photo by: Kyle Babson

Kansas junior forward Dedric Lawson floats a shot between Mitch Lightfoot and Silvio DeSousa during Late Night in the Phog, on Sept. 28, 2018, at Allen Fieldhouse.

Another day, another Kansas basketball player added to a preseason watchlist.

One day after learning he had been named the preseason newcomer of the year by the Big 12 Conference men’s basketball coaches, KU junior Dedric Lawson found himself on a list of 20 players in the running for the Karl Malone Power Forward of the Year Award.

The annual honor, now in its fifth year, recognizes the top power forward in Division I men’s college basketball after each season. A national committee of top college basketball personnel determined the watch list of 20 candidates.

By mid-February, the watchlist of 20 players for award will be narrowed to 10, and, in March, five finalists will be presented to Mr. Malone and the Hall of Fame’s selection committee. The winner will be announced April 12, 2019, in Los Angeles.

Lawson joins KU freshmen Devon Dotson (Bob Cousy Award) and Quentin Grimes (Jerry West Award) as Jayhawks named to various national watchlists thus far ahead of the upcoming 2018-19 season.

Named a preseason all-Big 12 first team pick along with his top newcomer honor, Lawson is in his first season of eligibility at KU after sitting out last season after transferring from Memphis. During his last on-court action, the Memphis native averaged 19.2 points and 9.9 rebounds for the Tigers, recording 19 double-doubles during his sophomore year in 2016-17.

As a freshman, Lawson averaged 15.8 points and 9.3 rebounds with 17 double-doubles for Memphis.

2019 Karl Malone Power Forward of the Year Award Candidates

Yoeli Childs, BYU

Zion Williamson, Duke

Juwan Morgan, Indiana

Dedric Lawson, Kansas

Dean Wade, Kansas State

Reid Travis, Kentucky

P.J. Washington, Kentucky

Jordan Murphy, Minnesota

Jordan Brown, Nevada

Luke Maye, North Carolina

Drew McDonald, Northern Kentucky

Chris Silva, South Carolina

Mike Daum, South Dakota State

Grant Williams, Tennessee

Devontae Cacok, UNCW

Bennie Boatwright, USC

Simisola Shittu, Vanderbilt

Eric Paschall, Villanova

Noah Dickerson, Washington

Sagaba Konate, West Virginia

Players can play their way onto and off of the list at any point during the 2018-19 season.