Kevin McHale (#32 Celtics) was the recipient of the award in 1976.

Minnesota Mr. Basketball is an annual award recognizing excellence in Minnesota boys' high school basketball. The female equivalent is Minnesota Miss Basketball.

The award's legitimacy was challenged in February 2017 when Henry Sibley, Minnesota high school basketball coach John Carrier called out owner and chairman Ken Lien for his politicized anti-Muslim and anti-immigrant tweets from the @mrbasketballmn Twitter account. The Minnesota Basketball Coaches Association was among many who announced their support of Carrier's complaint.

The award was established in 1975 and is given to the person(s) chosen as the best high school boys' basketball senior in the U.S. state of Minnesota. The award is the fourth oldest such award in the nation; only Indiana Mr. Basketball, California Mr. Basketball, and Kentucky Mr. Basketball, which were first awarded in 1939, 1950, and 1956, respectively, predate it. A nine-member selection committee, now led by John Robinson, has selected five finalists in March of every year since the award began. In the middle of January, a "watch list" is published which recognizes 30-40 seniors who have had a strong start to the season. At the end of the regular season, the Top 10 candidates for the Mr Basketball award are announced. In order to select the most deserving student-athlete, the selection panel watches over 120 high school basketball games and creates detailed reviews on every one of them. Twice the panel chose two winners, in 1979 and 1998.

The first award winner was Gene Glynn, who attended Waseca High School in Waseca, Minnesota. He played for Mankato State University, now known as Minnesota State University.

Six recipients of the Minnesota Mr. Basketball award were enrolled at Hopkins High School and Minneapolis North High School, the most of any high school. Most recipients go to Division I universities, with a high of 17 attending the University of Minnesota. Glynn, the 1975 winner; Jim Jensen, the 1978 winner; Steve Schlotthauer, the 1986 winner; Tom Conroy, the 1989 winner; Joel McDonald, the 1991 winner; and Bret Yonke, the 1992 winner, all attended Division II schools. Conroy attended Northeastern Illinois University, which upgraded to Division I in 1991, his sophomore year. Yonke began his career at Division I Northwestern and later transferred to Division II St. Cloud State due to lack of playing time. The 1981 winner, Redd Overton, never attended a university and chose the junior college route instead.

Several former Minnesota Mr. Basketballs have been selected in the National Basketball Association Draft. Kevin McHale, the 1976 choice; Randy Breuer, the 1979 co-choice; Sam Jacobson, the 1994 choice; Joel Przybilla, the 1998 co-choice; and Kris Humphries, the 2003 choice, and Tyus Jones were picked in the first round. Kevin Lynch, the 1987 choice; Khalid El-Amin, the 1997 choice; and 2001 choice Rick Rickert were picked in the second round. Jim Petersen, the 1980 choice, was the only pick in the now obsolete third round. Chet Holmgren was selected by the Oklahoma City Thunder with the second overall pick in the 2022 NBA draft, making him the highest-selected draft pick ever taken out of Gonzaga and the highest-drafted pick from the state of Minnesota, topping Kevin McHale, who was taken third overall in 1980.

Award winners

Joel Przybilla was the co-recipient of the award in 1998.
Kris Humphries was the recipient of the award in 2003.
Royce White was the recipient of the award in 2009.
Tyus Jones was the 2013 recipient.
YearPlayerHigh schoolUniversityNBA Draft
1975Gene GlynnWaseca High School, WasecaMinnesota State
1976Kevin McHaleHibbing High School, HibbingMinnesotaMcHale was drafted by the Boston Celtics in the 1st round with the 3rd pick of the 1980 NBA draft.
1977Brian PedersonPrior Lake High School, Prior LakeMinnesota
1978Jim JensenBemidji High School, BemidjiSouth Dakota State
1979Randy BreuerLincoln High School, Lake CityMinnesotaBreuer was drafted by the Milwaukee Bucks in the 1st round with the 18th pick of the 1983 NBA draft.
1979Greg DowningDuluth Central High School, DuluthNebraska
1980Jim PetersenSt. Louis Park High School, St. Louis ParkMinnesotaPetersen was drafted by the Houston Rockets in the 3rd round with the 4th pick (51st overall) of the 1984 NBA draft.
1981Redd OvertonMinneapolis North High School, MinneapolisNorth Hennepin Community College
1982Rob ShelquistIrondale High School, New BrightonMontana State
1983Tom CopaCoon Rapids High School, Coon RapidsMarquette
1984Tim HansonPrior Lake High School, Prior LakeMinnesota
1985Brett McNealMinneapolis North High School, MinneapolisWestern Kentucky
1986Steve SchlotthauerMounds View High School, Mounds ViewAugustana (SD)
1987Kevin LynchBloomington Jefferson High School, BloomingtonMinnesotaLynch was drafted by the Charlotte Hornets in the 2nd round with the 1st pick (28th overall) of the 1991 NBA draft.
1988Derek ReubenMinneapolis North High School, MinneapolisEastern Kentucky
1989Tom ConroyDeLaSalle High School, MinneapolisNortheastern Illinois
1990Chad KolanderOwatonna High School, OwatonnaMinnesota
1991Joel McDonaldChisholm High School, ChisholmSt. Cloud State
1992Bret YonkeEagan High School, EaganNorthwestern/St. Cloud State
1993Skipp SchaefbauerElk River High School, Elk RiverEast Carolina/Illinois State
1994Sam JacobsonPark High School, Cottage GroveMinnesotaJacobson was drafted by the Los Angeles Lakers in the 1st round with the 26th pick of the 1998 NBA draft.
1995Robert MestasMinneapolis Roosevelt High School, MinneapolisMiami (OH)
1996Mitch OhnstadFaribault High School, FaribaultCal Poly/Minnesota
1997Khalid El-AminMinneapolis North High School, MinneapolisConnecticutEl-Amin was drafted by the Chicago Bulls in the 2nd round with the 5th pick (34th overall) of the 2000 NBA draft.
1998Darius LaneTotino-Grace High School, FridleySeton Hall
1998Joel PrzybillaMonticello High School, MonticelloMinnesotaPrzybilla was drafted by the Houston Rockets in the 1st round with the 9th pick of the 2000 NBA draft.
1999Nick HorvathMounds View High School, Mounds ViewDuke
2000Adam BooneMinnetonka High School, MinnetonkaNorth Carolina/Minnesota
2001Rick RickertDuluth East High School, DuluthMinnesotaRickert was drafted by the Minnesota Timberwolves in the 2nd round with the 26th pick (55th overall) of the 2003 NBA draft.
2002Stephen KingAcademy of Holy Angels, RichfieldOhio
2003Kris HumphriesHopkins High School, MinnetonkaMinnesotaHumphries was drafted by the Utah Jazz in the 1st round with the 14th pick of the 2004 NBA draft.
2004Spencer TollacksonChaska High School, ChaskaMinnesota
2005Travis BuschMounds View High School, Mounds ViewCal Poly/Minnesota/Colorado State
2006Isaiah DahlmanBraham High School, BrahamMichigan State
2007Blake HoffarberHopkins High School, MinnetonkaMinnesota
2008Jordan TaylorBenilde-St. Margaret's School, St. Louis ParkWisconsin
2009Royce WhiteHopkins High School, MinnetonkaMinnesota/Iowa StateWhite was drafted by the Houston Rockets in the 1st round with the 16th pick of the 2012 NBA draft.
2010Kevin NoreenMinnesota Transitions School, MinneapolisWest Virginia
2011Joe ColemanHopkins High School, MinnetonkaMinnesota
2012Siyani ChambersHopkins High School, MinnetonkaHarvard
2013Quinton HookerPark Center Senior High School, Brooklyn ParkNorth Dakota
2014Tyus JonesApple Valley High School, Apple ValleyDukeJones was drafted by the Cleveland Cavaliers with the 24th pick of the 2015 NBA draft and traded to the Minnesota Timberwolves on draft night.
2015JT GibsonChamplin Park High School, Brooklyn ParkOmaha
2016Amir CoffeyHopkins High School, MinnetonkaMinnesotaCoffey went undrafted in the 2019 NBA Draft but later signed a two-way contract with the Los Angeles Clippers.
2017McKinley Wright IVChamplin Park High School, Brooklyn ParkColorado
2018Tre JonesApple Valley High School, Apple ValleyDukeJones was drafted by the San Antonio Spurs with the 41st pick (2nd Round) of the 2020 NBA draft.
2019Matthew HurtJohn Marshall High School, RochesterDuke
2020Jalen SuggsMinnehaha Academy, MinneapolisGonzagaSuggs was drafted by the Orlando Magic with the 5th pick in the 1st Round of the 2021 NBA draft.
2021Chet HolmgrenMinnehaha Academy, MinneapolisGonzagaHolmgren was drafted by the Oklahoma City Thunder with the 2nd pick in the 1st Round of the 2022 NBA draft.
2022Braeden CarringtonPark Center Senior High School, Brooklyn ParkMinnesota
2023Nasir WhitlockDeLaSalle High School, MinneapolisLehigh
2024Jackson McAndrewWayzata High School, PlymouthCreighton
2025Chase ThompsonAlexandria Area High School, AlexandriaClemson

Most winners

By university
NumberUniversity
By university Number University 20 Minnesota 4 Duke 2 Cal Poly 2 Gonzaga 2 St. Cloud State 1 Augustana (SD) 1 Clemson 1 Colorado State 1 Connecticut 1 Creighton 1 Dayton 1 East Carolina 1 Eastern Kentucky 1 Harvard 1 Illinois State 1 Iowa State 1 Lehigh 1 Marquette 1 Miami (OH) 1 Michigan State 1 Minnesota State 1 Montana State 1 Nebraska 1 North Carolina 1 North Dakota 1 Northeastern Illinois 1 Northwestern 1 Ohio 1 Omaha 1 Seton Hall 1 South Dakota State 1 Western Kentucky 1 West Virginia 1 WisconsinBy high school Number High school 6 Hopkins High School 4 Minneapolis North High School 3 Mounds View High School 2 Minnehaha Academy 2 Park Center Senior High School 2 Prior Lake High School 2 DeLaSalle High School 2 Champlin Park High School 2 Apple Valley High School 1 Academy of Holy Angels 1 Alexandria Area High School 1 Bemidji High School 1 Benilde-St. Margaret's School 1 Bloomington Jefferson High School 1 Braham High School 1 Chaska High School 1 Chisholm High School 1 Coon Rapids High School 1 Duluth Central High School 1 Duluth East High School 1 Eagan High School 1 Elk River High School 1 Faribault High School 1 Hibbing High School 1 Irondale High School 1 Lake City High School 1 Minneapolis Roosevelt High School 1 Minnesota Transitions School 1 Minnetonka High School 1 Monticello High School 1 Owatonna High School 1 Park High School 1 St. Louis Park High School 1 Totino-Grace High School 1 Waseca High School 1 Wayzata High School
20Minnesota
4Duke
2Cal Poly
2Gonzaga
2St. Cloud State
1Augustana (SD)
1Clemson
1Colorado State
1Connecticut
1Creighton
1Dayton
1East Carolina
1Eastern Kentucky
1Harvard
1Illinois State
1Iowa State
1Lehigh
1Marquette
1Miami (OH)
1Michigan State
1Minnesota State
1Montana State
1Nebraska
1North Carolina
1North Dakota
1Northeastern Illinois
1Northwestern
1Ohio
1Omaha
1Seton Hall
1South Dakota State
1Western Kentucky
1West Virginia
1Wisconsin
NumberHigh school
6Hopkins High School
4Minneapolis North High School
3Mounds View High School
2Minnehaha Academy
2Park Center Senior High School
2Prior Lake High School
2DeLaSalle High School
2Champlin Park High School
2Apple Valley High School
1Academy of Holy Angels
1Alexandria Area High School
1Bemidji High School
1Benilde-St. Margaret's School
1Bloomington Jefferson High School
1Braham High School
1Chaska High School
1Chisholm High School
1Coon Rapids High School
1Duluth Central High School
1Duluth East High School
1Eagan High School
1Elk River High School
1Faribault High School
1Hibbing High School
1Irondale High School
1Lake City High School
1Minneapolis Roosevelt High School
1Minnesota Transitions School
1Minnetonka High School
1Monticello High School
1Owatonna High School
1Park High School
1St. Louis Park High School
1Totino-Grace High School
1Waseca High School
1Wayzata High School

See also

Notes