Mason named Sporting News National Player of the Year

Link 2017 Postseason Awards
Link SportingNews.com

LAWRENCE, Kan. – Kansas senior Frank Mason III has been named the 2017 National Player of the Year by Sporting News, the publication announced Wednesday.

This is the fourth National Player of the Year honor for Mason, joining USA TODAY, Bleacher Report and NBCSports.com as media outlets which have also crowned him with the accolade earlier this week.

Sporting News is one of four sources the NCAA uses to officially determine a consensus for national postseason awards for men’s basketball. The other three are the Associated Press (AP), National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) and the U.S. Basketball Writers Association (USBWA). The AP, NABC and USBWA have yet to release their National Player of the Year selection.

Mason averages 20.5 points and is the first Kansas player to lead the Big 12 in scoring since 2004-05 (Wayne Simien at 20.3). The Petersburg, Virginia, native is also first in the conference in 3-point field goal percentage (.493), while ranking fourth in assists (5.1 apg). Mason is vying to become the first player in Big 12 and Kansas history to average 20.0 points and 5.0 assists per game for a season. Mason totals 18 games of 20 or more points including five of his last six and seven of his last nine contests.

Earlier this week, Mason was named first-team Sporting News All-America, while KU teammate Josh Jackson was named to the outlet’s All-America second team and freshman All-America team.

Click here a complete rundown of KU’s postseason awards.

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