Associated Press Deputy Director of Sports Products Barry Bedlan hands Kansas' Frank Mason III stands answers his AP Player of the Year trophy at a news conference Thursday, March 30, 2017, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Matt York)

Already honored as the top player in college basketball during the 2016-17 season by several national publications, Kansas senior Frank Mason III on Thursday picked up one of the big boys.

Just after 3 p.m., The Associated Press revealed that Mason, who became the first player in Big 12 history to average more than 20 points and five assists per game in a single season while leading the Jayhawks in scoring and to a 31-5 record, was voted the AP National Player of the Year.

The Petersburg, Va., native becomes the first AP player of the year in KU history.

“It’s such an honor to be the first Jayhawk ever to win this award,” Mason said at Thursday’s trophy presentation ceremony in Arizona. “So many great players came through Kansas and just the tradition itself is something I’ll always remember and it’s really special.”

Mason, KU’s first consensus first-team All-American since Thomas Robinson in 2012, also won Big 12 player of the year honors and became the highest-scoring KU player in a single season in head coach Bill Self’s 14 years at 20.9 points per game.

He also added 5.2 assists and 4.2 rebounds per game while finishing third on the team with 47 steals and leading the team in 3-point shooting at 47 percent on 174 attempts.

“Frank Mason has had the best college season (of) anybody I’ve been around by far,” Self said last week. “The things that he has done, to be a point guard, to be totally unselfish, to play both ends, to lead, to be tough, to be an ironman, and (to help his) team experience success and gives (his) team its personality. It’s been an unbelievable year for Frank.”

True to form, Mason on Thursday pointed out that sitting on that stage and collecting the trophy half his height was not something he could have accomplished alone.

“Just have to thank my parents for putting me in this position and helping me become the man I am, and my wonderful coaches and the Kansas Jayhawk fans and everyone that just believed in me,” Mason said. “And I want to thank everyone that voted for me. I really appreciate it.”

The plan, of course, was for Mason to pick up whatever player-of-the-year hardware he might win around practices and preparations for this weekend’s Final Four. But a tough loss to Oregon in Kansas City, Mo., last weekend, eliminated the top-seeded Jayhawks (31-5) and sent Mason to the desert on his own.

“It was very difficult,” Mason said. “You know, I didn’t plan on doing this. My goals and our goals as a team was to be here as a family. And it’s just something different for me, because I expected me to be here with my teammates and coaches.”

In some ways, he was.

“Frank with another Player Of The Year award,” Tweeted KU senior Landen Lucas shortly after the announcement. “Well deserved. Happy for you brother!!”

Some of the highlights from Mason’s senior season included his 30-point game against Indiana in the season-opener in Honolulu; a 21-point effort and the game-winning shot in a victory against Duke in the Champions Classic in New York City; another 30-point game at home against UMKC; a season-high 32 points against Iowa State at home; his stellar regular-season finale at Oklahoma State when he scored 27 points and nearly produced the third official triple-double in KU history, recording eight rebounds and nine assists; and his 26-point, 7-rebound, 7-assist gem in a Sweet 16 win over Purdue.

Asked to identify his favorite Frank Mason moment of the season, KU freshman Josh Jackson, a likely Top 3 pick in this summer’s NBA Draft, struggled to come up with an answer.

“That’s a hard one,” Jackson said. “I don’t really know right now. Too many to pick one.”

Mason’s journey from a virtual afterthought in a back gym in Las Vegas to national player of the year covered lots of twists and turns. But the two consistent factors that applied to every day of Mason’s Kansas career were his relentless work ethic and team-first mentality. Those traits, both on the court and as a student, paved the road for Mason’s monster senior season. And after dedicating himself more than ever during the summer leading up to the 2016-17 season, Mason quickly began to reap the benefits of his approach and never fell off.

“Sometimes in recruiting you luck into things,” Self admitted recently. “He’s one of those things that we were fortunate that maybe didn’t get who we had sought out more so because we didn’t know about him. We end up getting the steal of the that draft class nationally. To think what he’s accomplished in four years is pretty remarkable.”

Now Mason will wait to see what other hardware he collects and if he can bring home the coveted triple crown, when college basketball’s two other most prestigious player of the year honors — the Naismith and Wooden awards — reveal their selections on Sunday (Naismith) and April 7 (Wooden).

Beyond that, Mason also will ramp up preparations for the NBA combine (May 9-14) and this summer’s NBA Draft (June 22).

“My hope is I get drafted,” Mason said Thursday. “I work really hard towards that so I can put myself in position to do that. And haven’t been told much yet. I’m still getting used to this process, working out and things like that. I think over the next few weeks I’ll learn a lot more.”