Completed Event: Men's Basketball at #23 Creighton (Exhibition) on October 17, 2025 , Loss , 58, to, 71
Final
Men's Basketball
58
#23 Creighton (Exhibition)
71
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Iowa State University Athletics
Photo by: Wesley Winterink
Jefferson Named to Karl Malone Award Preseason Watch List
10.30.2025 | Men's Basketball
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. - Iowa State forward Joshua Jefferson has been named to the Karl Malone Award Preseason Watch List. Jefferson is among 20 power forwards in the country named to the list. Former Cyclone Georges Niang was the second winner of the award in 2016.
This is the third Cyclone this week named to the Naismith Starting 5 Awards, as point guard Tamin Lipsey was named to the Bob Cousy Award Watch List on Monday and Milan Momcilovic was named to the Julius Erving Award Watch List on Wednesday. Iowa State is one of nine schools that has at least three players on four of the Naismith Starting 5 Watch Lists that have been named so far this week. Along with Jada Williams (Nancy Lieberman Award) and Addy Brown (Katrina McClain Award) on the women's side, Iowa State is one of just six schools in the country with five or more student-athletes on the Naismith Starting 5's between the two programs.
Jefferson was Mr. Do-It-All for the Cyclones last season. The five-time Big 12 Newcomer of the Week earned All-Big 12 Second Team honors and was named to the Big 12 All-Newcomer Team. Starting all 35 games, he averaged 13.0 points, 3.1 assists and 0.7 blocked shots, while leading the team with 7.4 rebounds and 2.1 steals per game. He finished the season with 454 points, 259 rebounds, 109 assists, 74 steals and 26 blocked shots, becoming the first player in Big 12 history to have those numbers in a season. He was the only player in the country to reach those numbers last year and just the 11th since 1974-75 to do so. In the NCAA Tournament, he became the first player in tournament history to finish with 10 points, eight rebounds, eight assists, three steals and two blocked shots in an NCAA Tournament game in Iowa State's win over Lipscomb.
The annual Karl Malone Award, named after the Class of 2010 Hall of Famer and two-time NBA Most Valuable Player, celebrates its 12th year by recognizing the top power forwards in Division I men's college basketball.
Fans can support their favorite player by participating in Fan Voting starting Friday, October 31. In late January, the watch list of 20 players for the 2026 Karl Malone Award will be narrowed to 10, and then in late February, to just five. In March, the five finalists will be presented to Malone and the Hall of Fame's selection committee, where winners will be selected. The Selection Committees for the Karl Malone Award is composed of top men's college basketball personnel, including media members, head coaches, sports information directors, and Hall of Famers.
The winner of the 2026 Malone Award will be presented on a to-be-determined date, along with the other four members of the Men's Starting Five. Additional awards being presented include the Bob Cousy Award (Point Guard), Jerry West Award (Shooting Guard), Julius Erving Award (Small Forward) and the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award (Center).
Previous winners of the Karl Malone Award are Johni Broome, Auburn (2025), Jaedon LeDee, San Diego State (2024), Trayce Jackson-Davis, Indiana (2023), Keegan Murray, Iowa (2022), Drew Timme, Gonzaga (2021), Obi Toppin, Dayton (2020), Zion Williamson, Duke (2019), Deandre Ayton, Arizona (2018), Johnathan Motley, Baylor (2017), Georges Niang, Iowa State (2016), and Montrezl Harrell, Louisville (2015).
For more information on the 2026 Karl Malone Award and the latest updates, visit hoophallawards.com and follow @hoophallu and #MaloneAward on X and Instagram.
Players Mentioned
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/ Men's Basketball
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/ Men's Basketball
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/ Men's BasketballKillyan Toure 10_30_25 interview
Thursday, October 30
Milan Momcilovic 10_30_25 interview
Thursday, October 30
TJ Otzelberger 10_30_25 interview
Thursday, October 30
TJ Otzelberger Post-Game vs. Northwestern
Sunday, October 26
