Chip Hilton Player of the Year Award

The Chip Hilton Player of the Year Award was presented by the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) to an NCAA Division I men's college basketball player who was a senior and who had demonstrated outstanding character, leadership, integrity, humility, sportsmanship and talent, similar to the fictional Chip Hilton character depicted by Hall of Fame coach Clair Bee in the classic Chip Hilton series of sports stories. It was first awarded in 1996–97 and discontinued after the 2010–11 season.

Winners

 * Okafor graduated as a finance major in only three years. He was a senior academically in 2003–04, but was still considered a junior as it related to his athletic eligibility.