KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The NABC on Tuesday announced the recipients of its top Division I coach and player awards for the 2022-23 season. The awards were voted on by NABC-member coaches across NCAA Division I.
Marquette’s Shaka Smart was selected as the NABC Division I Coach of the Year, while Purdue junior Zach Edey was voted as both the NABC Division I Player of the Year and the NABC Pete Newell Big Man of the Year presented by adidas.
UCLA junior Jaylen Clark earned NABC Defensive Player of the Year presented by Marriott Bonvoy honors, and Alabama’s Brandon Miller was named the NABC Freshman of the Year.
Smart, in just his second season at Marquette, led the Golden Eagles to a 29-7 record after they were picked to finish ninth in the Big East preseason poll. Marquette captured both the Big East regular season and tournament titles, earning a No. 2 seed in the NCAA Tournament.
Edey completed an all-around dominant season for Purdue, averaging 22.3 points, 12.9 rebounds and 2.1 blocks per game while shooting 60.7 percent overall from the field. His 27 double-doubles lead Division I, and he ranks second in the county in rebounding average and sixth in scoring average. Behind Edey, Purdue went 29-6 and won the Big Ten regular season and tournament championships.
Clark averaged 2.6 steals per game – tied for fourth in the nation – and six rebounds per contest for UCLA before having his season cut short by an injury. Paced by Clark, the Pac-12 regular season champion Bruins held opponents to just 60.7 points per game and 40.8-percent shooting.
Miller helped Alabama earn the No. 1 overall seed in the NCAA Tournament by averaging 18.8 points and 8.2 rebounds per game. He is the nation’s highest-scoring freshman, leading the Crimson Tide to a 31-6 record and a sweep of the SEC regular season and tournament championships.
NABC Division I Coach of the Year: Shaka Smart, Marquette
NABC Division I Player of the Year: Zach Edey, Purdue
NABC Pete Newell Big Man of the Year presented by adidas: Zach Edey, Purdue
NABC Defensive Player of the Year presented by Marriott Bonvoy: Jaylen Clark, UCLA
NABC Freshman of the Year: Brandon Miller, Alabama
