Jordan Smith Jr. named 2025-26 Gatorade National Boys Basketball Player of the Year

John Calipari has a history of landing commitments from players who earn national honors each year. On Friday, his top 2027 recruit added his name to that legacy. Paul VI Catholic (Fairfax, VA) five-star combo guard Jordan Smith Jr.

has been named the 2025-26 Gatorade National Boys Basketball Player of the Year. Smith was presented the award by another former Calipari standout, John Wall. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Gatorade (@gatorade) The McDonald's All-American guard joins an elite group of former winners who went on to shine both at the college and professional level.

Notable recent winners include Cooper Flagg, Cameron Boozer, and Chet Holmgren. A 6-foot-2 guard, Smith led the Panthers to a 34-2 record, the No. 1 ranking in the USA TODAY Sports Super 25 boys high school basketball rankings, and a fourth consecutive VISAA state championship.

With Smith leading the way, the Panthers went 126-15 over the last four years. This season, he averaged 26. 6 points, 6.