N/A73.1%29.98.2N/A
1974David ThompsonNorth Carolina State54.7%N/A74.5%267.9N/A
1973Bill WaltonUCLA65.0%N/A56.9%20.416.9N/A
1972Bill WaltonUCLA64.0%N/A70.4%21.115.5N/A
1971Austin CarrNotre Dame51.7%N/A81.1%387.4N/A
1970Pete MaravichLouisiana State44.7%N/A77.3%44.55.6N/A
1969Kareem Abdul-JabbarUCLA63.5%N/A61.2%2414.7N/A
1968Elvin HayesHouston54.9%N/A61.8%36.818.9N/A
1967Kareem Abdul-JabbarUCLA66.7%N/A65.0%2915.5N/A
1966Cazzie RussellMichiganN/AN/AN/AN/AN/AN/A
1965Bill BradleyPrincetonN/AN/AN/AN/AN/AN/A
1964Gary BraddsOhio StateN/AN/AN/AN/AN/AN/A
1963Art HeymanDukeN/AN/AN/AN/AN/AN/A
1962Jerry LucasOhio State61.1%N/A79.9%21.817.8N/A
1961Jerry LucasOhio State62.3%N/A76.4%24.917.4N/A

On Wednesday morning, Bovada posted odds for the 2017 AP Player of the Yeard award. Although most of the discussion this season has centered on the talented freshman class, it’s actually an upperclassmen that’s listed at the front-runner.

This season, senior guard Frank Mason III has efficiently averaged 20.3 PPG, 5.1 APG and 4.3 RPG while leading the Kansas Jayhawks to a 21-3 record and the #3 ranking in the latest AP Top 25 Poll. He’s opened as the favorite at +250, but has since moved to +150.

Not many sportsbooks offer AP Player of the Year odds and, for that reason, these odds are somewhat exploitative. This prop takes low limits and features a high hold percentage. It’s also worth noting that there’s no option for the field, and all wagers have action. That means if an unlisted player wins this award — e.g. Joel Berry, Josh Jackson or De’Aaron Fox — Bovada would clean up.

The table below displays the latest AP Player of the Year odds at Bovada. It will be updated as more information becomes available.

PlayerSchoolBovada (3/6)Bovada (2/9)Bovada (2/8)
Frank MasonKansas-400+150+250
Josh HartVillanova+250+300+400
Lonzo BallUCLA+1400+1000+600
Caleb SwaniganPurdue+1400+1000+1600
Nigel Williams-GossGonzaga+1400+1600+1600
Justin JacksonNorth CarolinaN/A+1200+750
Malik MonkKentuckyN/A+1200+700
Luke KennardDukeN/A+1400+1200
Ethan HappWisconsinN/A+1600+1600
Lauri MarkkanenArizonaN/A+2000+2000
Dennis SmithNC StateN/A+2000+2000
Jonathan MotleyBaylorN/A+2200+2200
Bonzie ColsonNotre DameN/A+2500+1600
Trevon BluiettXavierN/A+3300+1800
Kelan MartinButlerN/A+3300+3300

Based on the low limits and subjectivity of the vote, I won’t be placing a wager on the AP Player of the Year. That said, history says that one-dimensional scorers don’t win this award unless they’re an extreme outlier like Jimmer Fredette or J.J Redick. For that reason, I would recommend avoiding players like Malik Monk or Justin Jackson.

Two players who may be slipping under the radar are Purdue’s Caleb Swanigan and Gonzaga’s Nigel Williams-Goss; both of whom opened at 16/1. Swanigan (19.1 PPG, 12.8 RPG, 2.8 APG) has led the #16 Boilermakers to a 19-5 record including impressive wins over Notre Dame, Northwestern, and Maryland. When this article was first published I liked Swanigan at +1600, but he has lost some value at 10/1.

Williams-Goss, on the other hand, has thrived since transferring from Washington to Gonzaga. The 6’3″ guard has been the best player on the nation’s best team; leading the Bulldogs to an undefeated record (24-0). Although Gonzaga is frequently a trendy Cinderella pick, this Zags team is a legitimate title contender. Neither player is actionable at the current price, but Williams-Goss looks like the superior value.

Bettors can keep up with the latest college basketball odds, betting trends, injuries, futures and more by visiting our free NCAAB odds page.

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David Solar

David was the Content Manager at Sports Insights. He has since moved on to greener pastures.

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