Vote: Who should be Gatorade National High School Boys Basketball Player of Year?

Montverde's Cooper Flagg, McEachern (Georgia) forward Ace Bailey, Long Island Lutheran's VJ Edgecombe announced as 3 finalists on Thursday

Andy Buhler, SBLive Sports | Mar 21, 2024

Cooper Flagg, Ace Bailey and VJ Edgecombe were announced as the three finalists for the Gatorade National Boys Basketball Player of the Year on Thursday morning.

The winner will be announced next week for the annual award for the top high school boys basketball in the country in the 2023-24 season.

Flagg, a Duke commit, is the nation's No. 1 rated player and the leader for Montverde Academy (Florida), the top-ranked team in the country. He's regarded as a potential top overall NBA Draft pick in 2025.

>> 20 candidates for SBLive's national boys basketball player of the year

Edgecombe, a Baylor-committed five-star shooting guard, leads No. 4 Long Island Lutheran (21-4). The third finalist is McEachern (Georgia) forward Ace Bailey, the consensus No. 2 prospect in the nation signed with Rutgers.

Scroll down and read up on the candidates and cast your vote in the poll below. Voting stays open until the winner is announced.

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GATORADE NATIONAL PLAYER OF YEAR FINALISTS

Airious "Ace" Bailey

McEachern's Ace Bailey has been a human highlight reel during his final year of high school basketball. — McEachern standout Ace Bailey drives in a game during the 2023-24 season / Photo by Colin Hubbard, SBLive Sports

High school: McEachern (Georgia); Measurables: 6-foot-8, 195 pounds; College: Rutgers (signed)

Bailey is a consensus top-two prospect nationally, led McEachern to a 26-6 record and the Georgia 7A state finals, where McEachern lost to Grayson. The McDonald's All-American and Nike Hoop Summit Team USA selection is the No. 1 rated prospect in Georgia and a Rutgers commit.

McEachern rumbles past Alexander behind Ace Bailey double-double

VJ Edgecombe

Derik Queen of Montverde Academy goes for a rebound during the championship game of the City of Palms tournament against VJ Edgecomb of Long Island Lutheran at Suncoast Credit Union Arena in December. — Derik Queen of Montverde Academy goes for a rebound during the championship game of the City of Palms tournament against VJ Edgecomb of Long Island Lutheran at Suncoast Credit Union Arena in December / Photo by Andrew West, The News-Press, USA TODAY NETWORK

High school: Long Island Lutheran (New York); Measurables: 6-foot-5, 180 pounds; College: Baylor (signed)

Edgecombe, SBLive's Junior of the Year in 2022-23, has taken yet another step as a senior. He averaged 15.7 points per game, 5.1 boards and 3.6 assists per game in 12 EYBL Scholastic games. He's led Long Island Lutheran, the No. 4 team in the country, to a 21-4 record and 4-seed in the Chipotle (formerly GEICO) Nationals.

Cooper Flagg

High school: Montverde Academy (Florida); Measurables: 6-foot-9, 195 pounds; College: Duke (signed)

The 6-foot-9 Flagg was Maine's Gatorade State Boys Basketball Player of the Year in 2021-22 has done everything for the undefeated Eagles, the top-ranked team in the country and No. 1 seed entering Chiptotle Nationals. Flagg averaged 14.3 points, 7.3 boards, 3.7 assists and 1.9 blocks in 12 EYBL Scholastic games.

3 finalists named for Gatorade Boys Basketball National Player of Year

-- Andy Buhler | andy@scorebooklive.com | @sblivesports

Published Mar 21, 2024

ANDY BUHLER, SBLIVE SPORTS

Andy Buhler is a Regional Editor of Texas and the national breaking news desk. He brings more than five years of experience covering high school sports across the state of Washington and beyond, where he covered the likes of Paolo Banchero and Tari Eason served on state tournament seeding committees. He works on the SBLive/Sports Illustrated Power 25 national boys basketball rankings. He has covered everything from the Final Four, MLS in Atlanta to local velodrome before diving into the world of preps. His bylines can be found in The News Tribune (Tacoma, Washington), The Associated Press, The Columbian (Vancouver, Washington), The Oregonian and more. He holds a degree from Gonzaga and is based out of Portland, Oregon.