As the end of March Madness approaches, odds have been released for the Final Four MVP, with Purdue’s Zach Edey being the favorite at +195 on FanDuel Sportsbook. Despite Purdue being underdogs to win the National Championship, betting on Edey provides a slight discount on their title odds. Following Edey are several UConn Huskies players, including Tristen Newton, Donovan Clingan, Cam Spencer, and Stephon Castle, making up the top contenders for the award. Alabama’s Mark Sears and NC State’s DJ Burns and DJ Horne are also in the mix as potential long-shot winners.
The Final Four MVP award is typically given to a player who leads their team to a national championship with an outstanding performance in the tournament. While theoretically a player could win the award without winning the championship, historically this has only happened once in 1983 when Hakeem Olajuwon put up a spectacular effort in a losing game to NC State. Since then, the Final Four MVP has been awarded to a player from the championship-winning team.
In past instances where a player put up an exceptional individual performance in a losing effort, such as LeBron James in the 2016 NBA Finals, the award still went to a player on the winning team, like Andre Iguodala. It has been 30 years since a Final Four MVP winner did not come from the national championship-winning team, making it unlikely for this to happen in the upcoming tournament.
Looking ahead to March Madness 2024, it is predicted that one of the UConn Huskies players will likely win the Final Four MVP award, although the actual winner remains uncertain. There is speculation that the award could even go to coach Dan Hurley this year, shifting focus away from individual player performances. With the tournament approaching, the odds for potential MVP candidates are open for bettors to place their bets on who will ultimately take home the prestigious award.
In summary, the Final Four MVP odds indicate Purdue’s Zach Edey as the frontrunner, followed by several UConn Huskies players and a few long-shot contenders. Despite the possibility of standout individual performances, the historical precedent suggests that the award typically goes to a player from the championship-winning team. Looking ahead to future tournaments, it is anticipated that one of the UConn players will emerge as the winner, though surprises are always possible in the world of college basketball.
