Flory Bidunga, Jack Benter, Kanon Catchings are early favorites for 2024 Mr. Basketball

Markus Burton is the 2023 IndyStar Mr. Basketball. The vote was not particularly close. The Penn star had 171 votes to easily outdistance second-place Xavier Booker of Cathedral, who had 20.

(As an aside, I had some questions about the largest margin of victory in the Mr. Basketball vote. Romeo Langford of New Albany was named on 264 of the 294 ballots cast in 2018. Evansville Bosse’s Mekhi Lairy was second that year with 11 votes. That was the highest percentage of votes since North Central’s Eric Gordon was named on 91.1% of the ballots in 2007).

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But now that the Notre Dame recruit is officially Mr. Basketball for this year, let’s take a look ahead to the 2024 race. There seems to me to be a pretty clear delineation at this point from the top three and the rest of the field, though I think there are some players who could certainly jump into the discussion. This is how I see the landscape going into the spring and summer:

Three to start with …

Jack Benter, Brownstown Central

The 6-5 Purdue recruit is coming off an outstanding junior season that saw him average 28.7 points per game, set a single-game scoring record with 51 points and set the school’s single-season record with 774 points. He shot 51% from the field, including 38% from the 3-point line for a team that went 24-5 and played in the Class 2A semistate championship, falling to Linton-Stockton by eight points. Benter is already the career scoring leader at Brownstown Central with 1,859 points, which will put him in position to finish in the top-10 in IHSAA career scoring with a similar season to his junior year. The combination of team success, strong individual numbers and potentially getting support from voters in the southern part of the state should put Benter on the short list of candidates going into the season.

Flory Bidunga, Kokomo

I think it’s fair to say the 6-10 Bidunga is probably the Mr. Basketball favorite going into the season after averaging 20.2 points, 13.8 rebounds and 4.5 blocked shots and shooting an astounding 80.7% from the field. Bidguna was named Gatorade Player of the Year in Indiana as a junior as he led Kokomo to a 24-5 record and a Class 4A state runner-up showing. Bidunga had 19 points, 12 rebounds and five blocked shots in Kokomo’s state championship game loss to Ben Davis. Bidunga, who is rated as a five-star prospect and the No. 2 player in the country by 247Sports, has offers from programs like Auburn, Butler, Cincinnati, Florida, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisville, Michigan State, Purdue and Wake Forest. In his two seasons at Kokomo, Bidunga has 1,059 points, 759 rebounds and 274 blocked shots.

Flory Bidunga draws a crowd. Woodson, Calipari, Izzo courtside for 4A final.

Kanon Catchings, Brownsburg

The 6-8 Catchings vaulted up to five-star status and the No. 17 player in the country by 247Sports. The Purdue recruit averaged 17.5 points, 4.8 rebounds and 1.1 steals per game as a junior to help the Bulldogs to a 22-5 record and Class 4A semistate championship appearance. Catchings has 752 career points in two varsity seasons for Brownsburg. He shot 36% from the 3-point line (49-for-136) as a junior. Catchings was named one of the six core Junior All-Stars.

Five more to watch

Micah Davis, Franklin

The 6-2 Davis has a good opportunity in front of him as he will play for the Indy Heat 17U team on the Nike EYBL circuit this spring and summer with teammates like Catchings, Fishers sophomore Jalen Haralson and Heritage Hills sophomore Trent Sisley. Davis averaged 17.3 points, 5.1 rebounds, 3.9 assists and 1.7 steals to earn a spot as a core member of the Junior All-Stars team. The Grizzly Cubs will need more team success after sputtering to a 10-14 season for Davis to put his name higher on the list.

Josiah Dunham, Evansville Christian

The 6-1 Dunham is probably something of a longshot as he plays for a Class A program, but is coming off a season that saw him average 24.6 points, 5.4 assists, 5.3 rebounds and 2.5 steals per game. He shot 36.7% from the 3-point line. Dunham already has 1,723 career points. The Eagles went 16-10 in their first year of sectional eligibility, falling to Northeast Dubois in the sectional championship in overtime.

Brauntae Johnson, Fort Wayne North Side

Johnson is one of the state’s best overall athletes as his future is likely in football as a four-star prospect with offers from Cincinnati, Michigan State, Notre Dame, Purdue and Tennessee, among others. The 6-3 guard averaged 20.8 points, 7.7 rebounds, 4.4 assists and 3.6 steals per game for North Side, which went 16-10 and won a sectional championship. Johnson is already over 1,000 career points.

Tyler Parrish, Chesterton

The 6-3 Parrish was named a core Junior All-Star after a season that saw him average 20.7 points and 3.7 assists per game and lead Chesterton to a 20-6 record and sectional championship. Parrish shot nearly 40% from the 3-point line. Chesterton should again be a good team going into next season with Parrish and Justin Sims, also a Junior All-Star, leading a group of returnees.

K.J. Windham, Ben Davis

The 6-3 Windham came off the bench most of the season for the 33-0 and Class 4A state champion Giants and earned a spot as a core member of the Junior All-Stars team, averaging 8.6 points and shooting 36.4% from the 3-point line. Windham is a talented player who should take on a bigger role for the Giants next season with several key seniors gone to graduation.

Five more players to watch: Isaac Andrews, Wapahani; Sabien Cain, University; Cam Casky, Pike; Aaron Fine, Noblesville; Taray Howell, Evansville Bosse; Jevon Lewis Jr., Fort Wayne Wayne; Jaedin Reyna, Hammond Bishop Noll; Ron Rutland III, Crispus Attucks; Justin Sims, Chesterton; Ajani Washington, Fort Wayne Concordia Lutheran

Call Star reporter Kyle Neddenriep at (317) 444-6649.

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Indiana Mr. Basketball: Early look at 2024 contenders