The Kentucky Mr. Basketball honor recognizes the top high school senior basketball player in the state of Kentucky. The first Kentucky Mr. Basketball was "King" Kelly Coleman of Wayland High School in 1956. The winner of the Mr. Basketball award wears #1 on his jersey in the summer all-star series against the Indiana High School All-Stars. 1940 was the first year for the Kentucky/Indiana High School All-Star Series, that year, the Indiana All-Stars defeated the Kentucky All-Stars 31–29. The Kentucky Mr. Basketball award is the third oldest such award in the nation; only Indiana Mr. Basketball and California Mr. Basketball, which were first awarded in 1939 and 1950, respectively, predate it. (via Wikipedia)

The award is presented annually by the Kentucky Lions Eye Foundation.

What we have presented below is the unbiased facts about each candidate sent to us by their HS coaches. After polling coaches across the state we feel these candidates have a chance to win the award, along with players we feel have an outside chance that are listed as honorable mention.

Note: The information below was sent to us directly from the player's family or high school coaches. Information, including career stats, is up to date on the day that it was sent but not necessarily the day this article was released.

• Career Stats
  • 2,803 Points
  • 773 Rebounds
  • 629 assists
  • 325 steals
• Taylor County HS All-Time Leading Scorer
• Senior Stats
  • 23.5 Points Per Game
  • 8.4 Rebounds Per Game
  • 4.7 Assists per game
  • 2.8 Steals Per Game
• Recorded a Quadruple-Double (14 points, 12 rebounds, 11 assists, and 10 steals) against Nelson County on 2/16/16
• Ranked Nationally by Rivals (#83), Scout (#67), 247 Sports (#77), and ESPN (#91)
• 2016 Derby Classic Invitee
• 2016 McDonald's All-American Nominee
• 2015, 2016 Gatorade National Player of the Year Nominee
• 2015 NBA Top 100 Camp
• 2014-15 5th Region Player of the Year
• 2014-15 1st Team All-State
• 2012-15 All 20th District Team
• 2012-15 All-5th Region
• 2013-14 USA Basketball Camp Invitee
• 2013-14 2nd Team All-State
• 2012-13 3rd Team All-State
• 2012-15 Academic All State
• Under Armour All-American
• Adidas Armour All-American
• Nike Elite 100 Camp
• Signed to play at Xavier (OH) University

• Career Stats
  • 2,845 Points
  • 1,625 Rebounds
  • 357 Assists
  • 201 Steals
  • 226 blocks
• Senior Stats
  • 26 Points per game
  • 11 Rebounds per game
  • 4 assists per game
  • 2 steals per game
• 10-15 Academic First Team All-State
• 2012 8th Region All “A” All Tournament
• 2013 8th Region All “A” All Tournament MVP
• 2014 8th Region All “A” All Tournament 
• 2015 8th Region All “A” All Tournament MVP
• 2013, 2015, 2016 Touchstone Energy All “A” Classic Statewide All Tournament
• 2013-15 All North Central Kentucky Conference
• 2013, 2014 31st District All Tournament
• 2013, 2014 8th Region All Tournament
• 2013 8th Region Coaches Association All Region Team (1st freshman selection in association history)
• 2014 8th Region Coaches Association All Region Team (2nd leading vote getter)
• 2015 8th Region Coaches Association All Region Player of the Year
• 2014 Enquirer Northern Kentucky Top 20 All-Star
• 2014 Courier-Journal 3rd Team All State
• 2015 Lexington Herald Leader 2nd Team All State
• 2012 Fab Frosh Top 20 Game
• 2013 Super Soph Top 40 Game
• 2014 Nike Top 100 Camp
• 2015 Victor Oladipo Elite Camp
• 2016 8th Region Player of the Year
• Signed to play at Northern Kentucky University

• Career Stats
  • 3,001 Points
  • 818 Rebounds
  • 214 Assists
  • 160 Steals
• Senior Stats
  • 36.2 Points Per Game
  • 11.2 Rebounds Per Game
  • 4.6 Assists Per Game
  • 2.1 Steals Per Game
• 2013-2015 18th District All-Season Team
• 2012-2015 18th District All-Tournament Team
• 2013-2016 5th Region All-A Tournament Team
• 2013-2015 5th Region All-Tournament Team
• 2014-15 2nd Team All-State
• All-Time Leading Scorer in Caverna History
• 2016 5th Region Player of the Year
• Signed to play at Northern Kentucky University

• Senior Stats
  • 18 Points Per Game
  • 10 Rebounds Per Game
  • 38% 3-Pointers
  • 84% Free Throws
• 2015-16 LIT All-Tournament Team
• Pegasus Sports Network Best in Hoops all tournament team 
• Male is currently 24-3
• 2016 7th Region Player of the Year
• Signed to play at Bellarmine University

• Senior Stats
  • 18.6 Points Per Game
  • 6.6 Rebounds Per Game
  • 3.3 Assists Per Game
  • 1.6 Steals Per Game
• Career Stats
  • 1232 Points
  • 430 Rebounds
• 2013-14 All-42nd District Team
• 2014-15 All-42nd District Team
• 2014-15 All-11th Region
• 2014-15 All-Lexington Team
• 2015 Berea Holiday Classic MVP

• 1600 Career Points
• Senior Stats
  • 16.4 Points Per Game
  • 5.1 Rebounds Per Game
• 2013-14 All 11th Region
• 2014-15 All 11th Region
• 2013-14 All 43rd District
• 2014-15 All 43rd District
• 2015 King of the Bluegrass All-Tournament Team
• 2015 Traditional Bank Classic MVP
• 2014, 2015 DMD Classic MVP
• 2014 AIT All-Tournament Team
• 2014, 2015 1st Team All-Lexington

• 1,606 Career Points
• Most 3s in school history - 243
• Senior Stats
  • 21 Points Per Game
  • 5 Assists Per Game
  • 5 Rebounds Per Game
  • 90% FT Shooter
• 2014-15 King of the Bluegrass All-Tournament Team
• 2015 LIT All-Tournament
• 2015 Surf-N-Slam All Tournament Team
• 2014-15 24th District All-Tournament Team
• 2015 6th Region All-Tournament Team
• 2015 Bullitt County County Player of the Year
• 2015 1st Team All-6th Region
• 2016 6th Region Player of the Year

• Career Stats
  • 1332 Points
  • 703 Rebounds
  • 180 Assists
  • 75 Blocks
• Senior Stats
  • 21.3 Points Per Game
  • 11.3 Rebounds Per Game
  • 1.4 Blocks Per Game
• 3 Time District Champion
• 3 Time All-A Champion
• 4 Time All-A 9th Region Champion
• 2014-15 Republic Bank All-Tournament Team
• 2014-15 9th Region All-A All-Tournament Team
• 2014-16 All A Championship All-Tournament Team
• 2014-15 36th District All-Tournament Team
• 2014-15 Clem Haskins Classic MVP
• 2015-16 9th Region All-A MVP
• 2015-16 John Turner Classic Most Outstanding Player
• 2016 9th Region Player of the Year
• Signed to play at Bellarmine University

• Senior Stats
  • 13.3 points a game
  • 5.8 rebounds a game
  • 2.5 assists per game
• Preseason Player of the Year in the first region. 
• All Tournament Team in the All-A Regional Tournament. Leading scorer and most valuable player in the tournament.
• Led his team to the All-A Championship game and was on the All-Tournament team. Hit the game winning shot with 1 sec remaining to defeat Owen County.
• Murray High has a 23-5 record and are on track to become the All-Time winninest team in the history of the school. 
• Has played varsity basketball since 8th grade.
• Member of the 1000 point club.
• First team All Region as a junior.
• Has scored over 1200 points despite missing half of his sophomore and junior season with injuries.
• Signed to play at Samford (AL) University

Robert Dalton - Lawrence County

Will Hager - Mercer County

Tyrik Edwards - Christian County

Matt Wilson - Campbell County

Jordan Perry - Morgan County

Matt Miller - John Hardin

Wade Coomer - Glasgow

Blake Smith - Clay County

DaiVon Thompson - Louisville Central

Caleb Taylor - South Laurel

Andy Flood - Covington Catholic

Trey Blevins - Wayne County

Koebe Garrard - Paris