The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
Durant claims Oscar Robertson Trophy
03.27.2007 | Men's Basketball
ST. LOUIS -- University of Texas freshman swingman Kevin Durant has been selected as the National Player of the Year by the U.S. Basketball Writers Association, the USBWA announced Tuesday. Durant will receive the Oscar Robertson Trophy as the nation's outstanding player at the USBWA awards breakfast on Friday in Atlanta, site of the NCAA Final Four.
Tickets for the breakfast, which will be held in Philips Arena at 8 a.m., are available by calling (678) 472-3147.
Durant is the first freshman selected by the USBWA to win the award and the first player from a current Big 12 member institution to win the honor since its inception in 1959. This marks the second National Player of the Year honor for Durant, who garnered the same accolade from the National Association of Basketball Coaches last week.
Durant earlier was named to the USBWA All-America first team and was selected as the National Freshman of the Year by the USBWA.
Durant led the Big 12 Conference in scoring (25.8 ppg), rebounding (11.1 rpg) and blocked shots (67). He is the only player in the country to rank in the Top 10 nationally in both scoring (fourth) and rebounding (fourth). Durant led the Longhorns to a 25-10 record and the Second Round of the NCAA Tournament.
The USBWA player of the year award is the nation's oldest and only one named after a player. The legendary Oscar Robertson was the USBWA's first player of the year in 1959. The USBWA renamed its award the Oscar Robertson Trophy in 1998.
The U.S. Basketball Writers Association was formed in 1956 at the urging of then-NCAA Executive Director Walter Byers. Today, it is one of the most influential organizations in college basketball. For more information on the USBWA and its awards and programs, contact executive director Joe Mitch at (314) 421-0339.
