UNC Basketball: How could Luke Maye win the 2019 Karl Malone Award?

1. Luke Maye could average a double-double

Last year Luke Maye averaged a double-double and this year he could do the same. He had career highs in both points and rebounds during the 2017-18 season.

This year he will be a senior so he will have to be a leader. Averaging close to 20 and 10 may not be a choice but mandatory for the survival of Carolina.

The team will need him to take charge of the boards and get rebounds. Raising his rebounds from 10.1 to 12 per game will help the team tremendously.  The frontcourt looks to be young with new recruits Coby White and Rechon Black (Kenny Williams will start the shooting guard position) so with Maye in the frontcourt he can make them look good by cleaning up their shots.

The best way to win an award is by getting the best stats. The best way to get the Karl Malone award if you are a power forward is to get a lot of rebounds and get a lot of double-doubles.

Maye will have a great opportunity to get 18 and 12 because he is a four-year player that has a major impact on the game. 

Maye was 15th in double-doubles last season and the award for the best power forward went to Deandre Ayton who had the most double-doubles in the country.

Ayton was able to get 24 double-doubles. Maye will most likely have to get 20 to have a chance at getting the award.

After having a 2017-18 season where he went for 20 and 10 eight times and had a double-double 17 times he should be able to get more of those type of numbers next year and become one of the finalists for the Karl Malone award again.