Gonzaga Bulldogs graduate forward Graham Ike was on the preseason watchlist for the Karl Malone Power Forward of the Year Award. Now, he’s a finalist for the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Center of the Year Award.
Here are the four other candidates for the honor from across the country outside of Ike:
Florida’s Alex CondonKansas Jayhawks’ Flory BidungaNorth Carolina Tar Heels’ Henri VeesaarSt. John’s Red Storm Zuby Ejiofor
Ejiofor and Ike are the smallest players listed at 6-9 each. The winner of the 2026 version will be presented on a to-be-determined date in March.
Przemek Karnowski won this award with Gonzaga back in the 2016-17 season.
It’s been a season of dominance for Ike as a low-post threat, averaging 19.7 points per game on a 57.3 field goal percentage and 8.2 rebounds per game, while putting together 14 double-doubles. That’s tied for No. 16 in the nation.
He’s also the country’s active leading scorer at 2,531 career points and second in the nation with 1,133 rebounds. Starting his career with the Wyoming Cowboys in the Mountain West Conference back in 2020-21, Ike has had steady success throughout his illustrious career and grown into a reliable three-level scoring option for the Zags.
This is just one of the many noterities throughout his memorable college basketball career:
2026 West Coast Conference Player of the Year2025, 2026 West Coast Conference Most Outstanding Player2024, 2025, 2026 All-West Coast Conference First Team2022 All-Mountain West Conference First Team
Arden Cravalho is a Gonzaga University graduate from the Bay Area… Follow him on X @a_cravalho
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