Basketball Hall of Fame Narrows Watch List for 2020 Karl Malone Award

Top Ten Collegiate Power Forwards Named as Candidates for the “Naismith Starting Five”

Springfield, Mass. — The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame announced today the 10 candidates for the 2020 Karl Malone Power Forward of the Year Award. Named after Class of 2010 Hall of Famer and two-time NBA Most Valuable Player Karl Malone, the annual honor in its sixth 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 in October, which has now been narrowed to just 10.

“The young men in this top ten list should be extremely proud and motivated as they continue their efforts this season,” said John L. Doleva, President and CEO of the Basketball Hall of Fame. “Karl Malone was an exemplary player who brought his best every game and we have been pleased to see a similar effort from these student athletes. It’s a joy to see the passion Mr. Malone has for selecting the athletes who win this esteemed annual award.”

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 50^th Anniversary All-Time Team. He also won two Olympic gold medals (1992, 1996).

Starting Five Fan Voting Presented by Dell Technologies will go live Friday, February 7 via hoophallawards.com. In March, five finalists will be presented to Mr. Malone and the Hall of Fame’s selection committee. The winner of the 2020 Karl Malone Award will be presented at The College Basketball Awards presented by Wendy’s in Los Angeles, CA on Friday, April 10, 2020, along with the other four members of the Men’s Starting Five.

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, in addition to the Women’s Starting Five. Broadcast information will be released by ESPN at a later date.

Previous winners of the Karl Malone Power Forward of the Year Award include Zion Williamson, Duke (2019). Deandre Ayton, Arizona (2018), Johnathan Motley, Baylor (2017), Georges Niang, Iowa State (2016) and MontrezlHarrell, Louisville (2015).

For more information on the 2020 Karl Malone Award and the latest updates, log onto www.hoophallawards.com and follow @hoophall and #MaloneAward on Twitter and Instagram.

2020 Karl Malone Power Forward of the Year Award Candidates* 

*Players can play their way onto and off of the list at any point in the 2019-20 season*

About the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame

Located in Springfield, Massachusetts, the city where basketball was born, the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame is an independent non-profit 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to promoting, preserving and celebrating the game of basketball at every level – men and women, amateur and professional players, coaches and contributors, both domestically and internationally. The Hall of Fame museum is home to more than 400 inductees and over 40,000 square feet of basketball history. Nearly 200,000 people visit the Hall of Fame museum each year to learn about the game, experience the interactive exhibits and test their skills on the Jerry Colangelo "Court of Dreams." Best known for its annual marquee Enshrinement Ceremony honoring the game’s elite, the Hall of Fame also operates over 70 high school and collegiate competitions annually throughout the country and abroad. For more information on the Basketball Hall of Fame organization, its museum and events, visit www.hoophall.com, follow @hoophall or call 1-877-4HOOPLA.