Gilbert teen named USA Basketball’s Male Athlete of the Year

GILBERT, AZ (3TV/CBS 5) — Koa Peat isn’t your typical high school basketball player. The 6′8″ Perry High School power forward didn’t just help his team win back-to-back state titles; he was also recently named USA Basketball’s Male Athlete of the Year.

It’s no wonder why since he helped lead the U.S. to its eighth-straight FIBA U16 Men’s Americas championship in Mexico. At just 16 years old, the high school junior is already a two-time gold medalist.

“His leadership on and off the court set the tone for the impressive USA squad,” USA Basketball CEO Jim Tooley said in a news release. “Koa is a rising star who embodies all the championship traits that we look for.”

He’s not the only athlete in his family, either. His father, Todd Peat, played six seasons in the NFL. His older brother, Andrus, is a current offensive guard for the New Orleans Saints. Instead of football, Koa put his all into basketball, and scouts were already taking notice of him as early as middle school.

“Seeing all my brothers and sisters being successful in their sports, they just tell me that it really takes all the hard work you put in,” Peat said. “When people aren’t watching, that’s when you have to put that work in. Also, when I was younger, I think playing against them made me better.”

During this year’s FIBA U16 Men’s Americas Championship, Peat averaged 17.2 points, 8.3 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 1.5 steals through six games. He scored 29 points against Puerto Rico in the semifinals.

“He continues to amaze me with his growth in his game and his knowledge of the game and his attention to detail,” said USA U16 head coach Sharman White. “Every time I see him, it’s something new or something he’s improved. It just goes to show you what kind of young man he is.”

See a spelling or grammatical error in our story? Please click here to report it.

Do you have a photo or video of a breaking news story? Send it to us here with a brief description.