WVU Basketball: Mountaineer Named Defensive Player Of The Year By NABC

WVU basketball’s Jevon Carter was named Defensive Player of the Year Sunday night by the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC).

Carter stirred the pot for Press Virginia all season, leading the Big 12 in steals with 85; he won the conference’s Defensive Player of the Year award, too.

The list of past NABC winners is impressive, with six players winning the award back-to-back – something Carter can accomplish with a strong senior campaign. He isn’t the first Bob Huggins-coached player to win the award, though.

During Huggins’  time at Cincinnati, he had a player by the name of Kenyon Martin – maybe you’ve heard of him. He averaged 18.9 points, 9.7 rebounds and 3.5 blocks per game while leading the Bearcats to a 29-4 record.

Carter’s numbers have improved across the board since his sophomore year. He made 33 more steals than a year ago, 28 more 3-pointers, and made six more free throws than he attempted in 2015.  Expect his 13.5 points per game average to jump even higher in his final year on campus, as the offense will run through he and Esa Ahmad.

Next: WVU's Budding Star

We’re expecting Carter to emerge as a breakout scorer on the road ahead, but don’t forget about soon-to-be-sophomore Lamont West, either. With his improved role, we’ll better understand if West can contribute on a consistent basis. His stroke is one of the purest in the country, couple that with his athleticism and an unmatched pace, and who knows where he can take his game. Carter will definitely receive more national attention heading into the summer and next season, but don’t expect that to go to his head.