COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Ohio State basketball’s Kaleb Wesson has been named as one of the 10 finalists for the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Center of the Year Award.
The junior big man is averaging team-highs in points (14.3), rebounds (9.8) and blocks (1.1) per game for the Buckeyes who hold a 15-7 overall record and 5-6 record in the Big Ten. He is the 58th player in Ohio State history to reach 1,000 points in his career.
The winner of the award will be announced at the College Basketball Awards presented by Wendy’s in Los Angeles on April 10 and will be apart of the Naismith Starting Five.
“The athletes on this list model many of the traits that made Kareem Abdul-Jabbar a world-class player,” John L. Doleva, President and CEO of the Basketball Hall of Fame said in a statement. “Mr. Abdul-Jabbar is unmatched when it comes to his accomplishments at both the collegiate and professional level. As an advocate for education and character, he brings a unique perspective when evaluating talent and we greatly value his input throughout this process.”
Joining Wesson as finalists are Duke’s Vernon Carey Jr., Georgetown’s Omer Yurtseven, Gonzaga’s Filip Petrusev, Iowa’s Luka Garza, Kansas’ Udoka Azubuike, Minnesota’s Daniel Oturu, USC’s Onyeka Okongwu, Washington’s Isaiah Stewart and William and Mary’s Nathan Knight.
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