Arizona big man, Deandre Ayton, was named the winner of the Karl Malone award at the College Basketball Awards on Friday in Los Angeles. The award is given to the nation's top power forward.
Ayton was also named as a finalist for the Naismith Award, and the Wooden Award. Both of which were awarded to Villanova's Jalen Brunson.
The freshman phenom averaged 20.1 points, 11.6 rebounds, 1.6 assists, and 1.9 blocks per game, along with 24 double-doubles. That broke a single-season school record previously held by Al Fleming.
Ayton also won Pac-12 player of the year and Pac-12 freshman of the year in his one season at Arizona. Ayton officially declared for the NBA draft in March, and is expected to be a top-3 pick. Which could see him stay in the state of Arizona with the Phoenix Suns.
The NBA draft is on June 21st in Brooklyn, New York.
