Utah Basketball’s Branden Carlson Makes Top 10 Cut For Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award

SALT LAKE CITY – Runnin’ Utes star Branden Carlson made the Top 10 for the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award which was announced Friday morning by the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame.

The Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award is given annually to the best center in college basketball.

Carlson has been named to the award’s preseason watch lists in the past, but this is the first time the talented big man has made the Top 10 cut.

📰 | @ballerbranden35 named Top-10 Finalist for @hoophallu Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award. #KareemAward

🔗 https://t.co/ru5KRbRHp8#GoUtes | #HoopHallU pic.twitter.com/dfvSXE1mao

— Utah Basketball (@UtahMBB) February 2, 2024

Fans can vote for Carlson starting today on hoophallawards.com. The Fan Vote will count as one committee vote during the finalist selection process.

Branden Carlson’s Final Year At Utah So Far

Carlson’s name is not hard to find in the Utah and Pac-12 record books at this point.

Last month he became the only player in Pac-12 history to record at least 1,600 points (1,612), 700 rebounds (735), 200 blocks (216) and 100 assists (153).

Carlson stands at seventh all-time currently in the Pac-12 with 216 career blocks.

At Utah, Carlsen currently ranks 13th all-time in scoring with 1,612 points. Additionally, Carlson is second all-time in blocks with 216, tied for seventh in games played at 130 and counting, eighth in offensive rebounds at 201, and eighth in defensive rebounds at 534. He is also just two field-goals shy of cracking the top-10.

Carlson is just the fourth Runnin’ Ute since 1996-97 to register at least 1,500 career points and 700 career rebounds.  Carlson joins the likes of Utah greats Luke Nevil (2005-09; 1,898 points & 943 rebounds), Jordan Loveridge (2012-16; 1,568 points & 700) and Andrew Bogut (2003-05; 1,126 points & 753 rebounds).

If Carlson is named the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award recipient for 2024, he will be in more good company with and first-round NBA draft pick Jakob Poeltl earning the award in 2016.

Michelle Bodkin is the Utah Utes Insider for sports.ksl.com and host of both the Crimson Corner Podcast (SUBSCRIBE) and The Saturday Show (Saturday from 10 a.m.–12 p.m.) on The KSL Sports Zone. Follow her on X, Instagram, and Threads: @BodkinKSLsports

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