Two of the four finalists for the Naismith Boy’s High School Player of the Year awards have yet to pick a college.
The four finalists include 6-foot-6 small forward Shabazz Muhammad and 6-10 shot-blocker Nerlens Noel, both of whom are undecided and will sign in the spring.
The other two finalists are 6-9 St. Anthony point guard Kyle Anderson, committed to UCLA, and 7-foot Baylor bound big man Isaiah Austin.
The award will be presented March 22.
Anderson told SNY.tv he continues to work on Muhammad and uncommitted 6-9 forward Tony Parker for UCLA.
“I’m going to be in their ear about it,” Anderson said. “But it’s up to them. I’m going to put it out there that we really need them.”
He added: “I don’t want to put too much pressure on them. I just want them to go where they want to go, but they’re best of friends of mine so I’m going to talk to them regardless.”
The Naismith High School Player of the Year award was first presented in 1987 to Dennis Scott of Flint Hill Prep (Oakton, Va.), who later starred at Georgia Tech and with the Orlando Magic in the NBA.
Other notable winners include Jason Kidd (1992, St. Joseph Notre Dame High School, Alameda, Calif.), Kobe Bryant (1996, Lower Merion High School, Ardmore, Pa.), LeBron James (2003, St. Vincent-St. Mary, Akron, Ohio) and Derrick Favors (2009, South Atlanta High School, Atlanta, Ga.).
Last year’s boy’s winner was Austin Rivers (Winter Park High, Orlando, Fla.) who is now at Duke.
