Andrew Wiggins is already making headlines in Lawrence, but on Tuesday he was once again honored for his success on the hardwood in his senior season.
The Huntington Prep (W.Va.) small forward became the first Canadian to win the Gatorade High School Male Athlete of the Year. Wiggins was presented with the award on Tuesday night at the W Hollywood Hotel in Los Angeles. He was the first basketball player to receive the award since 2010, when then Kentucky-commit Brandon Knight was tabbed as the athlete of the year.
The 6-foot-8 Wiggins averaged 23.4 points, 11.2 rebounds, 2.6 blocks and 2.5 assists for Rob Fulford and the 30-3 Express this past season.
“It feels pretty good to know I’m the first Canadian to get this, so it’s really big for my country,” Wiggins said. “I really wanted to win it.”
The Thornhill, Ont. native has racked up the hardware in his short time at Huntington Prep. He is the two-time West Virginia Gatorade Player of the Year and in 2013 was named Naismith Boys High School Player of the Year, a McDonald’s All-American and was the consensus top high school player in the country. And now as a college freshman is projected as the top pick in the 2014 NBA Draft.
“I don’t really pay attention to (high) expectations from other people,” Wiggins added. “I make goals for myself, my family and God.”
Wiggins committed to Kansas over Florida State, Kentucky North Carolina back on May 14.
He shared he night with the Gatorade Female Athlete of the Year, Morgan Andrews, a soccer player from Milford High (N.H.). She is committed to play at Notre Dame.
Terrence is also the lead writer at NEHoopNews.com and can be followed on Twitter: @terrence_payne