March 16, 2023

On Wednesday, March 15, for the first time, Gatorade selected a student from Lakeville North High School to be named the Gatorade Minnesota Boys Basketball Player of the Year. 12th grade student Nolan Winter, who plays on the LNHS Boys Basketball team, was chosen for this prestigious award. The award recognizes athletic excellence, high standards of academic achievement, and exemplary character demonstrated on and off the court. 

On the court this season, the senior forward led the Panthers to a 24-3 record, averaging 23.2 points, 11.5 rebounds, 1.2 assists and 1.3 blocks. He will continue to lead the Panthers as they compete in the Section 1AAAA championship game on March 17 against the Lakeville South Cougars. 

Winter has also been successful in the classroom, maintaining a 3.9 weighted grade point average. In November 2022, Winter signed his intent to play basketball at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. 

Outside school, Winter has dedicated his time locally to helping the elderly with lawn mowing, snow shoveling and landscaping, and packaging meals with Feed my Starving Children. He has also spent time volunteering as a youth basketball official and coach at camps and tournaments. 

As a Gatorade Player of the Year recipient, Winter will receive a grant to donate to one of Gatorade’s social impact partners, paying it forward for the next generation of athletes. 

You can read the official press release from Gatorade here.