Purdue's Zach Edey Wins 2023 AP Men's Player of the Year Award

Purdue's abrupt departure from the NCAA tournament hasn't stopped Zach Edey from continuing to rack up end-of-season awards for his dominant year.

The Boilermakers center was named the 2022-23 Associated Press Men's Basketball Player of the Year after receiving 57 of 58 votes.

"The season ended in disappointment, which really sucks, but it's always nice to win individual accolades," Edey said. "It kind of validates your work a little bit. The last three years I've played here, I've seen my game grow every year. AP player of the year is a great feeling; it just kind of stinks the way the season ended."

Purdue earned a No. 1 seed in the NCAA tournament for the first time since 1996. It came after the team won 29 games and captured the Big Ten regular-season and tournament titles in the same season for the first time in school history.

Expectations were high for the Boilermakers going into March Madness, but they went away immediately with a 63-58 loss to Farleigh Dickinson in the first round. They became the second top seed in men's tournament history to lose to a No. 16 seed.

Even when things weren't going right for Purdue, Edey was a go-to option for head coach Matt Painter. The Toronto native ranked in the top 10 nationally in scoring average (22.3) and rebounds (12.9) in 34 games.

Edey's 27 double-doubles were most in the country. The junior finished the season with four straight double-doubles dating back to the Big Ten tournament quarterfinals. He was a dominant presence in the paint against Fairleigh Dickinson with 21 points and 15 rebounds (six offensive).

Per the Associated Press, Edey is the first player with at least at least 750 points, 450 rebounds and 50 blocked shots in a season since David Robinson in 1985-86.

Edey joins Glenn Robinson in 1993-94 as the only Purdue players to be named AP Men's College Basketball Player of the Year. The 20-year-old has yet to decide if he will return to school for his senior season or declare for the NBA draft.