THE KYLE MACY AWARD

Duke’s Zion Williamson is the recipient of the 2019 Kyle Macy National Freshman of the Year award.

April 5, 2019

THE 2019 AWARD

MINNEAPOLIS, MN -- Zion Williamson of Duke is the 2018-19 recipient of the Kyle Macy Award, presented annually to the nation’s top freshman.

Despite missing five games and all but the first minute of another with a knee injury, Williamson recorded one of the best seasons in recent college basketball history. He averaged 22.6 points, 8.9 rebounds and shot 68 percent from the floor. His player efficiency rating of 40.8 was the highest in college basketball in at least 25 years. Williamson helped Duke to a 32-6 record and the ACC Tournament title. He was the ACC Rookie of the Year and Player of the Year and the consensus national player of the year awards.

The award is named for Macy, the 1975 Indiana "Mr. Basketball," who played his freshman season at Purdue University, averaging 13.8 points per game while leading the Boilermakers in free throws (85.9 percent for the season). He started in 25 of 27 games, helping them to a 16-11 season record.

After playing his freshman year at Purdue, Macy transferred to the University of Kentucky in 1976. He started every game for the Wildcats in 1977. A three-time All-America and three-time All-SEC player, Macy was a member of Kentucky's 1978 National Championship team. In his senior year of 1979-80, he became the first Kentucky player ever to be named consensus Southeastern Conference Player of the Year.

2019 KYLE MACY FRESHMEN ALL-AMERICA TEAM