University of Memphis Athletics
Photo by: Matthew A. Smith
Williams Named to Karl Malone Award Watch List
Oct 27, 2022 | Men's Basketball
Springfield, Mass.— The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame announced Thursday that University of Memphis senior DeAndre Williams is one of 20 players across the country named to the watch list for the 2023 Karl Malone Award.
Named after Class of 2010 Hall of Famer and two-time NBA Most Valuable Player Karl Malone, the annual honor in its ninth year recognizes the top power forwards in Division I men's college basketball. A national committee of top college basketball personnel determined the watch list of 20 candidates.
"The Basketball Hall of Fame is proud to annually recognize the best power forwards in the collegiate game with the Karl Malone Award, which bears the name of one of the greatest players of all time," said John L. Doleva, President and CEO of the Basketball Hall of Fame. "To be named to the watchlist of the Karl Malone Award is a great honor and I know he values the opportunity to watch these players compete throughout the season. We are honored to have his unique perspective in our evaluation each year."
Williams was named a preseason First-Team All-American Athletic Conference selection alongside Kendric Davis, making Memphis the only team in the league with multiple nods on the top squad.
The Houston, Texas product has 60 starts under his belt in 65 career games over the last three seasons between Memphis and Evansville (2019-20). The 6-foot-9 forward has accumulated 807 points (12.4 ppg), 396 rebounds (6.1 rpg) and 166 assists (2.6 apg) and is a career 56.7-percent shooter from the floor.
Williams landed on the all-conference second team a season ago after ranking second on the Tigers in scoring (11.4 ppg) and rebounding (5.8 rpg), while shooting 56.4 percent from the field in 26 outings.
In the team's exhibition opener against Christian Brothers on Oct. 23, Williams nearly grabbed a double-double with 12 points and nine boards. He also added three dimes and pulled down a team-high four offensive rebounds.
2023 Karl Malone Award Candidates*
*Players can play their way onto and off the list at any point in the 2022-2023 season.
Fans are encouraged to participate in Fan Voting, presented by Dell Technologies, in each of the three rounds beginning Friday, October 28. In late January, the watch list of 20 players for the 2022 Karl Malone Power Forward of the Year Award will be narrowed to 10 and then in late February to just five. In March the five finalists will be presented to Malone and the Hall of Fame's selection committee where a winner will be selected.
The winner of the 2023 Karl Malone 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 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award (Center), in addition to the Women's Starting Five.
Previous winners of the Karl Malone Power Forward of the Year Award include Keegan Murray, Iowa (2022), Drew Timme, Gonzaga (2021), Obi Toppin, Dayton (2020), Zion Williamson, Duke (2019), Deandre Ayton, Arizona (2018), Johnathan Motley, Baylor (2017), Georges Niang, Iowa State (2016) and Montrezl Harrell, Louisville (2015).
For more information on the 2023 Karl Malone Award and the latest updates, visit hoophallawards.com and follow @hoophall and #MaloneAward on Twitter and Instagram.
About Karl Malone
Karl Malone attended Louisiana Tech University due to its close proximity to his hometown of Summerfield, Louisiana. He led the Bulldogs to a Sweet 16 appearance and earned All-Southland honors in his three seasons while averaging 18.7 points and 9.3 rebounds per game. Malone achieved great success during his 19 seasons in the NBA as a 14-time NBA All-Star (1988-98, 2000-02), 11-time All-NBA First Team player (1989-99) and a member of the NBA's 50th Anniversary All-Time Team and was listed as one of the league's 75 greatest players in 2021. He also won two Olympic gold medals (1992, 1996).
How to follow the Tigers: For complete information on Memphis Tiger Men's Basketball, visit www.GoTigersGo.com and follow the team's social media channels on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
Named after Class of 2010 Hall of Famer and two-time NBA Most Valuable Player Karl Malone, the annual honor in its ninth year recognizes the top power forwards in Division I men's college basketball. A national committee of top college basketball personnel determined the watch list of 20 candidates.
"The Basketball Hall of Fame is proud to annually recognize the best power forwards in the collegiate game with the Karl Malone Award, which bears the name of one of the greatest players of all time," said John L. Doleva, President and CEO of the Basketball Hall of Fame. "To be named to the watchlist of the Karl Malone Award is a great honor and I know he values the opportunity to watch these players compete throughout the season. We are honored to have his unique perspective in our evaluation each year."
Williams was named a preseason First-Team All-American Athletic Conference selection alongside Kendric Davis, making Memphis the only team in the league with multiple nods on the top squad.
The Houston, Texas product has 60 starts under his belt in 65 career games over the last three seasons between Memphis and Evansville (2019-20). The 6-foot-9 forward has accumulated 807 points (12.4 ppg), 396 rebounds (6.1 rpg) and 166 assists (2.6 apg) and is a career 56.7-percent shooter from the floor.
Williams landed on the all-conference second team a season ago after ranking second on the Tigers in scoring (11.4 ppg) and rebounding (5.8 rpg), while shooting 56.4 percent from the field in 26 outings.
In the team's exhibition opener against Christian Brothers on Oct. 23, Williams nearly grabbed a double-double with 12 points and nine boards. He also added three dimes and pulled down a team-high four offensive rebounds.
2023 Karl Malone Award Candidates*
| Enrique Freeman | Akron | Kris Murray | Iowa |
| Ąžuolas Tubelis | Arizona | KJ Williams | LSU |
| Johni Broome | Auburn | Donta Scott | Maryland |
| Arthur Kaluma | Creighton | DeAndre Williams | Memphis |
| DaRon Holmes II | Dayton | Norchad Omier | Miami (Fl.) |
| Kyle Filipowski | Duke | Pete Nance | North Carolina |
| Jalen Slawson | Furman | GG Jackson | South Carolina |
| Drew Timme | Gonzaga | Jayden Gardner | Virginia |
| Jarace Walker | Houston | Justyn Mutts | Virginia Tech |
| Trayce Jackson-Davis | Indiana | Graham Ike | Wyoming |
*Players can play their way onto and off the list at any point in the 2022-2023 season.
Fans are encouraged to participate in Fan Voting, presented by Dell Technologies, in each of the three rounds beginning Friday, October 28. In late January, the watch list of 20 players for the 2022 Karl Malone Power Forward of the Year Award will be narrowed to 10 and then in late February to just five. In March the five finalists will be presented to Malone and the Hall of Fame's selection committee where a winner will be selected.
The winner of the 2023 Karl Malone 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 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award (Center), in addition to the Women's Starting Five.
Previous winners of the Karl Malone Power Forward of the Year Award include Keegan Murray, Iowa (2022), Drew Timme, Gonzaga (2021), Obi Toppin, Dayton (2020), Zion Williamson, Duke (2019), Deandre Ayton, Arizona (2018), Johnathan Motley, Baylor (2017), Georges Niang, Iowa State (2016) and Montrezl Harrell, Louisville (2015).
For more information on the 2023 Karl Malone Award and the latest updates, visit hoophallawards.com and follow @hoophall and #MaloneAward on Twitter and Instagram.
About Karl Malone
Karl Malone attended Louisiana Tech University due to its close proximity to his hometown of Summerfield, Louisiana. He led the Bulldogs to a Sweet 16 appearance and earned All-Southland honors in his three seasons while averaging 18.7 points and 9.3 rebounds per game. Malone achieved great success during his 19 seasons in the NBA as a 14-time NBA All-Star (1988-98, 2000-02), 11-time All-NBA First Team player (1989-99) and a member of the NBA's 50th Anniversary All-Time Team and was listed as one of the league's 75 greatest players in 2021. He also won two Olympic gold medals (1992, 1996).
How to follow the Tigers: For complete information on Memphis Tiger Men's Basketball, visit www.GoTigersGo.com and follow the team's social media channels on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
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