Jayson Tatum surprises Kansas signee Gradey Dick with Gatorade National Boys Basketball Player of the Year Award

By JACOB POLACHECK

Sunrise (KS) Christian Academy forward and 2022 Kansas signee Gradey Dick was named the 2021-22 Gatorade National Boys Basketball Player of the Year Award Tuesday.

“It means everything to me,” Dick said in an interview with ZAGSBLOG. “One of my first goals I had with my dad was to get state Gatorade Player of the Year for Kansas, but we weren’t really thinking nationally. As the season went on, just to see myself getting closer to possibly being up for that was really exciting.”

Dick was presented the award Tuesday as Boston Celtics star and 2015-16 Gatorade National Player of the Year Jayson Tatum virtually surprised him on a large projector screen.

“It was mind blowing to talk to a guy at that level of where I hope to be one day,” Dick said.

Dick, the 6-foot-6, 195-pound small forward from Sunrise Christian (KS) Academy, is the 2021-22 Gatorade Kansas Boys Basketball Player of the Year and has averaged 17.9 points, 5.2 rebounds, 1.9 assists and 1.9 steals through 26 games, leading Sunrise to a 25-1 record.  

“My leadership role on this team has been a lot different than last year,” he said. “I learned from some of our great seniors last year how to lead the team. That’s been a big advantage to me to learn those leadership skills and even bring those to Kansas as a freshman.”

Ranked as the No. 22-overall prospect in the class of 2022, Dick is the first player from the state of Kansas to take home the award and the first University of Kansas commit to win the award since Andrew Wiggins in 2013.

“I’d describe my game as just versatile,” he said. Due to my size and my ability to score in a variety of different ways makes me a different type of player, not only on the offensive side, but the defensive side.”

Dick announced his commitment to Kansas on March 3, 2021 before signing his national letter of intent on November 10.

“Being the hometown kid, it was always a dream to eventually play in Allen Fieldhouse and wear Kansas across my chest,” he said. “Just seeing guys that I know like Christian (Braun) play for (Bill) Self and seeing the success they had really inspired me. Something that Kansas fans can expect of me is to come in there, hit the ground running and be ready to go from the start. ”

Dick took home the award over finalists Chris Livingston of Oak Hill (VA) Academy and Dariq Whitehead of Montverde (FL) Academy.

A McDonald’s All-American Game selection, Dick was one of five finalists for the Naismith award. He will represent the United States at the Nike Hoop Summit in April, and he was a member of the gold-medal winning Under-18 U.S. team at the 3-on-3 World Cup last summer.

“I’m going to be myself and reconnect with all the guys that I’ve played against in the past,” dick said. “We’ll have fun together, compete and be serious when scouts are watching to show them how I play. I just want to have fun and be myself.”

Dick has served time volunteering locally at a food pantry and a shelter for the homeless as a member of the Young Christian Life ministry. He has also served as a middle school math tutor twice a week for the past two years, while also maintaining a 3.66 GPA.

“The special thing about this prestigious award is the fact that it’s not only what I did on the basketball court, but what I did in my community and in my school,” Dick said. “I think that’s what makes this award so special, that overall character build.”

Photo: FIBA Basketball

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