Awarded for | the most outstanding basketball player in the Pac-12 Conference |
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Country | United States |
History | |
First award | 1976 |
Final award | Anticipated to resume in 2026–27 |
The Pac-12 Conference Men's Basketball Player of the Year is an award given to the Pac-12 Conference's most outstanding player. The award was first given following the 1975–76 season, when the conference was known as the Pacific-8, and was determined by voting from the Pac-12 media and coaches. On August 2, 2024, 10 of the 12 members departed from the conference. The Pac-12 continues to operate as a two-team conference for at least the 2024–25 academic year, sponsoring four sports – football, track & field, women's gymnastics and wrestling.[1] On September 12, 2024, the Pac-12 announced the admission of four new universities effective July 2026: Boise State, Colorado State, Fresno State, and San Diego State.[2] According to the press release, "Oregon State University and Washington State University are currently operating as members of the Pac-12 Conference as part of a NCAA two-year grace period and will continue to do so for the 2025–26 academic season before the four new members officially join. The collective six universities will collaboratively chart additional membership and other future conference considerations."[2]
There were two players honored multiple times: David Greenwood of UCLA and Sean Elliott of Arizona. Four freshmen also won the award: Shareef Abdur-Rahim of California, Kevin Love of UCLA, Deandre Ayton of Arizona and Evan Mobley of USC.[3] Between the arrival of Arizona and Arizona State in 1978 and the entry of Colorado and Utah in 2011, the conference was known as the Pacific–10.