Kalkbrenner Named A Finalist For Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Center of the Year Award
3/8/2024 12:00:00 PM | Men's Basketball
Senior center ranks among national leaders in field goal percentage and blocked shots
SPRINGFIELD, MASS. — Creighton senior Ryan Kalkbrenner is one of five finalists for the 2024 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award, the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame announced today. The annual Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award, named after the Class of 1995 Hall of Famer and three-time NCAA Champion, celebrates its 10th year by honoring the top centers in Division I men's college basketball.
Kalkbrenner ranks in the top five nationally in blocked shots (90) and top 10 nationally in field goal percentage (.652), leading the BIG EAST in both categories. The 7-foot-1 native of Florissant, Mo., averages 17.2 points and 7.3 rebounds per game and is the two-time reigning BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Year.
Fans can support their favorite player by participating in Fan Voting, presented by Dell Technologies, starting today on hoophallawards.com. The Fan Vote will count as one committee vote during the finalist selection process.
Later this month, the finalists will be presented to Abdul-Jabbar and the Hall of Fame's selection committees. The Selection Committees for the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award are composed of top men's and college basketball personnel, including media members, head coaches, sports information directors, and Hall of Famers.
The winner of the 2024 Abdul-Jabbar and Lisa Leslie Awards will be presented on a to-be-determined date, along with the other four members of the Men's and Women's Starting Five. Additional awards being presented include the Bob Cousy and Nancy Lieberman Awards (Point Guard), Jerry West and Ann Meyers Drysdale Awards (Shooting Guard), Julius Erving and Cheryl Miller Awards (Small Forward), and the Karl Malone and Katrina McClain Awards (Power Forward).
Previous winners of the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award are Zach Edey, Purdue (2023), Oscar Tshiebwe, Kentucky (2022), Luka Garza, Iowa (2020-21), Ethan Happ, Wisconsin (2019), Angel Delgado, Seton Hall (2018), Przemek Karnowski, Gonzaga (2017), Jakob Poeltl, Utah (2016), and Frank Kaminsky, Wisconsin (2015).
For more information on the 2024 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award and the latest updates, visit hoophallawards.com and follow @hoophall or #KareemAward on X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram.
About the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame
Located in Springfield, Massachusetts, the city where basketball was born, the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame is an independent non-profit 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to promoting, preserving, and celebrating the game of basketball at every level – men and women, amateur and professional players, coaches, and contributors, both domestically and internationally. The Hall of Fame museum is home to more than 400 inductees and over 40,000 square feet of basketball history. Nearly 200,000 people visit the Hall of Fame museum each year to learn about the game, experience the interactive exhibits and test their skills on the Jerry Colangelo "Court of Dreams." Best known for its annual marquee Enshrinement Ceremony honoring the game's elite, the Hall of Fame also operates over 70 high school and collegiate competitions annually throughout the country and abroad. For more information on the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame organization, its museum, and events, visit hoophall.com, follow @hoophall, or call 1-877-4HOOPLA.
| 2024 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award Finalists | |
| PJ Hall | Clemson |
| Ryan Kalkbrenner | Creighton |
| Hunter Dickinson | Kansas |
| Armando Bacot | North Carolina |
| Zach Edey | Purdue |
Kalkbrenner ranks in the top five nationally in blocked shots (90) and top 10 nationally in field goal percentage (.652), leading the BIG EAST in both categories. The 7-foot-1 native of Florissant, Mo., averages 17.2 points and 7.3 rebounds per game and is the two-time reigning BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Year.
Fans can support their favorite player by participating in Fan Voting, presented by Dell Technologies, starting today on hoophallawards.com. The Fan Vote will count as one committee vote during the finalist selection process.
Later this month, the finalists will be presented to Abdul-Jabbar and the Hall of Fame's selection committees. The Selection Committees for the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award are composed of top men's and college basketball personnel, including media members, head coaches, sports information directors, and Hall of Famers.
The winner of the 2024 Abdul-Jabbar and Lisa Leslie Awards will be presented on a to-be-determined date, along with the other four members of the Men's and Women's Starting Five. Additional awards being presented include the Bob Cousy and Nancy Lieberman Awards (Point Guard), Jerry West and Ann Meyers Drysdale Awards (Shooting Guard), Julius Erving and Cheryl Miller Awards (Small Forward), and the Karl Malone and Katrina McClain Awards (Power Forward).
Previous winners of the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award are Zach Edey, Purdue (2023), Oscar Tshiebwe, Kentucky (2022), Luka Garza, Iowa (2020-21), Ethan Happ, Wisconsin (2019), Angel Delgado, Seton Hall (2018), Przemek Karnowski, Gonzaga (2017), Jakob Poeltl, Utah (2016), and Frank Kaminsky, Wisconsin (2015).
For more information on the 2024 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award and the latest updates, visit hoophallawards.com and follow @hoophall or #KareemAward on X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram.
About the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame
Located in Springfield, Massachusetts, the city where basketball was born, the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame is an independent non-profit 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to promoting, preserving, and celebrating the game of basketball at every level – men and women, amateur and professional players, coaches, and contributors, both domestically and internationally. The Hall of Fame museum is home to more than 400 inductees and over 40,000 square feet of basketball history. Nearly 200,000 people visit the Hall of Fame museum each year to learn about the game, experience the interactive exhibits and test their skills on the Jerry Colangelo "Court of Dreams." Best known for its annual marquee Enshrinement Ceremony honoring the game's elite, the Hall of Fame also operates over 70 high school and collegiate competitions annually throughout the country and abroad. For more information on the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame organization, its museum, and events, visit hoophall.com, follow @hoophall, or call 1-877-4HOOPLA.
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