Kingsley Named Finalist For Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. – Arkansas junior Moses Kingsley has been named one of 10 finalists for the second annual Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Center of the Year Award presented by the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall Of Fame.

Named after Hall of Famer and three-time NCAA champion Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, the annual honor recognizes the top centers in men’s college basketball. A national committee comprised of top college basketball personnel determined the 10 finalists. The winner will be recognized at the ESPN College Basketball Awards presented by Wendy’s from Club Nokia in Los Angeles on Friday, April 8, 2016.

Last season, Frank Kaminsky of Wisconsin was named the inaugural award winner. Arkansas is the only program in the country to be represented as finalists in each of the first two years the award has been in existence, as Bobby Portis was named one of five finalists for the honor in 2015.

2016 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Center of the Year Award Finalists

• Moses Kingsley, Arkansas

• Josh Scott, Colorado

• Egidijus Mockevicius, Evansville

• Domantas Sabonis, Gonzaga

• Zach Auguste, Notre Dame

• AJ Hammons, Purdue

• Jakob Poeltl, Utah

• Ben Bentil, Providence

• Josh Hawkinson, Washington State

• Joel Bolomboy, Weber State

Kingsley continues to be one of the most improved players in college basketball. The junior posted one double-double and just 3.6 points per game last year before exploding on the scene during the 2015-16 season with 16.4 points per contest and 11 double-doubles to date.

The Abuja, Nigeria, native is one of five high major players in the country averaging 16 points and nine rebounds per game and one of two players in the land with multiple games of 20 points, 10 rebounds and five blocks. Kingsley has scored in double figures in all 22 games this season and posted six 20-point efforts.

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