10/30/2026 10:01:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Award goes to nation’s best collegiate center
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. – Gonzaga's Massamba Diop was named to the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award Watch List. The Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame announced the 20 watch-list candidates Friday.
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Named after Class of 1995 Hall of Famer and three-time NCAA Champion Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, the annual honor in its 13th year recognizes the top centers in men's college basketball. A national committee of top college basketball personnel determined the watch list of 20 candidates.
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Diop, a Rufisque, Senegal, native, averaged 13.6 points, 5.8 rebounds and 2.1 blocks per game as a freshman last season at Arizona State. The 7-foot-1 center started all 33 games and shot 56.9 percent from the field. His 69 blocked shots ranked second in the Big 12 and third nationally among freshmen, while he also recorded 36 steals and 38 assists.
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Kareem Abdul-Jabbar played for legendary coach and Hall of Famer 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 (1967-69).
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Fans can support their favorite player by participating in Fan Voting starting today. In February, the watch list of 20 players for the 2027 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award will be narrowed to 10, then to five in March. In late March, the five finalists will be presented to Abdul-Jabbar and the Hall of Fame's selection committee, where the winner will be selected. The selection committee for the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award is composed of top men's college basketball personnel, including media members, head coaches, sports information directors, and Hall of Famers.
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The winner of the 2027 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award will be presented on a to-be-determined date, along with the other four members of the Men's Starting Five. Additional awards being presented include the Bob Cousy Award (Point Guard), Jerry West Award (Shooting Guard), Julius Erving (Small Forward), and the Karl Malone Award (Power Forward).
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Previous winners of the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award include Ryan Kalkbrenner, Creighton (2025), Zach Edey, Purdue (2023-24), Oscar Tshiebwe, Kentucky (2022), Luka Garza, Iowa (2020-21), Ethan Happ, Wisconsin (2019), Angel Delgado, Seton Hall (2018), and Przemek Karnowski, Gonzaga (2017).
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For more information on the 2027 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award and the latest updates, visit hoophallawards.com and follow @hoophallu and #KareemAward on X and Instagram.
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2026-27 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award Candidates*
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Named after Class of 1995 Hall of Famer and three-time NCAA Champion Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, the annual honor in its 13th year recognizes the top centers in men's college basketball. A national committee of top college basketball personnel determined the watch list of 20 candidates.
Â
Diop, a Rufisque, Senegal, native, averaged 13.6 points, 5.8 rebounds and 2.1 blocks per game as a freshman last season at Arizona State. The 7-foot-1 center started all 33 games and shot 56.9 percent from the field. His 69 blocked shots ranked second in the Big 12 and third nationally among freshmen, while he also recorded 36 steals and 38 assists.
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Kareem Abdul-Jabbar played for legendary coach and Hall of Famer 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 (1967-69).
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Fans can support their favorite player by participating in Fan Voting starting today. In February, the watch list of 20 players for the 2027 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award will be narrowed to 10, then to five in March. In late March, the five finalists will be presented to Abdul-Jabbar and the Hall of Fame's selection committee, where the winner will be selected. The selection committee for the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award is composed of top men's college basketball personnel, including media members, head coaches, sports information directors, and Hall of Famers.
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The winner of the 2027 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award will be presented on a to-be-determined date, along with the other four members of the Men's Starting Five. Additional awards being presented include the Bob Cousy Award (Point Guard), Jerry West Award (Shooting Guard), Julius Erving (Small Forward), and the Karl Malone Award (Power Forward).
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Previous winners of the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award include Ryan Kalkbrenner, Creighton (2025), Zach Edey, Purdue (2023-24), Oscar Tshiebwe, Kentucky (2022), Luka Garza, Iowa (2020-21), Ethan Happ, Wisconsin (2019), Angel Delgado, Seton Hall (2018), and Przemek Karnowski, Gonzaga (2017).
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For more information on the 2027 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award and the latest updates, visit hoophallawards.com and follow @hoophallu and #KareemAward on X and Instagram.
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2026-27 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award Candidates*
| NAME | SCHOOL |
| Motiejus Krivas | Arizona |
| Oswin Erhunmwunse | Creighton |
| Patrick Ngongba II | Duke |
| Rueben Chinyelu | Florida |
| Marcis Ponder | FSU |
| Massamba Diop | Gonzaga |
| Tomislav Ivišić | Illinois |
| Andrew McKeever | Iowa |
| Malachi Moreno | Kentucky |
| Flory Bidunga | Louisville |
| Sananda Fru | Marquette |
| Pharrel Payne | Maryland |
| Somo Cyril | Miami |
| Moustapha Thiam | Michigan |
| Daniel Jacobsen | Purdue |
| Jaden Toombs | SMU |
| Matas Vokietaitis | Texas |
| Luigi Suigo | Villanova |
| Johann Grünloh | Virginia |
| Nolan Winter | Wisconsin |
Players Mentioned
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