Mason and Self receive awards at NABC Awards Guardians of the Game Show

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NABC

PHOENIX – Kansas senior Frank Mason III received his second national player of the year trophy on the day, while KU head coach Bill Self also received an award at the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) AT&T NABC Awards Guardians of the Game Show Sunday at the Orpheum Theatre in Phoenix.

Just hours after earning the Naismith Trophy for the national player of the year, Mason was named the NABC Player of the Year. Self was be presented with the Champion Award – the highest national honor within the Coaches vs. Cancer program.

A 5-foot-11 guard from Petersburg, Virginia, Mason was recently named earlier to the NABC Coaches’ All-America first team where he averaged 20.9 points, 4.2 rebounds and 5.2 assists this season for the Jayhawks. He was especially deadly from behind the arc, hitting 49.0 percent of his three-point attempts this season while leading Kansas to its record 13th consecutive regular season title in the Big 12 and a 31-5 overall record.

The NABC award was Mason’s ninth national player of the year honor for the 2016-17 season. He collected four of his nine national trophies this past week at the Final Four in Phoenix.

The Champion Award recognizes a college coach who has shown extraordinary leadership and a commitment to the American Cancer Society’s mission of saving lives against cancer through fundraising, education, and promotional initiatives. Self has been an integral part of the Coaches vs. Cancer program since its inception in 1996. Making the fight against cancer his personal commitment, he’s been instrumental in leading key successful fundraising events at Kansas including the Coaches vs. Cancer Kansas City Tip-Off and the 3-Point Challenge (formerly 3-Point Attack).

Among other awards announced Sunday night included West Virginia guard Jevon Carter as the NABC Defensive Player of the Year, presented by Marriott Rewards; Purdue’s Caleb Swanigan as the NABC Pete Newell Big Man of the Year, presented by Paramount and Co.; and Lonzo Ball of UCLA as the NABC Freshman of the Year, presented by adidas.

About the National Association of Basketball Coaches
Located in Kansas City, MO, the NABC was founded in 1927 by Phog Allen, the legendary basketball coach at the University of Kansas.  Allen, a student of James Naismith, the inventor of basketball, organized coaches into this collective group to serve as Guardians of the Game.  The NABC currently has nearly 5,000 members consisting primarily of university and college men’s basketball coaches.  All members of the NABC are expected to uphold the core values of being a Guardian of the Game by bringing attention to the positive aspects of the sport of basketball and the role coaches play in the academic and athletic lives of today’s student-athletes.  The four core values of being a Guardian of the Game are advocacy, leadership, service and education.  Additional information about the NABC, its programs and membership, can be found at nabc.com.

Mason’s 2016-17 Season Summary
• Became the only player in KU and Big 12 history to average more than 20 points and five assists in the same season.
• Showed a knack for taking over games, which directed Kansas to a 31-5 record and its 13th consecutive Big 12 regular-season title with a 16-2 league mark.
• Led the Big 12 in scoring overall (20.9 ppg) and during conference play (21.0 ppg).
• Averaged 5.2 assists per game.
• Two-time national player of the week.
• Three-time Big 12 Player of the Week.
• Posted 23 games of 20 or more points, including his final seven contests and 10 of KU’s last 11 outings.
• KU’s leading scorer in 26 games.
• In the Big 12, Mason ranked first in 3-point field goal percentage (47.1), fourth in assists (5.2), fifth in 3-pointers made per game (2.3), fifth in assist-to-turnover ratio (2.2), seventh in free throw percentage (79.4), ninth in field goal percentage (49.0) and 14th in steals (1.3).
• Made 50.0 percent (43-for-86) from 3-point range and 2.4 treys per game in Big 12 play.
• Shot 103-for-119 (86.6 percent) from the free throw line in his final 15 games, making 6.9 charity shots per contest in that span.
• Concluded his career No. 6 on the Kansas scoring list (1,885 points), No. 6 in assists (576), No. 8 in 3-point field goals (185), No. 13 in steals (165) and tied for third in consecutive starts (110). No Jayhawk in KU history ranked sixth or higher in both points and assists.

NATIONAL PLAYER OF THE YEAR COUNT
Frank Mason III’s National Player of the Year honors and the remaining awards he is a candidate for.

WINNER:
Naismith Trophy
NABC Player of the Year
USBWA Oscar Robertson Trophy
Associated Press Player of the Year
Sporting News Player of the Year
CBS Sports Player of the Year
USA TODAY Player of the Year
Bleacher Report Player of the Year
NBC Sports Player of the Year

CANDIDATE:
Bob Cousy Award for Point Guard of the Year – April 7
Wooden Award – April 7

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