SPOKANE, Wash. – Gonzaga men's basketball signee Chet Holmgren was named the Gatorade National Player of the Year Wednesday.
 
Holmgren is the highest-ranked recruit to ever sign with the Zags. The versatile 7-1 prospect is the top-ranked recruit in the Class of 2021 by ESPN and 247 Sports. He has a seven-foot, six-inch wingspan. Holmgren's high school teammate  at Minnehaha Academy and 2020-21 Gonzaga standout, Jalen Suggs, was the Bulldogs' previous highest-ranked recruit as No. 6 in the Class of 2020.
 
Suggs surprised Holmgren on Wednesday with a virtual announcement notifying him he'd won the honor, while Holmgren's family and friends gathered in Minneapolis to congratulate him.
 
After being a part of a fourth state championship team, Holmgren was named Naismith Prep Player of the Year, Morgan Wootten National Player of the Year, Sports Illustrated All-American Player of the Year, MaxPreps National Player of the Year, and a McDonald's All-American.
 
The 7-footer averaged 21 points and 12.3 rebounds per game during his senior season while leading the Redhawks to the Class 3A state championship. He is the second straight Mr. Basketball winner for the Redhawks as Suggs won the award last year. Holmgren added 4.7 blocks and 4.5 assists while shooting 80 percent from the field in 2020-21. He finished his prep career with 1,567 points, 964 rebounds and 456 blocked shots while helping Minnehaha Academy compile a 128-15 record during his time with the program.
 
Past winners of the Gatorade National Player of the Year include RJ Barrett, Jayson Tatum, Karl-Anthony Towns, Ben Simmons, LeBron James and Kobe Bryant.