SPRINGFIELD, MASS. --  Kingsley Okoroh is one of 20 NCAA Division I centers on the watch list for the 2018 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Center of the Year Award, the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame announced Friday.
 
Named after Hall of Famer, three-time NCAA champion, six-time NBA champion and six-NBA MVP Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, the yearly award recognizes the top center in Division I men's college basketball. A national committee consisting of top college basketball personnel selected the 20 preseason candidates.
 
Okoroh enters his senior season following Pac-12 All-Defensive Honorable Mention laurels last year. He logged 74 blocks to become Cal's single-season blocked shots leader. The Derby, England native started 24 contests in 2016-17 -- appearing in all 34 games -- en route to averaging a career-best in points (4.6) and rebounds (5.5). During his junior season, Okoroh also averaged 2.2 blocks per a game and recorded four or more blocks in six outings, while also setting single-game career-highs with five blocks against Wyoming and 13 rebounds against No. 4 UCLA.
 
The Abdul-Jabbar Award Committee will narrow down its candidates to 10 by mid-February, with the five finalists announced in March. The winner of the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award will be crowned at the ESPN College Basketball Awards Show on Friday, April 6 in Los Angeles, CA.
 
For more information on the 2018 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award, visit www.HoophallAwards.com
 
2018 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award Candidates:
 
Dusan Ristic - Arizona
Austin Wiley - Auburn
Kingsley Okoroh - California
Tacko Fall - Central Florida
Marques Bolden - Duke
Jon Egbunu - Florida
Jessie Govan - Georgetown
Ben Lammers - Georgia Tech
Nick Richards - Kentucky
Omer Yurtseven - NC State
Isaac Haas - Purdue
Jock Landale - Saint Mary's
Angel Delgado - Seton Hall
Michael Humphrey - Stanford
Vladimir Brodziansky - TCU
Mohamed Bamba - Texas
Tyler Davis - Texas A&M
Thomas Welsh - UCLA
Chimezie Metu - USC
Ethan Happ - Wisconsin