SPRINGFIELD, Mass. – Sophomore KZ Okpala is a finalist for the Julius Erving Small Forward of the Year Award, as announced by the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.
Selected by a national committee comprised of top college basketball personnel, Okpala is one of 10 finalists for the award. He is joined by Gonzaga's Rui Hachimura, Virginia's De'Andre Hunter, Kentucky's Keldon Johnson, Nevada's Caleb Martin, Michigan's Charles Matthews, Tennessee's Admiral Schofield, Iowa State's Marial Shayok, Oregon State's Tres Tinkle, and Belmont's Dylan Windler.
The Cardinal sophomore leads Stanford in scoring (18.1 ppg), rebounding (6.1 rpg), three-point field goal percentage (.410), free throws (87) and minutes (33.0 mpg). He ranks third in the Pac-12 in scoring, fifth in three-point field goal percentage, and 14th in rebounding. In conference play, the forward is averaging 20.4 ppg (ranks second) and 6.1 rpg.
Okpala scored a career-high 30 points in Sunday's victory at California and leads the Pac-12 with 12 games of 20 points or more this season. He is one of 10 individuals in the nation to average 21.0 ppg or better in their last six games.
"KZ has been a rock for us," said Stanford's Anne and Tony Joseph Director of Men's Basketball. "He's a foundational piece for everything we do. There's so much more for him to grow, but he's really developing very quickly. He certainly deserves the recognition. It is great to see him among the 10 candidates for this prestigious award."
Named after Class of 1993 Hall of Famer and 16-year professional basketball player Julius Erving, the annual honor in its fifth year recognizes the top small forwards in Division I men's college basketball. In March, five finalists will be presented to Mr. Erving and the Hall of Fame's selection committee. The winner of the 2019 Julius Erving Award will be presented at The College Basketball Awards Show in Los Angeles on April 12.
"Julius Erving is well-known for his flare and competitive spirit which have made him one of the most admired and respected in the game across all generations," said John L. Doleva, President and CEO of the Basketball Hall of Fame. "The Naismith Starting 5 committee aims to recognize the student-athlete whose game most closely mirrors Dr. J and we're now one step closer by cutting our watch list to down to the highly anticipated top ten."
For more information and the latest updates on the 2019 Julius Erving Award, log onto www.hoophallawards.com.