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Men's Basketball Kirk Downs

Asadullah Named to 2021 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award Watch List

NASHVILLE – The accolades keep coming for Lipscomb junior big-man Ahsan Asadullah, as he is one of just 20 players in the nation named to the preseason watch list for the 2021 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Center of the Year Award. The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame announced the esteemed list on Friday.

"What a tremendous honor for Ahsan to be listed among these high-level players," Bisons head coach Lennie Acuff said. "There is no doubt that he has earned the right to be in the discussion for such a prestigious award.

"Ahsan's overall production last season stacks up with any center in college basketball. He is an outlier at his position because of his ability to score the basketball combined with his elite passing skills."

Asadullah is one of just eight players from mid-major schools on the watch list. Named after Class of 1995 Hall of Famer and three-time NCAA Champion Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, the annual honor in its seventh year recognizes the top centers in men's college basketball.  A national committee of top college basketball personnel determined the watch list of 20 candidates.

Previous winners of the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Center of the Year Award include Luke Garza, Iowa (2020), Ethan Happ, Wisconsin (2019), Angel Delgado, Seton Hall (2018), Przemek Karnowski, Gonzaga (2017), Jakob Poeltl, Utah (2016) and Frank Kaminsky, Wisconsin (2015).

Asadullah averaged 18.6 points, 10.1 rebounds and 3.9 assists, and blocked a team-high 36 shots as a sophomore anchoring the paint for the Bisons. The 6-foot-8, 260-pound center shot 52.0 percent from the field last season (252-of-485), which is the third-highest field goal percentage of any ASUN player returning in 2020-21.

The Atlanta, Georgia product reached double figures 29 times, racked up 15 double-doubles and snatched at least 8+ rebounds in 22-of-31 games played. He was named ASUN Player of the Week three times and set three new ASUN Championship records.

New to the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Center of the Year Award in only its second season is Fan Voting presented by Dell Technologies in each of the three rounds. In last January, the watch list of 20 players will be narrowed down to just 10. In late February, five finalists will be presented to Mr. Abdul-Jabbar and the Hall of Fame's selection committee. Fans can click the link and vote HERE.

The winner of the 2021 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award will be presented on April 9, 2021, along with the other four members of the Men's Starting Five.

Asadullah and the Bisons tip off the 2020-21 campaign on Nov. 25 at noon against Trevecca inside Allen Arena.

For more information on the 2021 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and the latest updates, log onto www.hoophallawards.com and follow @hoophall and #KareemAward on Twitter and Instagram. Starting Five Fan Voting presented by Dell Technologies will go live today, November 6.
 
 
2021 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Center of the Year Award Candidates*
Matt Haarms BYU
Mark Williams Duke
Kofi Cockburn Illinois
Luka Garza Iowa
Olivier Sarr Kentucky
Ahsan Asadullah Lipscomb
Cameron Krutwig Loyola Chicago
Mousa Cisse Memphis
Liam Robbins Minnesota
Armando Bacot North Carolina
Walker Kessler North Carolina
Trevion Williams Purdue
Grant Golden Richmond
Evan Mobley USC
Neemias Queta Utah State
Jay Huff Virginia
Derek Culver West Virginia
Charles Bassey Western Kentucky
Micah Potter Wisconsin
Loudon Love Wright State
 
*Players can play their way onto and off of the list at any point in the 2020-2021 season*
 
About the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame 
Located in Springfield, Massachusetts, the city where basketball was born, the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame is an independent non-profit 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to promoting, preserving and celebrating the game of basketball at every level – men and women, amateur and professional players, coaches and contributors, both domestically and internationally. The Hall of Fame museum is home to more than 400 inductees and over 40,000 square feet of basketball history. Nearly 200,000 people visit the Hall of Fame museum each year to learn about the game, experience the interactive exhibits and test their skills on the Jerry Colangelo "Court of Dreams." Best known for its annual marquee Enshrinement Ceremony honoring the game's elite, the Hall of Fame also operates over 70 high school and collegiate competitions annually throughout the country and abroad. For more information on the Basketball Hall of Fame organization, its museum and events, visit www.hoophall.com, follow @hoophall and #KareemAward or call 1-877-4HOOPLA.
 
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Players Mentioned

Ahsan Asadullah

#23 Ahsan Asadullah

Center
6' 8"
Sophomore

Players Mentioned

Ahsan Asadullah

#23 Ahsan Asadullah

6' 8"
Sophomore
Center
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