The Big 12 Conference Men's Basketball Player of the Year is a basketball award given to the Big 12 Conference's most outstanding player. The award was first given following the 1996–97 season, the first year of conference competition but three years after the conference's official formation. It is selected by the league's head coaches, who are not allowed to vote for their own players.
Kansas has had the most individual winners of the award with 12.
Only two players have won the award multiple times: Raef LaFrentz of Kansas, who won the first two awards in 1997 and 1998 Buddy Hield of Oklahoma, who won the award in 2015 and 2016.
Four freshmen have won the award: Kevin Durant of Texas Michael Beasley of Kansas State Marcus Smart of Oklahoma State Cade Cunningham of Oklahoma State
Three current Big 12 institutions have yet to have a winner: Baylor (Charter member) TCU (2012 arrival) West Virginia (2012 arrival)
In addition, three former Big 12 institutions never had a winner of the award during their tenure in the Big 12: Colorado (which will return to the Big 12 in 2024) Missouri Texas A&M
Four other institutions are playing their first Big 12 season in 2023–24: BYU Cincinnati Houston UCF
Key
Winners
Sources: '''
Winners by school
See also
Big 12 Conference Men's Basketball Coach of the Year
Big Eight Conference Men's Basketball Player of the Year – the predecessor to the Big 12 Conference and its players of the year (although the Big 12 does not recognize Big Eight Players of the Year as their own)