SPRINGFIELD, Mass. – UCLA freshman TJ Leaf has been selected as one of five finalists for the 2017 Karl Malone Power Forward of the Year Award, as announced by the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame on Thursday.
 
Leaf, a 6-foot-10 forward from El Cajon, Calif., has averaged 16.3 points and 8.4 rebounds in 30 games for the Bruins. He leads the Pac-12 in overall field goal percentage (63.0%) and ranks eighth in scoring, seventh in rebounding and 12th in blocked shots per game (1.2).
 
Leaf has registered a team-leading 11 double-doubles, including a 32-point and 14-rebound effort at Washington State in the Bruins' 95-79 win on Feb. 1. In all, Leaf has scored in double figures in 27 of 30 contests, including in each of UCLA's first 21 games.
 
Joining Leaf on the list of five finalists are Arizona's Lauri Markkanen, Baylor's Johnathan Motley, Notre Dame's Bonzie Colson and Purdue's Caleb Swanigan.
 
With Leaf's selection to the list of Malone Award finalists, UCLA has had three players named to four positional watch list awards this week. Lonzo Ball is a finalist for the Bob Cousy Point Guard of the Year Award and Bryce Alford is among five finalists for the Jerry West Shooting Guard of the Year Award.
 
Ranked No. 3 in the nation, UCLA (28-3) will return to action against USC (24-8) in the quarterfinal round of the Pac-12 Tournament on Thursday. UCLA's game on Thursday will be nationally televised on ESPN (8:30 p.m. PT).