Malik Dia Selected to Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Center of the Year Top 20 Preseason Watch List
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. – The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame continues to unveil their watch lists for their “Naismith Starting 5” awards for the 2024-25 season, picking the top 20 for the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Center of the Year on Friday and selecting Ole Miss’ Malik Dia to the list.
The Belmont transfer was a third-team all-conference selection last year and was named to the MVC All-Newcomer team, averaging 16.9 points and 5.8 rebounds per game while shooting 48.8 percent from the field. In his first action in an Ole Miss uniform, Dia paced the Rebels in their exhibition with No. 24 Illinois after scoring 18 points while going 7-8 from the field in 19 minutes.
Past winners of the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award include Zach Edey, Oscar Tshiebwe, Luka Garza, and Frank Kaminsky.
Dia is joined on the preseason watch list by Hunter Dickinson of Kansas, Ryan Kalkbrenner of Creighton, Oumar Ballo of Indiana, and more of college basketball’s top players.
The top 10 for each award will be announced on February 3, 2025, and fan voting for the awards will open. Winners will be unveiled on April 4.
Ole Miss opens their regular season on Monday, November 4 when they host Long Island in the SJB Pavilion at 7:30 p.m.
For the latest news and updates regarding Ole Miss Men's Basketball, follow the Rebels on X at@OleMissMBB, on Facebook at Ole Miss Men's Basketball and on Instagram at olemissmbb.
2024-25 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Center of the Year – Preseason Top 20
Clifford Omoruyi, Alabama
Motiejus Krivas, Arizona
Jayden Quaintance, Arizona State
Jonas Aidoo, Arkansas
Ryan Kalkbrenner, Creighton
Khaman Maluach, Duke
Oumar Ballo, Indiana
Hunter Dickinson, Kansas
Amari Williams, Kentucky
Derik Queen, Maryland
Vladislav Goldon, Michigan
Dawson Garcia, Minnesota
Malik Dia, Ole Miss
Robbie Avila, Saint Louis
Mitchell Saxen, Saint Mary's
Maxime Raynaud, Stanford
Eddie Lampkin, Syracuse
William Kyle III, UCLA
Samson Johnson, UConn
Efton Reid II, Wake Forest
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. – The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame continues to unveil their watch lists for their “Naismith Starting 5” awards for the 2024-25 season, picking the top 20 for the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Center of the Year on Friday and selecting Ole Miss’ Malik Dia to the list.
The Belmont transfer was a third-team all-conference selection last year and was named to the MVC All-Newcomer team, averaging 16.9 points and 5.8 rebounds per game while shooting 48.8 percent from the field. In his first action in an Ole Miss uniform, Dia paced the Rebels in their exhibition with No. 24 Illinois after scoring 18 points while going 7-8 from the field in 19 minutes.
Past winners of the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award include Zach Edey, Oscar Tshiebwe, Luka Garza, and Frank Kaminsky.
Dia is joined on the preseason watch list by Hunter Dickinson of Kansas, Ryan Kalkbrenner of Creighton, Oumar Ballo of Indiana, and more of college basketball’s top players.
The top 10 for each award will be announced on February 3, 2025, and fan voting for the awards will open. Winners will be unveiled on April 4.
Ole Miss opens their regular season on Monday, November 4 when they host Long Island in the SJB Pavilion at 7:30 p.m.
For the latest news and updates regarding Ole Miss Men's Basketball, follow the Rebels on X at@OleMissMBB, on Facebook at Ole Miss Men's Basketball and on Instagram at olemissmbb.
2024-25 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Center of the Year – Preseason Top 20
Clifford Omoruyi, Alabama
Motiejus Krivas, Arizona
Jayden Quaintance, Arizona State
Jonas Aidoo, Arkansas
Ryan Kalkbrenner, Creighton
Khaman Maluach, Duke
Oumar Ballo, Indiana
Hunter Dickinson, Kansas
Amari Williams, Kentucky
Derik Queen, Maryland
Vladislav Goldon, Michigan
Dawson Garcia, Minnesota
Malik Dia, Ole Miss
Robbie Avila, Saint Louis
Mitchell Saxen, Saint Mary's
Maxime Raynaud, Stanford
Eddie Lampkin, Syracuse
William Kyle III, UCLA
Samson Johnson, UConn
Efton Reid II, Wake Forest
