Carlton Bragg Jr. named to Karl Malone Award watch list

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. – Kansas sophomore Carlton Bragg Jr., has been named one of 20 candidates for the 2017 Karl Malone Power Forward of the Year Award, the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame announced Thursday.
 
Named after Hall of Famer and two-time NBA Most Valuable Player Karl Malone, the annual honor in its third year recognizes the top power forwards in NCAA Division I men’s college basketball. A national committee comprised of top college basketball personnel determined the watch list of 20 candidates.
 
Bragg is the third Jayhawk to be named to a Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame award watch list this week. On Monday, senior guard Frank Mason III was named to the 2017 Bob Cousy Point Guard Award list and on Tuesday Devonte’ Graham was named to the 2017 Jerry West Shooting Guard of the Year Award list.
 
A Cleveland native, Bragg should play more of a key role for the Jayhawks this upcoming season with the departure of All-American Perry Ellis. Bragg, who averaged 3.8 points and 2.5 rebounds per game, played in all 38 games for KU in 2015-16 in a backup role to Ellis. Ellis was one of five finalists for the Karl Malone Power Forward Award each of the last two seasons.
 
Bragg came on strong toward the end of 2015-16. He scored a career-high 12 points against Kansas State in the quarterfinals of the 2016 Big 12 Championship and answered that with a 10-point, seven-round effort in KU’s win against Baylor in the semifinals. In KU’s win against Maryland in the NCAA Tournament Sweet 16, Bragg pulled down a career-high eight rebounds.
 
Karl Malone attended Louisiana Tech University due to its close proximity to his hometown of Summerfield, Louisiana. He led the Bulldogs to a Sweet 16 appearance and earned All-Southland honors in his three seasons while averaging 18.7 points and 9.3 rebounds per game. Malone achieved great success during his 19 seasons in the NBA as a 14-time NBA All-Star (1988-98, 2000-02), 11-time All-NBA First Team player (1989-99) and a member of the NBA’s 50^th Anniversary All-Time Team. He also won two Olympic gold medals (1992, 1996).
 
By mid-February, the watch list of 20 players for the 2017 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 2017 Karl Malone Award will be presented at the ESPN College Basketball Awards in Los Angeles on Friday, April 7, 2017. Broadcast information will be released at a later date.
 
Previous winners of the Karl Malone Power Forward of the Year Award include Georges Niang, Iowa State (2016) and Montrezl Harrell, Louisville (2015). For more information on the 2017 Karl Malone Award, log onto www.HoophallAwards.com.
 
2017 Karl Malone Power Forward of the Year Award Candidates 

    *Players can play their way onto and off of the list at any point in the 2016-17 season*
 
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