It is often said that in 49 states, basketball’s just a game. That is not the case for Indiana. The state of Indiana has a long and storied history of high school basketball, producing many all-time greats and a plethora of NBA talent. The very first state champion was Crawfordsville, in the 1910-11 season. Them and the runner-up, Lebanon, scored for a combined score of 41, in stark contrast to the 2021-22 4A championship game which had a combined score of 96. The schools with the most championships are Muncie Central and Marion with eight and Washington with seven.

In the beginning of the 1997-98 season, a class system was implemented that split the state into four different categories based on enrollment. This was because many high schools began gaining large numbers of student and would cause sports to be unfair, as some schools have more students, which usually means more talent. Class A are the schools with the least enrollment, and 4A schools have the most. The most recent class A winner is North Daviess, class 2A Clarksville Providence, 3A Beech Grove, and 4A Indianapolis Cathedral.

Success After High School

A few of the most significant players ever produced by Indiana high schools are Larry Bird, Oscar Robertson, and George McGinnis. Those three players combined for almost 60 thousand points in the NBA. Robertson is also widely viewed as the best high school basketball player ever. He went to Crispus Attucks High School in Indianapolis in the mid 1950s and together the school posted the first undefeated season in state history. Bird on the other hand, grew up in French Lick, and had lots of success after high school, winning three NBA titles with the Celtics in ’81, ’84, and ’86. He also led the league in free throw percentage four times and won three consecutive MVP awards. There are currently 23 NBA players that went to high school in Indiana.

“Hoosiers”

The popular 1986 film “Hoosiers” was one centered around a small-town Indiana high school basketball team. It is partly inspired the 1954 state champion Milan High School. The Milan team was coached by Marvin Wood and went 28-2, beating Muncie Central in the championship game. Since the film came out, the Hoosier Gym has amassed lots of popularity. It is in Knightstown, Indiana, and was home to the movie’s Hickory Huskers.

The Coveted Mr. Basketball

In Indiana, the title of Mr. Basketball is an immediate status symbol. It puts any player who receives it on the watchlists for many prestigious colleges. The past five winners have all gone to either Indiana university or Purdue, both of which have had success recently, due in large part to their Indiana Mr. Basketball recruits. Indiana University leads all colleges with the most Mr. Basketball players with 29, and other Indiana colleges with multiple Mr. Basketball winners are Purdue with 13, Butler with three, Notre Dame with two, Vincennes with two, and Evansville with two. The non-Indiana college with the most Mr. Basketball winner is Kentucky University, with six all-time.