Five-Time NBA All-Star Kevin Love Surprised
Boozer with Honor
MIAMI, March 22,
2023 /PRNewswire/ -- In its 38th year of
honoring the nation's most elite high school athletes, Gatorade
today announced Cameron Boozer of
Christopher Columbus High School in
Miami, Fla. is the 2022-23
Gatorade National Boys Basketball Player of the Year. Boozer 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 more than five
NBA MVPs awards, 76 All-Star appearances, 14 NBA championships, 27
NBA first round draft picks and three became Hall of
Famers.
Five-time NBA All-Star and former Gatorade National Boys
Basketball Player of the Year Kevin
Love surprised Boozer with the news, while his family,
coaches and teammates showed up with the trophy at school. Check
out a video of the announcement here.
The Gatorade Player of the Year award recognizes athletes not
just for their excellence on the playing surface, but for their
commitment in the classroom and impact in their community. Boozer
was selected from more than half a million other student-athletes
who play boys basketball nationwide, topping the list of state
winners in boys basketball who collectively boast an incredible
list of accomplishments, including 20 with signed National Letters
of Intent to play boys basketball at Division I
colleges/universities and 27 with a GPA of 3.5 and above.
"Cameron Boozer plays with a
maturity level that is simply amazing for a sophomore," said
Paul Biancardi, National Recruiting
Director for ESPN. "His game is advanced in every category and he
is highly productive at both ends of the floor. Offensively, he
excels because he blends the size of a power forward with the
efficient skills of a triple-threat player. Inside the paint, he
understands how to play with balance, footwork and post moves.
What's more, rebounding is one of his greatest strengths. He is
both a star and a team player, which separates him from many in
today's game. Boozer is a winner on and off the court. As a total
package, he epitomizes the Gatorade National Player of the
Year."
The 6-foot-9, 215-pound sophomore forward led the Explorers to a
26-4 record and the Class 7A state championship this past season.
Boozer averaged 21.1 points, 11.2 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 2.0 blocks
and 1.3 steals per game, including a 13-point, 12-rebound effort in
the team's 50-48 win over Winter Haven High
School in the state final. A semifinalist for the Naismith
Boys High School Player of the Year, he is ranked as the nation's
No. 1 recruit in the Class of 2025 by ESPN.com.
A student of the cello, Boozer has spent years playing in a
community orchestra. He has volunteered locally on behalf of
Fellowship Church by assisting with youth services, including
leading weekly bible study. He has also donated his time as a
mathematics peer tutor, both in algebra and geometry.
Boozer has maintained a weighted 4.81 GPA in the classroom. He
will begin his junior year of high school this fall.
In addition to excellence on and off the field of play, Gatorade
Players of the Year also pay it forward for the next generation. As
part of Gatorade's Play it Forward initiative, Boozer will receive
a grant to give to a 501c3 youth sports charity, which includes
Gatorade's social impact partners – Athlete Ally, Laureus
USA, Move United, Women's Sports
Foundation and Up2Us Sports – supporting Gatorade's ambition to
fuel the future of sport.
"The Gatorade Player of the Year program has recognized the
nation's most elite student-athletes for nearly 40 years, with many
going on to become Hall of Famers, National Champions and pillars
in their communities," said Gatorade Portfolio president and
general manager Michael Del Pozzo.
"Cameron is among legendary company, and we look forward to seeing
what he achieves going forward."
Each year, a selection committee evaluates the nation's top
talent to choose one state winner from each of the 50 states as
well as Washington D.C., 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 & field. In all, 608
athletes are honored each year. From the pool of state winners, one
national winner is selected in each of the 12 sports.
To learn more about the Gatorade Player of the Year program,
check out past winners or to nominate student-athletes, visit
playeroftheyear.gatorade.com or follow us on social media on
Facebook at facebook.com/GatoradePOY, Instagram at
instagram.com/Gatorade and Twitter at 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, Evolve
and Fast Twitch. The solutions they provide are driven by a deep
understanding of the unique occasions and needs across athletic
activity. Gatorade, their marquee brand, is underpinned by a
57-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 $86
billion in net revenue in 2022, driven by a complementary
beverage and convenient foods portfolio that includes Lay's,
Doritos, Cheetos, Gatorade, Pepsi-Cola, Mountain Dew, Quaker, and
SodaStream. PepsiCo's product portfolio includes a wide range of
enjoyable foods and beverages, including many iconic brands that
generate more than $1 billion each in
estimated annual retail sales.
Guiding PepsiCo is our vision to Be the Global Leader in
Beverages and Convenient Foods by Winning with pep+ (PepsiCo
Positive). pep+ is our strategic end-to-end transformation that
puts sustainability and human capital at the center of how we will
create value and growth by operating within planetary boundaries
and inspiring positive change for planet and people. For more
information, visit www.pepsico.com, and follow on Twitter,
Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn @PepsiCo.
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SOURCE The Gatorade Company