INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Frank Kaminsky, the 7-footer who anchored Wisconsin's run to a second straight Final Four, is the runaway choice as The Associated Press' player of the year.
Kaminsky averaged 18.7 points and 8.0 rebounds while shooting 54.9 percent from the field and 41.5 percent from 3-point range as the Badgers ran up a 35-3 record and won the Big Ten regular season and tournament titles.
"Frank the Tank'" is the first Wisconsin player to win the award, which started in 1961. He is the third from the Big Ten in the last six seasons, joining Ohio State's Evan Turner in 2010 and Michigan's Trey Burke in 2013.
Kaminsky received 58 votes from the 65-member national media panel that selects the weekly Top 25. Duke freshman Jahlil Okafor received five votes and Kentucky's Wille Caulaey-Stein and Notre Dame's Jerian Grant had one each.
AP College Basketball Player of the Year winners
2015 — Frank Kaminsky, Wisconsin
2014 — Doug McDermott, Creighton
2013 — Trey Burke, Michigan
2012 — Anthony Davis, Kentucky
2011 — Jimmer Fredette, BYU
2010 — Evan Turner, Ohio State
2009 — Blake Griffin, Oklahoma
2008 — Tyler Hansbrough, North Carolina
2007 — Kevin Durant, Texas
2006 — J.J. Redick, Duke
2005 — Andrew Bogut, Utah
2004 — Jameer Nelson, Saint Joseph's
2003 — David West, Xavier
2002 — Jason Williams, Duke
2001 — Shane Battier, Duke
2000 — Kenyon Martin, Cincinnati
1999 — Elton Brand, Duke
1998 — Antawn Jamison, North Carolina
1997 — Tim Duncan, Wake Forest
1996 — Marcus Camby, Massachusetts
1995 — Joe Smith, Maryland
1994 — Glenn Robinson, Purdue
1993 — Calbert Cheaney, Indiana
1992 — Christian Laettner, Duke
1991 — Shaquille O'Neal, LSU
1990 — Lionel Simmons, La Salle
1989 — Sean Elliott, Arizona
1988 — Hersey Hawkins, Bradley
1987 — David Robinson, Navy
1986 — Walter Berry, St. John's
1985 — Patrick Ewing, Georgetown
1984 — Michael Jordan, North Carolina
1983 — Ralph Sampson, Virginia
1982 — Ralph Sampson, Virginia
1981 — Ralph Sampson, Virginia
1980 — Mark Aguirre, DePaul
1979 — Larry Bird, Indiana State
1978 — Butch Lee, Marquette
1977 — Marques Johnson, UCLA
1976 — Scott May, Indiana
1975 — David Thompson, North Carolina State
1974 — David Thompson, North Carolina State
1973 — Bill Walton, UCLA
1972 — Bill Walton, UCLA
1971 — Austin Carr, Notre Dame
1970 — Pete Maravich, Louisiana State
1969 — Lew Alcindor, UCLA
1968 — Elvin Hayes, Houston
1967 — Lew Alcindor, UCLA
1966 — Cazzie Russell, Michigan
1965 — Bill Bradley, Princeton
1964 — Gary Bradds, Ohio State
1963 — Art Heyman, Duke
1962 — Jerry Lucas, Ohio State
1961 — Jerry Lucas, Ohio State