“Naismith Starting 5” Fan Voting to Open Friday, March 8 at HoophallAwards.com
Springfield, Mass. — The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame announced today the five finalists for the 2019 Karl Malone Power Forward of the Year Award. Named after Class of 2010 Hall of Famer and two-time NBA Most Valuable Player Karl Malone, the annual honor in its fifth year recognizes the top power forwards in Division I men’s college basketball.
A national committee of top college basketball personnel determined the watch list of 20 student-athletes in October, which was narrowed to 10 candidates in February and now just five finalists. This month, the finalists will be presented to Mr. Malone and the Hall of Fame’s selection committee. The winner of the 2019 Karl Malone Power Forward of the Year Award will be determined by a combination of fan votes and input from the Basketball Hall of Fame’s selection committee. Fans are encouraged to visit www.HoophallAwards.com to cast their votes March 8-29.
“To be recognized as a finalist for the Karl Malone Award is a tremendous honor and these student-athletes should feel very proud,” said John L. Doleva, President and CEO of the Basketball Hall of Fame. “Mr. Malone and our committee will be closely monitoring their play down the stretch to determine who will take home this prestigious award this season.”
The five finalists for the 2019 Karl Malone Award are Zion Williamson (Duke), Dedric Lawson (Kansas), PJ Washington (Kentucky), Mike Daum (South Dakota State) and Grant Williams (Tennessee).
“While these five finalists can certainly fill up the stat sheet, I’m interested in seeing who can also deliver the intangibles for their team this postseason,” said Karl Malone, Basketball Hall of Fame Class of 2010. “I really enjoy the process of selecting our award winner and look forward to watching these guys compete for a championship.”
The winner of the 2019 Karl Malone Award will be presented at The College Basketball Awards presented by Wendy’s in Los Angeles, CA on Friday, April 12, 2019, along with the other four members of the Naismith Starting 5. Additional awards being presented and receiving support from Eaton Ephesus Lighting include the Bob Cousy Point Guard Award, the Jerry West Shooting Guard Award, the Julius Erving Small Forward Award and the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Center Award. Additional information about the telecast will be released by ESPN at a later date.
Previous winners of the Karl Malone Power Forward of the Year Award include Deandre Ayton, Arizona (2018), Johnathan Motley, Baylor (2017), Georges Niang, Iowa State (2016) and Montrezl Harrell, Louisville (2015).
For more information and the latest updates on the 2019 Karl Malone Award, log onto www.hoophallawards.com and follow @hoophall and #MaloneAward on Twitter and Instagram.
About Karl Malone
Karl Malone attended Louisiana Tech University due to its close proximity to his hometown of Summerfield, Louisiana. He led the Bulldogs to a Sweet 16 appearance and earned All-Southland honors in his three seasons while averaging 18.7 points and 9.3 rebounds per game. Malone achieved great success during his 19 seasons in the NBA as a 14-time NBA All-Star (1988-98, 2000-02), 11-time All-NBA First Team player (1989-99) and a member of the NBA’s 50th Anniversary All-Time Team. He also won two Olympic gold medals (1992, 1996).
About the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame
Located in Springfield, Massachusetts, the city where basketball was born, the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame is an independent non-profit 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to promoting, preserving and celebrating the game of basketball at every level – men and women, amateur and professional players, coaches and contributors, both domestically and internationally. The Hall of Fame museum is home to more than 400 inductees and over 40,000 square feet of basketball history. Nearly 200,000 people visit the Hall of Fame museum each year to learn about the game, experience the interactive exhibits and test their skills on the Jerry Colangelo "Court of Dreams." Best known for its annual marquee Enshrinement Ceremony honoring the game’s elite, the Hall of Fame also operates over 70 high school and collegiate competitions annually throughout the country and abroad. For more information on the Basketball Hall of Fame organization, its museum and events, visit www.hoophall.com, follow @hoophall or call 1-877-4HOOPLA.