Austin Rivers has been named the 2011 Naismith National High School Basketball Player of the Year on Thursday.

The 6-4 shooting guard averaged 29.2 points and 6.1 rebounds per game this season. Rivers led the Wildcats to a 28-5 record and a second consecutive Florida Class 6A title, where he scored 25 points, grabbed 11 rebounds and dished out four assists in a 52-44 win over Dr. Phillips. Rivers headlines the No. 3 recruiting class in the NCAA.

“Being named the Naismith Player of the Year is a tremendous honor, especially considering only one person each year earns this prestigious award,” Doc Rivers said. “As a parent, I am extremely proud of Austin and as a coach, I'm impressed with how hard he works each day on becoming a better player. Our family is full of pride that Austin is receiving such a remarkable accolade and will be noted with this amazing distinction in basketball history."

• Click here to see a full history of the Naismith Prep Player of the Year award.