Marcus Smart named Blue Ribbon player of the year
By KELLY HINES World Sports Writer on Sep 17, 2013, at 8:43 AM
OSU
Two seasons ago, OSU won a Big 12 title with the aid of exceptional special teams play. One department that proved lacking was the punt return unit.
There's not enough evidence yet to declare that the defense has arrived, but evidence thus far is promising.
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
Two seasons ago, OSU won a Big 12 title with the aid of exceptional special teams play. One department that proved lacking was the punt return unit.
There's not enough evidence yet to declare that the defense has arrived, but evidence thus far is promising.
