The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame announced today the 20 watch list members for the 2023 Karl Malone Power Forward of the Year Award and Wyoming's Graham Ike was named to the list. He was named the Mountain West Preseason Player of the Year last week along with earning a spot on the All-MW Preseason team.
Ike is the first Cowboy to be named to the award watch list since Larry Nance Jr. was named a finalist during the 2014-15 season.
"The Basketball Hall of Fame is proud to annually recognize the best power forwards in the collegiate game with the Karl Malone Award, which bears the name of one of the greatest players of all time," said John L. Doleva, President and CEO of the Basketball Hall of Fame. "To be named to the watchlist of the Karl Malone Award is a great honor and I know he values the opportunity to watch these players compete throughout the season. We are honored to have his unique perspective in our evaluation each year."
The Aurora, Colo. native, Ike was a First Team All-MW by the media and Second Team by the coaches last season. He ranked second in the MW and No. 30 in the nation in points per game with 19.5. He ranked second in the MW and No. 21 in the nation in rebounding at 9.6 per night. He scored in double-figures in all but one game during the season. He scored 25 or more points in a game nine times during the season including 4-of-5 games during the opening stretch of conference play. He is one of only two returning players in the NCAA to average over 19 points and nine rebounds per game.
Fans are encouraged to participate in Fan Voting, presented by Dell Technologies, in each of the three rounds beginning Friday, October 28. In late January, the watch list of 20 players for the 2022 Karl Malone Power Forward of the Year Award will be narrowed to 10 and then in late February to just five. In March the five finalists will be presented to Malone and the Hall of Fame's selection committee where a winner will be selected.
The winner of the 2023 Karl Malone 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 Award (Small Forward) and the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award (Center), in addition to the Women's Starting Five.
Previous winners of the Karl Malone Power Forward of the Year Award include Keegan Murray, Iowa (2022), Drew Timme, Gonzaga (2021), Obi Toppin, Dayton (2020), Zion Williamson, Duke (2019), Deandre Ayton, Arizona (2018), Johnathan Motley, Baylor (2017), Georges Niang, Iowa State (2016) and Montrezl Harrell, Louisville (2015).
For more information on the 2023 Karl Malone Award and the latest updates, visit hoophallawards.com and follow @hoophall and #MaloneAward on Twitter and Instagram.
About Karl Malone
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 50th Anniversary All-Time Team and was listed as one of the league's 75 greatest players in 2021. He also won two Olympic gold medals (1992, 1996).
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.
2023 Karl Malone Award Candidates*
| Enrique Freeman | Akron | Kris Murray | Iowa |
| Ažuolas Tubelis | Arizona | KJ Williams | LSU |
| Johni Broome | Auburn | Donta Scott | Maryland |
| Arthur Kaluma | Creighton | DeAndre Williams | Memphis |
| DaRon Holmes II | Dayton | Norchad Omier | Miami (Fl.) |
| Kyle Filipowski | Duke | Pete Nance | North Carolina |
| Jalen Slawson | Furman | GG Jackson | South Carolina |
| Drew Timme | Gonzaga | Jayden Gardner | Virginia |
| Jarace Walker | Houston | Justyn Mutts | Virginia Tech |
| Trayce Jackson-Davis | Indiana | Graham Ike | Wyoming |
The Cowboys open the season on November 7 hosting Colorado Christian in the Arena-Auditorium for a 7 p.m. start.
Original source can be found here.
Alerts Sign-up