Hasheem Thabeet (discuss) continues to add honors to his resume.

Today the 7-3 center from Tanzania was named co-Player of the Year in the conference along with fellow big man and nemesis in the pivot DeJuan Blair of Pitt.

According to the Big East commissioner Mike Tranghese, it was the closest vote in years for the player of the year as five players received first-place votes.

The junior center is averaging a double-double with 13.6 points and 10.8 rebounds, along with his gaudy 4.5 blocked shots a game, second only to Mississippi State’s Jarvis Varnado (4.7) in blocks per game.

On Tuesday,  Thabeet won the Big East’s Defensive Player of the Year award for 2008-09 in a forgone conclusion.  With his 4.5 blocks a game average, and numerous changed shots for the highly-ranked UConn Huskies, it was no surprise that he would take the trophy home again; Thabeet also won defensive player award last season.

As of this article, Thabeet is second in all-time blocks after Patrick Ewing in Big East competition.  Ewing owns the Big East with 248 career blocks.  I know it’s stating the obvious, but just for emphasis, Thabeet is already ahead of players like Alonzo Mourning (224), Dikembe Mutombo, Emeka Okafor, and Etan Thomas (232).

AND this past Sunday, Thabeet was named to the All-Big East team along with Louisville forward Terrence Williams, Marquette guard Jerel McNeal, Notre Dame forward Luke Harangody, and DeJuan Blair and Sam Young from Pittsburgh.

Links and Resources: Thabeet Named To Big East First Team (Hartford Courant), Blair, Thabeet share Big East player of the year award (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette), Thabeet is first team Big East pick (theday.com), Hasheem Thabeet is big man on campus (Interbasket)

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