The Big Sky Conference Men's Basketball Player of the Year Award, officially known as the Big Sky Conference Men's Basketball Most Valuable Player Award, is an annual award given to the Big Sky Conference's most outstanding player. The award was first given following the 1978–79 season. Only one player, Larry Krystkowiak of Montana, has won the award three times (1984–1986). Three others have been two-time winners: Orlando Lightfoot of Idaho (1993, 1994), and Weber State's Harold Arceneaux (1999, 2000) and Damian Lillard (2010, 2012). Weber State has the most all-time awards (12) and individual winners (10). Montana and Eastern Washington are tied for second in total awards with seven apiece.
Key † Co-Players of the Year* Awarded a national player of the year award that same season: Helms Foundation College Basketball Player of the Year (1904–05 to 1978–79) UPI College Basketball Player of the Year (1954–55 to 1995–96)Oscar Robertson Trophy (1958–59 to present) Naismith College Player of the Year (1968–69 to present) John R. Wooden Award (1976–77 to present) Player (X) Denotes the number of times the player has been awarded the Big Sky Player of the Year award at that point
Winners
Season Player School Position ClassReference 1978–79 Idaho State SG 1979–80 Idaho G 1980–81 Idaho SG 1981–82 Idaho PG 1982–83 Montana PF 1983–84 Montana C 1984–85 (2) Montana C 1985–86 (3) Montana C 1986–87 Montana State SF 1987–88 Boise State PF 1988–89 Boise State PG 1989–90 Idaho C 1990–91 Montana SF 1991–92† Montana G Nevada PG 1992–93 Idaho SG 1993–94 (2) Idaho SG 1994–95 Weber State SG 1995–96† Weber State SG Montana State F 1996–97 Northern Arizona PG 1997–98 Northern Arizona PF 1998–99 Weber State SF 1999–00 (2) Weber State SF 2000–01 Cal State Northridge C 2001–02 Montana State SG 2002–03 Weber State G 2003–04 Eastern Washington PG / SG 2004–05 Portland State SF 2005–06 Eastern Washington PG 2006–07 Weber State PF 2007–08 Portland State PG 2008–09 Weber State PG 2009–10 Weber State PG / SG 2010–11 Northern Colorado SG 2011–12 (2) Weber State PG / SG 2012–13 Montana SG / SF 2013–14 Weber State SF 2014–15 Sacramento State PG 2015–16 Weber State PF / C 2016–17 Eastern Washington PF 2017–18 Eastern Washington SG / SF 2018–19 Northern Colorado SG 2019–20 Eastern Washington PF 2020–21 Eastern Washington PF 2021–22 Montana State PF 2022–23 Eastern Washington SG 2023–24 Weber State SG / SF 2024–25 Idaho State PG 2025–26 Portland State PF
Winners by school School (year joined) Winners Years Weber State (1963) 12 1995, 1996†, 1999, 2000, 2003, 2007, 2009, 2010, 2012, 2014, 2016, 2024 Eastern Washington (1987) 7 2004, 2006, 2017, 2018, 2020, 2021, 2023 Montana (1963) 7 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1991, 1992†, 2013 Idaho (1963, 2014) 6 1980, 1981, 1982, 1990, 1993, 1994 Montana State (1963) 4 1987, 1996†, 2002, 2022 Portland State (1996) 3 2005, 2008, 2026 Boise State (1970) 2 1988, 1989 Idaho State (1963) 2 1979, 2025 Northern Arizona (1970) 2 1997, 1998 Northern Colorado (2006) 2 2011, 2019 Cal State Northridge (1996) 1 2001 Nevada (1979) 1 1992† Sacramento State (1996) 1 2015 North Dakota (2012) 0 — Southern Utah (2012, 2026) 0 — Utah Tech (2026) 0 —
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