Summer Player of the Year: Shabazz Muhammad
Dream Vision's wingman possesses an unmatched scoring ability and knack for winning
Name an event this summer and Shabazz Muhammad tore it up.
2012's savviest southpaw and consensus No. 1 player shined brighter than the glittering lights of his Las Vegas hometown at every stop on the circuit, thus drawing enough votes from the selection committee made up of coaches, scouts and tournament operators to earn our 2011 Summer Player of the Year.
The Five-Star rated small forward willed his Dream Vision squad to the adidas Super 64 finals, and made mincemeat out of defenders at the Fullcourt Press Easter Classic, Jayhawk Invitational and NY2LA Summer Jam, becoming a staple subject of our Play of the Day videos in the process.
He is undeclared, but Muhammad has offers lined up from Kentucky, Duke, Texas, UNLV, Kansas and UCLA.
As a 6-6 wing with superior slashing ability, Muhammad makes a killing in the open court where he punishes rims with a devastating aerial arsenal of one and two-handed bangers. He can also shoot well from up to 15 feet and causes opposing teams fits by slashing into the lane and elevating over defenses.
Muhammad helped build his Bishop Gorman H.S. squad into a national powerhouse, winning back-to-back state championships his freshman and sophomore year, before falling in the state semifinals this past season. More impressively, he propelled his Dream Vision squad to a No. 5 finish in the Five-Star Top 25 this summer.
At the end of the day, winning trumps stellar individual performances. But, Muhammad does both.
Award Criteria: Player that had the biggest impact on his team’s success; qualities we value include performance in big games; winning; leadership and consistency throughout the spring and summer.
Other players receiving consideration:
- Nerlens Noel (BABC) - 2 votes - Anybody will tell you that the Nike All-EYBL Most Outstanding Player was the difference-maker on a BABC team that took the coveted Peach Jam title before making it all the way to the Super Showcase championship game.
- Jabari Parker (Mac Irvin Fire) - 1 vote - Parker was a quiet assassin for Mac Irvin this summer. With a game and skill set that's been compared to Carmelo Anthony, he showed why he's one-third of 2013's holy trinity.
- Marcus Smart (Texas Assault) - 1 vote - The 6-4, 200-pound wing has to mentioned on this list after willing his non-Super Pool Texas Assault team to the adidas Super 64 title for the second consecutive year. Smart's championship game statline: 29 points, 18 rebounds (eight offensive), five assists, two blocks, two steals and zero turnovers in a rout of No. 4 Dream Vision.
- Mitch McGary (SYF Players) - Our inaugural Summer Breakout Player of the Year clearly burst onto the scene with his superb play over the past few months. The 6-10 versatile forward took his SYF Player team from unranked to a top-ten finish in the final Five-Star Top 25 rankings.
- Kyle Anderson (New Jersey Playaz) - Often compared to Magic Johnson for his size and uncanny court vision, Anderson won and won often this summer. He paced the Playaz to a No. 6 finish in the Five-Star Top 25 and cracked the top-10 among his peers in the Class of 2012.
- Julius Randle (Texas Titans) - The lefty bruiser played big when it mattered most all summer, leading his Texas Titan squad to the Peach Jam Quarters while averaging 19.3 points and 9.8 rebounds per game.
- Brandon Ashley (Oakland Soldiers) - This prime time Kentucky target led the Soldiers to a top-4 finish in the Five-Star rankings while posting 17.8 points, 7.7 rebounds and 1.2 blocks averages on the EYBL circuit. His list also includes Arizona, Oregon and UCLA.
- Andre Drummond (CBC) - At the end of summer' Drummond's highly considered the top center in his class after proving to be unstoppable around the basket in Vegas.
- Andrew Harrison (Houston Defenders) - Lead guard for the No. 1 Houston Defenders, Harrison handily dismantled BABC's signature press en route to beating the elite BABC squad at the peak of summer. His combination of size, strength and skill put him in the conversation for best playmaker in the country.
