Norchad Omier Tabbed a Top-10 Finalist for The Basketball Hall of Fame Karl Malone Award

LifeWallet athlete Norchad Omier of the University of Miami men’s basketball team is among the top-10 candidates for the prestigious Karl Malone Award, as announced Thursday afternoon according to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.

The award, named after Class of 2010 Hall of Famer and two-time NBA Most Valuable Player Karl Malone, the annual honor in its ninth year recognizes the top power forward in Division I men’s college basketball.

Omier is among three ACC nominees, joining Duke’s Kyle Filipowski and Clemson’s Hunter Tyson. The other power forwards on the list include Akron’s Enrique Freeman, Dayton’s DaRon Holmes II, Providence’s Bryce Hopkins, Indiana’s Trayce-Jackson Davis, Iowa’s Kris Murray, Gonzaga’s Drew Timme and Arizona’s Azuolas Tubelis.

A third-year sophomore forward from Bluefields, Nicaragua, Omier is averaging 13.8 points per game, a team-high 10.1 rebounds per game, a team-high 1.4 blocks per game, 1.2 assists per game and one steal per game.

Omier has notched a team-leading 60.4 field-goal percentage on the hardwood floor for 19th/20th ranked Miami (19-5, 10-4 ACC). He is one of three Division I players including Purdue’s Zach Edey and Syracuse’s Jesse Edwards that have averaged at least 13.5 points and 10.0 rebounds per game on 60 percent shooting from the floor.

The 6-foot-7, 248-pound forward is third among active Division I players in both career rebounding average (11.6) and double-doubles (46). This season, Omier ranks eighth nationally in offensive rebounds per game (3.8), 14th in rebounding average, 15th in double-doubles (11) and 20th in field-goal percentage (60.4 percent).

Norchad Omier is not the only Canes hooper to make a top-10 list this season, as fourth-year junior guard and LifeWallet athlete Isaiah Wong was nominated a candidate for the Jerry West Award this week.

Fans can support their favorite players in the remaining rounds by participating in Fan Voting, presented by Dell Technologies, starting February 10th on hoophallawards.com. The fans vote will count as one committee vote during the finalist selection process.

In March, five finalists will be presented to NBA Hall of Famer Jerry West and the Hall of Fame’s selection committee. The Selection Committee for the Karl Malone Award is composed of top men’s college basketball personnel that includes media members, head coaches, sports information directors and Hall of Famers. The winner of the 2023 Karl Malone Award will be presented on a date that is to be determined, along with four other members of the Men’s Starting Five.

LifeWallet Sports congratulates Norchad Omier on being nominated as one of the top-10 candidates for the 2023 Karl Malone Award and looks forward to Omier bringing the trophy home.

Omier and the Hurricanes are back in action on Saturday at 7:00 P.M. EST, when they take on the Louisville Cardinals. The game will be broadcasted live on the ACC Network from the Watsco Center in Coral Gables, Florida, while Canes Hoops will battle to continue an undefeated record at home this season.