Kansas guard Frank Mason III is the AP Player of the Year

Published 1:30 am Thursday, March 30, 2017

Associated Press

GLENDALE, Ariz. — Frank Mason III, who led Kansas to its 13th consecutive Big 12 title, is The Associated Press Player of the Year.

The senior point guard averaged 20.8 points, 4.1 rebounds and 5.1 assists and shot 48.7 percent from 3-point range.

He received 37 votes Thursday from the same 65-member media panel that selects the weekly AP Top 25.

Josh Hart of Villanova was second with 16 votes. Caleb Swanigan of Purdue had nine and Lonzo Ball of UCLA had three.

Mason is the first Kansas player to win the award. He is the first Big 12 player to win it since Blake Griffin of Oklahoma in 2009.