Usually, there is always one player in each basketball season that is the best. However, this season, it has been a toss-up between two players: Jimmer Fredette of Brigham Young and Kemba Walker of Connecticut.
Both players helped their teams all season long to high seeded berths in the NCAA Tournament.
Now entering the Final Four, only one of those two players is currently standing.
Enter junior Kemba Walker.
Walker, perhaps the most electrifying player in all college hoops, has willed the Huskies to their fourth Final Four appearance, all since 1999.
But it's the manner that the Huskies, mostly Walker, did it in.
On March 8th, the Huskies matched up against DePaul, the worst team in the conference (1-17). They dominated DePaul throughout the game, eventually winning 97-71. Walker led the Huskies with 26 points, seven rebounds, and five assists.
The following day, Walker and Co. took on the Georgetown Hoyas in their second round match-up. Walker once again led the Huskies to victory, 79-62. Walker scored 28 points, six rebounds, and three assists.
On March 10th, UConn would take on Pittsburgh, the best team in the conference and eventual #1 seed in the championship tournament.
Walker carried the Huskies throughout the game, but the best part of the game came at the very end. With the game tied at 74, UConn called a timeout with roughly 18 seconds remaining.
The junior had the ball for the majority of the time remaining and just before the buzzer, Walker heaved up a shot after stepping back on a defender. The shot went in and the Huskies won the game, 76-74.
The guard led the Huskies with 24 points and five assists. This was their third win in three days.
In the fourth round, the Huskies took on the Syracuse Orange, one of the top teams in the NCAA throughout the year. And Walker had his best game of the Big East Tournament.
In their overtime thriller win, 76-71, Walker scored 33 points and brought down twelve rebounds. He also assisted on five baskets and had six steals.
With four wins in four days, the Huskies were finally matched up against Louisville for the conference crown.
Walker scored 19 points and added three assists and two rebounds.
For the tournament, the junior averaged 26 points and was given the Big East Tournament MVP Award.
The win gave UConn an astounding five wins in five days, as they advanced to the tournament.
Now, with wins over Bucknell, Cincinnati, San Diego State, and Arizona, the Huskies are in the Final Four for the first time since 2007. And it can be said that it is mostly in part to Walker.
He has truly been the best player this season, in my opinion. Although Fredette scored more points than Walker, the Huskies star meant more to his team than Fredette to BYU.
All it takes is looking at BYU's loss to Billy Donovan's Florida Gators. Fredette spent all game throwing up shots, hoping that they would fall in. That's not how you win games. One player cannot do it all by themselves, but Fredette sure thought he could.
Yes, the guard did score 32 points, but it took him 29 shots to achieve that number. He only went 11-for-29 from the field, including 3-for-15 from three-point range. Not so good, especially since it was his last collegiate game.
So when it comes down to it, the last man standing is the NCAA's best player. Walker kept his team in games, despite boasting just a 22-9 regular season record.
He worked a lot of magic to get to where they are right now. With the performances he has given, there is no doubt in my mind that Walker should receive the Naismith Award.
He's been the best player and if anything, he's showed that since the Big East Tournament began.
Walker's shot against Pittsburgh:
