In 49 years there have been 51 Minnesota Mr. Basketball winners—co-winners were named in 1979 and 1998—since the first award was given in 1975, to Gene Glynn of Waseca.
Twenty-two of the winners are African Americans, the first being Greg Downing of Duluth Central when he was co-Mr. Basketball with Randy Breuer of Prior Lake in 1979.
Here are the rest of the African American Mr. Basketball winners: Redd Overton (Minneapolis North, 1981); Brett McNeal (Minneapolis North, 1985); Derek Reuben (Minneapolis North, 1988); Robert Mestas (Minneapolis Roosevelt, 1995); Khalid El-Amin, 1997); Darius Lane (Totino Grace, 1998, co-Mr. Basketball with Joel Przybilla of Monticello); Adam Boone (Minnetonka, 2000); Kris Humphries (Hopkins, 2003); Jordan Taylor (Benilde St. Margaret’s, 2008); Royce White (Hopkins, 2009); Joe Coleman (Hopkins, 2011); Syani Chambers (Hopkins, 2012); Quinton Hooker (Park Center, 2013); Tyus Jones (Apple Valley, 2014); J.T. Gipson (Champlain Park, 2015); Amir Coffey (Hopkins, 2016); McKinley Wright IV (Champlain Park, 2017); Tre Jones (Apple Valley, 2018); Jalen Suggs (Minnehaha Academy, 2020); Braeden Carrington (Park Center, 2022); and Nasir Whitlock (DeLaSalle, 2023).
Hughes adds to accomplishments
Juriad Hughes Jr., the junior from Irondale High School who broke the 41-year old state long jump record set by St. Paul Central’s Von Sheppard in 1982, recently made the USAU20 team and is headed to Puerto Rico.
Bell leads his old school
Troy Bell, the former Holy Angels standout and Boston College All-American, is the new head boys basketball coach at his alma mater.
Holmgren off to a great start
Chet Holmgren, the former Minnehaha Academy and Gonzaga University star, has been playing well in the NBA Summer League in Las Vegas.
Archer working at MSHSL
Phil Archer, who starred at Cretin-Derham Hall and the University of Minnesota before embarking on a career in the NFL, is an associate director for the Minnesota State High School League.
Minor hits milestone
Tyrone Minor, the 1989 triple jump champ from St. Paul Central who went on to star in track and field at Drake University and the University of Minnesota, recently completed his 23rd year as an educator in the Osseo Public School District.
Jones contributing as educator
Leonard Jones, the Patrick Henry High School track and field phenom who led the Patriots to the 1990 state championship with teammate Martez Williams, moved on to an all-American career at the University of St. Thomas. He is now a program assistant and personal learning coach at Robbinsdale Cooper High School.
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