SPRINGFIELD, Mass. South Dakota State senior Oscar Cluff was recognized by the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame as one of the 10 candidates for the 2025 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Center of the Year award on Friday. This honor recognizes the top center in mens college basketball.
Cluff has put together an impressive 2024-25 season through 25 games. The Sunshine Coast, Australia, native is averaging 16.9 points, 12.4 rebounds and 2.8 assists per game. Cluff is second in the nation rebounding, hes tied for second in double-doubles with 16, while his field goal percentage of 65.2% ranks fourth in the country.
The Jackrabbit center has earned the Kwik Star Summit League Mens Basketball Peak Performer of the Week award four times this season. He was the conferences Peak Performer of the Month for November and the leagues Newcomer of the Month in January. Cluff set a career-high mark of 30 points in a Jan. 2 victory over Denver. Cluff has five 19-plus rebound efforts including a 20-rebound performance versus Oral Roberts on Jan. 18.
Cluff joins an impressive duo in SDSU history previously making Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame watch lists. Mike Daum was a top-five finalist for the Karl Malone Award, handed out to the Power Forward of the Year, in 2018 and 2019. Nate Wolters was one of the final 12 members for the Bob Cousy Award, given to the Point Guard of the Year, in 2013.
The Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award, named after the Class of 1995 Hall of Famer and three-time NCAA champion, celebrates its 11th year by honoring the top centers in Division I mens college basketball. It is being handed out in partnership with the Womens Basketball Coaches Associations Top 10 candidates for the 2025 Lisa Leslie Award. SDSU junior Brooklyn Meyer was selected as a candidate for that honor.
Fans are encouraged to participate in fan voting in both of the remaining rounds starting Feb. 7 on hoophallawards.com. The fan vote will count as one committee vote during the finalist selection process.
In March, the Top 10 list will be narrowed to just five, and in late March, the five finalists will be presented to the Abdul-Jabbar and the Hall of Fames selection committees, where winners will be selected. The Selection Committee for the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award is composed of top mens and womens college basketball personnel, including media members, head coaches, sports information directors and Hall of Famers.
The winner of the 2025 Abdul-Jabbar Award will be presented on a to-be-determined date, along with the other four members of the Mens and Womens Starting Five.
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