St. Louis University center Robbie Avila, left, and guard Isaiah Swope (1) head upcourt in transition during a game Monday, Nov. 25, 2024, against Quinnipiac at Chaifetz Arena.

Versatile St. Louis University center Robbie Avila was announced Friday as one of 10 candidates for the prestigious Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award, given annually to the top center in college basketball.

Avila, who averages 16.6 points per game and 6.6 rebounds, leads all Division I centers in assists (4.2 per game) and made 3-pointers (1.6 per game).

Avila, a 6-foot-10 junior, came with first-year head coach Josh Schertz from Indiana State this past offseason.

"Just a special player," head coach Josh Schertz said last month. "He's underrated in what he brings to us on the defensive end. Obviously the offensive end is loud, but he does a lot of things that are subtle defensively that really drive winning.

"I think he's not just one of the best players in this league, one of the best players in the country."

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The big man has been struggling in recent games, losing nearly two points per game off his scoring average.

Avila is just one of several players with St. Louis ties who have been named finalists for positional awards by the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in recent days.

Creighton center and Florissant native Ryan Kalkbrenner (Trinity Catholic) was also named a finalist for the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award.

Kalkbrenner averages 19.2 points, 8.5 rebounds and 2.7 blocked shots per game and leads the Big East in blocks per game, defensive rebounds per game (6.18) and field goal percentage (.665).

A fifth-year senior, Kalkbrenner is one of two men to make the final 10 for the award each of the last three years, joining Hunter Dickinson.

Bob Cousy Award

Iowa State's Keshon Gilbert (Vashon) was among the 10 players on the Bob Cousy Award late season watch list, given to the top point guard in Division I.

Gilbert averages 15 points, 4.3 assists, 3.5 rebounds and 1.5 steals per game this year and is one of just 14 players in the country to reach or surpass those numbers this season.

Jerry West Award

Arizona's Caleb Love (CBC) was named one of 10 candidates for the Jerry West Award, which goes to the top shooting guard in Division I men's college basketball.

Love on Tuesday reached 1,000 career points at Arizona. He’s the 13th player in NCAA history to score 1,000 points with two Division I schools, having also done so at North Carolina.

A fifth-year senior, Love is 18 points away from 2,500 for his career. He leads the Wildcats in scoring at 16.3 per game.

Illinois freshman Kasparas Jakucionis is also among the 10 players on the West Award watch list.

Fans can vote on the winners for the above awards at hoophallawards.com, and the fan vote will count as one committee vote during the finalist selection process.

Oscar Robertson Trophy

The U.S. Basketball Writers Association unveiled its 50-man midseason watch list for the Oscar Robertson Trophy, which is given in St. Louis to the outstanding men's basketball player, regardless of position.

Gilbert, Love and Jakucionis were all on that list.

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