ATLANTA, Ga. – The Women’s Basketball Coaches’ Association (WBCA) has announced that Diamond DeShields of Norcross (Ga.) High School is the 2013 State Farm®/WBCA High School Player of the Year.
“Congratulations to Diamond for earning the top award for high school basketball players,” said WBCA CEO Beth Bass. “She has set high standards for current and future high school student-athletes to pursue greatness in a game that is rapidly excelling. The WBCA wishes Diamond the best on her future in college and in the game of women’s basketball.”
The 6-foot-2 shooting guard, who has signed with North Carolina, is ranked as the top player in the 2013 class by Blue Star Report, the nation’s longest running and most respected recruiting and evaluation service. DeShields has led the Norcross Blue Devils to a 25-5 record on the season. She is averaging 26 points per game, 7 rebounds, 4.5 steals and 3.8 assists.
DeShields recently helped lead Team USA to the gold medal in the 2012 FIBA Under-17 World Championships, where she was named the tournament MVP. She has been very successful playing for USA Basketball, as she also won gold as a member of the 2012 USA 3×3 U18 World Championship Team, as the youngest member of the 2011 U19 World Championship Team and with the 2010 USA U18 Championship Team.
DeShields propelled her team to the Georgia High School Association (GHSA) state semifinals last season, averaging 20.7 points, 6.8 rebounds, 4.1 steals and 3.7 assists per game. During DeShields sophomore campaign she led the Blue Devils to the GHSA Class 5A state championship with a school best 29-3 record. In her freshman season DeShields led Norcross to the GHSA Class 5A state championship with a 29-4 mark.
During her four-year stint as a Blue Devil, DeShields so far has scored over 2,100 points and is the all-time leading scorer in Norcross history, and ranks third in Gwinnett County history. She posted a game-high 35 points during the 2009 season against Southwest DeKalb High School, which is seventh on the school-record list for most points scored in a game. In 2011, DeShields tied the school record for most three-point field goals made in a game with seven.
DeShields has been named the 2013 Naismith High School Player of the Year, a 2013 WBCA All-America member, a 2013 McDonald’s All-America representative, 2013 Miss Georgia Basketball and was chosen to the 2012 Preseason American Family Insurance ALL-USA Girls High School Basketball Team. Last season she was honored as the 2012 Gwinnett Daily Post Player of the Year and the 2012 Atlanta Tip-Off Club Metro Player of the Year. During her sophomore campaign she was selected as the 2011 Gatorade Georgia Girls Basketball Player of the Year and was named to the 2010 Parade All-America High School Girls Basketball Team.
“Diamond’s remarkable achievements, both on and off the court, make her truly deserving of this prestigious award,” said Pam El, Marketing Vice President for State Farm. “State Farm is extremely proud and honored to recognize this outstanding student-athlete and we wish her the best in all her future endeavors.”
DeShields will be formally honored at halftime of the 2013 WBCA High School All-America Game presented by NIKE, which will be played at 4:30 p.m. CT Saturday, April 6, at the New Orleans Arena. For the fourth consecutive year, the game will be played on the official NCAA® Women’s Final Four ® court. The game is held annually as part of the WBCA National Convention and NCAA Women’s Final Four “Super Saturday” festivities. Blue Star Media will be on hand in New Orleans for all the action.
State Farm and the WBCA present the player of the year award annually to the top player in each of five WBCA membership divisions (NCAA Divisions II, III, NAIA, junior/community college and high school), while the State Farm Wade Trophy is presented annually to the NCAA Division I player of the year.
