Boys basketball: Ottawa Glandorf's Colin White named Mr. Basketball

OTTAWA — Colin White knows something about the history of the Mr. Basketball award. Now the 6-foot-6 Ottawa-Glandorf standout is part of that history after being voted the 2024 winner by the Ohio Prep Sportswriters Association. Quizzed about his knowledge of Mr. Basketball winners not named LeBron James, White responded without hesitation, "Malaki Branham, Gabe Cupps, Devin Royal, Jamar Butler and Greg Simpson." White has averaged 24.9 points, 8.2 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 2.6 steals for Ottawa-Glandorf (24-3) heading into a Division III state semifinal against Canal Winchester Harvest Prep on Friday at the University of Dayton Arena. White is five career points away from becoming the first Putnam County player to score 2,000. He already is a two-time first-team D-III All-Ohio selection and will receive that honor a third time when this year's teams are announced next week. Ottawa-Glandorf has reached the state tournament all four years of White's career. The Titans were runner-up last season and in 2022 and have a 94-15 record. Next season, White will wear an Ohio State uniform after signing in November. He chose OSU over Butler, Northwestern, Cincinnati and TCU and recently reaffirmed his commitment to the Buckeyes after Jake Diebler was hired to replace Chris Holtmann. Lutheran East's Jesse McCulloch, who has signed with Michigan State, was the runner-up in the Mr. Basketball voting. The other finalists were J'Allen Barrino (Malvern), Alex Bruskotter (Shelby), Marcus Johnson (Garfield Heights), Kruz McClure (Westerville South), Tyler McKinney (Cincinnati Winton Woods), Hayden Nigro (Louisville) and Mason Shrout (Preble Shawnee). "It's something you heard about growing up," White said. "You want to win. It's something you dream about winning and to actually hear I won is really cool. It's a great feeling. It's one of the best feelings of the high school experience." White is the first Mr. Basketball from Northwest Ohio since Lima Senior's Xavier Simpson in 2016. This is the 14th time an Ohio State recruit has won in 37 years. "I've got chills running down my body just thinking about it," Ottawa-Glandorf coach Tyson McGlaughlin said. "A lot of times, I feel like we get overlooked here in Northwest Ohio, especially in our area. To see one of our own recognized at the highest level, it's just a feeling I've never been a part of it. There are a lot of really good players. To me, he separated himself by performing his best on the highest stages." Improving his shooting in his last two seasons of high school basketball played a big part in getting his Ohio State offer, White said. His plans this summer start with "just continuing to work on my body." "I feel like I have a pretty good frame, but I still need to fill out in certain areas," he said. White, who regularly appears on the honor roll, played four sports (baseball, basketball, football and soccer) until his sophomore year. His mother, Sandy White, a first-team D-III All-American at Capital University who scored 2,248 points in her college career, thought baseball — not basketball — would become her son's sport when he was younger. "I would have never guessed it was going to be basketball," she said. "From the time he was little, he had a baseball glove on his hand, and he was throwing a baseball over and over and over. Probably around eighth grade, he really developed a love for basketball full speed ahead. He worked on it tirelessly, and here we are." "Baseball was my favorite sport," Colin White said. "I kind of started getting a little bit taller, a little bit lankier, a little bit faster, and basketball kind of became the sport I was best at. After freshman year, it kind of took over my life, and I was like, 'Man, I really love this sport.' I took it and rode it from there, and now basketball is my life. It's just something I love to do." Ohio Mr. Basketball Winners 2024 — Colin White, Ottawa-Glandorf 2023 — Devin Royal, Pickerington Central 2022 — Gabe Cupps, Centerville 2021 — Malaki Branham, St. Vincent-St. Mary 2020 — VonCameron Davis, Columbus Walnut Ridge 2019 — Samari Curtis, Xenia 2018 — Dane Goodwin, Upper Arlington 2017 — Kaleb Wesson, Westerville South 2016 — Xavier Simpson, Lima Senior 2015 — Luke Kennard, Franklin 2014 — Luke Kennard, Franklin 2013 — Marc Loving, Toledo St. John's Jesuit 2012 — Justin Fritts, Mentor 2011 — Trey Burke, Columbus Northland 2010 — Jared Sullinger, Columbus Northland 2009 — Jared Sullinger, Columbus Northland 2008 — William Buford, Toledo Libbey 2007 — Jon Diebler, Upper Sandusky 2006 — O.J. Mayo, North College Hill 2005 — O.J. Mayo, North College Hill 2004 — Jamar Butler, Lima Shawnee 2003 — LeBron James, St. Vincent-St. Mary 2002 — LeBron James, St. Vincent-St. Mary 2001 — LeBron James, St. Vincent-St. Mary 2000 — Tony Stockman, Medina; Chester Mason, Cleveland South 1999 — Emmanuel Smith, Euclid 1998 — William "Sonny" Johnson, Garfield Heights 1997 — Kenny Gregory, Independence 1996 — Jason Collier, Springfield Catholic 1995 — Damon Stringer, Cleveland Heights 1994 — Aaron Hutchins, Lima Central Catholic 1993 — Geno Ford, Cambridge 1992 — Greg Simpson, Lima Senior 1991 — Greg Simpson, Lima Senior 1990 — Bob Patton Jr., Youngstown Liberty 1989 — Jimmy Jackson, Toledo Macomber 1988 — Jimmy Jackson, Toledo Macomber