The Naismith College Player of the Year Trophy is named after Dr. James Naismith, the inventor of basketball. It was first awarded in 1969 to UCLA Bruins' Lew Alcindor, who later changed his name to Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. The trophy was sculpted by Marty C. Dawe of Atlanta and has since become one of the most prestigious individual honors in college basketball. The award expanded in 1983 to include a women’s category, with Anne Donovan of Old Dominion Monarchs being the first recipient. The Atlanta Tipoff Club hosts the Naismith awards. The club was founded in the late 1950s and oversees the administration of the award. The board of selectors comprises coaches, administrators, and journalists who evaluate player performance throughout the season to determine the winners in April.
The process begins with the announcement of a 50-player ‘Naismith Watch’ list for both men’s and women’s basketball. This list is narrowed to 30 candidates by mid-season. After further evaluation, four finalists are selected and placed on a final ballot. A national voting academy chooses the winner from each category. Over the years, the Naismith Awards program has expanded to include honors for high school players and coaches, college coaches, and defensive players. The Defensive Player of the Year award was introduced in 2018, with Jevon Carter and Teaira McCowan as the first recipients.
List of Women Players with most Naismith College Player of the Year Trophy
Breanna Stewart and Cheryl Miller have won the Women’s Naismith College Player of the Year Trophy three times, whereas Maya Moore, Diana Taurasi, Seimone Augustus, Clarissa Davis, Dawn Staley, Chamique Holdsclaw, Brittney Griner, and Caitlin Clark have all won it twice.
| Player | Number of Awards | Years Won | College |
| Breanna Stewart | 3 | 2014, 2015, 2016 | UConn |
| Cheryl Miller | 3 | 1984, 1985, 1986 | USC |
| Maya Moore | 2 | 2009, 2011 | UConn |
| Diana Taurasi | 2 | 2003, 2004 | UConn |
| Seimone Augustus | 2 | 2005, 2006 | LSU |
| Clarissa Davis | 2 | 1987, 1989 | Texas |
| Dawn Staley | 2 | 1991, 1992 | Virginia |
| Chamique Holdsclaw | 2 | 1998, 1999 | Tennessee |
| Brittney Griner | 2 | 2012, 2013 | Baylor |
| Caitlin Clark | 2 | 2023, 2024 | Iowa |
School with most Naismith College Player of the Year Trophy Winners.
The UConn Huskies players have won the most women’s Naismith College Player of the Year Trophies with nine, followed by USC Trojans and Tennessee Lady Volunteers with four trophies.
| School | Number of Winners | Players (Years) |
| UConn | 9 | Rebecca Lobo (1995), Sue Bird (2002), Diana Taurasi (2003, 2004), Maya Moore (2009, 2011), Tina Charles (2010), Breanna Stewart (2014, 2015, 2016), Paige Bueckers (2021) |
| USC | 4 | Cheryl Miller (1984, 1985, 1986), Lisa Leslie (1994), JuJu Watkins (2025) |
| Tennessee | 4 | Chamique Holdsclaw (1998, 1999), Tamika Catchings (2000), Candace Parker (2008) |
| Iowa | 2 | Megan Gustafson (2019), Caitlin Clark (2023, 2024) |
| Texas | 2 | Clarissa Davis (1987, 1989) |
| LSU | 2 | Seimone Augustus (2005, 2006) |
| Stanford | 2 | Jennifer Azzi (1990), Kate Starbird (1997) |
| Virginia | 2 | Dawn Staley (1991, 1992) |
| Baylor | 2 | Brittney Griner (2012, 2013) |
| South Carolina | 2 | A'ja Wilson (2018), Aliyah Boston (2022) |
FAQs on Naismith Award
A. The Naismith Award is an annual award given to the top men’s and women’s college basketball players.
A. The Atlanta Tipoff Club presents the Naismith Award.
A. The first Naismith Award was presented in 1969.
A. Zach Edey (Purdue) and Caitlin Clark (Iowa) won the Naismith Award in 2024.
