SPRINGFIELD, Mass. – UCLA senior Thomas Welsh has been named as one of 10 watch list finalists for the 2018 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Center of the Year Award, as announced Friday by the Naismith Memorial Hall of Fame.
 
Named after Hall of Famer and three-time NCAA Champion Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, who starred for the Bruins from 1967-69, this annual honor is in its fourth year and recognizes the top centers in men's college basketball. A national committee comprised of top college basketball personnel determined the watch list of 20 candidates in October and has since narrowed the list for just 10 student-athletes.
 
Welsh has averaged 12.9 points and 10.4 rebounds in 24 games as a senior at UCLA. The 7-foot center from nearby Redondo Beach, Calif., currently ranks second among all Pac-12 players in rebounds per game (10.4). He is one of two Pac-12 players (along with Arizona's Deandre Ayton) to have registered at least 10 points and 10 rebounds per game this season.
 
Welsh has totaled a team-leading 14 double-doubles and scored a season-high 22 points at Michigan on Dec. 9, 2017. The senior center had 11 points and 12 rebounds in UCLA's 82-74 win at No. 13 Arizona on Thursday night.
 
Joining Welsh on the list of 10 midseason candidates for this year's Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award are Jaren Jackson Jr. (Michigan State), Isaac Haas (Purdue), Jock Landale (Saint Mary's), Angel Delgado (Seton Hall), Vladimir Brodziansky (TCU), Mohamed Bamba (Texas), Tyler Davis (Texas A&M), Brandon McCoy (UNLV) and Ethan Happ (Wisconsin).
 
In March, five finalists will be presented to Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and the Hall of Fame's selection committee for the 2018 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Center of the Year Award. The winner of this year's award will be honored at ESPN's College Basketball Awards presented by Wendy's in downtown Los Angeles on Friday, April 6. Broadcast information will be released at a later date.