Bam Adebayo makes Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award Watch List

Another day, another preseason honor for the Kentucky Wildcats.

The latest comes for freshman forward Bam Adebayo, who is one of 20 players selected to watch for the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award, which honors the top center in the nation.

Named after Naismith Hall of Famer and three-time NCAA champ Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, the annual honor in its third year recognizes the top centers in college basketball. While Bam is viewed as more of a power forward, he’s more than capable of playing center at a high level.

Adebayo, who was named to the preseason All-SEC Team on Wednesday, was the North Carolina Gatorade Player of the Year after averaging 18.9 points and 13.0 rebounds for High Point Christian Academy as a senior. He also earned a spot McDonald’s All American Game and the Jordan Brand Classic.

The 6-10 forward was ranked as the fifth-best prospect in 2017 by ESPN, while Rivals.com had him ranked seventh.

Earlier this week, Malik Monk and De’Aaron Fox were named to watch lists honoring the top shooting guard and point guard in college basketball.

2017 KAREEM ABDUL-JABBAR CENTER OF THE YEAR AWARD CANDIDATES

Moses Kingsley, Arkansas

Eric Mika, Brigham Young University

Justin Patton, Creighton

Marques Bolden, Duke

Zena Edosomwan, Harvard

Thomas Bryant, Indiana

Bam Adebayo, Kentucky

Tim Kempton, Lehigh

Omer Yurtseven, North Carolina St.

Chris Boucher, Oregon

Isaac Haas, Purdue

Paschal Chukwu, Syracuse

Jarrett Allen, Texas

Tyler Davis, Texas A&M

Thomas Welsh, University of California, Los Angeles

Kennedy Meeks, North Carolina

Luke Kornet, Vanderbilt

Mo Alie-Cox, Virginia Commonwealth University

Josh Hawkinson, Washington St.

Ethan Happ, Wisconsin

Note: Players can play their way on to and off of the list at any point in the 2016-17 season.