Is UNLV freshman Stephen Zimmerman overhyped or could he be the next Kareem Abdul-Jabbar?
It's a trick question. Zimmerman is receiving plenty of preseason hype, and the 7-footer from Bishop Gorman High probably deserves it. A few days after being voted the Mountain West's Preseason Freshman of the Year, Zimmerman was named to the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award watch list, which was announced by the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.
This is an obscure award just in its second year of existence, but it's named in honor of a three-time NCAA champion so it means something. The Abdul-Jabbar award recognizes the top centers in college basketball.