Murray Named Washington Gatorade Player of the Year
CHICAGO – Incoming University of Washington freshman Dejounte Murray has been named the 2014-15 Gatorade Washington Boys Basketball Player of the Year, The Gatorade Company, in collaboration with USA Today High School Sports announced. Murray is the second UW signee to earn the honor joining Abdul Gaddy (2007-08).
Murray, a 6-foot-5, 175-pound wing, averaged 25 points, 12.4 rebounds, eight assists and 3.2 steals per game as a senior at Rainier Beach High School while leading the Vikings to the 3A state championship game. During the state tourney, he earned First Team All-Tournament honors after averaging 17.0 points, 13.3 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 2.0 steals.
Amongst the many honors he has racked up, he was named Mr. Basketball by the Washington Interscholastic Basketball Coaches Association after recording 24 double-doubles and 14 triple-doubles as a senior. He was also named the State Player of the Year by The Seattle Times and the Tacoma News Tribune, while participating in the NBPA Top 100 Camp as well as Nike’s LeBron James Skills Academy, Kevin Durant Skills Academy and Elite Youth Basketball League this past summer.
The award, which recognizes not only outstanding athletic excellence, but also high standards of academic achievement and exemplary character demonstrated on and off the court, distinguishes Murray as Washington’s best high school boys basketball player. Now a finalist for the prestigious Gatorade National Boys Basketball Player of the Year award to be announced in March, Murray joins an elite alumni association of past state boys basketball award winners, including Dwight Howard (2003-04, SW Atlanta Christian Academy, Ga.), Chauncey Billups (1993-94 & 1994095, George Washington HS, Colo.) Jason Kidd (1991-92, St. Joseph, Notre Dame HS, Calif.), Paul Pierce (1994-95, Inglewood HS, Calif.) and Chris Bosh (2001-02, Lincoln HS, Texas).
The Gatorade Player of the Year program annually recognizes one winner in the District of Columbia and each of the 50 states that sanction high school football, girls volleyball, boys and girls cross country, boys and girls basketball, boys and girls soccer, baseball, softball and boys and girls track & field, and awards one National Player of the Year in each sport. The selection process is administered by the Gatorade high school sports leadership team in partnership with USA TODAY High School Sports, which work with top sport-specific experts and a media advisory board of accomplished, veteran prep sports journalists to determine the state winners in each sport.
Murray joins recent Gatorade Washington Boys Basketball Player of the Year Jason Todd (2013-14 & 2012-13, Jackson HS), Jordan Chatman (2011-012, Union High School), Gary Bell Jr., (2010-11, Kentridge HS), Joe Harris (2009-10, Chelan HS), Peyton Siva (2008-09, Franklin HS), Abdul Gaddy (2007-08, Bellarmine Prep) and Jamelle McMillian (2006-07, O’Dea HS) among the state’s list of former award winners.
