Bol Bol

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. – Freshmanwas one of 20 players nationally named to the 2019 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Center of the Year Award watch list by the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame on Friday.Bol, from Olathe, Kan., was ranked as the nation's No. 3 recruit and the top center among high schooler seniors in 2018. He was a five-star recruit with a scout grade of 95 according to ESPN. Bol was selected for the 2018 McDonald's All-America game and the Jordan Brand Classic and was named a finalist for the Naismith national high school boys' player of the year.Named after Class of 1995 Hall of Famer and three-time NCAA champion Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, the annual honor in its fifth year recognizes the top centers in men's college basketball. A national committee comprising top college basketball personnel determined the watch list of 20 candidates."Rounding out our Naismith Starting 5 is an award in honor of a man whose talent and accolades are unparalleled," said John L. Doleva, President and CEO of the Basketball Hall of Fame. "Kareem Abdul-Jabbar built a legacy at UCLA and continued his winning ways as a pro. We're grateful for his involvement in our college positional awards and the time and thought he dedicates toward selecting a recipient come April."By mid-February, the watch list of 20 players for the 2019 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Center of the Year Award will be narrowed down to just 10. In March, five finalists will be presented to Mr. Abdul-Jabbar and the Hall of Fame's selection committee. The winner of the 2019 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award will be presented at The College Basketball Awards presented by Wendy's in Los Angeles on April 12, 2019.Previous winners of the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Center of the Year Award include Angel Delgado, Seton Hall (2018), Przemek Karnowski, Gonzaga (2017), Jakob Poeltl, Utah (2016) and Frank Kaminsky, Wisconsin (2015).For more information and the latest updates on the 2019 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, log onto www.hoophallawards.com and follow @hoophall and #KareemAward on Twitter and Instagram.Daniel Gafford ArkansasAustin Wiley AuburnJames Thompson IV Eastern MichiganJessie Govan GeorgetownKillian Tillie GonzagaAlessandro Lever Grand CanyonUdoka Azubuike KansasNick Richards KentuckyCameron Krutwig Loyola-Ill.Naz Reid LSUJalen Smith MarylandDewan Hernandez MiamiNick Ward Michigan StateJontay Porter MissouriMoses Brown UCLAJames Dickey UNC GreensboroCharles Bassey Western KentuckyNathan Knight William & MaryEthan Happ Wisconsin- www.GoDucks.com -