Texas forward Kevin Durant has been named Big 12 Conference’s player of the year by league coaches, making him the first freshman to receive that honour.Durant, who has averaged 28.9 points per game in league play, also received the freshman of the year award Sunday, while Texas A&M’s Billy Gillispie was chosen as the Big 12 coach of the year.
Other winners of individual awards included Mario Chalmers of Kansas and Marcus Dove of Oklahoma State, who shared the defensive player of the year honor; Stefhon Hannah of Missouri, named the newcomer of the year; and Cartier Martin of Kansas State, who received the league’s inaugural sixth-man award.
