Naismith Prep Player of the Year Finalists Named

The ten finalists for the 2003 Naismith Prep Basketball Player of the Year Award were announced with little surprises. My ballot had nine of the ten finalists. I picked point guard Chris Paul, while fellow playmaker Mustafa Shakur made the final list. The winners of the Naismith Award, the most prestigious individual honor in college and high school basketball, will be presented their award in Atlanta on Friday, April 11, 2003.

LeBron James	6-8	SF	Akron (OH) St. Vincent-St. Mary’s
Luol Deng	6-7	SF	Blairstown (NJ) Blair Academy	DUKE
Charlie Villanueva	6-9	PF	Blairstown (NJ) Blair Academy	ILLINOIS*
Mustafa Shakur	6-3	PG	Wynnewood (PA) Friends Central	ARIZONA
David Padgett	6-10	PF	Reno (NV) High	KANSAS
Kris Humphries	6-9	PF	Minnetonka (MN) Hopkins	DUKE
Kendrick Perkins	6-10	C	Beaumont (TX) Ozen	MEMPHIS
Brian Butch	6-11	C	Appleton (WI) West	WISCONSIN
Shannon Brown	6-2	SG	Maywood (IL) Proviso East	MICHIGAN STATE
Ndudi Ebi	6-8	SF	Houston (TX) Westbury Christian	ARIZONA