Top Kareem Abdul‑Jabbar Award Candidates for the 2026 Season
Named after the legendary center, the Kareem Abdul‑Jabbar Award honors the best center in NCAA men’s basketball each season. After an outstanding final season at Creighton, Ryan Kalkbrenner was the latest recipient of the award. This prestigious award has been an achievement that these athletes have competed for year after year. As the 2025-26 campaign approaches, here are seven promising candidates who have legitimate chances at taking home the award.
Who’s Winning It?
JT Toppin, a sophomore at Texas Tech, returns after earning Big 12 Player of the Year and Second-Team All-American honors, averaging 18 points and nine rebounds. Toppin inked a lucrative four-million-dollar NIL deal this offseason. The rising sophomore is the leader of a Texas Tech team that has Final Four hopes. Yaxel Lendeborg, a graduate senior at Michigan, withdrew from the NBA Draft to use his final year of eligibility. The two-time AAC Defensive Player of the Year posted a rare stat line of 17 points, 11 rebounds, four assists, two blocks, and almost two steals per game last season. Purdue’s Trey Kaufman-Renn, a senior and First-Team All-Big Ten returnee, averaged over twenty points and nine rebounds, and will now assume the role of trying to replicate former Purdue center and two-time Kareem Abdul-Jabaar Award winner Zach Edey. Kaufman-Renn also has a chance to compete with one of the best backcourts in the nation. Joseph Tugler enters his sophomore season at Houston and is expected to become the team’s primary interior defender after showing strong rebounding and athleticism as a freshman. The 2024-2025 Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year is poised for another huge season. Zuby Ejiofor, the Big East’s reigning Most Improved Player and an All-Big East First-Team member, brings shot-blocking and rebounding to Rick Pitino’s rotation in what could be another outstanding season for the junior. Tomislav Ivisic, a seven-foot Croatian newcomer at Illinois, is expected to provide floor spacing, pick-and-pop scoring, and high basketball IQ. Ivisic is a part of the biggest secret weapon in college basketball for this upcoming season: European players. Kansas rising sophomore Flory Bidunga arrived as one of the most heralded recruits in the country last season, known for his elite rim protection and athleticism; if he adapts quickly to his heavily increased role, he could become a defensive game-changer in Bill Self’s system. Florida’s Alex Condon, now in his senior year, is emerging as a key piece for the Gators, bringing solid footwork, face-up skills, and growing mobility for his size. With a strong mix of experienced veterans and breakout newcomers, the 2025–26 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award race is shaping up to be one of the most competitive in recent years.
Final Thoughts
This season’s race for the Kareem Abdul‑Jabbar Award features a deep mix of returning stars and high-upside newcomers, each with strong chances to secure the award. With Toppin and Lendeborg confirmed to return for their final collegiate campaigns, Kaufman‑Renn stepping up in a full-time role, and young talents like Bidunga entering the fray, the center position is poised for a thrilling year. This award has been housed in the Big Ten for six out of the last ten years, so Kaufman-Renn, Lendeborg, and Ivisic could all take home the award for the conference. Keep an eye out for JT Toppin or Joseph Tugler representing the Big 12, though.
