Local Prep Star Represents Youth for NBA's Postseason Award Voting

Last week, the NBA League Office awarded its 2023-24 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Social Justice Champion Award to Minnesota Timberwolves center/forward Karl-Anthony Towns. And one local prep basketball star had a vote in the decision-making process.

JJ Mandaquit, one of the nation’s top prospects in the class of 2025 out of Herriman’s Utah Prep, served as this year’s youth representative for the award’s selection committee. Other voters for the award ranged from Abdul-Jabbar himself to various social justice leaders from across the country – an honor that doesn’t go unnoticed for the junior guard from Hilo, Hawaii.

“To be on that panel was unbelievable. For them to allow me to put in a vote, and to talk and learn from others was great,” Mandaquit said.

The Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Social Justice Champion Award is given to the basketball player dedicated to pursuing social justice and living up to NBA legend Abdul-Jabbar’s and the league’s vision of equality, respect, and inclusion. Towns emerged as the winner among the five finalists who were in the running to receive the honor. The other finalists included Miami Heat center-forward Bam Adebayo, New Orleans Pelicans guard CJ McCollum, Oklahoma City Thunder forward Lindy Waters III, and Los Angeles Clippers guard Russell Westbrook.

The importance of this award is not lost on Mandaquit. Having a voice in the room with someone of the stature of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar has been an experience he is cherishing.

“It meant a lot. To see how much he cares, and all the stuff he continues to do off the court is pretty special,” said Mandaquit.

Despite being a junior in high school, Mandaquit’s impact exceeds his youthful presence. He looks to give back to his community by using his platform, with the help of his family. He has organized a free youth basketball camp in Hawaii to inspire those younger than him.

“I’m fortunate enough to have a lot of young kids that look up to me. The basketball camp was to spark interest in the little kids, to show that I do care about them, and I want to see them love the game and have fun,” he added.

Mandaquit burst onto the national scene last summer as a member of Team USA’s Under-16, winning gold with the squad at the 2023 FIBA Championships in Mexico. He backed it up this winter at Utah Prep by being named The Grind Session’s Offensive Player of the Year. The Grind Session is a winter circuit of high school basketball events that consists of elite teams such as Utah Prep from all over the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico. To put into perspective how good the circuit is: over the past 10 years, nearly 100 players from the Grind Session have gone on to play in the NBA, including more than 20 who were chosen in the first round of the past two NBA drafts.

The consensus four-star prospect’s basketball reputation continues to grow, and his career options have expanded by the week. To date, he has received scholarship offers from nearly 20 schools, including Louisville, Illinois, UCLA, LSU, Washington State, Tennessee, and Utah, among others.