SPRINGFIELD, Mass. – University of Miami men’s basketball junior center Somto Cyril was named one of 20 candidates for the 2027 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award Watch List, the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame announced Friday.

Now in its 13th year, the annual Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award recognizes the top center in NCAA Division I men’s basketball. The award is named after the Class of 1995 Hall of Famer and three-time NCAA champion.

Cyril enters his first season with the Hurricanes following a standout sophomore campaign at Georgia, where he earned SEC All-Defensive Team honors after leading the conference and ranking 13th nationally with 2.2 blocks per game. The Enugu, Nigeria, native averaged 9.3 points and a team-high 5.4 rebounds while starting 32 of 33 contests.

The 6-foot-11 center established himself as one of the nation's most efficient players, leading the country with 83 dunks while setting Georgia's single-season field goal percentage record at 75.9 percent. Cyril totaled 74 blocked shots, including a season-high eight against Arkansas, the most by an SEC player in conference action last season.

The 20-player watch list will be narrowed to 10 candidates in February before five finalists are selected in March. The finalists will be presented to Abdul-Jabbar and the Hall of Fame's selection committee, which will determine the award recipient.

Cyril and the No. 14 Hurricanes open the 2026-27 regular season against No. 1 Florida on Monday, Nov. 2, in Tampa, Fla. Tipoff is scheduled for 6 p.m. on ESPN2.

For more information on the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award, visit HoophallAwards.com.