The Mr. Basketball of Arkansas award is awarded every year to the student-athlete chosen as the best individual high school basketball player in the state of Arkansas in the U.S. This award was earned by the best of the best in the state of Arkansas. Players who were leaders on and off the court, showed sportsmanship, and lead their team to victory in most occasions.
Award winners YearPlayerHigh SchoolCollegeNBA/NFL draft2025JJ AndrewsLittle Rock Christian Academy, Little RockArkansas2024Annor BoatengLittle Rock Central High School, Little RockMissouri2023 Annor Boateng Little Rock Central High School, Little Rock Missouri 2022 Derrian Ford (2) Magnolia High School, Magnolia Arkansas then transferred to Arkansas State 2021 Derrian Ford Magnolia High School, Magnolia Arkansas then transferred to Arkansas State 2020 Jaylin Williams Fort Smith Northside High School, Fort Smith Arkansas 2022 NBA draft: 2nd Rnd, 34th overall by Oklahoma City Thunder2019 Isaac McBride Baptist Prep High School, Little Rock Oral Roberts 2018 Isaiah Joe Fort Smith Northside High School, Fort Smith Arkansas 2020 NBA draft: 2nd Rnd, 49th overall by Philadelphia 76ers2017 Daniel Gafford El Dorado High School, El Dorado Arkansas 2019 NBA draft: 2nd Rnd, 38th overall by Chicago Bulls2016 Malik Monk Bentonville High School, Bentonville Kentucky 2017 NBA draft: 1st Rnd, 11th overall by Charlotte Hornets2015 KeVaughn Allen (2) North Little Rock High School, North Little Rock FloridaNBA G-League:
Rio Grande Valley Vipers2014 KeVaughn Allen North Little Rock High School, North Little Rock FloridaNBA G-League:
Rio Grande Valley Vipers 2013 Bobby Portis Hall High School, Little Rock Arkansas 2015 NBA draft: 1st Rnd, 22nd overall by the Chicago Bulls2012Archie Goodwin (2)Sylvan Hills High School, SherwoodKentucky2013 NBA draft: 1st Rnd, 29th overall by the Oklahoma City Thunder (traded to Phoenix Suns via Golden State Warriors)2011Archie GoodwinSylvan Hills High School, SherwoodKentucky2013 NBA draft: 1st Rnd, 29th overall by the Oklahoma City Thunder (traded to Phoenix Suns via Golden State Warriors)2010Preston PurifoyConway High School, ConwayUABUndrafted
Plays for FC Porto in Euro League2009N/AN/AN/AN/A2008A. J. WaltonHall High School, Little RockBaylorUndrafted
Plays for Astoria Bydgoszcz in the Polish League2007James Anderson (2)Junction City High School, Junction CityOklahoma State2010 NBA draft: 1st Rnd, 20th overall by the San Antonio Spurs2006James AndersonJunction City High School, Junction CityOklahoma State2010 NBA draft: 1st Rnd, 20th overall by the San Antonio Spurs2005Brandon BallardBuffalo Island Central High School, MonetteArkansas StateNo NBA History2004Marcus MonkEast Poinsett County High School, LepantoArkansas2008 NFL draft: 7th Rnd, 248th overall by the Chicago Bears2003Ronnie BrewerFayetteville High School, FayettevilleArkansas2006 NBA draft: 1st Rnd, 14th overall by the Utah Jazz2002Antwoine BlanchardParkview Magnet High School, Little RockTexas StateUndrafted2001Gavin Ludgood Clarksville High SchoolFlorida Atlantic University2000Kim AdamsJ. A. Fair High School, Little RockArkansas StateUndrafted1999Joe JohnsonLittle Rock Central High School, Little RockArkansas2001 NBA draft: 1st Rnd, 10th overall by the Boston Celtics1998Jason HarrisonParkview High School, Little RockMississippiUndrafted1997N/AN/AN/AN/A1996Nick BradfordFayetteville High School, FayettevilleKansasUndrafted1995N/AN/AN/AN/A1994Matt DanielJonesboro High School, JonesboroColorado/HardingUndrafted
Schools with multiple winners The universities that have multiple award winners tend to be schools that are in, if not, close to the state of Arkansas. These schools are known to have a rich history of basketball in their state and the players that earned the award multiple times have either been drafted to the NBA, or played for a team in the NBA G-League. Oklahoma State University was the first-ever school to have achieved the NCAA championships in back-to-back years. In addition, the school has a total of 6 final four appearances throughout the history of the school, so as you can see Oklahoma State is a school with huge success in the basketball department. The University of Kentucky was known to be successful in the first few years of their career, but there were a couple of setbacks that the school experienced, like a couple of Kentucky players being involved in illegal activities that almost costed the coach his job. The University of Florida, like most of the SEC schools, were once thought of as a football college but eventually after making the NCAA tournaments 3 times in a row, the school soon received recognition as a prestigious basketball university winning multiple SEC championships. SchoolNumber of AwardsYearsFayetteville High School2 1996, 2003 Fort Smith Northside High School2 2018, 2020Hall High School2 2008, 2013Junction City High School2 2006, 2007Little Rock Central High School, Little Rock2 1999, 2023 Magnolia High School2 2021, 2022Parkview High School2 1998, 2002Sylvan Hills High School2 2011, 2012
Significance George Mikan was a big influence in this award being developed, being that he was the first "Mr. Basketball" player to ever win the award. His influence on the award gave away the idea for each state in the U.S. to be able to have their own Mr. Basketball award. States, for example like, Illinois, Alabama, and Maine who were able to have significant stories regarding the Mr. Basketball award winners in their state.
References Schumacher, Michael. Mr. Basketball: George Mikan, the Minneapolis Lakers, and the Birth of the NBA. University of Minnesota Press, 2008.
Isaacsohn, Austin. Illinois’ Mr. Basketball, Charlie Moore Commits to Cal. ULOOP Inc., May,2016. https://www.dailycal.org/2016/05/18/charlie-moore-commits-to-cal-basketball/ O'Brien, Chris (November 2018). https://www.alligator.org/sports/gators-trying-to-find-their-stroke-before-battle-atlantis/article_66f40400-e80f-11e8-a6db-278ebaf33f18.html. Gators trying to find their stroke before Battle 4 Atlantis