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At the recent USA Basketball Junior National Team Mini-Camp in Arizona, we had a chance to interview Koa Peat of FAB 50 No. 22 Perry (Gilbert, Ariz.). The 6-foot-8 rising senior (2025) is one of the well-established players in the nation. He's also a Team USA veteran who should be one of the leading players on this summer's team at the FIBA 17U World Cup, June 29-July 7 in Istanbul, Turkey.
If Team USA captures the Gold Medal in Turkey, it was be a third gold medal for the 17-year old who could go down as the most accomplished Arizona high school basketball player, ever. Peat, already a two-time Gatorade State Player of the Year, averaged a team-high 17.2 ppg during the 2023 FIBA 16U Americas Championship in Merida, Mexico and also contributed 8.3 rpg, 3.2 apg and 1.5 spg in six contests. He was also part of the gold-medal winning team at the 2022 FIBA 17U World Cup in Malaga, Spain and for his accomplishments was named 2023 USA Basketball Male Athlete of the Year.
We talk with Peat about his camp experience, his vast experience with USA Basketball and what he hopes to accomplish this summer, and to give us some insight about not losing a high school playoff game yet with his senior season to come.
Ronnie Flores is the national Grassroots editor of Ballislife.com. He can be reached at [email protected]. Don't forget to follow him on Twitter: @RonMFlores