McKeever Named to Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award Top 20 Preseason Watch List

IOWA CITY, Iowa – Fourth-year University of Iowa center Andrew McKeever has been named to the Naismith Starting 5 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award Top 20 Preseason Watch List, the announcement was made Friday by Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame.

The award recognizes the top center in NCAA Division I men’s college basketball. McKeever is one of six players from the Big Ten Conference on the 20-player preseason list.

McKeever is in his first season as a Hawkeye after spending his first three seasons at Saint Mary’s College. In 33 games in 2025-26, McKeever averaged 8.2 points, 9.2 rebounds and 1.8 assists, while shooting 50 percent from the floor. He led the West Coast Conference in rebounding, pulling in 302 in 33 games, including 125 on the offensive glass.

The Livermore, California, native posted eight double-doubles on the year, including a 16-point, 17-rebound, 5-block outing against Arkansas State on Nov. 19, 2025.  He was in double figures 12 times and had 12 games with 10 or more rebounds.

The Hawkeyes open the regular season Tuesday, hosting Lipscomb at 7 p.m. (CT) on Mediacom Court inside Carver-Hawkeye Arena.  The game will be televised on BTN and broadcast on the Hawkeye Radio Network.