Kansas's star senior Frank Mason III has won the 2017 Naismith Trophy, one of most prestigious awards for a college basketball player.
Mason is the first Jayhawk to win the award since 1988, when Danny Manning was given the trophy. Just last week, Mason was given the Associated Press player of the year award.
"Dr. Naismith invented the game of basketball and we walk by his original rules every day in Allen Fieldhouse. He was Kansas' first coach so winning this award with his name on it and playing at Kansas brings this full circle," Mason said. "There is no way I could have won the Naismith Trophy without great coaches, like coach (Bill) Self, the rest of the staff and great teammates. We accomplished a lot this season and this would not have been won without my teammates and coaches."
Mason averaged nearly 21 points per game this season. He was the first in Big 12 history to average 20 points and five assists in a single season.The Kansas ended the season with a 31-5 record and landed a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament.
On Saturday, it was announced that Kansas basketball head coach Bill Self was named to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.
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