San Diego State senior Jaedon LeDee has been named the winner of the 2024 Karl Malone Award, for the best power forward in the nation – a first for the Aztecs in more ways than one.
The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame made the announcement Saturday prior to the tipoff of the Final Four in Glendale, Ariz.
LeDee expressed his thanks to the Hall of Fame, Malone and the selection committee, among others..
“I am truly humbled to have my name mentioned alongside Mr. Malone, a Hall of Famer, as well as past recipients of this honor: Obi Toppin, Drew Timme and Zion Williamson, among others,” LeDee said. “While this is an individual award and recognition, I would not be in this position without the support of my family, teammates and coaches. They have all played an integral role in my development as a player and person.”
The Malone Award in one of five bestowed by the Naismith Hall of Fame; others honor point and shooting guards, small forwards and centers, and are named for stars including Bob Cousy, Jerry West, Julius Erving and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.
The other winners named Saturday include UConn’s Tristen Newton; North Carolina’s RJ Davis; Tennessee’s Dalton Knecht and Purdue’s Zach Edey.
Recent winners of the Malone award include Trayce Jackson-Davis, Indiana (2023), Keegan Murray, Iowa (2022), Drew Timme, Gonzaga (2021), Obi Toppin, Dayton (2020) and Zion Williamson, Duke (2019).
LeDee, the first Aztec to be honored with one of the Hall of Fame’s “Starting Five” awards, set single season SDSU records with 772 points, 263 field goals, 226 free throws, 308 free throw attempts and 1,121 combined points, rebounds and assists.
His totals for points, field goals and combined points, rebounds and assists broke Michael Cage’s 40-year-old records in each category.
In addition, he broke Bob Brady’s record of 213 free throws, which was set in the 1952-53 season and Marcus Slaughter’s program record of 252 free throw attempts from the 2005-06 campaign.
“This is a great honor for Jaedon,” head coach Brian Dutcher said, “and I couldn’t be happier for or prouder of him in being named the Karl Malone Award winner. Jaedon is the epitome of what a student athlete should be, excelling both in the classroom and on the court, where he has become one of the most dominant players in college basketball.”
On a national basis, the 6-9 240-pound forward ranked No. 3 in free throw attempts, No. 5 in field goals and free throws, No. 6 in points and No. 12 in points per game and in the top-100 in six other statistical categories.
LeDee is one of two players in the nation to average at least 21.4 points and 8.4 rebounds while shooting at least 56% from the floor and the only player in the nation who is averaging at least 21.4 points and 8.4 rebounds while also having hit 20 3-pointers.
He started receiving national recognition in November when he was chosen as ESPN National Player of the Week as well as Lute Olson and NCAA March Madness Player of the Week, while garnering his first of two Oscar Robertson National Player of the Week designations on the season.
LeDee has been named an All-American for his play: as part of the second-team by the Sporting News, National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC), NCAA March Madness, and Field of 68, the third team by the Associated Press and honorable mention by the United States Basketball Writers Association (USBWA),
He also is a finalist for the Lute Olson Award for the national player of the year and this week was named a John R. Wooden Award All-American.
