BOULDER – University of Colorado junior guard KJ Simpson has been named to the 2023-24 Jersey Mike’s Naismith Trophy Men’s Basketball Player of the Year Midseason Team the Atlanta Tip Off Club announced on Thursday.

Simpson is one of 30 NCAA Division I players on the Naismith Midseason Team. He is also on the Wooden Award Late Season Top 20 Watch List.

Simpson leads Colorado at 19.4 points, 4.6 assists and 1.8 steals per game while ranking third in rebounding (5.4 rpg). He is Colorado’s second-leading rebounder in Pac-12 games at 6.2 per contest, while still pacing the Buffaloes at 19.0 points and 4.7 assists.

Simpson is one of three major conference players averaging 19.0 points, 5.0 rebounds and 4.0 assists per game and one of five in all of NCAA Division I with those numbers. Simpson leads all major conference players in rebounding during conference games (and second overall) for those listed at 6-foot-2 and under. He tops the Pac-12 in rebounding for all players listed at 6’ 5” and under.

On the Pac-12 charts, Simpson is first in free throw percentage (.896), second in assist-to-turnover ratio (2.1) third in scoring, assists, and steals, fifth in 3-point shooting (.429), 10th in minutes (32.8 mpg), 12th in defensive rebounds (4.5 drpg) and 18th in overall rebounding.

Colorado, at 16-8 overall and 7-6 in the Pac-12, continues league play at UCLA Thursday, at 7 p.m. MT (ESPN & KOA 850 AM & 94.1 FM).

via Colorado Buffaloes