Wheeler guard Collier wins Naismith national player of year award
Wheeler guard Isaiah Collier will play for the Class 7A championship Saturday as the Naismith national boys player of the year.
The Southern Cal signee, announced as the winner last weekend, scored 18 points Saturday in No. 1 Wheeler’s 67-55 victory over No. 2 Grayson. Wheeler will play Cherokee for the title at the Macon Coliseum.
Collier, the consensus No. 1 senior recruit nationally, is the fifth Naismith boys winner from Georgia.
Other Georgia winners were South Atlanta’s Derrick Favors (2009), South Gwinnett’s Lou Williams (2005), Southwest Atlanta Christian’s Dwight Howard (2004) and Randolph-Clay’s Donnell Harvey (1999).
The award dates to 1987, and its winners include Kobe Bryant, Chris Webber, Dennis Scott and Ben Simmons.
About the Author
Todd Holcomb covers high school sports across the state. He rejoined The Atlanta Journal-Constitution in 2025 and has worked with the AJC in varying capacities since 1985. He is a co-founder and editor of Georgia High School Football Daily.
