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Gonzaga Basketball

Gonzaga’s Killian Tillie makes watch list for Karl Malone Award

Preseason recognition continues to roll in for Gonzaga’s Killian Tillie.

The senior forward is one of 20 players on the watch list for the Karl Malone Power Forward of the Year Award.

Tillie has been named preseason third-team All-America by CBS Sports and was the Zags’ lone player selected to the preseason All-West Coast Conference team.

The 6-foot-10 native of France battled foot and ankle injuries last season and missed 22 of 37 games. He recently had knee surgery that was “more of a proactive exercise, just to kind of clean some things out,” coach Mark Few said.

Tillie is joined on the watch list by BYU’s Yoeli Childs, North Carolina’s Garrison Brooks and Michigan State’s Xavier Tillman. The Zags and BYU square off Jan. 18 and Feb. 22. Gonzaga entertains UNC on Dec. 18. The Zags scrimmage against Michigan State in Denver on Saturday.

Tillie averaged 6.2 points and 3.9 rebounds last year and 12.9 points and 5.9 boards as a sophomore. He was second-team All-WCC in 2018. He was a key reserve on the 2017 team that lost to North Carolina in the championship game.

Duke’s Zion Williamson won the Malone Award last season.