Team 103

Zavier Simpson named Most Valuable Player at team banquet

Michigan handed out individual awards at its team banquet tonight and junior point guard Zavier Simpson was voted Most Valuable Player.

Simpson averaged 8.8 points, 6.6 assists and 5.0 rebounds per game as a junior. He was named to the All-Big Ten Second Team and also earned All-Big Ten Defensive honors.

Jon Teske was named Most Improved Player while Charles Matthews took home Most Outstanding Defensive Player honors.

Here’s a full list of awards that were handed out on Wednesday night.

2019 MICHIGAN BASKETBALL AWARD CELEBRATION HONORS

  • Bill Buntin Most Valuable Player: Zavier Simpson
  • Wayman Britt Outstanding Defensive Player: Charles Matthews
  • Travis Conlan Sportsmanship Award: Isaiah Livers
  • Rudy Tomjanovich Most Improved Player: Jon Teske
  • Sixth Man Award: Isaiah Livers
  • Steve Grote Hustle Award: Zavier Simpson
  • Thad Garner Leadership Award: Charles Matthews
  • Iron Man Award: Ignas Brazdeikis
  • Award for Outstanding Free Throw Shooting: Jordan Poole
  • Morgan/Bodnar Brothers Award for Academic Achievement: Austin Davis & Rico Ozuna-Harrison
  • Gary Grant Award for Most Assists: Zavier Simpson
  • Loy Vaught Rebounding Award: Jon Teske

Notable Replies

  1. JJ3

    In other news water is wet.

  2. meatblizzard

    Don’t really have any feelings about the award winners one way or another. Kind of pointless but it’s a fun thing for the players and team to do though so whatever.

    I vaguely remember the program either creating some of these over the years or at least naming them after players - the Travis Conlan Sportsmanship Award comes to mind, maybe because I think they did that in the past 10 years.

    Curious why some of them don’t have past players attached.

    My UM hoops knowledge only goes back to late 80s or early 90s, but…

    Sixth man: tough to name after someone since a player probably rarely is a bench contributor for the majority of his career. Maybe Sean Higgins, but even he started a decent amount later in his career.

    Iron Man Award (is this somewhat new?): Zach Novak seems like the easy choice but I’m not really sure what exactly the criteria is for this award.

    Free Throw Award: My first thought was Louis Bullock since I remember him being an elite FT shooter (I looked it up and Bullock seems to have the single season record; I can’t find career FT% leader). But I’m not sure if Bullock is in good graces with the program. Walton is second for best FT% in a season and then Lester Abram. It doesn’t make senses statistically, but I’d say Abram just because I think the early 2000 teams get forgotten (for good reason) but did their part for the program nonetheless.

  3. eric_shap

    Played at the team banquet last night:

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L7SY-TgtYzo

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