SPRINGFIELD, Mass. – Duke graduate student Amile Jefferson was named one of 20 candidates for the 2017 Karl Malone Power Forward of the Year Award on Thursday in announcement by the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.

The award is in its third year recognizing the top power forward in Division I men’s college basketball.

Jefferson has played in 115 games in a Duke uniform, making 68 starts and helping the Blue Devils capture the 2015 NCAA title.

The Philadelphia native started the first nine games of the 2015-16 season, averaging 11.4 points and 10.3 rebounds while shooting .683 from the floor. After fracturing his right foot in December, he missed the final 27 games of the campaign.

Jefferson is one of the best offensive rebounders in Duke history and enters his final collegiate season ranked sixth on the program’s career chart with 277 offensive boards. He also has a career .624 field goal percentage, second-best in program history among players who have made at least 200 field goals.

In addition to his on-court exploits, Jefferson is the first player in program history to be named to the All-ACC Academic Team four times.

The Malone Award committee will narrow its watch list to 10 players by mid-February and a list of five finalists will be announced in March. The winner of the 2017 Karl Malone Award will be presented at the ESPN College Basketball Awards Show in Los Angeles on April 7.

For more information on the Karl Malone Award, visit hoophallawards.com.

2017 Karl Malone Award Candidates
Lauri Markkanen, Arizona
Ivan Rabb, California
Amile Jefferson, Duke
Jonathan Isaac, Florida State
Yante Maten, Georgia
Carlton Bragg Jr., Kansas
Robert Carter, Maryland
Dedric Lawson, Memphis
Miles Bridges, Michigan State
Isaiah Hicks, North Carolina
Bonzie Colson, Notre Dame
Michael Young, Pittsburgh
Caleb Swanigan, Purdue
Tyler Lydon, Syracuse
TJ Leaf, UCLA
Bennie Boatwright, Southern California
Alec Peters, Valparaiso
Kris Jenkins, Villanova
Austin Nichols, Virginia
Nigel Hayes, Wisconsin