Mark Williams Named to Kareem Abdul Jabbar Award Watch List

Duke freshman Mark Williams has been selected to the 2021 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Center of the Year Award watch list, the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame announced.

It’s the second straight year a Duke freshman has been named to the list. Williams follows Vernon Carey Jr., who was honored last season. A Blue Devil has never won in the seven-year history of the award.

Williams is one of four freshmen nationally named to the Abdul-Jabbar Award watch list. His selection gives Duke five total players over the Hall of Fame's five positional watch lists – Wendell Moore Jr. and Jalen Johnson (Julius Erving Award), Matthew Hurt (Karl Malone Award) and DJ Steward (Jerry West Award). No other team in the nation has more than four (Kentucky and Villanova).

In late January, the watch list of 20 players for the 2021 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Center of the Year Award will be narrowed down to just 10. In late February, five finalists will be presented to Mr. Abdul-Jabbar and the Hall of Fame's selection committee. The winner of the award will be presented on Friday, April 9, 2021, along with the other four members of the Naismith Men's Starting Five.

Matt Haarms – BYU

Mark Williams – Duke

Kofi Cockburn – Illinois

Luka Garza – Iowa

Olivier Sarr – Kentucky

Ahsan Asadullah – Lipscomb

Cameron Krutwig – Loyola Chicago

Mousa Cisse – Memphis

Liam Robbins – Minnesota

Armando Bacot – North Carolina

Walker Kessler – North Carolina

Trevion Williams – Purdue

Grant Golden – Richmond

Evan Mobley – USC

Neemias Queta – Utah State

Jay Huff – Virginia

Derek Culver – West Virginia

Charles Bassey – Western Kentucky

Micah Potter – Wisconsin

Loudon Love – Wright State