Preseason watch list for the 2018 Kentucky Mr. Basketball award

The high school boys’ basketball season begins Monday, Nov. 27, but the Mr. Basketball conversation has been ongoing since the end of the boys’ Sweet Sixteen back in March.

Below are 10 seniors, listed in alphabetical order by last name, who boast prime profiles for Mr. Basketball candidacy. This is not a list of official candidates, which will be determined by Player of the Year voting in each of the state’s 16 regions later in the season. This is merely a projection, based on previous accomplishments, of who should have the best shot at claiming the award once voting occurs in March.

Wyatt Battaile

School: Pikeville

College: Undecided

Height: 6-4

Team accolades: Pikeville reached the Sweet Sixteen in 2017, its first year under Elisha Justice, and the first time since 1999.

Individual accolades: Quarterbacked Pikeville’s football team to a state championship in 2015, a feat that led to an All-State honorable mention in that sport that season.

Junior season stats: 20.2 points, 7.4 rebounds

Trevon Faulkner

School: Mercer County

College: Northern Kentucky University

Height: 6-4

Team accolades: Titans were ranked No. 1 during times in the 2015-16 season, in which they went 33-2 and reached the Sweet Sixteen for the second time in school history. Mercer County’s played in back-to-back 12th Region finals.

Individual accolades: .Named second-team All-State in 2017 and 2016. Plays cornerback and wide receiver for Mercer County’s football team.

Junior season stats: 24.2 points, 11.9 rebounds

Steven Fitzgerald

School: Pulaski County

College: Samford University

Height: 6-4

Team accolades: Pulaski County last season qualified for the Sweet Sixteen for the first time since 1992.

Individual accolades: Named third-team All-State in 2017.

Junior season stats: 25.1 points, 8.9 rebounds

CJ Fredrick

School: Covington Catholic

College: Iowa

Height: 6-4

Team accolades: CovCath has played in back-to-back 9th Region finals during Fredrick’s time in the program, going 57-13 overall in the last two seasons, including a 31-4 mark against region foes.

Individual accolades: All-State honorable mention in 2017.

Junior season stats: 19.7 points, 3.2 rebounds

Carter Hendricksen

School: Lexington Christian

College: North Florida University

Height: 6-8

Team accolades: LCA had its most wins (23) in program history during the 2016-17 season, in which it won the 43rd District and qualified for the 11th Region title for the first times.

Individual accolades: All-State honorable mention in 2017.

Junior season stats: 15.3 points, 8.1 rebounds

Adam Kunkel

School: Cooper

College: Belmont University

Height: 6-2

Team accolades: Cooper qualified for the Sweet Sixteen in 2017, reaching the championship game in the program’s first appearance.

Individual accolades: All-State third team in 2017.

Junior season stats: 16.3 points, 3.9 rebounds

Mickey Pearson

School: John Hardin

College: St. Louis University

Height: 5

Team accolades: John Hardin lost to in the 5th Region semifinals in 2017. That was the Bulldogs’ first appearance in the region tournament since 2014.

Individual accolades: All-State honorable mention in 2017.

Junior season stats: 22.2 points, 8.8 rebounds

Cobe Penny

School: Anderson County

College: Bellarmine University

Height: 5-11

Team accolades: Anderson County has played in back-to-back 8th Region championship games.

Individual accolades: All-State honorable mention in 2017.

Junior season stats: 23 points, 6.7 rebounds

Cooper Robb

School: Scott County

College: UNC-Charlotte

Height: 6-2

Team accolades: Scott County played in the 2017 Sweet Sixteen, where it fell in the quarterfinals to eventual champion Bowling Green.

Individual accolades: All-State honorable mention in 2017. Multi-sport star has started for Scott County in two state baseball tournaments and is a starting cornerback for the Cardinals’ football team.

Junior season stats: 14.9, 5.0 rebounds

Andrew Taylor

School: Corbin

College: Furman University

Height: 6-3

Team accolades: Corbin played for the 13th Region championship in 2017, and has qualified for the region tournament in all four of Taylor’s previous seasons.

Individual accolades: All-State second team in 2017. All-State honorable mention in 2016.

Junior season stats: 29.5 points, 11.8 rebounds

Anthony Wales

School: Fern Creek

College: Samford University

Height: 6-0

Team accolades: Fern Creek reached the Sweet Sixteen for the first time in program history in 2017, bowing out to Cooper in the semifinals.

Individual accolades: All-State honorable mention in 2017.

Junior season stats: 14.3 points, 2.3 rebounds

This story was originally published November 20, 2017 at 1:22 AM with the headline "Preseason watch list for the 2018 Kentucky Mr. Basketball award."