Press release
Gradey Dick Named 2021-22 Gatorade National Boys Basketball Player Of The Year
Boston Celtics Forward-Guard Jayson Tatum Surprises Winner with Honor BEL AIRE, Kan., March 22, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- In its 37th year of honoring the nation's
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[{"type":"text","content":"Boston Celtics Forward-Guard Jayson Tatum Surprises Winner with Honor\nBEL AIRE, Kan., March 22, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- In its 37th year of honoring the nation's most elite high school athletes, Gatorade today announced Gradey Dick of Sunrise Christian Academy in Bel Aire, Kan. is the 2021-22 Gatorade National Boys Basketball Player of the Year. Dick won the prestigious award for his accomplishments on and off the court, joining an impressive group of former Gatorade National Boys Basketball Players of the Year who have combined for five NBA MVPs awards, 76 All-Star appearances, 14 NBA championships, 27 NBA first round draft picks and three Hall of Famers.\nBoston Celtics forward-guard and 2015-2016 Gatorade National Boys Basketball Player of the Year Jayson Tatum virtually surprised Dick with the news, while his family, coaches and teammates showed up with the trophy at school. Check out a video of the announcement here.\nThe award, which recognizes not only outstanding athletic excellence, but also high standards of academic achievement and exemplary character demonstrated on and off the court, distinguishes Dick as the nation's best high school boys basketball player. The Gatorade Player of the Year Selection Committee, which leverages experts including coaches, scouts, media and others to evaluate candidates, selected Dick from nearly half a million other student-athletes who play boys basketball nationwide.\nCompetition for the national award was fierce. Dick topped the list of state winners in boys basketball who collectively boast an incredible list of accomplishments, including six returning state Gatorade Players of the Year, 29 with a GPA of 3.5 and above and 31 with signed National Letters of Intent or verbal commitments to play basketball at Division I colleges/universities.\n\"The team's leading scorer with 17.9 points per game at Sunrise Christian, Gradey is a long and lean knock-down shotmaker with a high basketball IQ and nice positional size,\" said Paul Biancardi of ESPN Basketball. \"More than a one-dimensional player, he will also finish drives, take charges and rebound, all of which helped his team win the NIBC regular-season title. What makes him special is that he combines talent, effort and good character. Kansas has an incoming player who will make an impact both on and off the court.\"\nThe state's 2019-2...