Cherry Creek’s Julian Hammond named boys basketball player of the year
Cherry Creek standout Julian Hammond is adding some hardware to his personal trophy case as he has been named the boys basketball player of the year by Gatorade.
Hammond has been a standout in so many ways for the Bruins and not just on the basketball court. As the starting quarterback, he led Cherry Creek to back-to-back Class 5A football championships. He was hoping to follow suit this year on the basketball court, but the Bruins lost in the 5A semifinals.
Still, he had a fantastic season. He averaged 22.4 points and 5.5 rebounds per game. For his career, he scored 19.4 points and pulled down 5.6 rebounds per game. He also dished out three assists.
He scored a career-high 39 points on March 6, 2021 in a win over Eaglecrest.
“Julian displays major versatility and leadership,” ESPN National Recruiting Director Paul Biancardi said in a release. “His length can aid him on the defensive end of the court both on and away from the ball. He scores with opportunity and is a productive winning player.”
Hammond has played a role in the development of youth sports as he has spent time volunteering as a youth football and basketball coach.
His play on the court and his character helped him land a scholarship to the University of Colorado where he will play for Tad Boyle.
Hammond is the third Cherry Creek athlete to be honored by Gatorade this year. Parker Wolfe claimed the boys cross country award – and later went on to win national runner of the year – and Riley Stewart won the girls cross country honor.
Hammond will be sorely missed for the Bruins as he graduated scoring over 1,400 points. He also shot 49 percent from the floor for his career.
