By JACOB POLACHECK
Gonzaga commit Chet Holmgren, Auburn signee Jabari Smith and uncommitted 2022 center Donovan Clingan have been named finalists for the 2021 Gatorade National Player of the Year.
Clingan is the only junior among the three finalists.
The national award will be announced next week.
Clingan, 7-foot-1, 265-pound center from Bristol Central (CT), averaged 27.3 points, 17.2 rebounds, 5.8 blocks and 3.1 assists to earn the Connecticut Gatorade Player of the Year Award.
According to 247Sports.com, Clingan is ranked as the No. 8 center and No. 53 overall prospect in the class of 2022.
Holmgren, a 7-foot-1, 190-pound center from Minnehaha (MN) Academy, averaged 20.8 points, 12.6 rebounds, 4.7 blocks and 4.4 assists per game, leading his team to a 20-1 record and a Class AAA state championship run.
According to 247Sports.com, Holmgren is ranked as the No. 1 overall prospect in the class of 2021.
Smith, a 6-foot-10, 210-pound power forward from Sandy Creek (GA), averaged 24 points, 10 rebounds, three assists and three blocks per game, leading his team to the AAA state championship game.
According to 247Sports.com, Smith is ranked as the No. 2 power forward and the No. 4 overall prospect in the class of 2021.
The full list of Gatorade State Player of the Year is provided below:
Alabama: Barry Dunning
Alaska: Patrick McMahon
Arizona: Dylan Anderson
Arkansas: Derrian Ford
Colorado: Julian Hammond III
Connecticut: Donovan Clingan
Delaware: Nnanna Njoku
District of Columbia: Quincy Allen
Florida: Caleb Houstan
Georgia: Jabari Smith
Hawaii: O’Shen Cazimero
Idaho: Brody Rowbury
Illinois: Max Christie
Indiana: Caleb Furst
Iowa: Tucker DeVries
Kansas: Kennedy Chandler
Kentucky: Sam Vinson
Louisiana: Carlos Stewart
Maine: Cash McClure
Maryland: Jordan Hawkins
Massachusetts: Kyle Filipowski
Michigan: Pierre Brooks II
Minnesota: Chet Holmgren
Mississippi: Daeshun Ruffin
Missouri: Aminu Mohammed
Montana: Drew Wyman
Nebraska: Hunter Sallis
Nevada: Jaden Hardy
New Hampshire: Alex Karaban
New Jersey: D.J. Wagner
New Mexico: William “Deuce” Benjamin
New York: Jordan Riley
North Carolina: Terquavion Smith
North Dakota: Joe Hurlburt
Ohio: Chris Livingston
Oklahoma: Trey Alexander
Pennsylvania: Stevie Mitchell
Rhode Island: Matt Constant
South Carolina: Bryce McGowens
South Dakota: Matthew Mors
Tennessee: Brandon Miller
Texas: Daimion Collins
Utah: Nolan Hickman
Vermont: Michel Ndayishimiye
Virginia: Trevor Keels
West Virginia: Isaac McKneely
Wisconsin: Brandin Podziemski
Wyoming: Sam Lecholat
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