Freeman Named to Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Watch List

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. — The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame announced that Creighton's Owen Freeman is one of 20 candidates on the watch list for the 2026 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award. Named after Class of 1995 Hall of Famer and three-time NCAA Champion Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, the annual honor, in its 12th year, recognizes the top center in men's college basketball. A national committee of top college basketball personnel determined the watch list of 20 candidates.

This marks the fourth straight season that the Bluejays have had a player on the preseason list for the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award, as Ryan Kalkbrenner earned acclaim each of the previous three seasons. Kalkbrenner went on to win the award following the 2024-25 campaign.

A native of Moline, Ill., Freeman comes in with lofty expectations after two stellar seasons at Iowa. Freeman averaged 16.7 points and 6.7 rebounds per game last year as a sophomore with the Hawkeyes. He was named Big Ten Freshman of the Year by league media in 2023-24 when he averaged 10.6 points and 6.6 rebounds per contest and was a nine-time Freshman of the Week honoree. He earned Preseason First Team All-BIG EAST honors in a vote of league coaches last week ahead of his first year with Creighton.

Freeman is one of three Creighton players in the 11 seasons of the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award to be named to the watch list at any point, joining Justin Patton in 2016-17 and Kalkbrenner in 2022-23, 2023-24 and 2024-25. Patton was on the preseason list of 20 and later made the cut down to 10 during his campaign that saw him earn BIG EAST Freshman of the Year accolades and become a First Round pick in the NBA Draft. Kalkbrenner was on the initial list of 20, made the cut down to 10, and was one of five finalists in 2022-23 and 2023-24 before winning the award as a fifth-year senior in 2024-25. Kalkbrenner now plays for the NBA's Charlotte Hornets.

2026 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award Candidates
Malique Ewin, Arkansas
Moustapha Thiam, Cincinnati
Owen Freeman, Creighton
Patrick Ngongba II, Duke
Alex Condon, Florida
Chris Cenac Jr., Houston
Tomislav Ivišic, Illinois
Flory Bidunga, Kansas
Jayden Quaintance, Kentucky
Ernest Udeh Jr., Miami
Aday Mara, Michigan
Rienk Mast, Nebraska
Henri Veesaar, North Carolina
Nate Bittle, Oregon
Oscar Cluff, Purdue
Robbie Avila, Saint Louis
Magoon Gwath, San Diego State
Zuby Ejiofor, St. John's
Felix Okpara, Tennessee
Tarris Reed Jr., UConn
*Players can play their way onto and off the list at any point in the 2025-26 season.

Fans can support their favorite player by participating in Fan Voting starting today, Friday, October 31. In early February, the watch list of 20 players for the 2026 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award will be narrowed to 10, and then in early March, to just five. Later in March, the five finalists will be presented to Abdul-Jabbar, and the Hall of Fame's selection committees, where winners will be selected. The Selection Committees for the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award are composed of top men's and women's college basketball personnel, including media members, head coaches, sports information directors, and Hall of Famers.

The winner of the 2026 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award will be presented on a to be determined date, along with the other four members of the Men's Starting Five. Additional awards being presented include the Bob Cousy Award (Point Guard), Jerry West Award (Shooting Guard), Julius Erving Award (Small Forward), and the Karl Malone Award (Power Forward), in addition to the Women's Starting Five.

Previous winners of the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Center of the Year Award are Ryan Kalkbrenner, Creighton (2025), Zach Edey, Purdue (2023 & 2024), Oscar Tshiebwe, Kentucky (2022), two-time winner Luka Garza, Iowa (2020-21), Ethan Happ, Wisconsin (2019), Angel Delgado, Seton Hall (2018), Przemek Karnowski, Gonzaga (2017), Jakob Poeltl, Utah (2016) and Frank Kaminsky, Wisconsin (2015).

For more information on the 2026 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award and the latest updates, visit hoophallawards.com and follow @hoophallu and #KareemAward on X and Instagram.

About Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar played for legendary coach and Hall of Famer John Wooden at the University of California-Los Angeles from 1966-1969. He is a three-time NCAA Champion who earned numerous accolades, including three-time Final Four Most Outstanding Player, three-time National College Player of the Year, and three-time Consensus First-Team All-American (1967-1969). As a professional, Abdul-Jabbar is a six-time NBA Champion, six-time NBA Most Valuable Player, two-time NBA Finals MVP, 19-time NBA All-Star, and second on the league's all-time scoring list. In 2021, the NBA created the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Social Justice Champion Award, which honors players who are making strides in the fight for social justice.

About the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame
Located in Springfield, Massachusetts, the city where basketball was born, the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame is an independent nonprofit 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 475 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 150 high school and collegiate competitions annually throughout the country and abroad. For more information on the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame organization, its museum, and events, visit hoophall.com and follow @hoophallu.

Players Mentioned

Owen Freeman

Ryan Kalkbrenner

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