Vote Now: Who is the 2022-23 North Carolina Boys Basketball Player of the Year?

Share your opinion with your vote for one of the 10 boys Player of the Year candidates we have highlighted

It is time to consider who you think is the Boys Basketball Player of the Year in North Carolina for the 2022-23 season.

With the state tournaments ramping up in the NCHSAA and winding down in the NCISAA, we have put together a list of 10 players from both the public and private ranks who have had exceptional seasons.

These are just the candidates we’ve selected, and we are asking you to vote for who you think is the Player of the Year. Chime in, throw a name at us you think is deserving or just vote away in our poll below.

Editor’s Note: Our corresponding poll is intended to be fun, and we do not set limits on how many times a fan can vote during the competition. This poll is specifically for fans to vote on the players that have been nominated and in no way discredits any other athlete that may not be mentioned in our poll.

Voting closes March 31, 2023

Paul McNeil, 6-5 Junior, Richmond Sr.

McNeil, who committed to N.C. State last weekend, is the reigning Gatorade Player of the Year of the Year. He is averaging 23.9 points per game, 8.8 rebounds per game, 4.2 assists per game and 2.3 steals per game and helped lead Richmond Sr. to a 24-2 record, including a 13-0 mark in conference play and the No. 2 overall seed in the East Region of the NCHSAA 4A state tournament.

Drake Powell, 6-6 Junior, Northwood

Powell, who has committed to North Carolina, averaged 18.4 points per game, 6.9 rebounds per game and 4.1 assists per game and surpassed the 1,000-point plateau this season, leading Northwood to a 24-2 record, including a perfect 12-0 mark in conference play. The Chargers are the No. 1 seed in the East Region of the NCHSAA 3A state tournament.

Bishop Boswell, 6-4, Junior, Myers Park

Boswell is the ultimate “glue guy” for a team with four players that average double figures in points. Boswell fills up the state sheet every game, averaging 11 points per game, 5.2 assists per game, 4.2 rebounds per game and 1.7 steals. He shoots 51 percent from the floor, including 42 percent from 3-point range. The four-star recruit has received offers from Georgia, Houston, Wake Forest, South Florida, Texas A&M, Wake Forest and North Carolina A&T. He helped lead Myers Park to a 23-4 record this season and the No. 1 seed in the West Region of the NCHSAA 4A state tournament.

Isaiah Evans, 6-6 Junior, North Mecklenburg

Evans has made a name for himself—his Instagram handle is “Showtime Slim”-- in just two years of varsity basketball. The four-star recruit is piling up the offers—more than 20 from the likes of Kansas, Tennessee, N.C. State, Pittsburgh, Kansas, Clemson, Auburn and Texas A&M to name a few—while leading North Mecklenburg to a 26-2 record.

Juke Harris, 6-5 Junior, Salisbury

Harris has followed up a stellar sophomore campaign at Salisbury and has the Hornets in prime position to make a deep run in the NCHSAA 2A state tournament. Harris eclipsed the 1000-career point mark this season while averaging close to 30 points per game. He is drawing plenty of attention from college recruiters, with Tennessee, Kansas, LSU, Miami, Virginia Tech, Miami and Wake Forest in his top six.

Salisbury's Juke Harris is one of five sophomores on our list of potential North Carolina Boys Basketball Player of the Year

James McCreary, 6-1 Senior, North Surry

McCreary was the Player of the Year in the Foothills 2A Conference after averaging 21 points, 5.4 rebounds 3.3 assists and 2 steals per game for the Greyhounds this season.

McCreary may be a little under the radar, but he makes North Surry click. He is a lethal 3-point shooter and consistent scorer and leader with four years of varsity basketball under his belt, including a trip to the 2A West Regional championship game last season.

North Surry finished the regular season 26-1, with its only loss coming at the hands of 4A power Mount Tabor.

Jaiden Thompson, 6-0 Senior, Central Cabarrus

All Thompson has done this season is lead Central Cabarrus to an unblemished 27-0 record while receiving his second consecutive South Piedmont 3A Conference Player of the Year award.

Thompson averaged 20.1 points per game, 5.1 rebounds per game, 4 assists per game and 4.1 steals per game for the Vikings, the No. 1 seed in the NCHSAA 3A state tournament in the West Region.

Jah Short, 6-3 Senior, Farmville Central

Short, who has signed with New Orleans, averaged 23.7 points this season in leading the Jaguars to a 25-1 record and the No. 1 seed in the NCHSAA 2A state tournament in the East Region.

Short also led the Jaguars to the 2A state championship game last season before falling short against Jay M. Robinson (Concord).

Jaydon Young, 6-4 Senior, Greensboro Day

Young, who has signed with Virginia Tech, is the key cog for a Greensboro Day team that finished the regular season 29-5 and advanced to the semifinals of the NCISAA state tournament as of this writing.

Young can do a little bit of everything on the floor and scored more than 2,000 points during his high school career.

Silas Demary, 6-4 Senior, Combine Academy (Charlotte)

Demary has signed with Southern California after averaging 13.9 points, 5.8 rebounds and 5.7 assists this season for the Goats, helping lead the team to a 31-4 record.