Friday, it was announced that redshirt senior Micah Potter was named one 20 candidates for the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award, handed out annually to the best center in the country.

The 6-foot-10, 248-pound big man joins Kofi Cockburn, Luka Garza, Liam Robbins and Trevion Williams as one of five players to be named to the watchlist from the Big Ten Conference.

Potter is now the third player from Wisconsin to be a candidate for the award, joining Ethan Happ (2019) and Frank Kaminsky (2015).

After a long battle with the NCAA for eligibility, Potter, an Ohio State transfer, eventually joined the team and sparked a run capped off by a Big Ten title. Potter averaged 10.1 points, 6.2 rebounds 1.0 blocks per game and helped ignite a 16-5 finish after Wisconsin opened the season 5-5.

In late January, the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award watch list of 20 players will be narrowed down to just 10. In late February, five finalists will be presented to Abdul-Jabbar and the Hall of Fame’s selection committee. The winner of the award will be presented April 9, 2021

Previous winners of the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Center of the Year Award include Garza, (2020), Happ (2019), Angel Delgado, Seton Hall (2018), Przemek Karnowski, Gonzaga (2017), Jakob Poeltl, Utah (2016) and Kaminsky (2015).

Potter joined teammates Nate Reuvers (Karl Malone Award) and D’Mitrik Trice (Bob Cousy Awards) as preseason watchlist candidates for the Badgers this fall.

Matt Haarms – BYU

Mark Williams – Duke

Kofi Cockburn – Illinois

Luka Garza – Iowa

Olivier Sarr – Kentucky

Ahsan Asadullah – Lipscomb

Cameron Krutwig – Loyola Chicago

Mousa Cisse – Memphis

Liam Robbins – Minnesota

Armando Bacot – North Carolina

Walker Kessler – North Carolina

Trevion Williams – Purdue

Grant Golden – Richmond

Evan Mobley – USC

Neemias Queta – Utah State

Jay Huff – Virginia

Derek Culver – West Virginia

Charles Bassey – Western Kentucky

Micah Potter – Wisconsin

Loudon Love – Wright State