Watford named Gatorade Player of the Year

Trendon Watford can add another line to his ever-expanding resume.

On Friday, he was named the Gatorade Alabama Boys Basketball Player of the Year for the second consecutive season. Watford, a Mountain Brook High School senior forward, averaged 23.7 points, 11.2 rebounds, 4.1 assists and 3.1 blocks per game in leading the Spartans to a third consecutive Class 7A state championship.

Watford joins Jemison's John Petty, now at Alabama, and Madison Academy's Josh Langford, now at Michigan State, as two-time Gatorade award winners.

"He's meant so much to our program because he's such a large part responsible for our program being a top program in the country," Mountain Brook head coach Bucky McMillan said after his team’s title-game victory on March 2. "When you look at that, people never thought that was possible."

Mountain Brook beat Baker 61-42 on March 2 to secure the 7A crown. No other boys basketball team has won three straight state titles in the state’s highest classification.

Watford scored 22 points and corralled 11 rebounds in the championship game. After the final buzzer, he was named MVP of the 7A state tournament for the third time. He also garnered that distinction in 2017 and 2018.

Watford already has been tabbed a 7A first-team All-State selection and is a finalist for Alabama's Mr. Basketball award, which he won last year. 

This year's winners will be revealed on March 26. The next day, Watford will play head to Atlanta to play in the McDonald's All-American Game.

A five-star recruit, Watford is expected to announce his college choice in the coming weeks. Alabama, Indiana, LSU and Memphis made the cut when he released a list of his final four schools in December.

But Duke also may have a shot. Two Blue Devils assistants were on hand to watch Watford in the 7A state semifinal on Feb. 28.

Wherever he lands, Watford will aim to create a legacy similar to the one he leaves behind at Mountain Brook. He finished his prep career with 3,567 points and 1,888 rebounds, a mark that set a new state record. 

"When you have somebody that's a superstar, and he could go play anywhere in the country...and he chooses to stay in Birmingham and play for Mountain Brook High School, play for the state of Alabama, that shows a lot about who he is," McMillan said.