Kansas State senior Dean Wade and Kansas junior transfer Dedric Lawson are two of 20 candidates for the 2019 Karl Malone power forward of the year award, the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame announced Thursday.
Wade, 6-foot-10 from St. John, Kan., is the coaches’ Big 12 preseason player of the year. Lawson, 6-9 from Memphis, was chosen Big 12 preseason newcomer of the year.
Wade averaged 16.2 points on 55 percent shooting and 6.2 rebounds a game his junior season. Lawson averaged 19.2 points and 9.9 rebounds a game his sophomore season at Memphis, then transferred to KU where he practiced but did not play in games last season.