The most prestigious award in Michigan high school basketball is the Mr. and Miss Basketball award. Each year, a senior male and female are named the best high school basketball players in Michigan by the Basketball Coaches Association of Michigan (BCAM). The award was founded in 1981 and was named after Hal Schram, who was a longtime Detroit Free Press sports writer who covered high school sports. Former winners of this award have gone on to find success in collegiate and professional basketball. Some of these past winners include Cassius Winston, Rickea Jackson, and Chris Webber. In 2021, former Michigan State guard Pierre Brooks joined the exclusive list of award winners.
It is a long process to decide who wins the award, according to Steven Norgrove, the head of the Mr. Basketball award for the BCAM. Norgrove took over the position in 2021 after being a BCAM board member. The award goes through a season-long process of deciding who deserves to be put up as a finalist.
“There is a committee for the award. We put together a watch list of the best players. The committee consists of coaches who see the higher end players in the state and also coaches from different parts of the state. We need to make sure we are adhering to everyone in the state,” said Norgrove.
The award list gets narrowed down to a group of finalists of around five depending on the year. Once the finalists are decided, the coaches in the association vote on who will be the winner.
The 2021 Mr. Basketball winner was given to Brooks of Douglass Academy in Detroit. Brooks had a stellar senior season, averaging 33 points a game while leading Douglass Academy to a state championship.
“We won the state championship and had the best season of my high school career. We went through so much adversity coming off COVID. We didn’t really know if I was going to play my senior year of high school, so being able to play with some of my friends and teammates for the last time was a great experience,” said Brooks.
It was a special high school career for Brooks as he was able to play for his father, Pierre Brooks. Brook’s father kept him in check throughout his high school career allowing his game to be at an all time high his senior year leading him to a state title, the Mr. Basketball award, and signing with Michigan State.
“Winning that award, probably the most prestigious basketball award in Michigan, was a great feeling. It’s always great to dream big and knowing all the hard work I put in my high school career and also to play for my dad for four years meant a lot,” said Brooks.
The 2021 award included four other finalists, with one of the other finalists being Kobe Bufkin, who became a 2023 first round pick of the Atlanta Hawks. Brooks edged out the other finalists with his all around game and adding a state title put his senior season over the top.
“He put himself in a position to be highly considered and in his senior year he backed that up with stellar play. He had a skill set for a guy his size that allowed him to be very versatile. A lot of people considered that a positive trait to play many positions. His team success also had something to do with that as well,” said Norgrove.
Brooks signed with MSU, part of the 2021 recruiting class along with Max Christie and Jaden Akins. Brooks spent his first two years at MSU, mostly as a reserve averaging only eight minutes and two points per game. Brooks entered the transfer portal after his sophomore year looking for a new home. He ended up finding a new home with Butler and coach Thad Matta.
“When I took an official visit to Butler it felt like home, especially from the coaching staff. They talked to me about my goals and making sure I was handling my business. Also if I came here I could have a better opportunity than I did at Michigan State and that I made the right decision,” said Brooks.
Brooks is off to a great start with the Bulldogs, averaging 17 points per game, including a career high 26 points against Penn State. Brooks will look to help Butler get back to the NCAA tournament for the first time since 2018.
“This year has been great. We have a great team, great coaches, and great fans. I feel that I am taking action upon my expectations and fulfilling the role I can at Butler,” said Brooks.