Arizona Basketball: Deandre Ayton named as a candidate for the Karl Malone Award

Arizona Wildcat’s DeAndre Ayton named as a candidate for the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Karl Malone Award.

Lucky number three! If you are keeping count, that would now make three Arizona Wildcat players to be named as preseason candidates for collegiate basketball awards: Allonzo Trier and Rawle Alkins and now DeAndre Ayton. Ayton has been named to the watch list for the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Karl Malone Award, which is given to the top power forward in the country.

Ayton defines POWER! Listed as 7-foot-1 and 250 pounds, he puts the “pow” in power forward. His opponents will have their work cut out for them, trying to guard him down low. Would not be a surprise if teams try to double team him, but then that would just open up the possibilities for the Wildcats. It’s a lose-lose situation for everyone else.

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Being recognized as an elite athlete is nothing new for Ayton. While in high school, he was selected as a member of Naismith Trophy High School All-America team, on the Prep Naismith Trophy watch list and was selected as 2017 McDonald’s All-American.

Ayton joins 20 other top power forwards from all over the country who are in the running for the Karl Malone award.

Some of the stand out names on the list include Marvin Bailey III of Duke (the No.1 recruit for the class of 2017 who reclassified from the class of 2018) and Bennie Boatwright of USC. Ayton and Boatwright will be facing off against one another in Pac-12 play in February. Do not miss that!

https://twitter.com/Hoophall/status/921058021840580608

If Ayton is a finalist for this award, he will join another notable Wildcat, Lauri Markkanen, who was a finalist for the Karl Malone award last season. Ayton can shoot from outside like Markkanen, but can also shoot and muscle his way down low.

In addition to Ayton, Reid Travis of Stanford joins the list, making the Pac-12 one the STRONGEST conferences in the nation. Time to show some RESPECT out west!

Ayton, who goes by many nicknames, A-Town, Dr. Dre, T-Rex, is incredible to watch! For someone who has the size to do the things he does is just not fair! Ayton has the opportunity to be one of the GREATEST players in Wildcat basketball history. Yes, you read that right. Nothing to take away from some of the greats who have played at Arizona, but Ayton is a special player.  Take a look for yourself:

Ayton has also been putting in some “dunk” work!  Preview of the red and blue dunk contest maybe, who knows?!  One thing is for sure he makes it look way too easy:

Next: Rawle Alkins on Julius Erving Award watch list

Zona Zealots is very happy for Ayton’s latest achievement and can not wait to see him in action this season! This will be one of many he receives this year, no doubt about that. Bear Down!