USC Freshman Evan Mobley Named to Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award Watch List

USC freshman Evan Mobley has been named to the 20-member 2021 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Center of the Year Award Watch List presented by the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.

A national committee of top college basketball personnel determined the watch list of 20 candidates.

The 7-0 Mobley was the 2020 Morgan Wooten High School Player of the Year, a McDonald's All-American and a two-time California Gatorade Player of the Year. He signed with USC as the nation's No. 1-ranked recruit, the first time that USC men's basketball landed the top-ranked signee.

Mobley averaged 20.5 points, 12.2 rebounds, 5.2 blocks and 4.6 assists last season as a senior at Rancho Christian School in Temecula, Calif.

He joins his brother, Isaiah, a sophomore on the Trojans. His father, Eric, is an assistant coach at USC.

College basketball fans are encouraged to participate in Fan Voting presented by Dell Technologies in each of the three rounds. In late January, the watch list of 20 players for the 2021 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Center of the Year Award will be narrowed down to just 10. In late February, five finalists will be presented to Abdul-Jabbar and the Hall of Fame's selection committee.

The winner of the 2021 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award will be presented on April 9, 2021, along with the other four members of the Men's Starting Five. Additional awards being presented include the Bob Cousy Point Guard Award, the Jerry West Shooting Guard Award, the Julius Erving Small Forward Award and the Karl Malone Power Forward Award, in addition to the Women's Starting Five.