Tag: Karl Malone Award

Projected UNC basketball starter named to Karl Malone Award Watch List

Cade Tyson, arguably UNC’s greatest addition from the college basketball transfer portal, earned some major preseason recognition on Halloween.

I was a little concerned when the college basketball offseason started, as the North Carolina Tar Heels struck out on several, high-profile transfer portal targets to replace production from last year’s veterans.

With the regular season starting in just a couple days, though, that concern is no longer.

Not even a month after the NCAA Tournament ended, UNC head coach Hubert Davis landed sharp-shooting power forward Cade Tyson, the in-state junior who played his first two seasons of college ball at Belmont University.

Tyson hasn’t played a game yet in Carolina Blue, but he’s already gaining some well-deserved preseason recognition.

On Halloween (Thursday, Oct. 31), Tyson was named to the Karl Malone Award Watch List. Tyson is one of 20 total honorees, plus just one of two from the ACC (Clemson’s Ian Schieffelin)

If you’re a fan of the Utah Jazz, Los Angeles Lakers or simply just basketball in general, you’re likely familiar with the Award’s namesake, as Malone is one of the best power forwards to ever play the game.

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Tyson is exactly the kind of player who fits the Tar Heels’ roster. He’s 6’7″ and can play at either the 3 or 4, possibly even the 5 in smaller lineups, sort of like a Brady Manek-type star.

More importantly for UNC, Tyson can shoot – and make – 3-pointers. His numbers at Belmont were unconscious: a career 44.6 percent mark from beyond the arc, highlighted by a season-high of 46.5% last year.

North Carolina isn’t always known for its perimeter shooting, so Tyson fills an immediate void. Tyson’s also the type of Stretch 4 that helped the Tar Heels to their surprise, 2022 NCAA Title Game run, with the only difference being his name isn’t Brady Manek.

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Filipowski named Karl Malone Award finalist

After he was named one of the five finalists on Thursday, Kyle Filipowski could join Zion Williamson as the only Blue Devils to win the Malone Award as the nation’s best power forward.

The five national finalists for the Karl Malone Award were announced on Wednesday, and Duke 7-footer Kyle Filipowski is one of the names in contention.

The Malone Award is given to the nation’s best power forward each season, and Filipowski joined Akron’s Enrique Freeman, Dayton’s DaRon Holmes II, San Diego State’s Jaedon LeDee, and Utah State’s Great Osobor as the last players remaining for the honor.

Filipowski is averaging 16.5 points, 8.1 rebounds, and 2.9 assists this season. He’s shooting 50.7% from the floor and 35.2% from the 3-point line, and he’s added 1.6 blocks and 1.0 steals on the defensive end.

Through 30 games this season, the Duke big man has eight double-doubles and 10 20-point games, including a 30-point performance against Georgia Tech back in January.’

Indiana’s Trayce Jackson-Davis won the award last year, and Zion Williamson (2019) is the only Blue Devil to win the award in its 10-year history.

Brazile added to Karl Malone Watch List on Thursday

Sophomore forward Trevon Brazile was named to the Karl Malone watch list for the nation’s most outstanding power forward on Thursday.

Trevon Brazile is hoping for a big year in 2023-24 after getting his season cut short because of injury a year ago.

On Thursday he was named to the Karl Malone Award watch list, which honors the nation’s top collegiate power forward.

Brazile, a 6-foot-10 redshirt sophomore, averaged 12 points and 6 rebounds and shot 38 percent from behind the 3-point line in nine games played last season.

Other players from the SEC also on the list include Alabama’s Grant Nelson, a North Dakota State transfer, and Mississippi State’s Tolu Smith.

Duke’s Kyle Filipowski, who visits Fayetteville on Nov. 29, also appears on the list.

The list itself includes 20 players and a national committee of top college basketball personnel will vote on the award.

Duke’s Filipowski leads 20 power forwards on Karl Malone Award watch list

The Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame named 20 power forwards to its watch list for the position’s best, including Duke’s Kyle Filipowski.

The Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame released its watch list for the Karl Malone Award on Thursday, highlighting the 20 players expected to compete for the title of the nation’s best power forward.

Duke’s Kyle Filipowski offered the most star power on the list. A preseason Associated Press All-American, the 7-footer averaged 15.1 points, 9.0 rebounds, 1.3 steals, and 0.7 blocks per game as a freshman a year ago. He helped lead the Blue Devils to an ACC Tournament title before their second-round loss to Tennessee in the NCAA Tournament.

Mississippi State’s Tolu Smith, a senior who averaged 15.7 points and 8.5 rebounds last season, also featured on the list. Smith injured his foot in practice earlier this month, but should he come back early enough in the season, he should be one of the SEC’s best.

Storied recent programs like Gonzaga and UConn got names on the list as well. Read below to see all 20 names recognized by the voting committee.

Player School
Enrique Freeman Akron
Grant Nelson Alabama
Keshad Johnson Arizona
Trevon Brazile Arkansas
Fousseyni Traore BYU
Tristan da Silva Colorado
DaRon Holmes II Dayton
Kyle Filipowski Duke
Graham Ike Gonzaga
J’Wan Roberts Houston
Coleman Hawkins Illinois
Oso Ighodaro Marquette
Julian Reese Maryland
Norchad Omier Miami (FL)
Tolu Smith Mississippi State
Jevon Porter Pepperdine
Bryce Hopkins Providence
Adem Bona UCLA
Alex Karaban UConn
Drew Pember UNC Asheville

The list will be narrowed down to 10 in January, then five players the month after that. The winner will be selected from the five finalists in March.

Jabari Smith named finalist for Karl Malone Award

Jabari Smith has been recognized as one of the top power forwards in the country.

Jabari Smith has made the shortlist of the top power forwards in college basketball. The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame announced on Thursday that Smith was one of five finalists for the 2022 Karl Malone Power Forward of the Year Award.

Auburn’s superstar freshman leads them in scoring with 16.9 points per game and is second in rebounding with 8.2 per contest. Smith has become one of the top shooters in the country, making 42.5% of his 3-point attempts.

He is the first freshman in program history to record 500 points and 200 rebounds. Smith has also recorded five double-doubles performances and 12 20+ point outings this season including a career-high 31 against Vanderbilt on Feb. 16.

The other finalist is Paolo Banchero of Duke, Chet Holmgren of Gonzaga, Keegan Murray of Iowa, and EJ Liddell of Ohio State.

The award is named after Class of 2010 Hall of Famer and two-time NBA Most Valuable Player Karl Malone, the annual honor in its eighth year recognizes the top power forwards in NCAA Division I men’s college basketball.

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E.J. Liddell named a finalist for the Karl Malone Award

Ohio State basketball forward E.J. Liddell was one of five players named as a finalist for the Karl Malone Award Thursday.

Ohio State basketball forward E.J. Liddell has been named one of five finalists for the Karl Malone Award.

The Award has been around since 2004 and goes to college basketball’s best power forward on an annual basis. It is handed out by the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.

Liddell is averaging 19.6 points per game, which is good for fourth place in the Big Ten. He’s also averaging 7.7 rebounds per game to go along with 2.6 blocks and 2.6 assists per contest this season, all career bests.

The other players named as finalists include Duke’s Paolo Banchero, Gonzaga’s Chet Holmgren, Iowa’s Keegan Murray, and Auburn’s Jabari Smith.

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E.J. Liddell named finalist for Karl Malone Award

E.J. Liddell is up for a national award! #GoBucks

Ohio State forward E.J. Liddell has been named one of ten finalists for the Karl Malone Award, handed out annually to the best power forward in college basketball.

Liddell, a junior, has continued to improve his game after a sophomore season that saw him expand a skill set on the perimeter and in the mid-range from what we saw in his freshman campaign. The 6-foot, 7-inch, 240-pounder leads Ohio State in points per game (19.7), rebounds (7.5), blocks (2.7), and minutes (31.2).

The others named as finalists include Paolo Banchero of Duke, Arizona’s Azoulas Tubelis, Jabari Smith from Auburn, Colorado State’s David Roddy, Chet Holmgren of Gonzaga, LSU’s Tari Eason, Isaiah Mobley from USC, and a duo of Big Ten players; Iowa’s Keegan Murray and Indiana’s Trayce Jackson-Davis.

You can see Liddell in action for Ohio State again when the Buckeyes take on Maryland at home Sunday.

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Jabari Smith is a finalist for Karl Malone Award

Jabari Smith has been recognized as one of the top power forwards in the country.

Jabari Smith has been named one of the 10 candidates for the 2022 Karl Malone Power Forward of the Year Award as announced by the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame on Thursday.

Smith leads the No. 1 Auburn Tigers in scoring with 15.6 points per game and is second in rebounds, with 6.1 per game. He is shooting 40.5 percent from three, 44.0 percent from the field and 79.8 percent from the free throw line.

Auburn’s star freshman has already been named the SEC Freshman of the Week four times and scored in double figures in 19-of-22 games played.

The other finalist are Azuolas Tubelis of Arizona, David Roddy of Colorado State, Paolo Banchero of Duke, Chet Holmgren of Gonzaga, Trayce Jackson-Davis of Indiana, Keegan Murray of Iowa, Tari Eason of LSU, EJ Liddell of Ohio State and Isaiah Mobley of USC.

The Karl Malone Award Hall of Fame Karl Malone and recognizes the top power forwards in Division I men’s college basketball.

E.J. Liddell named to Karl Malone Award preseason watch list

How big of a year do you think E.J. Liddell will have this season?

Ohio State junior E.J. Liddell is one of twenty names announced Thursday on the 2022 Karl Malone Award preseason watch list. The award has been around for eight years and is awarded annually to the Division I basketball player judged to be the best forward in the game. A national committee of top college basketball personnel determined the watch list of 20 candidates.

Liddell took great strides in his game last season with significant increases in minutes, points, and other key stats. He was technically Ohio States’s second-leading scorer at 16.2 points per game, just behind the departed Duane Washington who averaged 16. 4 points per contest. You would be hard-pressed to not consider Liddell as the team’s MVP from last season as a first-team All-Big Ten performer.

The Belleville, Illinois product flirted with leaving early for the NBA last season but ultimately decided to come back for at least one more year as a Buckeyes. He has already expanded his outside game and conditioning, and we can’t wait to see what improvements he’s made with his game over this past offseason.

As the season progresses, the watch list will be narrowed to 10 followed by five finalists in late February. Then, in March, the five finalists will be presented to Karl Malone and the Hall of Fame’s selection committee where a winner will be chosen.

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LSU Basketball sophomore Trendon Watford on Karl Malone Watch List

LSU sophomore power forward Trendon Watford was named to the Karl Malone Award watch list ahead of the 2020-2021 college basketball season.

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LSU basketball sophomore forward Trendon Watford was selected to the Karl Malone Watch list on Tuesday.

Watford returns to LSU for his second season after considering leaving the program for the NBA draft.

The Karl Malone Award is given annually to the top power forward in college basketball. The award was started in 2014 and is named after 2010 Hall of Famer and two-time NBA Most Valuable Player Karl Malone.

Watford joins 19 other college basketball players on the watch list. Other notable SEC players include Isaiah Jackson from Kentucky, John Fulkerson from Tennessee, and Kevin Marfo from Texas A&M.

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Since the award began in 2014, no player in the SEC has been the recipient of it. Watford will look to change that this season, but he will be up against some of the NCAA’s best at the position.

Last season, the Tigers’ star power forward averaged 13.6 points and 7.2 rebounds per game. The Tigers finished the 2019-2020 season with a 21-10 record and would have likely made the NCAA Tournament before the coronavirus canceled college basketball’s annual 64-team tournament.

He started 30-of-31 games as a freshman for the Tigers and had 53 assists, 22 blocks, and 27 steals while shooting 48.9% from the floor.

In SEC play, Watford averaged 13.8 points and 8.1 rebounds per game in the 18-game conference schedule.

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The winner of the 2021 Karl Malone Award will be announced on April 9, 2021.

The Tigers begin their season in November.

While the schedule has yet to be released, the NCAA set a target start date of November 25. The SEC will release the conference schedule on Friday.

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