SPRINGFIELD, Mass. – UConn men's basketball senior Samson Johnson has been named to the Naismith Starting 5 - Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Center of the Year Top 20 Preseason Watch List. The Abdul-Jabbar award goes to the nation's top center at the conclusion of the regular season. The Basketball Hall of Fame has announced Preseason Watch List members throughout the week.
Johnson is the fourth Husky to receive a spot on a Naismith Starting 5 Watch List, joining teammates Aidan Mahaney (Jerry West Award), Liam McNeeley (Julius Erving Award) and Alex Karaban (Karl Malone Award). Players can play their way on to the Starting 5 radars as finalists are announced throughout the season.
Johnson's spot on the Abdul-Jabbar list comes after the 6-10 native of Lome, Togo burst onto the national scene last season. Johnson appeared in all 40 games for the Huskies and set the program single-season record with a 72.5 field goal percentage.
As the lightning to Donovan Clingan's thunder in UConn's center tandem, Johnson scored 5.4 points and grabbed 2.8 rebounds per game in 16.0 minutes per contest, also blocking 36 shots and swiping 17 steals. Johnson finished fifth in the country with 77 total dunks.
Johnson is one of two BIG EAST centers to make the Abdul-Jabbar Award watch list along with Creighton stalwart Ryan Kalkbrenner. The Huskies have never won the Abdul-Jabbar Award, which debuted in 2014-15.
Players Mentioned
- C
- 7' 2"
- Sophomore
- F
- 6' 10"
- Junior
- F
- 6' 8"
- Redshirt Sophomore
- G
- 6' 3"
- Junior
- F
- 6' 7"
- Freshman
Players Mentioned
- 7' 2"
- Sophomore
- C
- 6' 10"
- Junior
- F
- 6' 8"
- Redshirt Sophomore
- F
- 6' 3"
- Junior
- G
- 6' 7"
- Freshman
- F
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