The NABC Player of the Year Award is one of the most important and influential awards provided by the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC). This award aims to honor the best male player in college basketball under the NCAA.
The NABC Player of the Year award was first introduced 1975 when it was presented to David Thompson of the NC State Wolfpack. Since then, top college basketball players from NCAA Division I have received the award every year. The award was also made available to male college basketball players under NCAA Division II and Division III from the 1982/83 season. They have also expanded to male basketball players under National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) and the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) since the 2007/08 season.
The most recent NCAA Division I college basketball player to win the NABC Player of the Year Award is Zach Edey of the Purdue Boilermakers in 2023. A new NABC Player of the Year is ready to be crowned in 2024.
Previous Winners of the NABC Player of the Year under NCAA Division I.
The NABC Player of the Year has been presented to the best male college basketball players since the 1974/75 season. This table details all the previous winners of the award so far.
| Season | Player Name | Team | Position | Year |
| 1974–75 | David Thompson | NC State Wolfpacks | SG / SF | Senior |
| 1975–76 | Scott May | Indiana Hoosiers | F | Senior |
| 1976–77 | Marques Johnson | UCLA Bruins | G / F | Senior |
| 1977–78 | Phil Ford | North Carolina Tar Heels | PG | Senior |
| 1978–79 | Larry Bird | Indiana State Sycamores | SF | Senior |
| 1979–80 | Michael Brooks | La Salle Explorers | F | Senior |
| 1980–81 | Danny Ainge | BYU Cougars | SG | Senior |
| 1981–82 | Ralph Sampson | Virginia Cavaliers | C | Junior |
| 1982–83 | Ralph Sampso | Virginia Cavaliers | C | Senior |
| 1983–84 | Michael Jordan | North Carolina Tar Heels | SG | Junior |
| 1984–85 | Patrick Ewing | Georgetown Hoyas | C | Senior |
| 1985–86 | Walter Berry | St. John's Red Storm | PF | Senior |
| 1986–87 | David Robinson | Navy Midshipmen | C | Senior |
| 1987–88 | Danny Manning | Kansas Jayhawks | PF | Senior |
| 1988–89 | Sean Elliott | Arizona Wildcats | SF | Senior |
| 1989–90 | Lionel Simmons | La Salle Explorers | SF | Senior |
| 1990–91 | Larry Johnson | UNLV Runnin’ Rebels | PF | Senior |
| 1991–92 | Christian Laettner | Duke Blue Devils | PF | Senior |
| 1992–93 | Calbert Cheaney | Indiana Hoosiers | SF | Senior |
| 1993–94 | Glenn Robinson | Purdue Boilermakers | SF / PF | Sophomore |
| 1994–95 | Shawn Respert | Michigan State Spartans | SG | Senior |
| 1995–96 | Marcus Camby | UMass Minutemen | C | Junior |
| 1996–97 | Tim Duncan | Wake Forest Demon Deacons | C | Senior |
| 1997–98 | Antawn Jamison | North Carolina Tar Heels | SF | Junior |
| 1998–99 | Elton Brand | Duke Blue Devils | C | Sophomore |
| 1999–00 | Kenyon Martin | Cincinnati Bearcats | PF | Senior |
| 2000–01 | Jay Williams | Duke Blue Devils | PG | Sophomore |
| 2001–02 | Drew Gooden | Kansas Jayhawks | C | Junior |
| Jay Williams | Duke Blue Devils | PG | Junior | |
| 2002–03 | Nick Collison | Kansas Jayhawks | PF | Senior |
| 2003–04 | Jameer Nelson | Saint Joseph's Hawks | PG | Senior |
| Emeka Okafor | UConn Huskies | C | Junior | |
| 2004–05 | Andrew Bogut | Utah Utes | C | Sophomore |
| 2005–06 | Adam Morrison | Gonzaga Bulldogs | SF | Junior |
| JJ Redick | Duke Blue Devils | SG | Senior | |
| 2006–07 | Kevin Durant | Texas Longhorns | SF | Freshman |
| 2007–08 | Tyler Hansbrough | North Carolina Tar Heels | PF | Junior |
| 2008–09 | Blake Griffin | Oklahoma Sooners | PF | Sophomore |
| 2009–10 | Evan Turner | Ohio State Buckeyes | SF | Junior |
| 2010–11 | Jimmer Fredette | BYU Cougars | PG | Senior |
| 2011–12 | Draymond Green | Michigan State Spartans | PF | Senior |
| 2012–13 | Trey Burke | Michigan Wolverines | PG | Sophomore |
| 2013–14 | Doug McDermott | Creighton Bluejays | SF | Senior |
| 2014–15 | Frank Kaminsky | Wisconsin Badgers | PF / C | Senior |
| 2015–16 | Denzel Valentine | Michigan State Spartans | SG | Senior |
| 2016–17 | Frank Mason III | Kansas Jayhawks | PG | Senior |
| 2017–18 | Jalen Brunson | Villanova Wildcats | PG | Junior |
| 2018–19 | Zion Williamson | Duke Blue Devils | SF / PF | Freshman |
| 2019–20 | Obi Toppin | Dayton Flyers | PF | Sophomore |
| 2020–21 | Luka Garza | Iowa Hawkeyes | C | Senior |
| 2021–22 | Oscar Tshiebwe | Kentucky Wildcats | C | Junior |
| 2022–23 | Zach Edey | Purdue Boilermakers | C | Junior |
College Basketball Teams with Most NABC Player of the Year Awards
The table below details the NCAA Division I college basketball teams that have won the NABC Player of the Year the most.
| Team Name | Wins |
| Duke Blue Devils | 6 |
| Kansas Jayhawks | 4 |
| North Carlina Tar Heels | 4 |
| Michigan State Spartans | 3 |
| Virginia Cavaliers | 2 |
| Purdue Boilermakers | 2 |
| BYU Cougars | 2 |
When is the NABC Convention for 2024?
The 2024 NABC Convention will be organized from April 4, 2024 to April 8, 2024 at the Phoenix Convention Center in Phoenix, Arizona, United States.
FAQ's On NABC Player of the Year
A. The first winner of the NABC Player of the Year Award was David Thompson of the NC State Wolfpacks in 1975.
A. Zach Edey of the Purdue Boilermakers won the NABC Player of the Year Award in 2023
A. Duke Blue Devils has won the NABC Player of the Year awards the most with six wins.
A. Michael Jordan won the NABC Player of the Year award as a member of the North Carolina Tar Heels in the 1983/94 season.
A. NCAA Division II and Division III college basketball players are also presented with NABC Player of the Year award.
