10/30/2026 12:00:00 PM | Men's Basketball
SPRINGFIELD, MASS. (October 30, 2026) — Creighton junior Oswin Erhunmwunse is one of 20 candidates on the preseason watch list for the 2027 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award, the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame announced on Friday.
The annual Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award, named after the Class of 1995 Hall of Famer and three-time NCAA Champion, celebrates its 13th year by honoring the top center in NCAA Division I men's college basketball. Two years ago Creighton's Ryan Kalkbrenner won the award.
Erhunmwunse arrives at Creighton after spending the previous two seasons at Providence, where he started 55-of-65 games for the Friars and recorded 445 points, 454 rebounds and 122 blocked shots. The native of Benin City, Nigeria is a two-time Preseason Third Team All-BIG EAST selection.
2027 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award Candidates*
Flory Bidunga, Louisville
Rueben Chinyelu, Florida
Somto Cyril, Miami
Massamba Diop, Gonzaga
Oswin Erhunmwunse, Creighton
Sananda Fru, MarquetteÂ
Johann Grünloh, Virginia
Tomislav Ivisic, IllinoisÂ
Daniel Jacobsen, PurdueÂ
Motiejus Krivas, Arizona
Andrew McKeever, Iowa
Malachi Moreno, Kentucky
Patrick Ngongba II, DukeÂ
Pharrel Payne, MarylandÂ
Marcis Ponder, FSU
Luigi Suigo, Villanova
Moustapha Thiam, MichiganÂ
Jaden Toombs, SMU
Matas Vokietaitis, Texas
Nolan Winter, Wisconsin
*Players can play their way onto and off the list at any point in the 2026-27 season.
Fans can support their favorite player by participating in Fan Voting starting today, Friday, October 30, via hoophallawards.com. In February, the watch list of 20 players for the 2027 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award will be narrowed to 10, then to five in March. In late 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 college basketball personnel, including media members, head coaches, sports information directors, and Hall of Famers.
The winner of the 2027 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).
Previous winners of the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award include Zuby Ejiofor, St. John's (2026), Ryan Kalkbrenner, Creighton (2025), Zach Edey, Purdue (2023-24), Oscar Tshiebwe, Kentucky (2022), Luka Garza, Iowa (2020-21), Jakob Poeltl, Utah (2016), and Frank Kaminsky, Wisconsin (2015).Â
For more information on the 2027 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award and the latest updates, visit hoophallawards.com and follow @hoophallu, #KareemAward on X and Instagram.
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 worldwide. The Hall of Fame museum is home to nearly 500 inductees and over 40,000 square feet of basketball history. Welcoming close to 200,000 visitors each year, the museum invites fans to learn about the game, experience 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 more than 100 high school and collegiate games annually throughout the country and abroad. For more information on the Basketball Hall of Fame organization, its museum, and events, visit hoophall.com or follow @hoophallu.
The annual Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award, named after the Class of 1995 Hall of Famer and three-time NCAA Champion, celebrates its 13th year by honoring the top center in NCAA Division I men's college basketball. Two years ago Creighton's Ryan Kalkbrenner won the award.
Erhunmwunse arrives at Creighton after spending the previous two seasons at Providence, where he started 55-of-65 games for the Friars and recorded 445 points, 454 rebounds and 122 blocked shots. The native of Benin City, Nigeria is a two-time Preseason Third Team All-BIG EAST selection.
2027 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award Candidates*
Flory Bidunga, Louisville
Rueben Chinyelu, Florida
Somto Cyril, Miami
Massamba Diop, Gonzaga
Oswin Erhunmwunse, Creighton
Sananda Fru, MarquetteÂ
Johann Grünloh, Virginia
Tomislav Ivisic, IllinoisÂ
Daniel Jacobsen, PurdueÂ
Motiejus Krivas, Arizona
Andrew McKeever, Iowa
Malachi Moreno, Kentucky
Patrick Ngongba II, DukeÂ
Pharrel Payne, MarylandÂ
Marcis Ponder, FSU
Luigi Suigo, Villanova
Moustapha Thiam, MichiganÂ
Jaden Toombs, SMU
Matas Vokietaitis, Texas
Nolan Winter, Wisconsin
*Players can play their way onto and off the list at any point in the 2026-27 season.
Fans can support their favorite player by participating in Fan Voting starting today, Friday, October 30, via hoophallawards.com. In February, the watch list of 20 players for the 2027 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award will be narrowed to 10, then to five in March. In late 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 college basketball personnel, including media members, head coaches, sports information directors, and Hall of Famers.
The winner of the 2027 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).
Previous winners of the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award include Zuby Ejiofor, St. John's (2026), Ryan Kalkbrenner, Creighton (2025), Zach Edey, Purdue (2023-24), Oscar Tshiebwe, Kentucky (2022), Luka Garza, Iowa (2020-21), Jakob Poeltl, Utah (2016), and Frank Kaminsky, Wisconsin (2015).Â
For more information on the 2027 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award and the latest updates, visit hoophallawards.com and follow @hoophallu, #KareemAward on X and Instagram.
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 worldwide. The Hall of Fame museum is home to nearly 500 inductees and over 40,000 square feet of basketball history. Welcoming close to 200,000 visitors each year, the museum invites fans to learn about the game, experience 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 more than 100 high school and collegiate games annually throughout the country and abroad. For more information on the Basketball Hall of Fame organization, its museum, and events, visit hoophall.com or follow @hoophallu.
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