Video: Morgan Wootten Player of the Year Award finalistsLonzo Ball, Jayson Tatum among senior quintet nominated for McDonald's honor.
Five finalists have been named for the 2016 McDonald's All American Games Morgan Wootten Player of the Year Award.
In addition to on-the-floor accomplishments, the honor recognizes outstanding character and leadership. LeBron James (2003), Kevin Love (2007) and Shabazz Muhammad (2012) are a few of the past winners.
The finalists:
Bam Adebayo, 6-9, F,
High Point Christian Academy (High Point, N.C.) – Headed to Kentucky
Lonzo Ball, 6-6, G,
Chino Hills (Calif.) – UCLA
Josh Jackson, 6-7, G
Prolific Prep Academy (Napa, Calif.) – Undecided
Malik Monk, 6-4, G,
Bentonville (Ark.) – Kentucky
Jayson Tatum, 6-8, G/F,
Chaminade (St. Louis, Mo.) – Duke
Without taking too much fun out of the process, expect Ball to be tough to beat for the various POY awards (including MaxPreps National Player of the Year, to be announced April 5). He's the floor general for the nation's No. 1 team at Chino Hills and is averaging a triple-double at 25.4 points, 12.9 assists and 11.5 rebounds per game.
Tatum might be the best candidate to push for consideration. The 6-foot-8 scorer is piling up over 28 points and nine rebounds per game for nationally-ranked Chaminade.
All five players will participate in the McDonald's All-American Game on March 30 in Chicago. The winner of the Morgan Wootten POY award will be announced later this month.
