Per Duke Sports Information
DURHAM, N.C. – The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame has announced the 20 watch list candidates for the 2019 Karl Malone Power Forward of the Year Award. Among the 20 candidates was Duke freshman Zion Williamson, who was the No. 2 overall recruit for the Blue Devils’ top-ranked incoming freshman class.
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 comprising top college basketball personnel determined the watch list of 20 candidates.
Williamson, one of three freshmen named to the list, averaged 36.4 points, 11.4 rebounds and 3.5 assists over his high school career, leading Spartanburg Day School to three consecutive South Carolina Class 4A state championships. The Spartanburg, S.C., native averaged 29.7 points and was the team’s leading rebounder at 11.3 per game on the Duke Canada Tour in August 2018. He posted a pair of double-doubles with 36 points and 13 rebounds against McGill, and debuted with 29 and 13 against Ryerson.
By mid-February, the watch list of 20 players for the 2019 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 2019 Karl Malone Award will be presented at the ESPN College Basketball Awards Show presented by Wendy’s in Los Angeles, Calif., 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. Broadcast information will be released at a later date.
For more information on the 2019 Karl Malone Award and the latest updates, log onto www.hoophallawards.com and follow @hoophall and #MaloneAward on Twitter and Instagram.
2019 Karl Malone Power Forward of the Year Award Candidates
Yoeli Childs – BYU
Zion Williamson – Duke
Juwan Morgan – Indiana
Dedric Lawson – Kansas
Dean Wade – Kansas St.
Reid Travis – Kentucky
P.J. Washington – Kentucky
Jordan Murphy – Minnesota
Jordan Brown – Nevada
Luke Maye – North Carolina
Drew McDonald – Northern Kentucky
Chris Silva – South Carolina
Mike Daum – South Dakota State
Grant Williams – Tennessee
Devontae Cacok – UNCW
Bennie Boatwright – USC
Simisola Shittu – Vanderbilt
Eric Paschall – Villanova
Noah Dickerson – Washington
Sagaba Kontae – West Virginia
