Frank Mason III #0 of the Kansas Jayhawks (Photo by Ed Zurga/Getty Images)
PETERSBURG, Va. — It’s unanimous, Petersburg native Frank Mason III has been named the Big 12 Player of Year in voting by the league’s head coaches.
Mason, who graduated from Petersburg High School, led the Kansas Jayhawks to a 28-3 record and the team’s 13th consecutive Big 12 regular-season championship.
The Jayhawks are the top-ranked team in the country and Mason is leading the Big 12 in scoring with 20.5 points per game.
“This is a great honor from the Big 12 coaches, but it could not have happened without my teammates and coaches,” Mason said in a release. “We’ve worked hard to get here but have more things to accomplish in the next month.”
“Frank being a unanimous selection goes back to our very first game in Hawaii,” Self about Mason. “He has been one of the most consistent performers in America since the opening tip of the season. Probably no player in America, let alone our league, has been more valuable in crucial game situations to what Frank has for us.”
With one major award in his possession, Mason is also considered a favorite for both the Naismith Trophy and Wooden Award, given to the player of the year in college basketball.
The senior point guard has also won numerous player of the year awards from National sports publications.
He was named Bleacher Report National Player of the Year on Sunday and NBC Sports 2017 College Basketball Player of the Year on Monday.
Mason is now set to lead the Jayhawks in the Big 12 conference tournament and in the NCAA tournament.
The Naismith Trophy will be presented on Sunday, April 2 in Scottsdale, Arizona. The Wooden Award will be presented on Friday, April 7.
