SPRINGFIELD, Mass. – South Dakota State's Mike Daum was named to the 2018 Karl Malone Power Forward of the Year Award Preseason Watch List, announced Thursday by the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.
Named after Hall of Famer and two-time NBA Most Valuable Player Karl Malone, the annual honor in its fourth year recognizes the top power forwards in Division I men's college basketball.
Daum is the nation's top returning scorer for the 2017-18 season, averaging 25.1 points per game last year. Named the Summit League's Preseason Player of the Year this month, Daum dropped a school-record 878 points last year and rose to No. 12 on the Jackrabbits' career scoring list.
The Kimball, Neb., native is one of 22 Division I players over the last 25 years to average more than 25 points and eight rebounds over a season, and leads a Jackrabbit team picked first in the Summit League's preseason poll.
"The recognition that Mike is receiving for this award is a testament to his character, work ethic and continued development," SDSU coach T.J. Otzelberger said. "We are excited to see him continue to take his game and our team to new heights this season."
Daum enters his junior season as one of the most accurate scorers nationally as well, with career shooting percentages of 52.8 from the field, 42.5 beyond the arc and 85.2 at the charity stripe.
A national committee comprised of top college basketball personnel determined the watch list of 20 candidates.
By mid-February, the watch list of 20 players for the 2018 Karl Malone Power Forward of the Year Award will be narrowed to just 10. In March, five finalists will be presented to Mr. Malone and the Hall of Fame's selection committee. The winner of the 2018 Karl Malone Award will be presented at the ESPN College Basketball Awards Show presented by Wendy's in Los Angeles, Calif., on Friday, April 6. Broadcast information will be released at a later date.
Previous winners of the Karl Malone Power Forward of the Year Award include Johnathan Motley, Baylor (2017), Georges Niang, Iowa State (2016), who was coached by Otzelberger, and Montrezl Harrell, Louisville (2015).
For more information on the 2018 Karl Malone Award, log onto www.HoophallAwards.com.
2018 Karl Malone Power Forward of the Year Award Candidates
Nana Foulland, Bucknell; Gary Clark Jr., Cincinnati; Marvin Bagley III, Duke; Wendell Carter Jr., Duke; Nick Mayo, Eastern Kentucky; Yante Maten, Georgia; Rokas Gustys, Hofstra; PJ Washington, Kentucky; Moritz Wagner, Michigan; Jordan Murphy, Minnesota; Alize Johnson, Missouri State; Bonzie Colson, Notre Dame; Mike Daum, South Dakota State; Reid Travis, Stanford; Obi Enechionyia, Temple; Dylan Osetkowski, Texas; Robert Williams, Texas A&M; Zach Smith, Texas Tech; William Lee, UAB; Bennie Boatwright, USC.
Note: Players can play their way onto and off the list at any point in the 2017-18 season.
