Marcus Smart named Blue Ribbon player of the year
By KELLY HINES World Sports Writer on Sep 17, 2013, at 8:43 AM
OSU
In the final chapter of "The Dirty Game," Sports Illustrated said so many players have been jettisoned from the Oklahoma State football program and wound up in bad situations that this question should be asked: "How much did the program really care?"
Citing a strong appetite for its "Dirty Game" series on Oklahoma State football, Sports Illustrated released the fifth and final chapter a day earlier than originally announced.
Blue Ribbon College Basketball Yearbook has selected Oklahoma State sophomore point guard Marcus Smart as its national player of the year.
"Obviously there are a lot of great players out there," editor Chris Dortch said. "But in choosing our national player of the year, we look at more than just talent.
"Marcus Smart is a stat-sheet stuffer, but he also has the intangible quality of making those around him better. Everyone we spoke with about him had nothing but praise for his abilities—those that show up on the stat sheet, and those that don’t."
Smart was the Big 12's player of the year last season as well as the U.S. Basketball Writers Association's national freshman of the year.
Bolstered by Smart's return, OSU likely will be ranked as high as the top 10 in preseason polls. The Cowboys are No. 12 in Blue Ribbon's Top 25.
Kansas freshman Andrew Wiggins, the consensus top recruit in the Class of 2012, was chosen by Blue Ribbon as national newcomer of the year.
OSU
In the final chapter of "The Dirty Game," Sports Illustrated said so many players have been jettisoned from the Oklahoma State football program and wound up in bad situations that this question should be asked: "How much did the program really care?"
Citing a strong appetite for its "Dirty Game" series on Oklahoma State football, Sports Illustrated released the fifth and final chapter a day earlier than originally announced.
