The McDonald’s All American Games announced today the winners for the 2017 Morgan Wootten Player of the Year award, with Duke commit Wendell Carter Jr earning it for the boys and Texas-bound guard Evina Westbrook claiming it for the girls.
We caught up with Wendell Carter Jr last fall in Atlanta, where he told us the important role that academics have played in his development.
See below for the official announcement:
Today, the McDonald’s All American Games announced Wendell Carter, Jr. and Evina Westbrook as the 2017 Morgan Wootten Players of the Year.
Hailing from Atlanta, GA and Salem, OR, Wendell and Evina will join the ranks of Jahlil Okafor (2014), Jabari Parker (2013), LeBron James (2003), Maya Moore (2007) and Ivory Latta (2003) who have received this prestigious award, which recognizes them for their outstanding character, leadership and the values they embrace in being a student-athlete in the classroom and the community. Wendell and Evina will take to the court next year at Duke and Tennessee as they continue their basketball career at the collegiate level.
McDonald’s established the award in 1997 to pay tribute to Wootten’s accomplished teaching and coaching Hall of Fame career. “Wendell and Evina are role models both on and off the court and exemplify what it means to be driven and committed to achieving their goals,” said Wootten. “They are leaders in their communities, in the classroom and I’m confident they’ll continue making an impact on the game.”
