Should Michigan’s Mr. Basketball award be open to non-seniors?

Drew Neitzel, left, won the Mr. Basketball award at Wyoming Park High School in 2004 and David Kool, right, won the award in 2006 at South Christian. (File photos from The Grand Rapids Press).

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. - Winning the Mr. Basketball award is the greatest honor a high school basketball player can have.

But why are seniors the only ones eligible to win the award in Michigan? What if the best player in the state is an underclassman?

Let’s hear from two former Mr. Basketball winners and two coaches who coached a Mr. Basketball winner on their thoughts.

David Kool won the Mr. Basketball award in 2006 as a star at Grand Rapids South Christian.

“I think it should be for all grades,” said Kool, who now is the athletic director at South Christian. “If it’s the Mr. Basketball, it’s truly the best player in Michigan. But what if the best player in Michigan is not a senior? If it’s a junior or a sophomore, that person should win it. Just like the Heisman Trophy in football. So I think it would make sense to open it up.”

Since 1981, the Basketball Coaches Association of Michigan (BCAM) votes on the award after the season is over from a set list of finalists. 

Chansey Willis Jr. plays for Saginaw Valley State against Grand Valley State on Saturday, Jan. 14, 2022. Willis won the Mr. Basketball award at Detroit King High School last season. (Photo | Lenny Padilla).

Chansey Willis Jr. is the reigning Mr. Basketball winner. The guard averaged averaged 25.5 points with 9.5 rebounds, nine assists for Detroit King High School last season.

“In my opinion, it should be open to all grades,” said Willis, who now plays for Saginaw Valley State.

Were there any non-seniors in 2021-22 that Willis thought could have been a finalist for the award?

“Yeah,” he said. “Bryce Eaton from DEPSA, Trey McKinney from St. Mary’s, Tyson Acuff’s little brother (Darius at Cass Tech).”

Muskegon High School coach Keith Guy knows something about Mr. Basketball winners. He coached back-to-back winners in Deshaun Thrower in 2014 and Deyonta Davis in 2015.

“I personally think it should just be for seniors,” Guy said. “That’s because, people leave the state, come back to the state and all that. If you can stay here and be the best player in the state and help grow our game in the state … I know others might disagree with that, and that’s OK. But I just think it should be a senior award.”

Wyoming High School coach Thom VanderKlay agrees, to a point.

VanderKlay coached Drew Neitzel, who won Mr. Basketball in 2004 at Wyoming Park High School.

“I’m OK with guys putting a lot of emphasis on their senior year,” VanderKlay said. “The reason that I would question it is when the kid gets hurt and not getting to play their senior year, or part of it. That’s too bad because it’s just a senior award.”

But VanderKlay also raised the issue of underclassmen who could win the award and then transfer out of state.

“Sometimes you’re going to have a phenomenal sophomore, who could win it three years in a row,” VanderKlay said. “Even though, he might be at Ypsilanti Lincoln one year. He’s the best player and then leaves with the Mr. Basketball trophy. So It would deprive someone who is playing here in Michigan their senior year. That’s just my opinion.”

Muskegon High School coach Keith Guy watches his team play at Zeeland West on Friday, Jan. 13, 2022. Guy coached two players who won the Mr. Basketball award. (Photo | Lenny Padilla).

Guy and VanderKlay were talking about the class of 2022, which had at least three superstars who bolted: Fletcher Loyer (Clarkston), Ty Rodgers (Grand Blanc) and Emoni Bates (Ypsilanti Lincoln). Loyer moved to Fort Wayne, Indiana, Rodgers transferred to a school outside of Chicago and Bates, well, he didn’t leave Michigan. He just left the MHSAA. His father created Ypsi Prep, where Bates played only his junior year. He would reclassify and skip his senior year of high school. 

As a freshman, Bates averaged 28.5 points and 10.2 rebounds per game, his team won the state title and he was named Michigan Gatorade Player of the Year. He would win the award the next year, too, and was on the cover of Sports Illustrated. If he kept that up, he could have won the Mr. Basketball for more than one year.

“I think that would be unfortunate, but I would still say the same thing,” Kool said. “If it’s Emoni Bates, and he’s the best player, and he wins Mr. Basketball, then goes to a prep school or leaves overseas or whatever … it would be unfortunate, but I’d still be OK with (him winning the award) because he was the best player.”

Michigan is one of only three states in the Midwest which only allows seniors to win Mr. Basketball.

Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Ohio and Kansas allow any grade. While Minnesota and Wisconsin only allow seniors. LeBron James won Ohio’s Mr. Basketball three years in a row while at St. Vincent St. Mary’s High School. O.J. Mayo, Jared Sullinger and Luke Kennard won the award twice each in Ohio.

Was Neitzel, who went on to a great career at Michigan State, good enough to win Mr. Basketball as a junior?

“No. Would he have been in the hunt? I think so,” VanderKlay said. “If it was like the Heisman show, he would have been invited. I don’t remember who won it that year (Dion Harris from  Redford), but I don’t think (Neitzel’s) numbers were good enough. Although they were pretty good.”

Guy says seniors should win the award, but he can see both sides.

“I’ve always thought that way - even when my guys who won it were younger - I still thought it should just be for seniors,” Guy said. “But I could be persuaded. If you’re putting up numbers and your team is winning back-to-back state championships … I can see both arguments. I could understand if an underclassman got it.”