Ace Bailey, Cooper Flagg, VJ Edgecombe named finalists for Gatorade National Player of the Year

Three high school basketball stars have been announced as finalists for Gatorade National Boys Basketball Player of the Year in Five-Star Plus+ Rutgers signee Ace Bailey, Five-Star Plus+ Duke signee Cooper Flagg and Five-Star Plus+ Baylor commit VJ Edgecombe.

Former Gatorade Player of the Year winners include LeBron James, Karl-Anthony Towns and Jayson Tatum.

Rutgers SF Ace Bailey

Powder Springs (Ga.) McEachern small forward Ace Bailey is the nation’s No. 2 overall prospect in the 2024 On3 Industry Ranking — a weighted average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies. He committed to Rutgers in January 2023 before signing with the Scarlet Knights.

“Bailey is a shotmaking forward and that is the piece of his game that pops,” On3 national recruiting analyst Jamie Shaw wrote. “He takes and makes tough shots, routinely, and when he gets going, he can ring off a lot of points quickly. With Bailey’s size footwork and high release point, he is able to create spacing and advantage at each level of the floor, and beyond the three-point arc.

“Bailey competes. While oftentimes the biggest player on the floor, he still chases rebounds in and out of his area. And when his motor is running on the defensive end of the floor, there are a lot of deflections and blocked shots.

Duke SF Cooper Flagg

Montverde (Fla.) Montverde Academy small forward Cooper Flagg is the youngest of the trio, having reclassified to the 2024 recruiting class. Flagg earned Naismith Player of the Year honors and is the top-ranked prospect in the 2024 On3 Industry Ranking.

“Flagg is a 6-foot-8 forward who shines on the defensive end of the floor,” Shaw wrote. “In fact, he has some of the best defensive instincts I have scouted in my decade-plus in the business. His perimeter defense, especially in the passing lanes, is elite among his peers. And he might be the best shot-blocker in this recruiting cycle.

“Offensively, Flagg has good feel with the ball in his hands. He processes quickly, especially in the pick-and-roll, and the ball rarely sticks. His three-point shooting has also developed this season, shooting 37.1 percent from beyond the arc this high school season, after shooting 34.3 percent this summer during the EYBL regular season.”

Baylor SG VJ Edgecombe

Nassau (N.Y.) Long Island Lutheran shooting guard VJ Edgecombe is the No. 4 overall prospect in the 2024 On3 Industry Ranking. He committed to Baylor in mid-January and signed with the Bears.

“When watching VJ Edgecombe, it’s the feel for the game that really pops,” Shaw wrote. “He never seems to force any of the action, making the right play, the right pass, the right read. Edgecombe is an explosive athlete, which helps him in transition as well as on the defensive end. He is a good shooter and forms a good base with consistent release. The jumper can be somewhat of a set shot, and he is more comfortable off the catch than shooting (from three) off the bounce.

” He is very instinctive on the defensive end, shooting the passing lanes aggressively. He moves his feet well on defense, guarding on the ball. He has good length and quick hands. Good vision and processes the game well. He gets a lot done in an efficient manner, you like that moving forward—lots of natural instincts. Not afraid of the moment. Comfortable on the ball as a secondary initiator type. NIBC and New York State Player of the Year.