The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame has announced Duke freshman Kyle Filipowski as one of 20 players named to the watch list for the 2023 Karl Malone Power Forward of the Year Award.
A versatile 7-footer, Filipowski joins the Blue Devils this season as a five-star center out of Wilbraham & Monson Academy. The Westtown, N.Y. native averaged 19.1 points, 10.8 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 2.0 steals and 1.4 blocks per game as a senior and was ranked as the No. 10 overall player in ESPN 100’s class of 2022 rankings. Filipowski competed for NY Renaissance on the Nike EYBL circuit, averaging 13.0 points and 8.2 rebounds in eight games, and was named to the 2021 USA Basketball 3×3 U18 World Cup where he helped lead the Americans to a goal medal. He was named to the 2022 Naismith National High School Boys Basketball All-America First Team after his senior season and was also named the 2021 Gatorade Massachusetts Player of the Year as a junior.
Filipowski aims to become the second Blue Devil freshman in the last five years to win the Karl Malone Power Forward of the Year award, after Zion Williamson was selected as the winner in 2019.
Named after Class of 2010 Hall of Famer and two-time NBA Most Valuable Player Karl Malone, the annual honor in its ninth 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 candidates.
College basketball fans are encouraged to participate in Fan Voting presented by Dell Technologies in each of the three rounds. In late January, the watch list of 20 players for the 2023 Karl Malone Power Forward of the Year Award will be narrowed to 10 and then in late February to just five. In March the five finalists will be presented to Malone and the Hall of Fame’s selection committee where a winner will be selected. The winner of the 2023 Karl Malone Award will be presented on a to be determined date, along with the other four members of the Men’s Starting Five.
For more information on the 2023 Karl Malone Award and the latest updates, log onto www.hoophallawards.com and follow @hoophall and #WestAward on Twitter and Instagram. Starting Five Fan Voting presented by Dell Technologies will go live on Friday, October 28.
2023 Karl Malone Award Candidates
Enrique Freeman – Akron
Ažuolas Tubelis – Arizona
Johni Broome – Auburn
Arthur Kaluma – Creighton
DaRon Holmes II – Dayton
Kyle Filipowski – Duke
Jalen Slawson – Furman
Drew Timmie – Gonzaga
Jarace Walker – Houston
Trayce Jackson-Davis – Indiana
Kris Murray – Iowa
KJ Williams – LSU
Donta Scott – Maryland
DeAndre Williams – Memphis
Norchad Omier – Miami (Fl.)
Pete Nance – North Carolina
GG Jackson – South Carolina
Jayden Gardner – Virginia
Justyn Mutts – Virginia Tech
Graham Ike – Wyoming
