Heights star TJ Williams, a Wichita State recruit, named 2024 Mr. Kansas Basketball

Before starting his next chapter at Wichita State, Heights star basketball player T.J. Williams added one more accolade to his decorated high school career.

Williams was named Mr. Kansas Basketball by the Kansas Basketball Coaches Association on Monday, becoming just the second Heights player (Perry Ellis in 2012) to receive the prestigious award. Andover’s Alana Shetlar, an Oral Roberts commit, was named Miss Kansas Basketball.

The future Shocker was also recently named the Gatorade Kansas Basketball Player of the Year, an honor in which he will be able to donate $1,000 to a charity of his choice. Williams plans on donating the grant money to Wichita Children’s Home in a ceremony at Heights on Wednesday afternoon.

The 6-foot-5 guard finished a decorated career with 1,278 points, 546 rebounds, 280 assists, 150 steals and 112 blocks — the first player in school history to finish with at least 1,000 points, 500 rebounds and 200 assists. Williams was also named Kansas Player of the Year by The Eagle and Player of the Year on the All-Metro team.

“We’ve had so many special players here, so for him to be the first guy to do all of that tells you how special he is,” Heights coach Joe Auer said. “This award is truly a reflection of team basketball. You don’t come to our program if your goal is to lead the state in scoring. Your goal should be to lead the state in winning and nobody has won more games over the last four years than TJ Williams has.”

Williams helped lead Heights to three straight Class 6A state championship games, winning the 2022 title and finishing with a 68-7 combined record during that span. His senior season saw him average 14 points, 7.1 rebounds, 3.8 assists, 1.5 steals and 1.3 blocks, which earned him Top 5 status on The Eagle’s all-state team for the second year in a row.

Past winners of Mr. Kansas Basketball include Danny Manning (1984), Christian Braun (2019), Dean Wade (2015), Steve Henson (1986), Wayne Simien (2001) and current WSU player Xavier Bell (2020).

“This just shows you that playing team basketball gets you a long way,” Williams said. “Playing the right way will lead you the right way.”