Frank Mason III is the star point guard on the Kansas Jayhawks men’s basketball team which has made it to the Sweet 16 of the 2017 NCAA Basketball Tournament. On March 23, Kansas faces the Purdue Boilermakers. Mason and Boilermaker power forward Caleb Swanigan are serious contenders for Player of the Year. While Swanigan had a difficult upbringing – he weighed 360lbs. in the eighth grade – Mason had to work hard to get to where he is, too. Mason was originally committed to Towson not Kansas. When he failed to qualify academically to enroll at Towson, he went to a military academy in Virginia.
At a press conference before meeting Kansas, Boilermakers guard Spike Albrecht said of Mason and Swanigan: “Obviously, different positions but the motor behind each team. They’re the straw that stirs the drink, so to speak. It’s great for fans. It’s going to be a great game to watch.” Kansas vs. Purdue airs Thursday, March 23 at 9:30pm on CBS.