ST. LOUIS – For the first time since Adam Emmenecker in 2008, a Drake men's basketball student-athlete took home the honor of Larry Bird Missouri Valley Conference Player of the Year with sophomore swingman Tucker DeVries being presented the Larry Bird trophy at the MVC men's basketball awards banquet on Wednesday, March 1.
DeVries became the fifth-ever Drake player to earn the honor. He joined Emmenecker, Curt Smith, Lewis Lloyd (twice) and Jeff Halliburton as the only Drake student-athletes to hoist the Larry Bird trophy. DeVries was the MVC Preseason Player of the Year and averaged 18.