Basketball Hall of Fame to Announce Top Five Centers in Early March
SPRINGFIELD, MASS. – The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame announced today the ten watch list finalists for the 2016 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Center of the Year Award. Named after Hall of Famer and three-time NCAA Champion Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, the annual honor in its second year recognizes the top centers in men’s college basketball. A national committee comprised of top college basketball personnel determined the watch list of 20 candidates in October, which has now been narrowed to just ten.
“When it comes to collegiate centers, none have accomplished more than Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and we are pleased to include him in this celebration of the best in the game today,” said John L. Doleva, President and CEO of the Basketball Hall of Fame. “The ten athletes on this list should be very proud of what they have accomplished and we look forward to watching them play as they head towards the postseason.”
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar played for legendary coach John Wooden at the University of California, Los Angeles from 1966-1969. He is a three-time NCAA Champion who earned numerous accolades including three-time Final Four Most Outstanding Player, three-time National College Player of the Year and three-time Consensus First-Team All-American (1967-1969). Abdul-Jabbar is a 1995 inductee of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame and six-time NBA Champion.
In March, five finalists will be presented to Mr. Abdul-Jabbar and the Hall of Fame’s selection committee for the 2016 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Center of the Year Award. The winner of the 2016 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award will be presented at the ESPN College Basketball Awards presented by Wendy’s from Club Nokia in Los Angeles, CA on Friday, April 8, 2016. Broadcast information will be released at a later date.
Last season, Frank Kaminsky of Wisconsin was named the inaugural winner of the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Center of the Year Award. For more information on the 2016 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award, log ontowww.HoophallAwards.com.
2016 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Center of the Year Award Finalists
Moses Kingsley, Arkansas
Josh Scott, Colorado
Egidijus Mockevicius, Evansville
Domantas Sabonis, Gonzaga
Zach Auguste, Notre Dame
A.J. Hammons, Purdue
Jakob Poeltl, Utah
Ben Bentil, Providence
Josh Hawkinson, Washington State
Joel Bolomboy, Weber State
*Players can play their way onto and off of the list at any point in the 2015-16 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.
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