HOUSTON (April 2, 2023) – The Atlanta Tipoff Club announced today Purdue’s Zach Edey as the winner of the 2023 Jersey Mike’s Naismith Trophy, honoring him as the most outstanding player in men’s college basketball. With Iowa’s Caitlin Clark receiving the same honor on Wednesday, it is only the third time in the award’s history that both Player of the Year winners come from the same conference (1992, 2022). In addition, Kansas State coach Jerome Tang was named the 2023 Werner Ladder Naismith Men’s Coach of the Year, and UCLA’s Jaylen Clark was named the 2023 Naismith Men’s Defensive Player of the Year.
“Zach’s dominance, Jerome’s resolve and Jaylen’s relentlessness make each of them most deserving of this year’s Naismith honors,” said Eric Oberman, executive director of the Atlanta Tipoff Club. “Their exceptional performances throughout the season have earned them college basketball’s highest honors, and we are immensely proud to recognize their unwavering dedication and abilities. Congratulations to the Big Ten on producing the very best players in both men’s and women’s college basketball this season.”
Edey was selected over Indiana’s Trayce Jackson-Davis, Gonzaga’s Drew Timme and Jalen Wilson of Kansas. He is the fifth winner from the Big Ten since 2010, following Iowa’s Luka Garza (2021), Wisconsin’s Frank Kaminsky (2015), Michigan’s Trey Burke (2013) and Ohio State’s Evan Turner (2010). Edey is just the second Boilermaker to win the Naismith Trophy (Glenn Robinson, 1994); Carolyn Peck, the youngest coach to win a women’s Division I National Championship, was also named Naismith Women’s Coach of the Year in 1999 while at Purdue.
About 2023 Jersey Mike’s Naismith Trophy Winner Zach Edey:
- Edey averaged 22.3 points, 12.9 rebounds, 2.1 blocks and 1.5 assists this season, while recording a nation’s-best 27 double-doubles
- Named Big Ten Player of the Year and earned six Player of the Week honors, the second most in league history
- First player in NCAA history (since blocks became an official NCAA stat) with 750 points, 400 rebounds, 70 blocks and 50 assists in a season
- Finished the season ranked sixth on Purdue’s single-season chart for points (757), first in rebounds (438), first in dunks (76) and second in double-doubles (27)
- His 11 games of at least 25 points and 10 rebounds are the most for a Big Ten player in the last 20 years
“Winning the Jersey Mike’s Naismith Trophy is one of the greatest individual honors that a collegiate basketball player can achieve. Dr. Naismith is a historic figure in Canada, so winning this award is very special to me and all Canadians, and I am proud to represent all of Canada in accepting this award,” said Edey. “It is also incredibly humbling to be the first Chinese-heritage player to win this award, and I hope that it opens the door to millions of youth worldwide to learn, play and enjoy the game of basketball. Without my family, coaches, support system and teammates, this achievement would not be possible. I do not take this honor for granted and appreciate the opportunity to continue the excellence set by all previous winners of the Naismith Trophy.”
“Jersey Mike’s is delighted to celebrate Zach on his recognition as the 2023 Jersey Mike’s Naismith Men’s Player of the Year, an honor of which he is more than deserving,” said Jeff Hemschoot, vice president of marketing at Jersey Mike’s. “His dominance and impact on each game he plays is undeniable, and it is an honor to recognize his exceptional achievements this season with this prestigious award.”
First-year head coach Jerome Tang makes history with his honor, becoming the first individual from Kansas State to receive a Naismith Award. His Wildcats were picked to finish last in their conference at the start of the season and finished 26-10. He is the fourth overall winner from the Big 12, the others being Bill Self (2012), Roy Williams (1997) and Larry Brown (1988), all of Kansas. The other 2023 finalists were Edey’s coach Matt Painter, Houston’s Kelvin Sampson and Shaka Smart of Marquette.
About 2023 Werner Ladder Naismith Men’s Coach of the Year Jerome Tang:
- Kansas State’s 26 wins are the third-most in school history and the most since the school won 27 in 2012-13; this win total is the second-most by a first-time head coach in school history
- Became just the 11th first-year head coach since 1996-97 to advance to the Elite Eight, including just the fourth to do it as a first-time head coach, joining Bill Guthridge and Hubert Davis of North Carolina and Kent State’s Stan Heath
- Led K-State to a No. 3 seed in the NCAA Tournament’s East Region, the second highest in school history since seeding began in 1979 and the highest since being a No. 2 seed in 2010
- Guided the Wildcats to a third-place finish in the Big 12 standings
- Became the seventh head coach in school history and only the third in the Big 12 era to earn conference Coach of the Year honors
- Helped K-State tie the school-record for wins (7) over AP Top 25 opponents
“I’m honored and blessed to be named the Werner Ladder Naismith Men’s Coach of the Year,” said Tang. “There have been a lot of great coaching jobs this season, and to be recognized among them is truly a humbling experience for me. I want to first thank my Lord and savior Jesus Christ for all the blessings in my life. I also want to thank our players and staff. I can’t begin to express my appreciation to them for all their hard work and sacrifice this season. I’m blessed and honored that I get to live life with these incredible men and women every day. Additionally, I want to thank our administration for giving me the opportunity to be at K-State, and of course, I’m not here today without the love, support and sacrifice of my family. I share this tremendous honor with all these individuals.”
“Werner applauds Coach Tang for the incredible persistence and tenacity he has shown throughout the season, which played no small part in earning him this prestigious accolade,” said Stacy Gardella, Head of Global Marketing Technology & Operations at WernerCo. “We are honored to present this award, which recognizes the very best in collegiate coaching, and we congratulate him on guiding Kansas State Men’s Basketball to remarkable success this season.”
Clark is the first player from UCLA to win the Naismith Men’s College Defensive Player of the Year award and the second from the Pac-12 after Matisse Thybulle of Washington. He becomes the fifth Bruin to win a Naismith Award, following Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (1969 POY, as Lew Alcindor), Jim Harrick (1995 COY), Marques Johnson (1977 POY) and Bill Walton (1972-1974 POY).
About 2023 Naismith Men’s Defensive Player of the Year Jaylen Clark:
- Ranked fourth in the nation in steals per game (2.6)
- First among all Pac-12 players this season in steals per game and steals (78), the most by a Bruin since 2014
- Named Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year, the first winner from UCLA since Russell Westbrook in 2008
- Selected to the Pac-12 All-Defensive Team for the second straight season
- Led by Clark, the Bruins led the Pac-12 in fewest points allowed per game (60.7)
“This Naismith Defensive Player of the Year award is huge for me,” said Clark. “I set out this year with only one thing on my mind and I accomplished that. To be named one of the best defensive players to ever play in college is a true honor.”
WERNER LADDER NAISMITH COACH OF THE YEAR | JERSEY MIKE’S NAISMITH PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Edey and Tang were chosen by the Atlanta Tipoff Club’s national voting academy, comprised of leading media members from around the country, current and former head coaches, former award winners and conference commissioners, all of whom based their selections on outstanding on-court performances during the 2022-23 college basketball season. Additionally, fans had the opportunity to cast a ballot through naismithfanvote.com and on the @NaismithTrophy, NCAA @MarchMadnessMBB and @MarchMadnessWBB Twitter pages, which accounted for 5% of the overall vote. The vote was tabulated and verified by the Atlanta team of J.S. Held, a global consulting firm. The Player of the Year winner was presented with the Jersey Mike’s Naismith Trophy, which is produced and provided by Herff Jones, leading provider of graduation and educational products and services designed to inspire achievement and create memorable experiences for students. A replica trophy will be donated by Herff Jones to the winner’s university.
NAISMITH DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
The Atlanta Tipoff Club’s board of selectors, comprised of leading journalists from around the country, selected the winners, basing their selections on outstanding on-court defensive performances during the 2022-23 college basketball season.
For more information about the Naismith Awards, visit www.naismithtrophy.com.
ABOUT THE ATLANTA TIPOFF CLUB
Founded during the 1956-57 season, the Atlanta Tipoff Club is committed to promoting the game of basketball and recognizing the outstanding accomplishments of those who make the game so exciting. The Atlanta Tipoff Club administers the Naismith Awards, the most prestigious national honors in all of college and high school basketball. Named in honor of Dr. James Naismith, inventor of the game of basketball, the family of Naismith Awards annually recognizes the most outstanding men’s and women’s college and high school basketball players and coaches. Other Naismith Awards are presented to the men’s and women’s college basketball defensive players of the year, as well as lifetime achievement awards to basketball officials and outstanding contributors to the game. UCLA’s Lew Alcindor received the first Jersey Mike’s Naismith Trophy in 1969, while the late Anne Donovan (Old Dominion) was the inaugural women’s recipient in 1983. Corporate partners of the Naismith Awards include Jersey Mike’s and Werner Ladder.
ABOUT JERSEY MIKE’S SUBS
Jersey Mike’s Subs, with more than 2,500 locations open and under development nationwide, serves authentic fresh sliced/fresh grilled subs on in-store freshly baked bread — the same recipe it started with in 1956. Passion for giving in Jersey Mike’s local communities is reflective in its mission statement “Giving…making a difference in someone’s life.” For more information, please visit jerseymikes.com or follow us on Facebook (facebook.com/jerseymikes), Instagram (instagram.com/jerseymikes), and Twitter (twitter.com/jerseymikes.com).
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Media Contact:
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