Men's basketball player Mitchell Saxen drives against UNLV in December 2023

Powerhouse on the floor: Gaels Center Mitchell Saxen against UNLV last season—a game in which he racked up 23 points, 16 rebounds, and scored the game-winning layup in double overtime. / Photo by Tod Fierner for SMC Atheltics

The Gaels’ Mitchell Saxen Has Been Named to Preseason Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Center of the Year Watch List. Now It’s Time to Cast Your Vote.

He’s defending West Coast Conference Defensive Player of the Year—and was key in SMC having one of the top three defenses in the country. Here’s how you can vote for him in the awards contest.

by Ryan Barnett, Assistant Athletic Director for Communications | November 1, 2024

As announced today by the Basketball Hall of Fame, Gaels Men’s Basketball player Mitchell Saxen has been named to the Preseason Top-20 Watchlist for the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Center of the Year. Saint Mary’s fans can now cast their vote for Saxen at hoophallawards.com.

Returning for his fifth season with the Gaels, the 6’10” big man from Seattle is coming off of his best season—and back-to-back All-West Coast Conference nods. Last season, Saxen averaged 12 points and 8 rebounds per contest, and helped lead the Gaels to the WCC Regular Season and Tournament Titles. He was named Defensive Player of the Year in the conference after leading the WCC with 43 blocks to go along with 134 defensive rebounds.

Digging into the stats a little deeper: Saxen recorded seven double-doubles on the year—including a maelstrom of a game against UNLV, in which he scored 23 points, had 16 rebounds, and hit the game-winning layup in double overtime. He brought fire and fury to the WCC Tournament Title match against Gonzaga as well, racking up 19 points and 15 rebounds. Saxen's 3.7 offensive rebounds per contest ranked 13th in the country last year. And he was a linchpin in the Gaels earning props as No. 3 in the country when it came to defensive efficiency.

About the Award

The world may never again see an athlete dominate basketball for as long and as thoroughly as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. Named for three time NCAA National Champion and First Team All-American, the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Center of the Year award has been given since 2015. This prestigious award honors the best centers in men's college basketball and is presented by the Basketball Hall of Fame, highlighting the elite talent in the sport. and has been won by NBA first round draft picks Frank Kaminsky, Jakob Poeltl, and Zach Edey.

Gaels fans can support Mitchell Saxen’s bid for the award by participating in fan voting starting Friday, November 1. In early February, the watch list of 20 players for the 2025 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award will be narrowed to 10, and then in early March, to just five. Later in March, the five finalists will be presented to the Hall of Fame’s selection committee, where winners will be selected. The committee is composed of top college basketball personnel, including media members, head coaches, sports information directors, and Hall of Famers.