Gonzaga’s Chet Holmgren one of 10 finalists for Karl Malone Award

Drew Timme was the recipient of last year’s Karl Malone Award, but it could be another Gonzaga player collecting the trophy given to the nation’s top power forward this season.

Zags freshman Chet Holmgren was named one of 10 finalists for the Karl Malone Award, the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame announced Thursday.

When the season began, it was Timme’s name, not Holmgren’s, on the initial Karl Malone watch list. Holmgren was considered a preseason candidate for the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award, given to the country’s top center, but the 7-footer has played more as a traditional forward for second-ranked Gonzaga this season.

Timme’s omission from Thursday’s watch list means the reigning Karl Malone winner might now be a candidate for the Abdul-Jabbar Award, as he’s essentially served as GU’s center this season.

The nine other players being considered for the Karl Malone Award include Duke’s Paolo Banchero, Georgia’s Tari Eason, Auburn’s Jabari Smith, Arizona’s Azoulas Tubelis, Colorado State’s David Roddy, Indiana’s Trayce Jackson-Davis, Ohio State’s EJ Liddell, Iowa’s Keegan Murray and USC’s Isaiah Mobley.

Holmgren has been one of the nation’s most efficient scorers this season with a shooting percentage (63.3%) that ranks No. 5 among Division I players. The Minnesota native is shooting 74.1% inside the arc – a number that ranks eighth in the country – and he’s connecting on 45% from 3-point range.

Holmgren’s 3.37 blocks per game and 64 total blocks both rank No. 7 in the country. He’s leading the West Coast Conference in defensive rebounds per game (6.9) while ranking second in total rebounds (8.7).