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UVA’s Clark, Richmond’s Gilyard named to Naismith DPOY watch list

Chris Graham
basketball
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UVA guard Kihei Clark and Richmond guard Jacob Gilyard are among the 15 players named to the watch list for 2021 Naismith Men’s Defensive Player of the Year.

Gilyard (Sports-Reference.com defensive rating: 97.3, Synergy PPP: 0.952) was a semifinalist for the award last season, when he led Division I with 3.2 steals per game and finished with 99 steals, breaking his own school record for most steals in a season.

Clark (Sports-Reference.com defensive rating: 103.5, Synergy PPP: 0.833) has a reputation as being an elite on-ball defender, but probably isn’t even the best on-ball guy on his own team.

That would be freshman Reece Beekman (Sports-Reference.com defensive rating: 94.7, Synergy PPP: 0.463).

Anyway, honors, and such.

Story by Chris Graham

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Chris Graham

Chris Graham

Chris Graham is the founder and editor of Augusta Free Press. A 1994 alum of the University of Virginia, Chris is the author and co-author of seven books, including Poverty of Imagination, a memoir published in 2019. For his commentaries on news, sports and politics, go to his YouTube page, TikTok, BlueSky, or subscribe to Substack or his Street Knowledge podcast. Email Chris at [email protected].