April 2, 2012
LEXINGTON, Ky. – Freshman Anthony Davis was named winner of the 2012 Naismith Trophy presented by AT&T as the Men’s College Player of the Year, the Atlanta Tipoff Club announced on Sunday.
He is the first Wildcat in program history and only the second freshman (Kevin Durant, 2007) in the history of the Naismith Trophy, to win the award.
Davis has had one of the most memorable freshman campaigns in national history. He averages a team-leading 14.4 points and 10.2 rebounds per game while leading the Wildcats to a 37-2 overall record, its second consecutive Final Four berth and a spot in Monday’s national championship game.
The Chicago native has logged 180 blocks which is the most in the history of the SEC. He’s also been the driving force in that statistical category in helping the Wildcats break the NCAA all-time mark with a running total of 333 for the season. Davis is three blocks shy of breaking the all-time NCAA mark for freshmen.
Davis owns freshman records for blocks and rebounds by a Kentucky first-year player. He’s posted 399 total rebounds surpassing DeMarcus Cousins’ record set back in the 2009-10 season. Davis has tied the UK freshman record for double-doubles (20) set by Cousins during the same season.
He has won six of the seven major National Player of the Year awards: Adolph Rupp Trophy, USBWA, Basketball Times, Associated Press, Wooden and Naismith.
Davis and the Wildcats will hit the floor in the NCAA championship game at 9:23 p.m. ET on Monday.
