Purdue star Zach Edey became the first repeat winner of the Naismith College Player of the Year in over 40 years on Sunday. The 7-foot-4 center collected the award given annually to college basketball's best player. The honor is merely the latest for Edey, who has stood out above the rest of the sport both literally and figuratively over the last two seasons.
Edey can put the final touches on his historic legacy on Monday night when the No. 1 seed Boilermakers take on No. 1 seed UConn in the national championship game at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona. Following the shock of last season's loss to No. 16 seed FDU in the first round of the Big Dance, Edey returned with a vengeance in the 2023-24 season.
After averaging 22.3 points on 60.7% shooting while sweeping through college basketball's awards cycle a year ago, Edey somehow managed to increase his offensive impact this season, averaging 24.9 points on 62.5% shooting entering the title game. Edey is also averaging 12.2 rebounds and 2.2 blocks for the Boilermakers, who are seeking their first national title in program history.
Ralph Sampson of Virginia was the last repeat winner of the Naismith Award, which he won three years in a row from 1981 to 1983. Edey edged out fellow finalists RJ Davis of North Carolina, Dalton Knecht of Tennessee and Jamal Shead of Houston for the award.
Here is a rundown of the hardware Edey has brought home this season.
- CBS Sports Player of the Year
- Naismith College Player of the Year
- \AP National Player of the Year
- Sporting News National Player of the Year
- Oscar Robertson Award/USBWA Player of the Year
- NABC National Player of the Year
- Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Center of the Year
- NABC Pete Newell Big Man of the Year
- CBS Sports First-team All-American
- AP First-Team All-American
- USBWA First-Team All-American
- NABC First-Team All-American
- First-Team Sporting News All-American
- NABC First-Team All-District
- NCAA Tournament Midwest Region MOP
- Big Ten Player of the Year; coaches, media, AP
- All-Big Ten First Team; coaches, media, AP
- Big Ten All-Defensive Team
