IOWA CITY, Iowa — The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame announced on Thursday the 10 semifinalists for the 2022 Karl Malone Power Forward of the Year Award, which includes University of Iowa men’s basketball sophomore Keegan Murray.
Named after Class of 2010 Hall of Famer and two-time NBA Most Valuable Player Karl Malone, the annual honor in its eighth year recognizes the top power forwards in Division I men’s college basketball. A national committee of top college basketball personnel determined the watch list of 20 candidates in November, which has now been narrowed to 10.
Fans can vote for their favorite player at hoophallawards.com.
Last month, Murray was selected to the John R. Wooden Award Late-Season Top 20 List, Lute Olson National Player of the Year Mid-Season List and tabbed second-team midseason All-American by Sporting News. He has been named Big Ten Player of the Week three times this season (Nov. 22; Dec. 20; Jan. 3). Murray joins Garza as the only Hawkeyes to earn at least three Big Ten Player of the Week honors in the same season, dating back to the award inception during the 1981-82 season.
Murray (6-foot-8, 225 pounds) ranks first in the country in Player Efficiency Rating (38.3); fifth in points per game (22.3); 39th in field goal percentage (.551); 45th in blocks per contest (2.05); and 57th in free throws made.
The Cedar Rapids, Iowa, native has tallied 20+ points 13 times and 25+ points an NCAA-best nine times this season.
Murray is looking to become the second Hawkeye to earn a national position award; Garza earned the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Center of the Year Award in 2020 and 2021.
Murray and the Hawkeyes (14-7, 4-6) return to the hardwood on Sunday against Minnesota (11-8, 2-8). Tipoff is set for 3:31 p.m. (CT) on Mediacom Court at Carver-Hawkeye Arena in Iowa City, Iowa. Tickets are available for purchase at hawkeyesports.com/tickets.