Wisconsin senior Frank Kaminsky has been named to the watch list for the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award and junior Sam Dekker was named to the Julius Erving Award watch list, announced by the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame this week.
The Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award, in its inaugural year, recognizes the top centers in Division 1 men’s college basketball. The Julius Erving Award, also in its inaugural year, recognizes the top small forwards in the men’s game. Each watch list contains 15 candidates determined by a national committee comprised of top college basketball personnel.
By early March, the current lists of 15 finalists for both awards will be narrowed down to five players. The final five players in contention for the award will then be presented to Mr. Abdul-Jabbar and Mr. Erving, along with the Hall of Fame’s selection committee.
The winners will be presented at ESPN’s new College Basketball Awards in Los Angeles, California, on April 10.
Kaminsky leads the Badgers in scoring (17.6 ppg), rebounds 8.4 rpg), assists (59), blocks (38) and field goal percentage (.548).
Dekker is one of four players to rank in the Big Ten’s top 10 in points and rebounds during conference play, averaging 14.1 points and 6.2 rebounds per game.
