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Photo by: Brad Rempel
Garcia Lands a Spot on 2025 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar List for Second Straight Year
11/1/2024 11:52:00 AM | Men's Basketball
Senior forward Dawson Garcia adds another preseason accolade to his name, this time to the 2025 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Center of the Year Top 20 Preseason Watch List. It marks the second straight year Garcia has been named to this list after becoming a top-10 finalist a year ago. Garcia is one of five Big Ten players on this list. It also marks the third time in his career that he was named to the Karl Malone Award Watch List in 2021.Â
The Savage, Minn., product returns for his senior season after garnering a team-best 17.6 points per game and 6.7 rebounds per game a year ago. An All-Big Ten Second and Third Team selection, Garcia also garnered NABC All-District Second Team honors and was an Academic All-Big Ten selection. Starting in 31 games for the Gophers, Garcia produced 28 double-digit games, 12 20-point games and three 30-point performances. Of the returning Big Ten athletes, Garcia ranks first in scoring and is only one of six returners who received All-Big Ten honors in the 2023-24 season.Â
Already tabbed as a preseason All-Big Ten Team honoree for the second straight year, Garcia was named to the Naismith Trophy Watch List earlier this week and also named a top-50 preseason pick by ESPN and CBS Sports earlier this month, as well as the Blue Ribbon Preseason All-Big Ten list.Â
Garcia enters the 2024-25 season with 1,438 career points, including 943 points as a Golden Gopher. Garcia amassed 398 points in the 2022-23 season and another 545 in the 2023-24 campaign. He was the first player since Jordan Murphy in 2017-18 to lead the Gophers in both points (17.6) and rebounds (6.7) in a season.
The annual Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award, named after the Class of 1995 Hall of Famer and three-time NCAA Champion, celebrates its 11th year by honoring the top centers in Division I men's college basketball. Fans can support their favorite player by participating in Fan Voting starting today, Friday, November 1. In early February, the watch list of 20 players for the 2025 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar will be narrowed to 10, and then in early March, to just five. The selection committees for the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is composed of top men's and women's college basketball personnel, including media members, head coaches, sports information directors, and Hall of Famers. The winner of the 2025 Abdul-Jabbar and Leslie Awards will be presented on a to-be-determined date.Â
Minnesota opens the regular season on Wednesday, November 6, at 7 p.m., against Oral Roberts. The game will be streamed on B1G+.
2025 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award Candidates*
Clifford Omoruyi, Alabama
Motiejus Krivas, Arizona
Jayden Quaintance, Arizona State
Jonas Aidoo, Arkansas
Ryan Kalkbrenner, Creighton
Khaman Maluach, Duke
Oumar Ballo, Indiana
Hunter Dickinson, Kansas
Amari Williams, Kentucky
Derik Queen, Maryland
Vladislav Goldin, Michigan
Dawson Garcia, Minnesota
Malik Dia, Ole Miss
Robbie Avila, Saint Louis
Mitchell Saxen, Saint Mary's
Maxime Raynaud, Stanford
Eddie Lampkin Jr., Syracuse
William Kyle III, UCLA
Samson Johnson, UConn
Efton Reid III, Wake Forest
Â
The Savage, Minn., product returns for his senior season after garnering a team-best 17.6 points per game and 6.7 rebounds per game a year ago. An All-Big Ten Second and Third Team selection, Garcia also garnered NABC All-District Second Team honors and was an Academic All-Big Ten selection. Starting in 31 games for the Gophers, Garcia produced 28 double-digit games, 12 20-point games and three 30-point performances. Of the returning Big Ten athletes, Garcia ranks first in scoring and is only one of six returners who received All-Big Ten honors in the 2023-24 season.Â
Already tabbed as a preseason All-Big Ten Team honoree for the second straight year, Garcia was named to the Naismith Trophy Watch List earlier this week and also named a top-50 preseason pick by ESPN and CBS Sports earlier this month, as well as the Blue Ribbon Preseason All-Big Ten list.Â
Garcia enters the 2024-25 season with 1,438 career points, including 943 points as a Golden Gopher. Garcia amassed 398 points in the 2022-23 season and another 545 in the 2023-24 campaign. He was the first player since Jordan Murphy in 2017-18 to lead the Gophers in both points (17.6) and rebounds (6.7) in a season.
The annual Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award, named after the Class of 1995 Hall of Famer and three-time NCAA Champion, celebrates its 11th year by honoring the top centers in Division I men's college basketball. Fans can support their favorite player by participating in Fan Voting starting today, Friday, November 1. In early February, the watch list of 20 players for the 2025 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar will be narrowed to 10, and then in early March, to just five. The selection committees for the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is composed of top men's and women's college basketball personnel, including media members, head coaches, sports information directors, and Hall of Famers. The winner of the 2025 Abdul-Jabbar and Leslie Awards will be presented on a to-be-determined date.Â
Minnesota opens the regular season on Wednesday, November 6, at 7 p.m., against Oral Roberts. The game will be streamed on B1G+.
2025 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award Candidates*
Clifford Omoruyi, Alabama
Motiejus Krivas, Arizona
Jayden Quaintance, Arizona State
Jonas Aidoo, Arkansas
Ryan Kalkbrenner, Creighton
Khaman Maluach, Duke
Oumar Ballo, Indiana
Hunter Dickinson, Kansas
Amari Williams, Kentucky
Derik Queen, Maryland
Vladislav Goldin, Michigan
Dawson Garcia, Minnesota
Malik Dia, Ole Miss
Robbie Avila, Saint Louis
Mitchell Saxen, Saint Mary's
Maxime Raynaud, Stanford
Eddie Lampkin Jr., Syracuse
William Kyle III, UCLA
Samson Johnson, UConn
Efton Reid III, Wake Forest
Â
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