Final Four 2026: Most Outstanding Player for NCAA tournament, year by year
· Yahoo Sports
The 2026 Final Four for the men’s NCAA tournament is set. Illinois faces UConn at 5:09 p.m. ET Saturday, April 4, followed by Michigan against Arizona at 7:49 p.m.
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Come Monday night, there will be a new national champion. The NCAA also will crown a Most Outstanding Player of the Final Four. Here’s a look at who has won the award every year of the tournament since 1939.
Year
Player
Class
School
2025
Walter Clayton Jr.
Senior
Florida
2024
Tristen Newton
Senior
UConn
2023
Adama Sanogo
Junior
UConn
2022
Ochai Agbaji
Senior
Kansas
2021
Jared Butler
Junior
Baylor
2020
No tournament because of pandemic
2019
Kyle Guy
Junior
Virginia
2018
Donte DiVincenzo
Junior
Villanova
2017
Joel Berry II
Junior
North Carolina
2016
Ryan Arcidiacono
Senior
Villanova
2015
Tyus Jones
Freshman
Duke
2014
Shabazz Napier
Senior
UConn
2013
Luke Hancock
Senior
Louisville
2012
Anthony Davis
Freshman
Kentucky
2011
Kemba Walker
Junior
UConn
2010
Kyler Singler
Junior
Duke
2009
Wayne Ellington
Junior
North Carolina
2008
Mario Chalmers
Junior
Kansas
2007
Corey Brewer
Junior
Florida
2006
Joakim Noah
Sophomore
Florida
2005
Sean May
Junior
North Carolina
2004
Emeka Okafor
Junior
UConn
2003
Carmelo Anthony
Freshman
Syracuse
2002
Juan Dixon
Senior
Maryland
2001
Shane Battier
Senior
Duke
2000
Mateen Cleaves
Senior
Michigan State
1999
Richard Hamilton
Junior
UConn
1998
Jeff Sheppard
Senior
Kentucky
1997
Miles Simon
Junior
Arizona
1996
Tony Delk
Senior
Kentucky
1995
Ed O'Bannon
Senior
UCLA
1994
Corliss Williamson
Junior
Arkansas
1993
Donald Williams
Sophomore
North Carolina
1992
Bobby Hurley
Junior
Duke
1991
Christian Laettner
Junior
Duke
1990
Anderson Hunt
Sophomore
UNLV
1989
Glen Rice
Senior
Michigan
1988
Danny Manning
Senior
Kansas
1987
Keith Smart
Junior
Indiana
1986
Pervis Ellison
Freshman
Louisville
1985
Ed Pinckney
Senior
Villanova
1984
Patrick Ewing
Junior
Georgetown
1983
Akeem Olajuwon
Sophomore
Houston
1982
James Worthy
Junior
North Carolina
1981
Isiah Thomas
Sophomore
Indiana
1980
Darrell Griffith
Senior
Louisville
1979
Magic Johnson
Sophomore
Michigan State
1978
Jack Givens
Senior
Kentucky
1977
Butch Lee
Junior
Marquette
1976
Kent Benson
Junior
Indiana
1975
Richard Washington
Sophomore
UCLA
1974
David Thompson
Sophomore
NC State
1973
Bill Walton
Junior
UCLA
1972
Bill Walton
N/A
UCLA
1971
Vacated
N/A
N/A
1970
Sidney Wicks
N/A
UCLA
1969
Lew Alcindor
N/A
UCLA
1968
Lew Alcindor
N/A
UCLA
1967
Lew Alcindor
N/A
UCLA
1966
Jerry Chambers
N/A
Utah
1965
Bill Bradley
N/A
Princeton
1964
Walt Hazzard
N/A
UCLA
1963
Art Heyman
N/A
Duke
1962
Paul Hogue
N/A
Cincinnati
1961
Jerry Lucas
N/A
Ohio State
1960
Jerry Lucas
N/A
Ohio State
1959
Jerry West
N/A
West Virginia
1958
Elgin Baylor
N/A
Seattle
1957
Wilt Chamberlain
N/A
Kansas
1956
Hal Lear
N/A
Temple
1955
Bill Russell
N/A
San Francisco
1954
Tom Gola
N/A
La Salle
1953
B.H. Born
N/A
Kansas
1952
Clyde Lovellette
N/A
Kansas
1951
Bill Spivey
N/A
Kentucky
1950
Irwin Dambrot
N/A
CCNY
1949
Alex Groza
N/A
Kentucky
1948
Alex Groza
N/A
Kentucky
1947
George Kaftan
N/A
Holy Cross
1946
Bob Kurland
N/A
Oklahoma A&M
1945
Bob Kurland
N/A
Oklahoma A&M
1944
Arnie Ferrin
N/A
Utah
1943
Ken Sailors
N/A
Wyoming
1942
Howie Dallmar
N/A
Stanford
1941
John Kotz
N/A
Wisconsin
1940
Marvin Huffman
N/A
Indiana
1939
Jimmy Hull
N/A
Ohio State