The six finalists for Wisconsin’s Mr. Basketball award were announced on Thursday by the Wisconsin Basketball Coaches Association for this senior award. From a very strong senior class in Wisconsin, Dupree Fletcher, Tim Franks, Nick Janowski, Jaquan Johnson, Kon Knueppel, and Amari McCottry were named the finalists.
Throughout his high school career, Fletcher of Carmen Northwest, has proved to be one of the most dynamic playmaking point guards in the state. After scoring 22.7 points a game as a junior to go 20-4, Fletcher is bumped his scoring all the way up to 31 points along with 7.5 rebounds and 5.1 assists to have his team at 13-4. Fletcher is committed to Grambling State.
Franks has continued to be on the of Wisconsin’s most skilled scorers over the past couple of seasons for Homestead. Right now, the 6’5” wing guard is averaging 27.9 points and 8.1 rebounds while helping Homestead to a 14-4 record. He is shooting 56.3% from the field and 50.4% from three. Franks is committed to University of St. Thomas.
Next up on the list is Nick Janowski of Pewaukee. In each of his three high school seasons, Janowski and Pewaukee were able to capture state championships for the three-peat. Even as freshman, the guard was a big piece of their team averaging 10.6 points. Now in his senior season, he is averaging 31 points, 8.4 rebounds, and 4.4 assists, leading his team in all three categories. Janowski is committed to Nebraska.
From Pius XI, Jaquan Johnson made the final six. The point guard is currently averaging one of the most staggering stat lines in the state with 33.4 points, 7.6 rebounds, 7.9 assists, and 3.9 steals per game. Johnson is committed to Bradley.
One of the top players nationally in the 2024 class, 6’5” guard Knueppel is among the final six. Last season as a junior, he led them all the way to a sectional final and currently has them as one of the last undefeated teams in the entire state with a 17-0 record. Knueppel is averaging 26.6 points while shooting 60.3% from the field. In addition to 9.2 rebounds, 4.9 assists, 1.6 steals, and 1.3 blocks per game. Knueppel is committed to Duke.
Last on the list is McCottry, a third member of the Phenom University team here along with Janowski and Knueppel. The St. Thomas More guard is a back-to-back all-state player having been one of the top players in the state over the past few years. The powerful guard is averaging 23.8 points, 8.8 rebounds, 5.1 assists, and 2.4 steals per game to have his team at a near perfect record of 16-1 after going to the sectional finals last season. McCottry is uncommitted and has been offered by several division one programs.