The nominees for the 2019 Golden Horseshoe Athlete of the Year have been announced and they include the most recognizable names in the Hamilton sports scene.
They are Hamilton Tiger-Cats receiver Brandon Banks, Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and New York Liberty guard Kia Nurse.
The Golden Horseshoe Athlete of the Year will receive the 25th annual Bill Sturrup Award at the Catholic Youth Organization dinner on Feb. 27 at Carmen’s Banquet Centre.
Banks was named the CFL’s Most Outstanding Player in 2019 after leading the league in receptions (112), receiving yards (1,550) and touchdowns (13).
Gilgeous-Alexander was named to the NBA All-Rookie Second Team last year and played on Team World at the 2019 Rising Stars Challenge as part of the league’s all-star weekend.
Nurse was named a starter in the 2019 WNBA All-Star Game for the first time in her career and became just the third Canadian to play in the game.
Past Golden Horseshoe athletes of the year include swimmer Joanne Malar, Nashville Predators defenceman Ryan Ellis and golfer MacKenzie Hughes.