Top Collegiate Power Forwards in the Nation Named to Watch List
SPRINGFIELD, MASS. – The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame announced today the 21 watch list members for the 2018 Karl Malone Power Forward of the Year Award. Named after Hall of Famer and two-time NBA Most Valuable Player Karl Malone, the annual honor in its fourth year recognizes the top power forwards in Division I men’s college basketball. A national committee comprised of top college basketball personnel determined the watch list of 21 candidates.
“Karl Malone is unquestionably one of the greatest power forwards, a truly gifted player and an exemplary teammate,” said John L. Doleva, President and CEO of the Basketball Hall of Fame. “He had a phenomenal career and we are privileged to present an award bearing his name for the best power forward in the college game today.”
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).
“With this award, we have been able to recognize some extraordinarily talented student-athletes in college basketball over the past three seasons,” said Karl Malone, a 2010 inductee of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. “It is an honor to be associated with such an award and I hope the young men named to this watch list feel a sense of pride in being recognized for their efforts.”
By mid-February, the watch list of 21 players for the 2018 Karl Malone Power Forward of the Year Award will be narrowed to just 10. In March, five finalists will be presented to Mr. Malone and the Hall of Fame’s selection committee. The winner of the 2018 Karl Malone Award will be presented at the ESPN College Basketball Awards Show presented by Wendy’s in Los Angeles, CA on Friday, April 6, 2018. Broadcast information will be released at a later date.
Previous winners of the Karl Malone Power Forward of the Year Award include Johnathan Motley, Baylor (2017), Georges Niang, Iowa State (2016) and Montrezl Harrell, Louisville (2015). For more information on the 2018 Karl Malone Award, log onto www.HoophallAwards.com.
2018 Karl Malone Power Forward of the Year Award Candidates
|
DeAndre Ayton |
Arizona |
|
Nana Foulland |
Bucknell |
|
Gary Clark Jr. |
Cincinnati |
|
Marvin Bagley III |
Duke |
|
Wendell Carter Jr. |
Duke |
|
Nick Mayo |
Eastern Kentucky |
|
Yante Maten |
Georgia |
|
Rokas Gustys |
Hofstra |
|
PJ Washington |
Kentucky |
|
Moritz Wagner |
Michigan |
|
Jordan Murphy |
Minnesota |
|
Alize Johnson |
Missouri St. |
|
Bonzie Colson II |
Notre Dame |
|
Mike Daum |
South Dakota St. |
|
Reid Travis |
Stanford |
|
Obi Enechionyia |
Temple |
|
Dylan Osetkowski |
Texas |
|
Robert Williams |
Texas A&M |
|
Zach Smith |
Texas Tech |
|
William Lee |
UAB |
|
Bennie Boatwright |
USC |
*Players can play their way onto and off of the list at any point in the 2017-18 season*
About the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame: Located in Springfield, Massachusetts, the city where basketball was invented, the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame promotes and preserves the game of basketball at every level – professional, collegiate and high school, for both men and women on the global stage.
For more information:
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