SPRINGFIELD, Mass. – Tennessee junior Grant Williams is one of five players who has been named a 2019 Karl Malone Power Forward of the Year Award finalist, the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame announced Thursday.
Named after Hall of Famer and former Louisiana Tech standout Karl Malone, the annual honor now in its fifth year recognizes the top power forward in Division I basketball. Previous winners include Deandre Ayton of Arizona (2018), Johnathan Motley of Baylor (2017), Georges Niang of Iowa State (2016) and Montrezl Harrell of Louisville (2015).
Williams, who was on the preseason and midseason watch lists, ranks in the top 10 of the SEC in scoring (1st), field-goal percentage (2nd), free-throw percentage (3rd), rebounding (5th) and assist/turnover ratio (10th).
The reigning SEC Player of the Year has been one of the nation’s most all-around players this year, averaging 19.1 points, 7.6 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 1.4 blocks and 1.2 steals per game. The Charlotte, N.C., native is also shooting 57 percent from the field and an impressive 83 percent from the charity stripe.
So far this year, the junior forward has been selected as a Citizen Naismith Trophy Men’s Player of the Year Semifinalist and also tabbed to the John R. Wooden Award Men’s Late Season Top 20 Watch List and the Oscar Robertson Trophy Final Midseason Watch List.
Williams and Kentucky’s PJ Washington are the only players from the SEC among the finalists. The winner of the award will be presented at the ESPN College Basketball Awards Show live from The Novo by Microsoft in Los Angeles, Calif. on Friday, April 12.
For more information on the 2019 Karl Malone Power Forward of the Year Award and the latest updates, log onto www.hoophallawards.com and follow @hoophall on Twitter and Instagram.
2019 Karl Malone Power Forward of the Year Award Candidates
Zion Williamson, Duke
Dedric Lawson, Kansas
PJ Washington, Kentucky
Mike Daum, South Dakota State
Grant Williams, Tennessee
UT Athletics
