Gillette’s Cody Kelley Repeats As WY Boys Basketball Gatorade Player Of The Year

In its 29th year of honoring the nation’s best high school athletes, The Gatorade Company, in collaboration with USA TODAY High School Sports, announced Cody Kelley of Campbell County High School as its 2013-14 Gatorade Wyoming Boys Basketball Player of the Year.

Kelley is the sixth Gatorade Wyoming Boys Basketball Player of the Year to be chosen from Campbell County High School.

The award, which recognizes not only outstanding athletic excellence, but also high standards of academic achievement and exemplary character demonstrated on and off the court, distinguishes Kelley as Wyoming’s best high school boys basketball player.

Now a finalist for the prestigious Gatorade National Boys Basketball Player of the Year award to be announced in March, Kelley joins an elite alumni association of past state boys basketball award winners, including Dwight Howard (2003-04, SW Atlanta Christian Academy, Ga.), Chauncey Billups (1993-94 & 1994-95, George Washington HS, Colo.), Jason Kidd (1991-92, St. Joseph Notre Dame HS, Calif.), Paul Pierce (1994- 95, Inglewood HS, Calif.) and Chris Bosh (2001-02, Lincoln HS, Texas).

The 5-foot-11, 180-pound senior point guard led the Camels to a 25-3 record and the Class 4A state championship this past season.

Kelley averaged 24.9 points, 4.8 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 1.8 steals per game this past season.

The state’s reigning Gatorade Boys Basketball Player of the Year, he scored a game-high 22 points in a 56-51 win over Kelly Walsh in the Class 4A state final.

Kelley has maintained a 3.98 GPA in the classroom.

A devoted parishioner in his church community, he has volunteered locally to collect and deliver canned goods for families in need and as a youth basketball camp counselor.

“Cody Kelley’s leadership, work ethic and drive have been as good as anybody to ever come through Gillette,” said Campbell County High head coach Bubba Hladky. “He is a model for what a coach wants out of his players. I feel extremely fortunate to have had the opportunity to work with such a fine individual.”

Kelley remains undecided upon a collegiate destination.

The Gatorade Player of the Year program annually recognizes one winner in the District of Columbia and each of the 50 states that sanction high school football, girls volleyball, boys and girls cross country, boys and girls basketball, boys and girls soccer, baseball, softball, and boys and girls track & field, and awards one National Player of the Year in each sport.

The selection process is administered by the Gatorade high school sports leadership team in partnership with USA TODAY High School Sports, which work with top sport-specific experts and a media advisory board of accomplished, veteran prep sports journalists to determine the state winners in each sport.

Two time winner Kelley joins Gatorade Wyoming Boys Basketball Players of the Year Jason McManamen (2011-12, Torrington High School), Taran Brown (2010-11, Campbell County High School), Dan Estes (2009-10, Laramie), Michael Dietz (2008-09, Natrona County High School), Justin Nelson (2007-08, Campbell County High School), and Kyle Bullinger (2006–07, Mountain View) among the state’s list of former award winners.