J'Wan Roberts Named to Karl Malone Award Preseason Watch List

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POSTED: October 31, 2024 -- 2:31 p.m. CT

Houston Cougars graduate forward J'Wan Roberts was named to the Karl Malone Power Forward of the Year Award on Thursday.

Roberts was one of 20 student-athletes selected nationally. The award recognizes the best power forward in NCAA Division I basketball and is presented by the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame.

This was the latest preseason honor for Roberts. The St. Thomas, V.I., native was one of 50 student-athletes named to the Jersey Mike's Naismith Trophy Player of the Year Watch List.

He also joined graduate guard LJ Cryer on the Preseason All-Big 12 Conference First Team, making Houston the only school with two First-Team honorees.

Karl Malone Award fan voting opens Friday, and Houston fans are encouraged to cast their ballots for Roberts early and often.

As the 2024-25 season continues, the Watch List will remain fluid. The List will narrow to 10 student-athletes in late January with the five finalists presented to Malone and the Hall of Fame's selection committees.

The winner of the Karl Malone Award will be presented on a to-be-determined date with the other four members of the Naismith Starting Five.

A year ago, All-American guard Jamal Shead was honored as a finalist for the Bob Cousy Point Guard of the Year while All-American guard Marcus Sasser received the Jerry West Award following the 2022-23 season.

A four-year letterman, Roberts has been a leader in the Houston frontcourt for years. With Thursday's announcement, he collected the first preseason conference honor of his career.

He led Houston and finished sixth in the Big 12 with 6.8 rebounds per game and was one of only three student-athletes to rank among the league's Top-10 leaders in both offensive and defensive rebounding.

Roberts tallied four double-doubles and led the Cougars with six double-digit rebounding performances on the way to receiving All-Big 12 Third-Team honors.

As he enters the 2024-25 season, Roberts ranks among Houston's Top-10 career leaders in wins, games played and rebounds and is poised to set school records in the first two categories.

He is also tied for the school record with 63 wins inside Fertitta Center and could become only the fourth student-athlete in Houston history to record 1,000 points and 1,000 rebounds during his career.

2024-25 Karl Malone Award Preseason Watch List Candidates

* - Players can play their way onto and off the list at any point in the 2024-25 season.

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