The Oscar Robertson Trophy is the premier men’s college player of the year award. It is also the only player of the year award actually named after a player -- in this case, the National Association of Basketball Coaches’ “Player of the Century.”

The Oscar Robertson Trophy is presented annually by the US Basketball Writers Association on the Friday morning prior to the Final Four. The 2010 presentation took place Friday, April 2 at the Columbia Club in Indianapolis. Ohio State junior guard/forward Evan Turner received the Oscar Robertson Trophy, becoming the first winner from OSU since Hall of Famer Jerry Lucas was honored in 1961 and 1962.

The trophy is an 18” bronze sculpture created in 2005 by world-renowned St. Louis sculptor Harry Weber on commission from the USBWA and is based on the famous photo of Oscar Robertson rebounding against Kansas State. Weber's bronze sculptures are in the permanent collections of the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, NY and the National Dog Museum, as well as private collections across the U.S. and overseas, and have been featured at the Museum of Fine Arts in Newport, Rhode Island.

UCLA has the most Oscar Robertson Trophy winners with nine, followed by Duke University with seven. Kenyon Martin was the first University of Cincinnati player to win the award since The Big O himself last won in 1960. For the complete list of winners since 1959, click here.

Two permanent display cases, one of Oscar Robertson Trophy winners and one of memorabilia from The Big O's career dating back to Indianapolis Crispus Attucks High School, have been set up in the entrance hall at Conseco Fieldhouse, home of the Indiana Pacers and site of the 2006 Oscar Robertson Trophy presentation. Larry Bird, president of basketball operations for the Pacers, assisted The Big O in unveiling the display cases.

Last update 04/02/10