From many, there will be one. While there’s no guarantee contending athletes will win their state at this point in the season, a number of elite performers are making a case for Gatorade National Boys Basketball Player of the Year consideration. Here’s the scoop on the latest top candidate.

Justise Winslow
Junior forward, St. John’s School (Houston, Texas)

Greatness Present: How does an elite basketball recruit celebrate a dominant run to the Southwest Prep Conference Tournament final? With a recruiting visit to see an ACC battle between two eventual No. 2 seeds in the NCAA Tournament, of course.

Winslow, ranked among the nation’s top 10 juniors by Rivals.com and Scout.com, soaked in Duke’s 79-76 win over Miami earlier this month at Cameron Indoor Stadium, donning Blue Devils gear. He’s one of a handful of juniors who hold offers from coach Mike Krzyzewski.

In mid-February, the 6-foot-6, 212-pound forward averaged 26.0 points and 16.0 rebounds during the SPC Tournament, leading the Mavericks (26-9) to the title game.

Concluding this season with 33 double-doubles in his team’s 35 games — including his final 11 — Winslow produced 28.6 points, 15.7 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 2.3 steals and 1.5 blocks per game.

Greatness Past: In three years at St. John’s, Winslow has already amassed 2,324 points and 1,275 rebounds. He was also a member of the gold medal-winning 2012 USA U17 World Championship Team.

Greatness Future: Undecided

Make no mistake: The Gatorade State Boys Basketball Player of the Year races aren’t over, and the National POY race is now heating up. Time remains for one standout student-athlete among thousands to rise to the top of our list. Check back for daily updates on the top contenders making their case.