The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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Trey Burke Is Named The Top Player In College Basketball This Season T By John Borton he consensus among award presenters stamps Trey Burke as the nation's best basketball player in 2012-13. Those who have watched Michigan basketball for decades offer the sophomore guard even higher praise. They insist he's the greatest U-M point guard of all time. "They have a great player in Trey Burke," former Michigan head coach Bill Frieder noted. "I've told people he's the best guard that Michigan's had, for sure, since Cazzie Russell. And I coached a lot of good guards." Frieder coached many, and saw even more pass through Crisler Arena over the years. Tim McCormick, an ESPN college basketball analyst and former U-M standout, finds it tough to argue with Burke's lofty placement in Michigan history. "I sat with Bill Frieder for a while at Michigan's NCAA semifinal game," McCormick recalled. "I said to him: 'I think Trey is the best point guard in Michigan history.' He said, 'Let's see, Gary Grant, Rumeal Robinson, Rickey Green, Jalen Rose … yep, he's the best that I've seen.' "That really validates things, when a guy that has been so connected to Michigan basketball says that. He was in Flint before, he's studied Michigan guards for the last 40 years, and I completely agree with him." Burke certainly garnered the respect of the nation in guiding Michigan to a 31-8 record and the national championship game this season. The Big Ten Player of the Year went on to make a clean sweep of the most prestigious national honors as well, winning the top designation from the Associated Press, picking up the Naismith, Oscar Robertson and Wooden awards as college basketball's greatest performer, as well as claiming the Cousy Award, given to the country's best point guard. The numbers rolled in throughout Burke's two seasons in Ann Arbor. He topped 1,000 career points, moving to 1,231 with his 24 in the ill-fated NCAA championship game effort. Burke piled up 260 assists this season, shattering the Michigan single-season record of 235 set just three years ago by Darius Morris. This year, he averaged 18.6 points and 6.7 assists per game, while shooting 46.3 percent on field goal attempts, 38.4 percent from three-point range and 80.1 percent from the free throw line. More importantly to him, he drove the Wolverines to the verge of a Big Ten championship and a national title, falling just shy in each effort. "Trey Burke is so unique to me," McCormick continued. "He's done everything you want as a player. He is a leader. He has improved his game. He's diversified. He plays both