CHICAGO (March 21, 2014) — In its 29th year of honoring the nation’s best high school athletes, The Gatorade Company, in collaboration with USA TODAY High School Sports, today announced Isaiah Wilkins of Greater Atlanta Christian School as its 2013-14 Gatorade Georgia Boys Basketball Player of the Year. Wilkins is the first Gatorade Georgia Boys Basketball Player of the Year to be chosen from Greater Atlanta Christian School.
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 Wilkins as Georgia’s best high school boys basketball player. Now a finalist for the prestigious Gatorade National Boys Basketball Player of the Year award to be announced in March, Wilkins joins an elite alumni association of past state boys basketball award winners, including Dwight Howard (2003-04, SW Atlanta Christian Academy, Ga.), Chauncey Billups (1993-94 & 1994-95, George Washington HS, Colo.), Jason Kidd (1991-92, St. Joseph Notre Dame HS, Calif.), Paul Pierce (1994-95, Inglewood HS, Calif.) and Chris Bosh (2001-02, Lincoln HS, Texas).
The 6-foot-8, 215-pound senior forward led the Spartans to a 32-0 record and the Class AA state championship this past season. Wilkins averaged 18.2 points, 10.3 rebounds, 3.4 blocks, 2.6 assists and 2.2 steals per game. A two-time First Team All-State selection, he scored 29 points with 12 rebounds and four blocked shots in Greater Atlanta Christian’s 58-55 win over Calhoun in the state final.
Wilkins has maintained a 3.18 GPA in the classroom. A devoted parishioner in his church community, he has volunteered locally as an elementary school tutor and a youth basketball coach.
“Isaiah Wilkins is by far the best player we played against this season,” said Jacob Travis, head coach at Model High. “We played several of the larger schools, but we didn’t see anyone who was as committed to winning for his team as much as he was. He dominates on both ends of the floor and competes in transition. He did exactly what was needed to beat us. I was impressed with his demeanor as well.”
Wilkins has signed a National Letter of Intent to play basketball on an athletic scholarship at the University of Virginia this fall.
The Gatorade Player of the Year program annually recognizes one winner in the District of Columbia and each of the 50 states that sanction high school football, girls volleyball, boys and girls cross country, boys and girls basketball, boys and girls soccer, baseball, softball, and boys and girls track & field, and awards one National Player of the Year in each sport. The selection process is administered by the Gatorade high school sports leadership team in partnership with USA TODAY High School Sports, which work with top sport-specific experts and a media advisory board of accomplished, veteran prep sports journalists to determine the state winners in each sport.
Wilkins joins recent Gatorade Georgia Boys Basketball Players of the Year Brannen Greene (2012-13, Tift County High School), Tony Parker (2011-12, Miller Grove High School), Shannon Scott (2010-11, Milton High School), Ryan Harrow (2009-10, Walton), Derrick Favors (2008-09 & 2007-08, South Atlanta High School), Derrick Favors (, South Atlanta High School), and Gani Lawal (2006–07, Norcross) among the state’s list of former award winners.
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