Who Will Win Gatorade State Player of the Year?
The most coveted individual award in Washington is none other than the Gatorade State Player of the Year. The award is given to the player that exemplifies athletic excellence, academic achievement and exemplary character. Past winners include Brock Ravet (Gonzaga),…
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Continue ReadingThe most coveted individual award in Washington is none other than the Gatorade State Player of the Year. The award is given to the player that exemplifies athletic excellence, academic achievement and exemplary character. Past winners include Brock Ravet (Gonzaga), Dejounte Murray (UW/SA Spurs), Michael Porter Jr. (Missouri/Denver Nuggets) and many more successful student-athletes. The most recent winner of the award is current Washington freshman and projected lottery pick, Jaden McDaniels.
Junior Paolo Banchero of O’Dea High School is the likely favorite to win the award, but there are some other guys that will be competing to help their teams perform at a very high level and produce on/off the floor. Here are some potential winners of this year’s Gatorade State Player of the Year Award:
2020 6’8 PF Tari Eason (Garfield HS)
2020 6’6 G Jabe Mullins (Mt. Si HS)
2020 6’10 PF Mitchell Saxen (Ingraham HS)
2021 6’10 PF Paolo Banchero (O’Dea HS)
2021 6’9 C Kaden Perry (Battle Ground HS)
2021 6’9 PF Jackson Grant (Olympia HS)
The Favorite:
As mentioned above, Paolo is the hands down favorite to win it. He has all the size, skill and respect on a national level to get it done. He is the reigning 3A State MVP and Champion, so it would come as no surprise for him to win the award.
#1 Vs. #2 Battle:
If the award ends up going to a senior, the showdown between 2020 #1 Tari Eason and 2020 #2 Jabe Mullins could really take place. Both players are very talented, but in very different ways. Team performance and consistency throughout the season will definitely play factors in all of this.
The Sleeper in the Race:
Mitchell Saxen and Ingraham have all the right pieces to make a serious run this season and if Mitchell can help lead Ingraham to some big time victories, he could catapult himself into the discussion for Gatorade State POY.
Two BIG 2021’s:
Kaden Perry and Jackson Grant are both the best college prospects in their respective leagues, each standing 6’9. They have an outside chance of winning the award, but I expect both players to put up big time numbers and help their teams to very good seasons overall.