CHICAGO (March 20, 2026) — In its 41st year celebrating the nation’s best high school athletes, Gatorade today announced Colben Landrew of Wheeler High School is the 2025-26 Gatorade Georgia Boys Basketball Player of the Year.
Gatorade Player of the Year is the top honor in high school sports, celebrating the nation’s best high school athletes for their excellence in sport, academics and community. The award recognizes Landrew as Georgia’s best high school boys basketball player, and he joins an elite legacy that spans professional athletes and coaches to CEOs, such as Jayson Tatum (2015-16, Chaminade College Preparatory School, MO), Cooper Flagg (2023-24, Montverde Academy, FL) and Cameron Boozer (2022-23 & 2024-25, Christopher Columbus High School, FL).
The 6-foot-6, 225-pound senior guard led the Wildcats to a 27-6 record and the Class AAAAAA state championship this past season. Landrew averaged 23.9 points, 6.5 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 1.8 steals per game, recording 29 points and 12 rebounds in a 62-52 win over Pebblebrook High School in the state final. He’s ranked as the nation’s No. 21 prospect in the Class of 2026 by 247Sports and was a semifinalist for the Naismith Award.
Landrew has volunteered locally as part of multiple community service initiatives through his church. “There may not be a more improved player in the country than Colben Landrew,” said Matt McKay, Pro Insight Founder & CEO. “He leverages his natural tools at both ends of the floor, wastes little movement, has a feel for the moment, and is a legitimately elite multi-level shot-maker.”
Landrew has maintained a B average in the classroom. He has signed a written letter of athletic aid to play basketball at the University of Connecticut this fall.
The Gatorade Player of the Year program annually recognizes one state winner from each of the 50 states and Washington D.C., in 12 different sports: football, girls volleyball, boys and girls cross country, boys and girls basketball, baseball, softball, boys and girls soccer, and boys and girls track & field. In total, 610 high school athletes are honored each year. From the pool of state winners, one national winner is selected in each of the 12 sports. The selection process is administered by the Gatorade Player of the Year Selection Committee, which leverages experts including coaches, scouts, media and others as sources to help evaluate and determine the winners in each sport.
As part of Gatorade’s commitment to breaking down barriers in sport, every Player of the Year also receives a grant to donate to a social impact partner. To date, the Gatorade Player of the Year program has provided more than $6.4 million in grants to winners across more than 2,200 organizations.
To learn more about the Gatorade Player of the Year program, check out past winners or to nominate student-athletes, visit playeroftheyear.gatorade.com or follow us on social media on Instagram at instagram.com/Gatorade, Facebook at facebook.com/GatoradePOY and X(Twitter) at x.com/Gatorade.
