The Race for Mr. Basketball
We pick out our top dozen candidates for the 2020 Mr. Basketball award and tell you why we believe they can/will be in that position. Ben Carlson, East Ridge. Why? A nationally rated top 75 level talent that we…
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Continue ReadingWe pick out our top dozen candidates for the 2020 Mr. Basketball award and tell you why we believe they can/will be in that position.
Ben Carlson, East Ridge.
Why? A nationally rated top 75 level talent that we think could have a lot of 30 and 15 games this year playing for a top ten team.
Ceiling? Final Five. Ben has the talent to be in that final five although I don’t know that his team has the returning experience to return them to state (although they have the talent).
Steven Crowl, Eastview
Why? Steven has a very good chance at leading his team to the state tournament for the second straight season plus he’s a nationally rated top 100/124 level player.
Ceiling? Top Ten. Crowl has an outside shot to make the final five but this group is so talented it will be tough.
Dain Dainja, Park Center
Why? Dainja, a top 50 player nationally, led his team to the number one ranking for most of last year and the Pirates will start that way this season as well.
Ceiling? Final Five. If Dain has a similar season to last year, he is almost a certainty to be a final five guy.
Drake Dobbs, Eden Prairie
Why? Eden Prairie’s senior class is balanced, it’s talented, it’s been playing together for years, and they enter the year #2. Somebody from that group needs to be represented and Drake handles the ball plus is often the top scorer.
Ceiling? Top Ten. EP is too balanced to lean on one guy that ends up in the final five. They are working for a title, not individual honors and that’s how they will win it (if they do).
Dawson Garcia, Prior Lake
Why? Garcia is a five star talent and many years he would be the clear winner. Dawson’s level of ability at times will take games over as he’s a 30 point guy that has out-played the other talented bigs many times.
Ceiling? Right now I say runner-up, unless something unexpected happens to Jalen Suggs. I just think Jalen has too many titles to his name and the committee won’t look for beyond that. But what if Dawson leads Prior Lake to a title in the Class AAAA landscape? That would produce some interesting talks.
J’Vonne Hadley, CDH
Why? Hadley is coming off of a 28 point per game season. If he did that at CDH and they made a state title run he’s in the conversations.
Ceiling? Top Ten. Hadley could work his way into that group of ten with a good year, and the Raiders having a big year.
Nathan Heise, Lake City
Why? Heise took his team to the final four last year and it’s very likely that the Northern Iowa committed guard will do so again this year if they get by Caledonia.
Ceiling? Top Ten. Heise has a great chance to be top ten but it would take a title at least to make the final five.
Jacob Hutson, Edina
Why? Because Hutson is one of the smartest, toughest, and most skilled low post players you will see.
Ceiling? Top Ten. The Hornets are pretty much replacing their entire line-up from a year ago. Nearly the entire thing.
Charlie Katona, Shakopee
Why? I believe Shakopee has a real chance to make a state run this year with so much talent coming back and Charlie leading the way as a 20 point per game guy.
Ceiling? Top Ten. The Sabers are a balanced squad and for me that will mean Charlie taking less shots than people on this list, but likely winning more games.
Gabe Madsen, Rochester Mayo
Why? Madsen is a top 125 level player nationally who I think is going to have a monster season. Huge season.
Ceiling? Final Five. Most will look at the record last year and say “no”. But there are many reasons I think this could change. 1) The outstate always loves to talk about their “at least one in the final five” even in a year that is this incredibly talented in the metro (maybe the most talent ever), 2) Mayo brings back a lot of talent, added a big, and has two high major players, 3) Mayo’s section is not that difficult and if they play the way they are capable, they could definitely be at state.
Jalen Suggs, Minnehaha Academy
Why? Honestly if you are a reader of this site you likely don’t need to be explained why. The why is Jalen is a top 5/10 player nationally that has three state titles and is a heavy favorite to win a fourth.
Ceiling? Mr. Basketball. He’s the heavy favorite.
Kerwin Walton, Hopkins
Why? Walton has a state title and he’s coming off a monster 17u season. You can name a shooter as good as Walton in Minnesota history maybe, but I don’t think there are many you can call better.
Ceiling? Runner-up. What if Kerwin leads Hopkins to another state title? And this time as the leading scorer? That means he’s in the trophy discussion because he won two Class AAAA titles.