The Naismith boys high school basketball Player of the Year award was recently awarded to a Minnesotan for the first time ever. The winner of the award? Well, that would be top-recruit Chet Holmgren of Minnehaha Academy. 

Holmgren joins some elite company with winning this award, according to the Naismith awards website previous winners of the award were:

Jason Kidd (1992, St. Joseph Notre Dame High School, Alameda, California), Kobe Bryant (1996, Lower Merion High School, Ardmore, Pennsylvania), LeBron James (2003, St. Vincent-St. Mary, Akron, Ohio) and Derrick Favors (2009, South Atlanta High School, Atlanta). Notable girls winners have included Lisa Leslie (1990, Morningside High School, Inglewood, California), Chamique Holdsclaw (1995, Christ the King, Middle Village, New York), Candace Parker (2003, Naperville Central, Naperville, Illinois) and Maya Moore (2006 and 2007, Collins Hill High School, Suwanee, Georgia).

Holmgren hasn't decided where he will take his 7-foot frame and basketball skills to in college, but he has narrowed down his list. That list includes possibly reuniting with former teammate Jalen Suggs at Gonzaga, Georgetown, Minnesota, Michigan, Memphis, North Carolina, and Ohio State.

While Minnesota is listed, I think it's more of a case of being Minnesota Nice by not leaving the home state school off the list of potential suitors.

Holmgren told the Naismith awards that "This is a tremendous honor, and I’m so appreciative to win the Jersey Mike’s Naismith Trophy,” said Holmgren. “I’d like to thank my family, teammates, and coaches for helping me to achieve success, and I also want to thank the Atlanta Tipoff Club and Jersey Mike’s for recognizing me."

Here are some highlights of Holmgren playing.

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