Commentators are currently locking horns over who could win the coveted National Player Of the Year Awards. The two names that instantly pop up when discussing the same are that of Purdue Boilermakers’ center Zach Edey and Tennessee Volunteers’ guard Dalton Knecht. While Edey has often been in the spotlight for single-handedly taking Purdue over the finish line, Knecht hasn’t gotten as much attention as he deserves.

The duo took the regular season by storm. The action-packed campaign saw a flurry of exceptional performances from all quarters. Players dunked, slammed, hooped, lay-upped, and did everything in their control as their teams clashed against each other. The season ended with a lot of anticipation for the upcoming March Madness tournament. However, it also left a lot of questions unanswered.

How has Knecht performed?

Knecht averages a whopping 20.7 points and 4.8 rebounds per match. He has been the alpha for his team and Volunteers have mostly played around him. One of his most exceptional performances came during the clash against Auburn Tigers when he smashed 39 points in the game. This was the second time that Knecht had scored 39 points in this season.

His previous 39 had come against Florida Gators with a brilliant 13-for-23 field goal. His performance was one to be remembered for the times to come. The best part about Knecht has been his exemplary display against top-ranked teams. He shattered a noteworthy 37 points against North Carolina Tar Heels earlier this regular season. Though his team lost the game by a 92-100 margin, still no one could take away the credit from Knecht for trying his level best to decimate his opponents.

Another of his great performances came against Georgia Bulldogs when he smoked an astounding 36 points. He had an exceptional 62.5% three-pointers and a 60% field goal percentage. Shooting has been one of the plus points for Knecht. He has smashed high numbers with the help of all-round displays from three-pointers, field goals, and free throws.

Knecht has a decent 47.3% field goal percentage along with 40.6% three-pointers percentage and a 76.3% free throw percentage. Therefore he has played the role of a proper guard for his team. One more thing that goes to his credit when compared with Edey is that Knecht is 6 feet 6 inches in height as compared to Edey’s 7 feet 4 inches.

While Edey becomes dangerous for the other teams when pitted against them due to his height, Knecht has fought the opposition screens and dominated them with his tactics as well as his balling skills. Edey on the other hand makes it difficult because no other player stands as tall as him. 

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When the best performances of this season are compiled, Knecht’s gameplay of 32 points will be given a place in it. The senior guard went berserk against Vanderbilt Commodores. In the limited 7 three-pointer chances he got, Knecht potted 3. He also has a praiseworthy 13-for-21 field goal percentage. All this makes him a player to be considered as good as Edey.

What about Edey?

Edey on the other hand averages 24.1 points and 11.7 rebounds per match. He has scored a double-double in 21 matches which demonstrates that he has taken complete advantage of his height. 

Edey’s season-best performance of 35 points has come thrice against Michigan Wolverines, Alabama Crimson Tide, and Northwestern Wildcats. In all these three games, Edey was difficult to control and he completely throttled his opponents. He also smoked 33 points against Indiana Hoosiers and showed a stupendous performance with his shooting game. He had 11-for-23 field goals and a 91.7% free throw percentage.

Helping his team win Maui Invitational, Edey has had an everlasting impact on his opponents. Some analysts however argue that most of his game is centered around his height. He clearly lacks skills in shooting three-pointers which is one of the major criticisms he has faced. He has potted 50% of the three-pointers this season and played the role of a traditional center. Edey, pundits say, isn’t the go-to player for his team when looking to score from a distance. What he has gained in height, Edey has lost in long-range shooting. Hence it is still debatable if he is a clear winner of the NPOY awards.

So who’s more capable of lifting NPOY awards?

While Edey lacks in three-point shooting, Knecht isn’t as consistent as one would want him to be. The latter has a higher ceiling than Edey but still averages lower than him. Plus with his height, Edey makes up for his lack of shooting with grabbing rebounds. Therefore, he becomes a mainstay for his team especially in high-scoring games both on offensive and defensive fronts.

Edey makes an impact that is difficult to contain. Yes, he does have a higher center of gravity that takes away his speed. Nonetheless, he is a nightmare for the opposition. Meanwhile, Knecht cannot be done away with completely. His skills need more spotlight and acknowledgement from NCAA analysts.

Read More: Despite Zach Edey’s Surge for Purdue, Can UConn Go for Back to Back NCAA Titles?

All said and done, all eyes are now on March Madness, a tournament where an error is a sure-shot way to elimination. If Knecht can take his team to the crucial knockout stages then he will surely change the common public perception of him being in the shadow of Edey. But as for now, Boilermakers’ big boy looks a clear winner of NPOY award.