The Naismith Trophy announced 15 players to their midseason team for their men’s Defensive Player of the Year award and Penn State basketball F Mike Watkins is one of those athletes to make the cut. Fresh off a big win against Michigan, Watkins joins players from seven different conferences on the list and one of just two players from the Big Ten.
Watkins currently leads the team by averaging 7.9 rebounds a game and is third on the team with 9.8 points per contest. He’s chipped in with a bevy of steals and other marquee defensive plays but what has separated him from the rest of the pack has been his play in the middle.