Miami basketball center-forward Dewan Hernandez formerly known as Dewan Huell has been named to the watch list for the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award.
The Watch List for the Abdul-Jabbar Award was released on Friday by the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. The Miami basketball team has been associated with the Hall of Fame over the last two seasons by hosting the Hoophall Invitational at American Airlines Arena in December.
Hernandez is the Miami basketball team’s leading returning scorer at 11.4 points per game, leading rebounder at 6.7 points per game and tied for the lead among returnees with 31 blocked shots last season.
Hernandez is somehow the only center from the ACC on the list. Miami fans will notice one familiar name. Loyola-Chicago center Cameron Krutwig was one of the 21 players selected to the Abdul-Jabbar watchlist. Krutwig and the Ramblers ousted the Hurricanes in the NCAA tournament first round during their 2018 Final Four run.
Busting Brackets
Hernandez scored in double figures 20 times last season for the Miami basketball team and reached at least 20 points three times. The Hurricanes need more consistency from Hernandez this season. His numbers went down after Miami lost point guard Bruce Brown for the season in late January with a foot injury.
In the 13 games without Brown in the lineup Hernandez averaged 7.9 PPG and 6.3 RPG. Miami needs Hernandez to improve his numbers across the board this season and be the four-star recruit he was in the 2016 signing class.
Hernandez and Lonnie Walker who was one and done after last season were McDonald’s All-Americans coming out of high school. Hernandez has yet to reach his full potential. Walker was the 18th overall pick in the 2018 NBA Draft by the San Antonio Spurs.
Hernandez has seemed to peak early in each of his two seasons on the Miami basketball roster. He started 15 games as a Freshman, all in the middle of the season. Hernandez started every game in 2017-18. His career numbers are far greater in November than any other month.
Hernandez did play well last December at the Diamond Head Classic in Hawaii. He was named to the All-Tournament Team, averaging 15.7 points, 6.0 rebounds and 1.7 blocks as Miami finished third in Honolulu. The Hurricanes had wins over Hawaii and Middle Tennessee State but lost to New Mexico State.
| Split | Value | G | MP | FG | FGA | FG% | 3P | 3PA | 3P% | 2P | 2PA | 2P% | FT | FTA | FT% | ORB | TRB | DRB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | PF | PTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total | 64 | 21.6 | 3.5 | 6.2 | .560 | 0.0 | 0.1 | .000 | 3.5 | 6.2 | .567 | 1.6 | 2.4 | .675 | 1.7 | 4.9 | 3.2 | 0.3 | 0.5 | 0.9 | 1.2 | 1.9 | 8.6 | |
| Month | November | 13 | 22.9 | 5.2 | 8.3 | .620 | 0.0 | 0.1 | .000 | 5.2 | 8.2 | .626 | 2.1 | 2.7 | .771 | 2.4 | 6.2 | 3.8 | 0.4 | 0.5 | 0.8 | 1.2 | 2.2 | 12.4 |
| December | 13 | 21.6 | 3.4 | 6.1 | .557 | 0.0 | 0.1 | .000 | 3.4 | 6.0 | .564 | 1.5 | 2.2 | .679 | 1.2 | 4.6 | 3.4 | 0.2 | 0.5 | 1.2 | 0.8 | 1.9 | 8.2 | |
| January | 15 | 25.4 | 4.0 | 7.2 | .556 | 0.0 | 0.1 | .000 | 4.0 | 7.1 | .566 | 1.8 | 2.7 | .659 | 2.5 | 5.5 | 3.0 | 0.5 | 0.6 | 0.6 | 1.3 | 1.9 | 9.8 | |
| February | 17 | 18.9 | 2.2 | 4.6 | .474 | 0.0 | 0.1 | .000 | 2.2 | 4.5 | .481 | 1.4 | 2.1 | .686 | 1.3 | 4.0 | 2.7 | 0.2 | 0.3 | 0.8 | 1.1 | 1.8 | 5.8 | |
| March | 6 | 16.8 | 2.7 | 4.5 | .593 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 2.7 | 4.5 | .593 | 1.2 | 2.5 | .467 | 0.5 | 3.5 | 3.0 | 0.2 | 0.3 | 1.0 | 1.5 | 1.5 | 6.5 |
Provided by CBB at Sports Reference: View Original Table
Generated 10/19/2018.
Miami needs Hernandez to be a team leader this season and demand the ball. The Hurricanes lost their three best scorers from last season, Brown, Walker and JaQuan Newton. Hernandez has to be one of Miami’s scorers if the Hurricanes are going to reach their fourth straight NCAA Tournament. That would be a program first.
Hernandez should have plenty of help up front. Senior Ebuka Izundu, Sophomore Sam Waardenburg and Redshirt Freshman Deng Gak are all at least 6’9 and can play power forward or center.