CHICAGO (October 19, 2018) – Cameron Krutwig (Algonquin, Ill./Jacobs), a sophomore on the Loyola University Chicago men's basketball team, has been named to the 2019 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Center of the Year Award Watch List it was announced today by the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. The 6-foot-9 Krutwig is one of 20 individuals on the preseason watch list for the award that goes to the top center in college basketball. A national committee comprising top college basketball personnel determined the watch list of 20 candidates.
A three-time NCAA champion, Abdul-Jabbar earned numerous accolades during his collegiate career, including three-time Final Four Most Outstanding Player, three-time National College Player of the Year and three-time consensus First Team All-American (1967-69). As a professional player, Abdul-Jabbar was a six-time NBA champion, six-time NBA Most Valuable Player, two-time NBA Finals MVP, 19-time NBA All-Star and the league's all-time leading scorer.
Krutwig burst onto the scene as a freshman last season, averaging 10.5 points, 6.1 rebounds and 1.7 assists per game in helping Loyola to a school-record 32 wins, its first NCAA tournament berth since 1985 and first appearance in the Final Four since winning the NCAA championship in 1963. One of the top passing big men in the nation, the 2018 Missouri Valley Conference Freshman of the Year and All-MVC Third Team selection scored in double figures on 19 occasions last season, tallying 14 points and eight rebounds in a victory at No. 5 Florida on December 6. He poured in a team-high 17 points and corralled six rebounds versus No. 7 Michigan in the NCAA national semifinals and went for season highs of 21 points and 13 rebounds in a home win over Bradley.
By mid-February, the watch list of 20 players for the 2019 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Center of the Year Award will be narrowed down to just 10. In March, five finalists will be presented to Mr. Abdul-Jabbar and the Hall of Fame's selection committee. The winner of the 2019 Kareem Abdu-Jabbar Award will be recognized at The College Basketball Awards presented by Wendy's in Los Angeles on Friday, April 12, 2019, along with the other four members of the Naismith Starting 5. Additional awards being presented include the Bob Cousy Point Guard Award, the Jerry West Shooting Guard Award, the Julius Erving Small Forward Award and the Karl Malone Power Forward Award.
Previous winners of the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Center of the Year Award include Angel Delgado (Seton Hall, 2018), Przemek Karnowski (Gonzaga, 2017), Jakob Poeltl (Utah, 2016) and Frank Kaminsky (Wisconsin, 2015).
Krutwig and the Ramblers take on Winona State in their lone exhibition game of the preseason next Tuesday (Oct. 23). Loyola opens the 2018-19 regular season November 6 when it hosts UMKC at 8 p.m.
