money Finalists announced for 2024-25 Gatorade National Boys Basketball Player of the Year
The three finalists for the 2024-25 Gatorade National Boys Basketball Player of the Year award were announced Thursday morning, all of them seeking to add a prestigious individual accolade to a season in which their respective team won their championship season.
Five-star recruits Cameron Boozer, Brayden Burries and Caleb Wilson are the nominees for the player of the year award. The players in this trio hopes to join the likes of Gatorade winners who have gone onto NBA stardom including Kobe Bryant, LeBron James and Jayson Tatum.
Below is a snapshot of the players up for the Gatorade National Boys Basketball Player of the Year award.
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Cameron Boozer
High School: Columbus (Miami, Fla.)
Position: Power Forward
College Commitment: Duke
The second-ranked player in the class of 2025, Cameron Boozer led Columbus to its fourth consecutive Florida Class 7A state championship, icing his stellar season and high school career with a line of 26 points, 13 rebounds and four assists in the semifinals and 20 points and nine rebounds in the championship. He scored double-digit points in every game this season, and over the 28 games MaxPreps has on record, Boozer averaged 22.6 points, 12.0 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 2.0 steals and 1.3 blocks per game.
Standing at 6-foot-9 and 235 pounds, Cameron Boozer is a do-it-all forward who handles the ball well, makes good passes and is an excellent rebounder. The son of former NBA player Carlos Boozer, Cameron has Columbus at the No. 1 spot in the Super 25 and a chance at Chipotle Nationals glory on the horizon.
Brayden Burries
High School: Roosevelt (Eastvale, Calif.)
Position: Combo Guard
College Commitment: Uncommitted
Brayden Burries has exceeded his junior year outburst, putting on a show as an absolutely electric scorer as a senior. Averaging 29.7 points per game, he reached 40 five times and broke the 50 mark once, most notably going off for 44 points in the California Open Division state championship victory over Archbishop Riordan, securing Roosevelt's spot as the best team in California.
While he can score all over the court, Burries is also a strong rebounder with 8.8 boards per game. He also averaged 3.4 assists and 2.9 steals per contest, showing his skillset against extremely competitive competition. He still has one more tournament: The Throne, which will pit Roosevelt against national competition.
Caleb Wilson
High School: Holy Innocents Episcopal (Atlanta)
Position: Power Forward
College Commitment: North Carolina
Caleb Wilson showed up when it mattered most this season, leading Holy Innocents Episcopal to its first state championship with 33 points, 13 rebounds, three assists and three blocks in the title game. The five-star, 6-foot-9 forward was a two-way monster this season, averaging 21.6 points, 11.1 rebounds, 5.0 assists, 3.6 blocks and 2.1 steals per game.
The defensive side of the court is where Wilson thrived most, using his 7-foot wingspan and 9-foot standing reach to average nearly nine stocks per game. With him at the lead, the defense allowed more than 45 points only once during the entire postseason.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY High School Sports Wire: Finalists announced for 2024-25 Gatorade National Boys Basketball POY
