Colorado State University Athletics
Photo by: Nick Monaghan
Carvacho Named to Preseason Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award Watch List
10/18/2019 1:30:00 PM | Men's Basketball
The redshirt-senior was a finalist for the award in 2018-19
FORT COLLINS, Colo. - Colorado State redshirt-senior center Nico Carvacho has been named to the preseason watch list for the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Center of the Year Award, recognizing the nation's top center. The list was announced today by the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame as Carvacho was a finalist for last year's award. Carvacho was also recently recognized on the preseason All-Mountain West squad, as picked by the league's media representatives.
A U.S. Basketball Writers Association All-District, first-team All-Mountain West and MW All-Defensive Team pick in 2019, Carvacho led the nation in rebounds at 12.9 per contest, including league highs in both offensive (3.9) and defensive (9.0) rebounds per game. He also averaged a team-high 16.1 points per game, ranking seventh in the conference, while shooting a league-best 59.2 percent from the floor (31st in NCAA). He recorded double-doubles in a school-record 22 games and led CSU in rebounding in 29 of 32 games, including a streak of 22 straight. Of the 18 MW games, he had 14 double-doubles, including a career-high 28 points and 20 rebounds at UNLV on Jan. 2. He had six games of 15 or more rebounds as well as six games with 20 or more points after recording just one in his first two years in Fort Collins.
Carvacho had a record-setting season both for the Rams and the Mountain West Conference. He became just the second player in league history to grab 400 rebounds in a single season, a mark that finished at 414 boards. He is first in CSU history and second in the Mountain West in career rebounding at 950 and first in conference games only in conference games only with 578. He ranks fourth in career double-doubles in league history with 35 (ranked third among active NCAA players starting 2019-20), while he is the all-time leader in conference games with 25.
Among the highlights of his 2019-20 campaign was his second 20/20 game of his career when he finished with 23 points and a career-high 22 rebounds (sixth in CSU annals) at Long Beach State, Dec. 22, 2018. At UNLV Jan. 2, Carvacho set a new career best with 28 points and added 20 rebounds for his second 20-20 game of the year and school-record third of his career. He is the only Ram with three 20/20 games, as NBA veteran Jason Smith had two in his CSU time.
New to the award this season is Fan Voting presented by Dell Technologies in each of the three rounds. By mid-February, the watch list of 20 players for the 2020 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 2020 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award will be presented at The College Basketball Awards presented by Wendy's in Los Angeles, CA on Friday, April 10, 2020, along with the other four members of the Men's Starting Five.
2020 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Center of the Year Award Candidates*
*Players can play their way onto and off of the list at any point in the 2019-20 season*
A U.S. Basketball Writers Association All-District, first-team All-Mountain West and MW All-Defensive Team pick in 2019, Carvacho led the nation in rebounds at 12.9 per contest, including league highs in both offensive (3.9) and defensive (9.0) rebounds per game. He also averaged a team-high 16.1 points per game, ranking seventh in the conference, while shooting a league-best 59.2 percent from the floor (31st in NCAA). He recorded double-doubles in a school-record 22 games and led CSU in rebounding in 29 of 32 games, including a streak of 22 straight. Of the 18 MW games, he had 14 double-doubles, including a career-high 28 points and 20 rebounds at UNLV on Jan. 2. He had six games of 15 or more rebounds as well as six games with 20 or more points after recording just one in his first two years in Fort Collins.
Carvacho had a record-setting season both for the Rams and the Mountain West Conference. He became just the second player in league history to grab 400 rebounds in a single season, a mark that finished at 414 boards. He is first in CSU history and second in the Mountain West in career rebounding at 950 and first in conference games only in conference games only with 578. He ranks fourth in career double-doubles in league history with 35 (ranked third among active NCAA players starting 2019-20), while he is the all-time leader in conference games with 25.
Among the highlights of his 2019-20 campaign was his second 20/20 game of his career when he finished with 23 points and a career-high 22 rebounds (sixth in CSU annals) at Long Beach State, Dec. 22, 2018. At UNLV Jan. 2, Carvacho set a new career best with 28 points and added 20 rebounds for his second 20-20 game of the year and school-record third of his career. He is the only Ram with three 20/20 games, as NBA veteran Jason Smith had two in his CSU time.
New to the award this season is Fan Voting presented by Dell Technologies in each of the three rounds. By mid-February, the watch list of 20 players for the 2020 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 2020 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award will be presented at The College Basketball Awards presented by Wendy's in Los Angeles, CA on Friday, April 10, 2020, along with the other four members of the Men's Starting Five.
2020 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Center of the Year Award Candidates*
| Chase Jeter | Arizona |
| Nico Carvacho | Colorado State |
| Vernon Carey | Duke |
| Kerry Blackshear | Florida |
| Omer Yurtseven | Georgetown |
| Luka Garza | Iowa |
| Udoka Azubuike | Kansas |
| Steven Enoch | Louisville |
| James Wiseman | Memphis |
| Jon Teske | Michigan |
| Jeremiah Tilmon | Missouri |
| Armando Bacot | North Carolina |
| Nate Watson | Providence |
| Matt Haarms | Purdue |
| Nick Rakocevic | USC |
| Neemias Queta | Utah St |
| Isaiah Stewart | Washington |
| Derek Culver | West Virginia |
| Charles Bassey | Western Kentucky |
| Nathan Knight | William & Mary |
*Players can play their way onto and off of the list at any point in the 2019-20 season*
Players Mentioned
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