• The Naismith Trophy presented by AT&T is the most prestigious national award presented annually to the men’s and women’s college basketball players of the year.
• Each year, the Atlanta Tipoff Club’s Board of Selectors chooses the 50 preseason “Naismith Watch” lists as well as the mid-season teams of 30 candidates. Finally, they select 10 national semi-finalists. The voting academy then narrows that group down to the four finalists who will make up the final ballot. The voting academy, comprised of leading basketball journalists, coaches and administrators from around the country, bases its criteria on player performances throughout the season.
• Named in honor of Dr. James Naismith, inventor of the game of basketball, the first Naismith Trophy was awarded to UCLA’s Lew Alcindor, later known as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, in 1969.
• The 2014 Men’s Naismith Trophy winner will be announced April 6th at the NCAA® Men’s Final Four in Dallas, and featured during “AT&T At The Half” during the NCAA® Men’s Championship Game on April 7th.
• The Women’s Naismith Trophy was first given to Anne Donovan of Old Dominion University in 1983.
• The 2014 Women’s Naismith Trophy winner will be announced April 7th at the NCAA® Women’s Final Four in Nashville.
• AT&T makes the selection process unique by giving college basketball fans a voice in deciding who wins the Naismith Trophy. Fan voting accounts for 25 percent of the overall vote.
