Bassey Selected as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Center of the Year Top-10 Candidate

FAN VOTE for Bassey — http://goto.ps/CBKareem2020

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. — WKU Hilltopper Basketball junior center Charles Bassey has been named a top-10 finalist for the 2021 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Center of the Year Award, as announced Friday by the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.

Named after Class of 1995 Hall of Famer and three-time NCAA Champion Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, the annual honor in its seventh year recognizes the top centers in men's college basketball. A national committee comprising top college basketball personnel trimmed the initial watch list to 10 candidates.

Bassey – a 6-foot-11, 235-pound native of Lagos, Nigeria – was named to the Kareem Award watch list last season before his sophomore campaign was cut short after just 10 games by a season-ending leg injury. He was a top-five finalist for the 2019 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award, and one of four freshmen to be named a finalist in the award's existence.

This adds to a surging list of honors for the All-American candidate.

Bassey has been named to the National Player of the Year watch lists for the John Wooden Award, Naismith Trophy and Lute Olson Award. He is also on the watch list for Naismith Defensive Player of the Year.

As of Thursday, Bassey led the nation in total blocks, rebounds, double-doubles and dunks. He also ranked second in blocks per game and defensive rebounds per game, as well as third in total rebounds per game.

The junior is averaging 17.8 points, 12.2 rebounds and 3.4 blocks per contest. He's one of just two players in the country with multiple games this season of at least 20 points, 10 rebounds and five blocks, and the only player with three such games.

Bassey is the only player in the nation since at least 2010 with three games in a season of at least 20 points, 14 rebounds and five blocks.

Bassey has also produced his eye-popping numbers against top competition. WKU's non-conference strength of schedule was ranked 16th in the country by the NET on Wednesday.

In four games against West Virginia, Louisville, Alabama and Memphis, he averaged 19 points, 12.3 rebounds and 3.8 blocks.

Bassey's been named Conference USA Player of the Week six times already this year, tying former Cincinnati star and longtime NBA pro Kenyon Martin for the league record for most in a single season.

College basketball fans are encouraged to participate in Fan Voting presented by Dell Technologies in each of the three rounds. Fans can vote for Bassey at the following link: http://goto.ps/CBKareem2020

In late February, five finalists will be presented to Mr. Abdul-Jabbar and the Hall of Fame's selection committee.

The winner of the 2021 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award will be presented on Friday, April 9, along with the other four members of the Men's Starting Five. Additional awards being presented include the Bob Cousy Point Guard Award, the Jerry West Shooting Guard Award, the Julius Erving Small Forward Award and the Karl Malone Power Forward Award, in addition to the Women's Starting Five.

Previous winners of the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Center of the Year Award include Luka Garza, Iowa (2020), 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 2021 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and the latest updates, log onto www.hoophallawards.com and follow @hoophall and #KareemAward on Twitter and Instagram.

2021 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Center of the Year Award Candidates*
Kofi Cockburn, Illinois
Luka Garza, Iowa
Hunter Dickinson, Michigan
Liam Robbins, Minnesota
Nate Watson, Providence
Trevion Williams, Purdue
Evan Mobley, USC
Neemias Queta, Utah State
Derek Culver, West Virginia
Charles Bassey, Western Kentucky

*Players can play their way onto and off of the list at any point in the 2020-2021 season*

Bassey Selected as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Center of the Year Top-10 Candidate

Players Mentioned

Charles Bassey

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