With a loaded Final Four set, the men’s NCAA Tournament’s Most Outstanding Player award is coming into focus.
Voted on at the end of the tournament by attending media members, MOP commonly goes to the most productive tournament player from the national championship winner. Some of the biggest names in basketball history won MOP, including Bill Russell, Lew Alcindor (now Kareem Abdul-Jabbar) and Magic Johnson.
But being a future NBA star isn’t a prerequisite for one of the most unique awards in sports. The most recent MOP to become an NBA All-Star was Anthony Davis in 2012. College stars with minimal pro prospects are also just as likely to capture MOP. All it takes is a strong three weeks of play during March.
Recent years have seen MOP dominated by guards. A perimeter player claimed 19 of the last 29 awards — including 10 of the last 11 tournaments. At least recently, college experience also seems to be a factor in deciding MOP. Eight of the last nine awards went to an upperclassman, and three of the last four years went to a senior.
Entering the Final Four weekend in Indianapolis, all four programs possess intriguing cases for star players to win MOP.
Men’s MOP odds
Michigan’s Yaxel Lendeborg stays the favorite after a strong second weekend
With No. 1 seed Michigan advancing to the Final Four out of the Midwest Region, senior forward Yaxel Lendeborg (+230) maintains the top spot in BetMGM’s Most Outstanding Player odds.
Lendeborg’s sensational play during the tournament’s second weekend helped the Wolverines to double-digit wins over Alabama and Tennessee, with the projected NBA first-round pick producing massive numbers in each game. Over four tournament games, Lendeborg is putting up a team-leading 21 points, 7.3 rebounds and 4.3 assists per game while shooting 59 percent from the field and 50 percent from 3-point range.
Putting up modest double-digit scoring numbers during the regular season for a balanced Michigan offense, Lendeborg has taken over as Michigan’s go-to scorer down the stretch. The senior went from averaging around 14 points per game to regularly scoring in the mid-20s each game during March.
The Wolverines unleashing Lendeborg as a scorer during the tournament also dropped MOP odds for teammates Morez Johnson Jr. and Aday Mara (both +1400). While both have been consistently productive during the tournament, Lendeborg’s massive numbers are creating separation from his teammates in the MOP race.
Now that Duke and 2026’s other MOP favorite — freshman forward Cameron Boozer — have been eliminated, Lendeborg is the clear frontrunner heading to Indianapolis.
Arizona backcourt surges
Trailing Lendeborg atop the MOP odds is the talented Arizona backcourt of freshman Brayden Burries (+300) and senior Jaden Bradley (+500).
Since the Wildcats are second in national title odds to Michigan entering the Final Four, there’s logic to Arizona’s best players currently trailing Lendeborg in MOP odds.
In the MOP scenario, the Wildcats present an interesting subplot as the most balanced team remaining in the field. Four players are averaging between 13.3 and 17.8 points per game for Arizona so far in the tournament.
Burries stands out with the best numbers among the quartet (17.8 points, 6.3 rebounds, 2 assists per game) while shooting 57.9 percent from the floor and a blistering 68 percent (13-for-19) from 3-point range. Putting up similar numbers without the perimeter shooting prowess, freshman forward Koa Peat (+1000) is also having a strong tournament (17.5 points, 6.8 rebounds, 2 assists per game) on solid 54 percent shooting.
Bradley is Arizona’s defensive ace and the reigning Big 12 Player of the Year. Unfortunately for the senior, he’s currently fourth on the Wildcats in scoring during March Madness at 13.3 points, 3.8 assists and 2.8 rebounds per game — which means he has some work to do this weekend to win MOP.
Complicating matters even more, freshman forward Ivan Kharchenkov (+2500) also remains in the MOP mix at 14 points, 6.5 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game during the tourney.
While Burries is the current MOP leader among Arizona’s array of weapons thanks to his ridiculous perimeter shooting, only a few freshmen have won the award over the last 40 years. Since Louisville’s Pervis Ellison won in 1986, only Syracuse’s Carmelo Anthony (2003), Kentucky’s Anthony Davis (2012) and Duke’s Tyus Jones (2015) won MOP as freshmen.
Entering the Final Four weekend, it’s still conceivable for any of Arizona’s top four to win the MOP if the Wildcats win the title. It might come down to recency bias based on a strong showing during the Final Four.
Illinois, UConn stars make significant moves
Making the Final Four also elevated the MOP odds of tournament standouts from Illinois and UConn.
One of college basketball’s breakout performers during the regular season, freshman guard Keaton Wagler’s (+700) strong weekend advanced Illinois to its first Final Four since 2005 — boosting Wagler’s MOP odds significantly in the process.
Tied for ninth in MOP before the Sweet 16 at +2200 odds, Wagler rocketed up to fourth place after a 25-point outing against Iowa in the Elite Eight and a double-double (13 points, 12 rebounds) against Houston in the Sweet 16.
For the tournament, Wagler is averaging 17.5 points, 6.5 rebounds and 3.8 assists while shooting a notable 44 percent from distance as Illinois’ most productive player.
Elevating to sixth place in MOP odds, UConn senior big man Tarris Reed Jr. (+1600) owns the best numbers of any player remaining in the field. Reed is averaging 21.8 points, 13.5 rebounds, 3 assists and 2.3 blocks per game while shooting 60 percent from the floor. Reed is currently sixth in the odds, however, because UConn has the longest odds of the Final Four teams to cut down the nets in Indianapolis.
Should the Huskies keep winning, Reed already has some early signature performances in this tournament. In the first round, the senior delivered an eye-popping 31 points and 27 rebounds in a win over Furman. The Elite Eight also saw Reed dominate inside in a win over Duke with 26 points, nine rebounds, four blocks, three assists and two steals.
One more UConn name to keep an eye on for MOP is senior forward Alex Karaban (+2000). Although a poor shooting game against Duke hurt Karaban’s status in the MOP race, his tournament numbers (17.8 points, 4.5 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 1.3 blocks per game) are still strong.
Should Connecticut win the national championship, Karaban would claim the unique distinction of being a three-time national champion — an exceedingly rare accomplishment in modern college basketball that would also serve as an interesting MOP narrative.