University of Connecticut Athletics
Thabeet Named National Defensive Player of the Year
4/6/2008 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
SAN ANTONIO, Texas (April 6, 2008)-- University of Connecticut sophomore center Hasheem Thabeet (Dar es Salaam, Tanzania) has been named the 2007-08 NABC (National Association of Basketball Coaches) National Defensive Player of the Year and will be honored Sunday evening at the AT&T/NABC Guardians of the Game awards show at the Lila Cockrell Theatre.
Thabeet's selection marks the third time in six seasons that UConn has had the nation's top defensive player by the NABC and he becomes the second Husky to earn the honor, joining Emeka Okafor (2003-04 & 2002-03).
Thabeet averaged 4.5 blocks per game this season, ranking No. 3 nationally and leading the BIG EAST for the second straight season. He averaged 5.2 blocks per game in league play and his 94 total blocks in BIG EAST play set a new conference record, breaking the old mark of 93 held by Alonzo Mourning of Georgetown, set in 1991-92.
Thabeet was the BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Year and was named to the All-BIG EAST Second Team and was also an All-District Second Team selection by the NABC.
