Player of the Year Competition Heats Up with Candidates Committed to Duke, Kentucky and North Carolina Among Other Top Schools
ATLANTA (January 16, 2020) – The national competition for the 2020 Jersey Mike’s Naismith Trophy has narrowed to 25 players on the midseason team as announced today by the Atlanta Tipoff Club. The list includes 25 high school seniors from across the country all vying for the Boys High School Player of the Year honor. From these 25 players, 10 semifinalists will be revealed on Feb. 6, and narrowed down to five finalists on Feb. 20. Finally, on March 10, the winner of the 2020 Jersey Mike’s Naismith Trophy will be announced.
“We’re past the halfway point, and we’ve seen these 25 players excel thus far,” said Eric Oberman, executive director of the Atlanta Tipoff Club. “Each of these young men have the potential and talent to take home the Jersey Mike’s Naismith Player of the Year honor, and it’s exciting to watch things play out over the next several weeks.”
“Jersey Mike’s has been a huge advocate for high school sports, and we are proud to be associated with this prestigious award and these talented players,” said Rich Hope, Chief Marketing Officer, Jersey Mike’s Franchise Systems, Inc. “We look forward to following them through the rest of the season as they compete for this coveted award.”
2020 Jersey Mike’s Naismith High School Boys Midseason Team
| First | Last | Class | Position | School | City, State | Committed to |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Devin | Askew | Sr. | G | Mater Dei High School | Santa Ana, CA | Kentucky |
| Scottie | Barnes | Sr. | F | Montverde Academy | Montverde, FL | Florida State |
| Brandon | Boston Jr. | Sr. | F | Sierra Canyon School | Chatsworth, CA | Kentucky |
| Jaemyn | Brakefield | Sr. | F | Huntington Prep | Huntington, WV | Duke |
| Greg | Brown III | Sr. | F | Vandegrift High School | Austin, TX | Undecided |
| Nimari | Burnett | Sr. | G | Prolific Prep | Napa, CA | Texas Tech |
| Josh | Christopher | Sr. | G | Mayfair High School | Lakewood, CA | Undecided |
| Terrence | Clarke | Sr. | G/F | Brewster Academy | Wolfeboro, NH | Kentucky |
| Sharife | Cooper | Sr. | G | McEachern High School | Powder Springs, GA | Auburn |
| Cade | Cunningham | Sr. | G | Montverde Academy | Montverde, FL | Oklahoma State |
| Jalen | Green | Sr. | G | Prolific Prep | Napa, CA | Undecided |
| Jalen | Johnson | Sr. | F | IMG Academy | Bradenton, FL | Duke |
| Keon | Johnson | Sr. | G | The Webb School | Bell Buckle, TN | Tennessee |
| Walker | Kessler | Sr. | F | Woodward Academy | College Park, GA | North Carolina |
| Caleb | Love | Sr. | G | Christian Brothers College High School | St. Louis, MO | North Carolina |
| Evan | Mobley | Sr. | C | Rancho Christian School | Temecula, CA | USC |
| Daishen | Nix | Sr. | G | Trinity International School | Las Vegas, NV | UCLA |
| Jeremy | Roach | Sr. | G | Paul VI Catholic High School | Fairfax, VA | Duke |
| Day'Ron | Sharpe | Sr. | F | Montverde Academy | Montverde, FL | North Carolina |
| Jaden | Springer | Sr. | G | IMG Academy | Bradenton, FL | Tennessee |
| D.J. | Steward | Sr. | G | Whitney M. Young Magnet High School | Chicago, IL | Duke |
| Jalen | Suggs | Sr. | G | Minnehaha Academy | Minneapolis, MN | Gonzaga |
| Bryce | Thompson | Sr. | G | Booker T. Washington High School | Tulsa, OK | Kansas |
| Isaiah | Todd | Sr. | F | Word of God Christian Academy | Raleigh, NC | Michigan |
| Ziaire | Williams | Sr. | F | Sierra Canyon School | Chatsworth, CA | Undecided |
ABOUT THE ATLANTA TIPOFF CLUB
Founded during the 1956-57 season, the Atlanta Tipoff Club is committed to promoting the game of basketball and recognizing the outstanding accomplishments of those who make the game so exciting. The Atlanta Tipoff Club administers the Naismith Awards, the most prestigious national honors in all of college and high school basketball. Named in honor of Dr. James Naismith, inventor of the game of basketball, the family of Naismith Awards annually recognizes the most outstanding men’s and women’s college and high school basketball players and coaches. Other Naismith Awards are presented to the men’s and women’s college basketball defensive players of the year, as well as lifetime achievement awards to basketball officials and outstanding contributors to the game. UCLA’s Lew Alcindor received the first Citizen Naismith Trophy in 1969, while the late Anne Donovan (Old Dominion) was the inaugural women’s recipient in 1983. Corporate partners of the Naismith Awards include Citizen Watch Company, Jersey Mike’s and Werner Ladder.
ABOUT JERSEY MIKE’S SUBS
Jersey Mike’s, a fast-casual sub sandwich franchise with more than 2,000 locations open and under development nationwide, believes that making a sub sandwich and making a difference can be one and the same. Voted America’s Favorite Sandwich Brand in Market Force Information’s 2019 QSR study, Jersey Mike’s offers A Sub Above®, serving authentic fresh sliced subs on freshly baked bread – the same recipe it started with in 1956 – and is passionate about giving back to its local communities. For more information, please visit www.jerseymikes.com or follow us on Facebook (facebook.com/jerseymikes), Instagram (instagram.com/jerseymikes) and Twitter (twitter.com/jerseymikes).
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Media Contact:
Traci Messier
Jackson Spalding for the Atlanta Tipoff Club
404-214-3596