Villanova’s Brunson AP’s player of year

SAN ANTONIO — A long list of goals has taken up permanent space on Jalen Brunson’s wall, including becoming a conference player of the year, an all-American and helping Villanova win a second national championship in three seasons.

The junior point guard just reached another one by becoming The Associated Press men’s college basketball player of the year.

Brunson is being presented with the award Thursday at the Final Four, where the Wildcats will face Kansas on Saturday in the national semifinals. He earned 36 of 65 votes from the same panel that selects the AP Top 25, with ballots submitted before the start of the NCAA Tournament.

The award comes two days after Brunson was the leading vote-getter on the AP All-America first team. He’s the first Villanova player to win the AP award.

“It’s written on my wall,” Brunson said of being an All-American and player of the year in an interview with the AP. “It’s something that I strived for but never really focused on. I just knew that the more team success that we had, the individual honors would come. I just really focused on what the team needed and how I could be a key contributor.”

Oklahoma freshman Trae Young was second with 15 votes after leading the country in scoring (27.4) and assists (8.7).

Arizona 7-foot-1 freshman Deandre Ayton earned seven votes after averaging 20.1 points, 11.6 rebounds and shooting 61 percent from the floor. Duke freshman Marvin Bagley III earned four votes after leading the Atlantic Coast Conference in scoring (21.0) and rebounding (11.1).

All three of those freshmen have declared for the NBA draft.

The 6-3 Brunson is averaging 19.2 points and shooting nearly 53 percent while providing unflappable leadership at the helm of the Wildcats offense.