YPSILANTI, Mich., April 14, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- In its
35th year of honoring the nation's most elite high
school athletes, The Gatorade Company today announced Emoni Bates of Lincoln
High School in Ypsilanti,
Mich. is the 2019-20 Gatorade National Boys Basketball
Player of the Year – the first sophomore to win the award. Bates
won the prestigious award for his accomplishments on and off the
court, joining an impressive group of former Gatorade National Boys
Basketball Player of the Year winners who have combined for five
NBA MVPs awards, 69 All-Star appearances and 26 became NBA first
round draft picks.
Historically, Gatorade National Players of the Year are
surprised in person surrounded by their family, friends, teammates
and coaches. Due to the ongoing situation with the coronavirus
pandemic, Gatorade surprised Bates digitally via a wave of tweets
from multiple professional athletes, including Jayson Tatum and Dwyane
Wade.
The 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 Bates as the nation's best high school boys
basketball player. A national advisory panel comprised of
sport-specific experts and sports journalists helped select Bates
from more than half a million high school boys basketball players
nationwide.
Competition for the national award was fierce. Bates topped the
list of 51 state winners in boys basketball who collectively boast
an incredible list of accomplishments, including 10 McDonald's
All-American Game selections, 26 All-State, 27 committees, 7 ACC
school committees, 6 Big 10 school committees and nearly all
volunteering with at least two organizations.
Bates is now a finalist for the most prestigious award in high
school sports, the Gatorade Male High School Athlete of the Year
award, which is announced in July.
"Emoni Bates is the newest
generational talent in the high school game," said Paul Biancardi of ESPN Basketball. "As a
6-foot-9 sophomore, he owns a slender frame with terrific length
thanks to a 7-1 wingspan. His elite ball skills have a profound
influence and impact on the game. His ability as a shooter,
including his capacity to make contested shots, makes him unique.
His gifts off the bounce, his court vision and his fast-developing
basketball IQ stand out as well. A key separating trait at this
early age is his 'alpha-dog' mentality. When his time comes for the
NBA draft, we project him as the No. 1 pick."
The 6-foot-9, 180-pound sophomore forward led the Railsplitters
to a 19-3 record appearing in 21 of the 22 games. He also led the
team to a berth in the Division 1, District 18 tournament
semifinals at the time of his selection. The state's returning
Gatorade Player of the Year, Bates averaged 32.4 points, 9.0
rebounds, 3.0 assists and 2.2 steals per game and was named the
2019 Ann Arbor News Player of the Year. He was also the 2019
MaxPreps National Freshman of the Year. Bates was ranked as the
nation's No. 1 recruit among all high-school-age players by
ESPN.com and entered the district semifinals with 1,343 points in
his prep basketball career.
Bates has volunteered locally on elementary school literacy
outreach campaigns and as a youth basketball coach. He has also
donated his time collecting clothes and shoes to give to community
churches and groups in need.
He has maintained a B average in the classroom and will begin
his junior year of high school this fall.
"The sports world has rightfully pushed pause to address the
coronavirus pandemic, which is why we felt it was even more
important to recognize and celebrate Emoni," said Gatorade Senior
Vice President and General Manager, Brett
O'Brien. "He's incredible on and off the court and we look
forward to seeing him continue to succeed in his chosen sport and
beyond."
Through Gatorade's cause marketing platform "Play it Forward,"
Bates has the opportunity to award a $1,000 grant to a local or national youth sports
organization of his choosing. He is also eligible to submit an
essay to win one of twelve $10,000
spotlight grants for the organization of choice, which will be
announced throughout the year.
Each year a selection committee evaluates the nation's top
talent in the District of Columbia
and all 50 states, choosing national winners in 12 different
sports: football, girls volleyball, boys and girls cross country,
boys and girls basketball, baseball, softball, boys and girls
soccer, and boys and girls track and field. From the 12 national
winners, one male and one female athlete are each named Gatorade
High School Athlete of the Year.
Since the program's inception in 1985, Gatorade Player of the
Year award recipients have won hundreds of professional and college
championships, and many have also turned into pillars in their
communities, becoming coaches, business owners and educators.
Previous winners include a distinguished list of athletes, such as
Peyton Manning, Abby Wambach, Karl-Anthony Towns, Derek Jeter and many other sports icons. To
learn more about the Gatorade Player of the Year program, check out
past winners or to nominate student-athletes, visit
www.Gatorade.com/POY, on Facebook at
www.facebook.com/GatoradePOY or follow us on Twitter at
www.twitter.com/Gatorade.
About Gatorade
The Gatorade Company, a division of
PepsiCo (NASDAQ: PEP), meets the needs of consumers who participate
in Sports and Fitness, through brands that include Gatorade,
Propel, Muscle Milk and Bolt24. The solutions they provide are
driven by a deep understanding of the unique needs and occasions of
different types of sports and fitness. Gatorade, their marquee
brand, is underpinned by more than 50-year history of studying the
best athletes in the world and sports-nutrition research by the
Gatorade Sport Science Institute, allowing it to provide
scientifically-formulated products that meet athletes' needs both
on and off the field. For more information and a full list of
products, please visit www.gatorade.com.
About PepsiCo
PepsiCo products are enjoyed by
consumers more than one billion times a day in more than 200
countries and territories around the world. PepsiCo generated more
than $64 billion in net revenue in
2018, driven by a complementary food and beverage portfolio that
includes Frito-Lay, Gatorade, Pepsi-Cola, Quaker and Tropicana.
PepsiCo's product portfolio includes a wide range of enjoyable
foods and beverages, including 22 brands that generate more than
$1 billion each in estimated annual
retail sales.
At the heart of PepsiCo is Performance with Purpose – our
fundamental belief that the success of our company is inextricably
linked to the sustainability of the world around us. We believe
that continuously improving the products we sell, operating
responsibly to protect our planet and empowering people around the
world enable PepsiCo to run a successful global company that
creates long-term value for society and our shareholders. For more
information, visit www.pepsico.com.
PREVIOUS GATORADE
NATIONAL BOYS BASKETBALL PLAYER OF THE YEAR WINNERS
|
YEAR
|
NAME
|
HOMETOWN
|
STATUS
|
2018-19
|
James
Wiseman
|
Memphis,
TN
|
Entering 2020 NBA
Draft
|
2017-18
|
RJ Barrett
|
Mississauga,
ON, Canada
|
New York
Knicks
|
2016-17
|
Michael Porter
Jr.
|
Columbia,
MO
|
Denver
Nuggets
|
2015-16
|
Jayson
Tatum
|
St. Louis,
MO
|
Boston
Celtics
|
2014-15
|
Ben
Simmons
|
Melbourne, Australia
|
Philadelphia
76ers
|
2013-14
|
Karl-Anthony
Towns
|
Metuchen,
NJ
|
Minnesota
Timberwolves
|
2012-13
|
Andrew
Wiggins
|
Thornhill,
ON, Canada
|
Minnesota
Timberwolves
|
2011-12
|
Jabari
Parker
|
Chicago,
IL
|
Atlanta
Hawks
|
2010-11
|
Bradley
Beal
|
St. Louis,
MO
|
Washington
Wizards
|
2009-10
|
Brandon
Knight
|
Fort Lauderdale,
FL
|
Cleveland
Cavaliers
|
2008-09
|
Brandon
Knight
|
Fort Lauderdale,
FL
|
Cleveland
Cavaliers
|
2007-08
|
Jrue
Holiday
|
North Hollywood,
CA
|
New Orleans
Pelicans
|
2006-07
|
Kevin Love
|
Lake Oswego,
OR
|
Cleveland
Cavaliers
|
2005-06
|
Greg Oden
|
Indianapolis,
IN
|
Retired from Miami
Heat
|
2004-05
|
Greg Oden
|
Indianapolis,
IN
|
Retired from Miami
Heat
|
2003-04
|
Dwight
Howard
|
Atlanta,
GA
|
Los Angeles
Lakers
|
2002-03
|
LeBron
James
|
Akron, OH
|
Los Angeles
Lakers
|
2001-02
|
LeBron
James
|
Akron, OH
|
Los Angeles
Lakers
|
2000-01
|
Kelvin
Tarbert
|
Flint, MI
|
Retired from Toronto
Raptors
|
1999-00
|
Jared
Jeffries
|
Bloomington,
IN
|
Retired from Portland
Trail Blazers
|
1998-99
|
Lavelle
Blanchard
|
Ann Arbor,
MI
|
Retired from Toronto
Raptors
|
1997-98
|
Al
Harrington
|
Elizabeth,
NJ
|
Retired from Sydney
Kings
|
1996-97
|
Baron
Davis
|
Santa Monica,
CA
|
Retired from Delaware
87ers
|
1995-96
|
Kobe
Bryant
|
Ardmore,
PA
|
Deceased
|
1994-95
|
Stephon
Marbury
|
Brooklyn,
NY
|
Retired from Boston
Celtics
|
1993-94
|
Felipe
López
|
New York,
NY
|
Retired from
Minnesota Timberwolves
|
1992-93
|
Randy
Livingston
|
New Orleans,
LA
|
Retired from Chicago
Bulls
|
1991-92
|
Corliss
Williamson
|
Russellville,
AR
|
Retired from
Sacramento Kings
|
1990-91
|
Chris
Webber
|
Detroit,
MI
|
Retired from Golden
State Warriors
|
1989-90
|
Damon
Bailey
|
Bedford,
IN
|
Retired from
Cleveland Cavaliers
|
1988-89
|
Kenny
Anderson
|
Jamaica,
NY
|
Retired from Los
Angeles Clippers
|
1987-88
|
Alonzo
Mourning
|
Chesapeake,
VA
|
Retired from Miami
Heat
|
1986-87
|
LaBradford
Smith
|
Bay City,
TX
|
Retired from
Sacramento Kings
|
1985-86
|
J.R. Reid
|
Virginia Beach,
VA
|
Retired from
Charlotte Hornets
|
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SOURCE The Gatorade Company