🏀 Dickinson Named to the 2024 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Center of the Year Watch List

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. – Kansas senior center Hunter Dickinson is one of 20 players named to the 2024 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Center of the Year Award Watch List, the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame announced Friday. 

Kansas has four players represented on the Naismith Award’s Men’s Starting Five watch lists with Dajuan Harris Jr. on the Bob Cousy Award, Kevin McCullar Jr. on the Jerry West Award, Johnny Furphy on the Julius Erving Award and Dickinson.

On most every preseason All-America first team lists, Dickinson is the Big 12 Preseason Player of the Year and the Big 12 Newcomer of the Year, becoming the first player in conference history to earn both honors in the same season.  

A fourth-year transfer from Michigan, Dickinson earned many national and conference honors with the Wolverines, including Consensus All-America Second Team in 2021. The 7-foot-2 Alexandria, Virginia, center was a three-time All-Big Ten selection with first team honors in 2022 and 2023. Dickinson averaged 17.2 points and 8.4 rebounds for his career and led Michigan in points and rebounds each of the last three seasons. Dickinson has compiled career statistics of 1,617 points, 787 rebounds and 149 blocked shots entering 2023-24. A general studies major, Dickinson was named to the All-Big Ten Academic Team in 2022 and 2023.

Named after Class of 1995 Hall of Famer and three-time NCAA Champion Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, the annual honor in its 10th year recognizes the top center in men’s college basketball. A national committee of top college basketball personnel determined the watch list of 20 candidates.

Fans are encouraged to participate in Fan Voting in each of the three rounds starting on Friday, October 27. In late January, the watch list of 20 players for the 2024 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award will be narrowed to 10, and then in late February, to just 5. In March, the five finalists will be presented to Abdul-Jabbar and the Hall of Fame’s selection committee, where a winner will be selected.  

The winner of the 2024 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 Award (Small Forward) and the Karl Malone (Power Forward), in addition to the Women’s Starting Five. Kansas’ Jalen Wilson was the 2023 Julius Erving Award recipient and Jayhawk Frank Mason III won the 2017 Bob Cousy Award.

For more information on the 2024 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Center of the Year Award and the latest updates, visit hoophallawards.com and follow @hoophallu and #AbdulJabbarAward on Twitter and Instagram. 

2024 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar of the Year Award Candidates* 

Armando Bacot, UNC  
Oumar Ballo, Arizona  
Aziz Bandaogo, Cincinnati  
Aaron Bradshaw, Kentucky  
Johni Broome, Auburn  
Jordan Brown, Memphis  
Branden Carlson, Utah  
Donovan Clingan, UCONN  
N’Faly Dante, Oregon  
HUNTER DICKINSON, KANSAS  
Eric Dixon, Villanova  
Zach Edey, Purdue  
Jesse Edwards, West Virginia  
Dawson Garcia, Minnesota  
Ryan Kalkbrenner, Creighton  
Aday Mara, UCLA  
Clifford Omoruyi, Rutgers  
Jamarian Sharp, Ole Miss  
Joel Soriano, St. Johns  
Kel’el Ware, Indiana 

*Players can play their way onto and off the list at any point in the 2023-24 season.