Katie Lou Samuelson, Ben Simmons are Wootten-McDonald's All American Game Players of the Year

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A pair of do-everything players are the winners of the Morgan Wootten Award for top male and female players and citizens selected to the 2015 McDonald's All American Game.

Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.) 6-foot-3 wing Katie Lou Samuelson and Montverde Academy (Montverde, Fla.) 6-9, 225-pound forward Ben Simmons were selected by Hall of Fame coach Wootten not only for their stellar play but outstanding character and leadership.

The LSU-bound Simmons is the 19th winner of the male award, joining such NBA talents as LeBron James, Dwight Howard, Kevin Love and Harrison Barnes. The last two winners — Jabari Parker and Jahlil Okafor — both attended high school in Chicago, site of the 2015 McDonald's All-American game.



Simmons, the MaxPreps Junior of the Year last season, is putting together one of the finest seasons of any high-profile player in recent memory, with averages of 28.0 points, 11.9 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 2.6 steals per game for the nation's No. 2 team. (28-1), according to the MaxPreps Xcellent 25.

Simmons said he was more than honored for the award.

"It is humbling to be selected from a group of my peers, all of whom I consider to be high caliber players," Simmons said. "This is an exciting time in my life and I'm very happy that the hard work is paying off. I am fortunate to play on a great team at Montverde and to have skilled coaches who have helped develop my game."

Samuelson is the 14th female to win the award, joining such greats as Maya Moore, Elena Della Donne and Candace Parker. Like Simmons, she is the top-rated player in her class and has led Mater Dei to a remarkable 119-10 record the last four years, including 34-3 her freshman season when the Monarchs won the state title.

With Samuelson leading the team in scoring and rebounding, Mater Dei is 28-2 and going for another state crown.

"I am truly grateful to receive the Morgan Wootten Player of the Year award," said Sameulson. "It is an honor to be associated with the list of great players who have won this award before me and receive an award from a coach who has accomplished so much on and off the court."



Samuelson has won five gold medals as a member of Team USA, including at the U17 FIBA World Championships. She was the team's captain and leading scorer.

Off the court, she has volunteered with Down Syndrome Association of Orange County, Hoopstars, which is a basketball league for adults with special needs and Buddy Walk for children with disabilities.

The University of Connecticut-bound standout is a 4.26 student. 

The McDonald's All American Games are April 1 at Chicago's United Center. For more details on the game and its history, CLICK HERE.