WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – One day after earning back-to-back Big Ten Player of the Year honors, Zach Edey was chosen as the Sporting News' National Player of the Year for the second straight season, the organization announced Wednesday morning.
Handed out beginning in 1943, Edey becomes the eighth repeat winner of the Sporting News' National Player of the Year, joining Oscar Robertson, Jerry Lucas, Bill Bradley, Lew Alcindor, Bill Walton, Michael Jordan and Luka Garza as recipients that have won the award twice.
Dating to last year, Edey has now won all seven major National Player of the Year accolades that have been handed out as he has a chance to become the first unanimous (winning all of them) back-to-back National Player of the Year honoree since Bill Walton in 1972 and 1973. The five remaining National Player of the Year awards come from the Associated Press, the Naismith Award, the Wooden Award, the National Association of Basketball Coaches and the United States Basketball Writers Association.
Edey has dominated all season long, currently averaging 24.2 points, 11.7 rebounds, 2.2 blocks and 2.0 assists per game in all games played, but increasing his numbers to 25.4 points, 12.9 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 2.2 blocks per game in Big Ten play. On Monday, he set a Big Ten record with 12 Big Ten Player of the Week honors during his career.
Edey is the only player in Big Ten history to record at least 700 points and 350 rebounds in a season, doing so both this year and last year, and needs 26 rebounds to become the fifth player in NCAA history with two seasons of at least 750 points and 400 rebounds (Elvin Hayes, Oscar Robertson, Rick Barry, Jerry West).
Edey has produced against the nation's best teams, averaging a combined 40.2 points, rebounds and assists against high-major opposition, currently the first player in at least the last 15 years to average a combined 40 points, rebounds and assists against high-major opposition. Edey Leads the country in 30-10 games with seven (next closest is 3) and 20-10 games with 18 )next closest is 16).
Edey has moved into second place on Purdue's career scoring chart, now with 2,282 points and needing 41 points to tie Rick Mount for the school's career scoring record. He has also moved into the top 10 on the Big Ten's all-time scoring list.
Should Edey becomes the school's all-time leading scorer, he will become Purdue's all-time leader in points, rebounds and double-doubles.
Edey's seven career 30-15 games are the most for a high-major player in the last 15 years (Marvin Bagley, Blake Griffin – 4) by three games. His 10 career games of at least 25 points and 15 rebounds are also the most nationally in that span (Blake Griffin – 9) and his 15 career 30-10 games are the second most for any player in the last 15 years (South Dakota State's Mike Daum – 21).
Edey is the first player in Big Ten history with 2,200 career points and 1,200 career rebounds, and has joined David Robinson (Navy, 1984-87) as the only players in NCAA history with 2,200 career points, 1,200 career rebounds, 200 career blocks and to shoot over 60.0 percent from the field.
Edey and the Boilermakers are the No. 1 seed for the upcoming Big Ten Tournament, starting play Friday at noon ET in Minneapolis.
Handed out beginning in 1943, Edey becomes the eighth repeat winner of the Sporting News' National Player of the Year, joining Oscar Robertson, Jerry Lucas, Bill Bradley, Lew Alcindor, Bill Walton, Michael Jordan and Luka Garza as recipients that have won the award twice.
Dating to last year, Edey has now won all seven major National Player of the Year accolades that have been handed out as he has a chance to become the first unanimous (winning all of them) back-to-back National Player of the Year honoree since Bill Walton in 1972 and 1973. The five remaining National Player of the Year awards come from the Associated Press, the Naismith Award, the Wooden Award, the National Association of Basketball Coaches and the United States Basketball Writers Association.
Edey has dominated all season long, currently averaging 24.2 points, 11.7 rebounds, 2.2 blocks and 2.0 assists per game in all games played, but increasing his numbers to 25.4 points, 12.9 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 2.2 blocks per game in Big Ten play. On Monday, he set a Big Ten record with 12 Big Ten Player of the Week honors during his career.
Edey is the only player in Big Ten history to record at least 700 points and 350 rebounds in a season, doing so both this year and last year, and needs 26 rebounds to become the fifth player in NCAA history with two seasons of at least 750 points and 400 rebounds (Elvin Hayes, Oscar Robertson, Rick Barry, Jerry West).
Edey has produced against the nation's best teams, averaging a combined 40.2 points, rebounds and assists against high-major opposition, currently the first player in at least the last 15 years to average a combined 40 points, rebounds and assists against high-major opposition. Edey Leads the country in 30-10 games with seven (next closest is 3) and 20-10 games with 18 )next closest is 16).
Edey has moved into second place on Purdue's career scoring chart, now with 2,282 points and needing 41 points to tie Rick Mount for the school's career scoring record. He has also moved into the top 10 on the Big Ten's all-time scoring list.
Should Edey becomes the school's all-time leading scorer, he will become Purdue's all-time leader in points, rebounds and double-doubles.
Edey's seven career 30-15 games are the most for a high-major player in the last 15 years (Marvin Bagley, Blake Griffin – 4) by three games. His 10 career games of at least 25 points and 15 rebounds are also the most nationally in that span (Blake Griffin – 9) and his 15 career 30-10 games are the second most for any player in the last 15 years (South Dakota State's Mike Daum – 21).
Edey is the first player in Big Ten history with 2,200 career points and 1,200 career rebounds, and has joined David Robinson (Navy, 1984-87) as the only players in NCAA history with 2,200 career points, 1,200 career rebounds, 200 career blocks and to shoot over 60.0 percent from the field.
Edey and the Boilermakers are the No. 1 seed for the upcoming Big Ten Tournament, starting play Friday at noon ET in Minneapolis.