Andrew Pace
Indiana Mr. Basketball is an annual award given to the top high school basketball player in the state of Indiana. The award, which is the oldest of its kind in the nation, is presented by The Indianapolis Star. The first Indiana Mr. Basketball was George Crowe of Franklin High School in 1939. Since then, the title has been awarded to numerous talented basketball players, including Tom Schwartz in 1945, Bob Master in 1948, and, most recently, Braden Smith in 2022.
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What You'll Learn
Indiana Mr. Basketball winners who played for the Hoosiers
The Indiana Mr. Basketball award is an honour recognising the top high school basketball player in the state of Indiana. The award, presented annually by The Indianapolis Star, is the oldest such award in the nation. The first Indiana Mr. Basketball was George Crowe of Franklin High School in 1939.
Since then, the Indiana Hoosiers have benefited from several Indiana Mr. Basketball winners. The first was in 1940 with Southport's Ed Schiebein, who played for the Hoosiers in 1944-45. Schiebein was inducted into the Indiana High School Basketball Hall of Fame in 2011. The second winner was Tom Schwartz from Kokomo, who became a Hoosier in 1945.
In 1947, Bill Garrett from Shelbyville became the first African American basketball starter in Big Ten history. In 1948, Lafayette's Bob Master won the award and played for Indiana from 1949-1952. In 1953, 6-foot-2 Hallie Bryant joined the Hoosiers and won a Big Ten title in 1957. In 1959, Kokomo's Jimmy Rayl, the state's leading scorer, joined the Hoosiers and broke the single-game scoring record with 56 points.
In 1961, twins Tom and Dick VanArsdale became Indiana's Mr. Basketball, and they left Indiana as the school's sixth and seventh all-time leading scorers. In 1969, George McGinnis became Indiana's Mr. Basketball and the single-season leading scorer of all time. In 1970, David Shepherd joined the Hoosiers, followed by Kent Benson in 1973, who became an All-American in 1976 and 1977.
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Indiana's first Mr. Basketball in 1939
George Crowe played for the 1939-40 Indiana Hoosiers men's basketball team, who were led by coach Branch McCracken in his second year. The team played their home games at The Fieldhouse in Bloomington, Indiana, and were members of the Big Ten Conference. The Hoosiers finished the regular season with an overall record of 17-3 and a conference record of 9-3, coming second in the Big Ten Conference to the Purdue Boilermakers. Purdue declined their bid to participate in the 8-team NCAA tournament, and IU played in their place. In only the second national tournament, the Hoosiers won their first NCAA Tournament Championship, beating Kansas 60-42 in the final. Indiana was also retroactively recognised as the national champion by the Premo-Porretta Power Poll.
Branch McCracken was a former player himself, and his teams earned the nickname "Hurryin' Hoosiers" due to his fast-breaking style of play. McCracken's first IU team was led by All-American Ernie Andres, who later became a McCracken basketball assistant. McCracken's 1939-40 NCAA title team was led by All-American Marvin Huffman, who took Indiana to unprecedented success.
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Indiana Mr. Basketball winners who went on to play in the NBA
The Indiana Mr. Basketball award is an annual honor recognizing the top high school basketball player in the state of Indiana. The award, presented by The Indianapolis Star, is the oldest of its kind in the nation, with the first Indiana Mr. Basketball awarded to George Crowe of Franklin High School in 1939. Only seniors are eligible for the award. Here is a look at some Indiana Mr. Basketball winners who went on to play in the NBA:
Kent Benson
Kent Benson, from New Castle, won the Indiana Mr. Basketball award in 1973. He went on to become an All-American in 1976 and 1977 and was the first overall pick in the NBA draft.
Steve Alford
Steve Alford, also from New Castle, won the award in 1983. He went on to become Indiana's all-time leading scorer and led the 1987 national championship team.
Eric Gordon
A graduate of North Central, Eric Gordon was the Indiana Mr. Basketball in 2007. He had an outstanding freshman year at Indiana University, averaging over 20 points per game. Gordon was selected seventh overall in the 2008 NBA draft by the Los Angeles Clippers.
Cody Zeller
Cody Zeller, from Washington, won the award in 2011. He played one season for Indiana University, earning consensus second-team All-American honors before being selected fourth overall in the 2013 NBA draft by the Charlotte Bobcats.
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Indiana Mr. Basketball winners who were also leading scorers
The Indiana Mr. Basketball honour is awarded to the top high school basketball player in the state of Indiana. The award is presented annually by The Indianapolis Star and is the oldest such award in the nation, with the first Indiana Mr. Basketball being awarded to George Crowe of Franklin High School in 1939.
Several Indiana Mr. Basketball winners have also been leading scorers. In 1947, Bill Garrett from Shelbyville became the first African American starter in basketball in Big Ten history. He left Indiana as both Indiana and the Big Ten's all-time leading scorer. In 1961, twins Tom and Dick VanArsdale became Indiana's sixth and seventh all-time leading scorers. In 1969, Big George McGinnis became the single-season leading scorer of all time. In 1979, Washington's Steve Bouchie came to IU, and he left Indiana as its all-time leading scorer and the leader of the 1987 national championship team.
Other notable Indiana Mr. Basketball winners include the second-ever awardee, Tom Schwartz from Kokomo, who played both football and basketball for Indiana; Jimmy Rayl, Indiana's leading scorer in the early 1960s; and Kent Benson from New Castle, who became an All-American in 1976 and 1977 and the #1 NBA draft pick.
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Indiana Mr. Basketball winners from Bloomington
The Indiana Mr. Basketball honour recognises the top high school basketball player in the state of Indiana. The award is presented annually by The Indianapolis Star and has a rich history, being the oldest such award in the nation. The first Indiana Mr. Basketball was George Crowe of Franklin High School in 1939. Bloomington has produced several Indiana Mr. Basketball winners over the years, with a notable presence from Bloomington North and Bloomington South High Schools.
Jared Jeffries of Bloomington North was awarded Indiana Mr. Basketball in 2000. Bloomington North has a strong basketball tradition and has produced several notable players over the years. Jeffries went on to have a successful basketball career, playing for the Indiana University Hoosiers and later in the NBA.
In 2009, Bloomington South sent the Hoosiers Jordan Hulls, who had a significant impact on the team's success. Hulls helped turn around the fortunes of the Hoosiers and contributed to their winning record. He demonstrated exceptional leadership skills and was a key player during his time at Indiana University.
Another notable winner from Bloomington South is Anthony Leal, who received the Indiana Mr. Basketball honour in 2020. Leal showcased his exceptional talent and led his high school team to multiple victories. He followed in the footsteps of previous winners from Bloomington and joined the prestigious list of Indiana Mr. Basketball winners from the city. Leal's award marked a significant achievement for Bloomington South High School and added to the rich basketball history of the city.
The Indiana Mr. Basketball award recognises not only athletic prowess but also the hard work and dedication of these exceptional players. Bloomington has produced a remarkable number of awardees, contributing to the rich basketball heritage of the state of Indiana. These winners have inspired future generations of players and left a lasting impact on the sport in their respective communities.
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Frequently asked questions
George Crowe of Franklin High School won the title in 1939.
Some notable winners include Tom and Dick VanArsdale, the only twins to have won the award in 1961, Ray Tolbert, who led the Hoosiers to a national championship in 1981, and Damon Bailey, who came to Indiana in 1990 and became a boyhood idol for the Hoosiers.
The award recognizes the top high school basketball player in the state of Indiana and is the oldest such award in the nation, dating back to 1939.
The award is presented annually by The Indianapolis Star, with voting conducted by the Indy Star newspaper.
The 2021 winner was Caleb Furst, and the 2022 winner was Braden Smith from Westfield High School.
