University of North Carolina Ashville Athletics
Pember named to Karl Malone Award Watch List
10.26.2023 | Men's Basketball
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. – The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame has announced UNC Asheville fifth-year senior Drew Pember as one of 20 players named to the watch list for the 2024 Karl Malone Power Forward of the Year Award.
Pember had one of the best seasons in UNC Asheville history in 2022-23. He recorded three 40-plus point outings, including a school record 48 points against Presbyterian on January 25, 2023, the most points scored in a single game in Division I during the 2022-23 season. Pember was the first Big South player to lead the league in scoring, rebounding, and blocks in a season and led the country in free throws made and attempted. He was named the Big South Player of the Week five times and a finalist for the Lute Olson (Top Player in Division I) and Lou Henson (Top Player in Mid-Majors) National Player of the Year awards. After the regular season, Pember was named the Big South's Player and Defensive Player of the Year and earned Big South Tournament MVP. He is the first player in conference history to be named Preseason Player of the Year, Player of the Year, Defensive Player of the Year, and Tournament MVP in the same season. He also was named to the 2023 Lou Henson All-America Team.
He is entering the 2023-24 season as the Big South Conference's Preseason Player of the Year.
Pember is the first UNC Asheville Bulldog to be named to the watchlist.
Named after Class of 2010 Hall of Famer and two-time NBA Most Valuable Player Karl Malone, the annual honor, in its tenth year, recognizes the top power forwards in Division I men's college basketball. A national committee of top college basketball personnel determined the watch list of 20 candidates.
Fans are encouraged to participate in Fan Voting, presented by Dell Technologies, in each of the three rounds beginning Friday, October 27. In late January, the watch list of 20 players for the 2024 Karl Malone Award will be narrowed to 10, and then in late February, to just five. In March, the five finalists will be presented to Malone and the Hall of Fame's selection committee, where a winner will be selected.
The winner of the 2024 Karl Malone Award will be presented on a to-be-determined date, along with the other four members of the Men's Starting Five. Additional awards being presented include the Bob Cousy Award (Point Guard), Jerry West Award (Shooting Guard), Julius Erving Award (Small Forward), and the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award (Center), in addition to the Women's Starting Five.
For more information on the 2024 Karl Malone Award and the latest updates, visit hoophallawards.com and follow @hoophallu and #MaloneAward on Twitter and Instagram.
2024 Karl Malone Award Candidates
|
Enrique Freeman |
Akron |
Coleman Hawkins |
Illinois |
|
Grant Nelson |
Alabama |
Oso Ighodaro |
Marquette |
|
Keshad Johnson |
Arizona |
Julian Reese |
Maryland |
|
Trevon Brazile |
Arkansas |
Norchad Omier |
Miami (Fla.) |
|
Fouesseyni Traore |
BYU |
Tolu Smith |
Mississippi State |
|
Tristan da Silva |
Colorado |
Jevon Porter |
Pepperdine |
|
DaRon Holmes II |
Dayton |
Bryce Hopkins |
Providence |
|
Kyle Filipowski |
Duke |
Adem Bona |
UCLA |
|
Graham Ike |
Gonzaga |
Alex Karaban |
UConn |
|
J'Wan Roberts |
Houston |
UNC Asheville |
