PLANTERSVILLE — Dallas County High School’s William Lee has been named the 2013-2014 Gatorade Alabama Boys Basketball Player of the Year.

According to a Gatorade press release, the award “recognizes not only outstanding athletic excellence, but also high standards of academic achievement and exemplary character demonstrated on and off the court.”

Lee, who is the reigning Class 4A Player of the Year and a finalist to be a repeat winner of the award, is also one of 21 candidates for Mr. Basketball, which is awarded to the state’s top basketball player from the Alabama Sports Writers Association.

The forward has signed to play basketball at the University of Alabama at Birmingham this upcoming fall. According to the press release, Lee has maintained a 3.50 GPA at Dallas County High School and has volunteered locally as a youth basketball instructor and on behalf of the Special Olympics.

As a state winner, Lee is eligible for the Gatorade National Boys Basketball Player of the Year award to be announced later in March. Lee is the first Gatorade Alabama Boys Basketball Player of the Year to be from Dallas County High School.

Recent winners of the Gatorade Alabama Boys Basketball Player of the Year award are Josh Langford (2012-13, Madison Academy), Craig Sword (2011-12, Carver High School), Levi Randolph (2010-11, Bob Jones High School), KT Harrell (2009-10, Brewbaker Technology Magnet), Jordan Swing (2008-09, Vestavia Hills High School), JaMychael Green (2007-08, St. Jude Educational Institute) and Justin Knox (2006-07, Tuscaloosa Central).