The History of Naismith Awards

In 1987, to honor the nation’s best boy’s and girl’s high school basketball players, the Naismith Trophy Boy’s High School Player of the Year and the Naismith Trophy Girl’s High School Player of the Year were established.

Each honor is selected annually by the Atlanta Tipoff Club Board of Selectors. The  board votes to compile a top 10 list of players from across the country for  both awards. The winners are then selected by a board vote.            

The national Naismith Awards recognize the top national, regional and local players, coaches, officials and administrators who have displayed excellence and outstanding achievement in basketball.  Winners are honored for the following awards:

• Men’s and Women’s College Player of the Year
• Men’s and Women’s College Coach of the Year
• Men’s and Women’s College Official of the Year(Lifetime Achievement)
• Men’s and Women’s Outstanding Contributor to Basketball (Lifetime Achievement)
• National Boy’s and Girl’s High School Player of the Year
• National Boy’s and Girl’s High School Coach of the Year

Through the power and ease of text messaging, the fans’ vote will account for 25 percent of the selection process on the Naismith Men’s and Women’s College Player of the Year. This program sets the standard in college athletics for integrating fans into the voting process and providing them with more input than with any other major collegiate sports award.