It's more than just basketball for Campbell Hall's Holiday

Campbell Hall's Jrue Holiday is used to having big crowds cheer for him. After all, you don't win three state championships without getting used to the insanely high level of fan and media attention that goes along with it.

But looking up into a sea of adoring classmates just before he was given his Gatorade national player of the year award on Wednesday morning, you could tell Holiday was having a hard time keeping his game face on. At times, Holiday looked as if he was listening to his coach during a late-game timeout. At other times, he'd be wearing a somewhat coy smile on his face, usually after he was given a standing ovation or a girl in the stands couldn't help from shouting out, "We love you Jrue!"

Check out this interview with Holiday:

Of course, Holiday has never been some sort of personality-depleted basketball machine.

While his on-court performances over the last four years have been remarkable, there's a lot more to Jrue than just layups, dunks and rebounds. He sings in the school's gospel choir, is the percussion leader in the school orchestra, has volunteered as the girls' tennis team manager, has acted as a youth ambassador to Japan on behalf of Shepherd of the Hills Christian Church and has volunteered teaching basketball to children.

So, believe it or not, Holiday is even more successful off the court than he is on it. Wednesday's ceremony illustrated how important the UCLA-bound standout is to his school and his community.

Here are a few photos from today's ceremony:

-- Austin Knoblauch

-- Photos by Susan Goldman/Gatorade

 

Comments

[Martin Henderson]

I'm most impressed with that Gatorade lightning bolt that he is wearing on his head. The kid has a big career ahead of him because, clearly, he knows the importance of marketing. Yep, he's a sponsor's dream.