By Associated Press

Emoni Bates was named Gatorade’s national player of the year in high school basketball, becoming the first sophomore to win the award.

“I was shocked and real surprised,” Bates said later in a phone interview with The Associated Press. It means a lot to me, especially to be the youngest to win this award.”

Bates, of Ypsilanti Lincoln High School beat out Evan Mobley of California and Cade Cunningham of Texas, the top-ranked seniors in the country. The 6-foot-11 Mobley has signed to play at Southern California next season and the 6-6 Cunningham is headed for Oklahoma State.

Bates could potentially be selected with the No. 1 pick in the 2022 NBA draft.

The 6-foot-9 guard averaged 32 points this year, joining LeBron James as players to win the national award.

He was also 1 of 13 players selected to the (BCAM) Basketball Coaches Association of Michigan “Best of the Best.” “Mr. UP Basletball” Iron Mountain junior Foster Wonders was also a selection to the BCAM “Best of the Best”, along with BCAM/Detroit Free Press “Mr. Basketball” for the state of Michigan, Butler University commit “Scooby” Johnson of Benton Harbor.