Naismith College Player of The Year - History and Selection

History and Selection

First awarded exclusively to male players in 1969, the award was expanded to include female players in 1983. Annually before the college season begins in November, a "watchlist" consisting of 50 players is chosen by the Atlanta Tipoff Club board of selectors, comprising head coaches, administrators and media members from across the United States. By February, the list of nominees is narrowed down to 30 players based on performance. In March, four out of the 30 players are selected as finalists and are placed in the final ballot. The final winners are selected in April by both the board of selectors and fan voting via text messaging. The winners receive the Naismith Trophy.

Since its beginning in 1969, the trophy has been awarded to 42 male and 28 female players. Lew Alcindor of the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) and Anne Donovan of Old Dominion University were the first winners, respectively. Bill Walton of UCLA and Ralph Sampson of the University of Virginia have been the only men to win this award multiple times, and they both won it three times each - rather than just two. Six women have won this award multiple times: Cheryl Miller of the University of Southern California won it three times. Also, Clarissa Davis of the University of Texas, Dawn Staley of the University of Virginia, Chamique Holdsclaw of the University of Tennessee, Diana Taurasi and Maya Moore of the University of Connecticut, and Seimone Augustus of Louisiana State University won the award twice apiece. Of the players with two or more wins, Davis and Moore are the only ones of either sex to have won in non-consecutive years.

Three winners of the award, all men, were born outside of the United States. Two of these were born in possessions of the United States, and were American citizens by birth:

• Alfred "Butch" Lee, who was born in the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and
• Tim Duncan, who was born in the U.S. Virgin Islands.

The only award winner who had been born outside the jurisdiction of the United States was:

• Andrew Bogut, born in Melbourne, Australia.

Duke has had the most male winners with seven, while the Connecticut has had the most female winners, also with seven. The award has been won by a freshman twice: Kevin Durant playing for Texas in 2007 and the current winner, Anthony Davis of Kentucky.