Last year, Brandon Knight was the Gatorade Player of the Year winner in basketball and he watched current Texas quarterback Garrett Gilbert win the Athlete of the Year.
This year was a little bit different as Knight was named the Gatorade Athlete of the Year winner.
“The difference is I got this award! Everything else was the same but this year I won,” says Knight.
The Gatorade Athlete of the Year comes with extreme prestige. It is an award not just about performance on the field or on the court but also in the classroom and in the community.
Brandon Knight embodies what this award is meant to be. The future Kentucky Wildcat point guard average 32 points a game, eight rebounds, four assist and carried a 4.0 GPA.
“I realized how much we effect others,” says Knight. “I go to volunteer at a hospital and people want to shake my hand. That’s pretty cool!”
We last talked last year at this same event and he had no idea what college he would be attending. Now a year later, he is already preparing to lead the Wildcats to another tournament run.
“Last year, I was just getting some attention from schools,” said Knight. “I hurt my foot and I wasn’t really focused on my college choice. I just wanted to get healthy and focus on my game.”
Coach John Calipari is known for making point guards into stars. Knight will have to fill the shoes of the NBA’s top draft choice John Wall.
“Oh yes, there is a lot of pressure,” says Knight. “But that is why I picked Kentucky. I know Kentucky wants to win and I want to win!”
