The award has been given since the 2007–08 season to National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) and to two-year schools' players.
Only one tie has occurred (2006), while four players have won the award more than once (Stan Gouard, Earl Jones, John Smith, and Trevor Hudgins).
There have been two ties (2007, 2010) and four repeat winners (Leroy Witherspoon, Andrew Olson, Aaron Walton-Moss and Joey Flannery).
During the divisional era, Division I member Georgetown (KY) received the most awards and had the most individual recipients, with three each.
Jay Scrubb, that year's winner, hired an agent and declared for the 2020 NBA draft, thereby forgoing his remaining collegiate eligibility.
In 2008–09, the NABC began presenting separate awards for players of the year in NAIA Divisions I and II.