Fan Voting to Open Tomorrow, March 9 on HoophallAwards.com
SPRINGFIELD, MASS. – The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame announced today the five finalists 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 of top college basketball personnel including media members, head coaches, sports information directors and Hall of Famers narrowed the original watch list of 20 players down to 10 candidates and now just five finalists. This month, the five finalists will be presented to Mr. Malone and the Hall of Fame’s selection committee. The winner of the 2018 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 9-23.
“The five men on this list have been outstanding in their play at both ends of the floor this season,” said Karl Malone. “Their energy and passion for the game is remarkable and it will serve them well as they head into the tournament. Watching these guys play is going to be a lot of fun and I expect choosing a winner to be a difficult task.”
The five finalists for the 2018 Karl Malone Award are Deandre Ayton (Arizona), Marvin Bagley III (Duke), Nick King (Middle Tennessee), Luke Maye (North Carolina) and Mike Daum (South Dakota St.).
The winner of the 2018 Karl Malone Award will be honored at ESPN’s College Basketball Awards presented by Wendy’s in downtown Los Angeles on Friday, April 6, 2018 (8 p.m. ET on ESPN2). Additional awards being presented 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.
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 Karl Malone Award, visit www.HoophallAwards.com.
About Karl Malone: Karl Malone attended Louisiana Tech University due to its 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) and is a 2010 inductee of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.
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.
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