Sudeep Moniz is a New York-based financial services professional with nearly a decade of experience. A passionate sports fan, Sudeep Moniz enjoys watching college basketball in his free time.
The Naismith Men's College Player of the Year Award recognizes the best player in the NCAA. It was first awarded in 1969 to Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and has since been won by well-known players such as Larry Bird, Michael Jordan, Patrick Ewing, and Tim Duncan. Below are the three most recent recipients:
1. Jalen Brunson (2018) - A 22-year-old native of New Brunswick, New Jersey, Brunson became the first Villanova player to win the award in 2018. He averaged 18.9 points, 4.6 assists, and 3.1 rebounds per game through 40 games and was selected by the Dallas Mavericks in the second round of the 2018 NBA Draft.
2. Frank Mason (2017) - Mason became the second Kansas Jayhawk to win the award since Danny Manning did so in 1988. The Petersburg, Virginia native earned the award after averaging 20.9 points, 5.2 assists, and 4.2 rebounds per game. He was selected by the Sacramento Kings in the second round of the 2017 NBA Draft.
3. Buddy Hield (2016) - Through 37 games, Hield averaged 25 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 2 assists with the University of Oklahoma. He followed Blake Griffin (2009) as only the second Oklahoma player to ever win the award. Hield was selected by the New Orleans Pelicans with the sixth overall pick in the 2016 NBA Draft.
