Franklin On Katrina McClain Award Preseason Watch List

Tennessee's Jasmine Franklin is among 20 players named as preseason watch list candidates for the 2023 Katrina McClain Award, the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame and the Women's Basketball Coaches Association announced on Thursday.

Named after the two-time All-American and 1987 National Player of the Year, the annual award in its sixth year recognizes the top power forwards in women's NCAA Division I college basketball. A national committee of top college basketball personnel determined the watch list of 20 candidates.

"Katrina McClain was a standout power forward throughout her career," said John L. Doleva, President and CEO of the Basketball Hall of Fame. "We're proud to recognize these tremendous student-athletes that have proven themselves as the best at their position. As we launch our fan voting component tomorrow, we encourage fans to cast their votes alongside Katrina and our distinguished selection committee."

A 6-foot-1 graduate transfer from Missouri State, Franklin averaged 14.9 points, 12.1 rebounds, 2.4 blocks and 1.8 steals last season before suffering a season-ending injury in January. She shot 53.8 percent from the field and a career-topping 76 percent on free throws, carding eight double-doubles and nine double-digit rebound performances. Against five Power 5 foes, she put up 15.6 ppg., 14.0 rpg., 2.4 spg. and 1.6 bpg.

Franklin, who was recruited to MSU and played for Kellie Harper and Jon Harper when they were at that school, averaged 11.0 points, 9.0 rebounds, 1.8 steals, 1.3 blocks and 1.1 assists while starting 99 of 102 games for the Lady Bears. She averaged 9.2 points and 10.8 rebounds in six NCAA Tournament games, helping Missouri State advance to the Sweet 16 in 2019 and 2021. She finished with 1,122 points and 913 rebounds, ranking No. 24 and No. 3 all-time at the school, respectively. Franklin also ranked No. 2 in career blocks (130), No. 3 in career rebound average (9.0) and double-doubles (33), and No. 15 in career steals (180).

A two-time All-Missouri Valley Conference First Team selection in 2020 and 2021, Franklin also was the MVC Defensive Player of the Year in 2021. She was a seven-time MVC Player of the Week and four-time MVC Newcomer of the Week during her time at MSU.

Fans are encouraged to participate in Fan Voting, presented by Dell Technologies, in each of the three rounds starting Friday, October 21. In late January, the watch list of 20 players for the 2023 Katrina McClain Award will be narrowed to 10 and then in late February to just five. In March the five finalists will be presented to McClain and the Hall of Fame's selection committee where a winner will be selected.

The winner of the 2023 Katrina McClain Award will be presented on a to be determined date, along with the other four members of the Women's Starting Five. Additional awards being presented include the Nancy Lieberman Award (Point Guard), Ann Meyers Drysdale Award (Shooting Guard), Cheryl Miller Award (Small Forward) and the Lisa Leslie Award (Center), in addition to the Men's Starting Five.

Previous winners of the Katrina McClain Power Forward of the Year Award are NaLyssa Smith, Baylor (2021), Ruthy Hebard, Oregon (2018, 2020) and Napheesa Collier, Connecticut (2019).

For more information on the 2023 Katrina McClain Award and the latest updates, visit hoophallawards.com and follow @hoophall and #McClainAward on Twitter and Instagram.

2023 Katrina McClain Award Candidates*

Esmery Martinez	Arizona	Addie Budnik	Richmond
Cate Reese	Arizona	Sania Feagin	South Carolina
Erynn Barnum	Arkansas	Victoria Saxton	South Carolina
DreUna Edwards	Baylor	Cameron Brink	Stanford
Lauren Gustin	BYU	Jasmine Franklin	Tennessee
Emma Ronsiek	Creighton	Aaliyah Moore	Texas
Aneesah Morrow	DePaul	Aaliyah Edwards	UConn
Olivia Cochran	Louisville	Alissa Pili	Utah
Angel Reese	LSU	Maddy Siegrist	Villanova
Maddy Westbeld	Notre Dame	Sam Brunelle	Virginia

*Players can play their way onto and off the list at any point in the 2022-23 season

About Katrina McClain-Pittman:
Katrina McClain-Pittman was a prolific rebounder and terrific scorer in a career that spanned three Olympic Games and three continents. Before she earned her stripes for USA Basketball, McClain-Pittman starred at the University of Georgia where she was a two-time Kodak All-American and the WBCA National Player of the Year her senior season.

She left Georgia as the school's second all-time leading scorer and rebounder, averaging a double-double her final two seasons in Athens. The Lady Bulldogs reached the 1985 NCAA Final Four and national championship game with McClain-Pittman controlling the paint and Teresa Edwards running the offense.

The two-time USA Basketball Female Athlete of the Year finished her international career with two Olympic gold medals and one bronze, three FIBA World Championships medals, and five medals at the Goodwill Games, Pan Am Games, and World University Games. In all, McClain-Pittman appeared on eleven USA Basketball rosters becoming one of the most decorated athletes in USA Basketball history.

She has been inducted into the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame, the South Carolina Athletic Hall of Fame, the Georgia State Hall of Fame, and the National High School Hall of Fame, Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.

University of Tennessee | Official Athletics Site

Franklin On Katrina McClain Award Preseason Watch List

Players Mentioned

Jasmine Franklin

Related Videos