Lawson named Karl Malone Power Forward of the Year finalist
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. – Kansas redshirt-junior Dedric Lawson has been named one of 10 finalists for the Karl Malone Power Forward of the Year Award the Naismith Hall of Fame announced Thursday.
In March, five finalists will be presented to Mr. Malone and the Hall of Fame’s selection committee. The winner of the 2019 Karl Malone Award will be presented at The College Basketball Awards presented by Wendy’s in Los Angeles on Friday, April 12, 2019, along with the other four members of the Naismith Starting 5. 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. Broadcast information will be released by ESPN at a later date.
This is the third national player of the year award watch list/finalist Lawson has been recently named to. Earlier this week he was a Wooden Award Late Season Top 20 list and an Oscar Robertson Trophy Final Midseason Top 20 list.
Lawson leads the Big 12 in scoring at 19.4 points per game and rebounding with a 10.8 average. The Memphis, Tennessee, native has four double-doubles in his last six games and is the only player in the Big 12 averaging a double-double. Lawson has a Big 12-leading 15 double-doubles for the season, which is tied for second nationally. On most every national player of the year watch lists and a Sporting News Midseason All-America First Team selection, Lawson has scored 20 or more points in 12 games this season, including three of the last five contests. A three-time Big 12 Player of the Week (11/12, 11/26, 12/26) and four-time league newcomer of the week (12/3, 12/17, 1/14, 1/28), Lawson leads KU with 26 blocked shots and his 1.2 blocks per game are fifth in the conference and his 50.8 field goal percentage is sixth.
Previous winners of the Karl Malone Power Forward of the Year Award include Deandre Ayton, Arizona (2018), Johnathan Motley, Baylor (2017), Georges Niang, Iowa State (2016) and Montrezl Harrell, Louisville (2015).
2019 Karl Malone Power Forward of the Year Award Candidates
Name – school
Yoeli Childs – BYU
Zion Williamson – Duke
DEDRIC LAWSON – KANSAS
P.J. Washington – Kentucky
Ignas Brazdeikis – Michigan
Jordan Murphy – Minnesota
Luke Maye – North Carolina
Mike Daum – South Dakota State
Grant Williams – Tennessee
Eric Paschall – Villanova
*Players can play their way onto and off of the list at any point in the 2018-19 season*
For more information and the latest updates on the 2019 Karl Malone Award, log onto www.hoophallawards.com and follow @hoophall and #MaloneAward on Twitter and Instagram.
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