Wichita State 2023 high school recruit Makhi Myles named Mr. Basketball in Mississippi
A Wichita State men’s basketball recruit just earned a top honor in Mississippi high school basketball.
Makhi Myles, a 6-foot-6 wing who is signed to the Shockers in the class of 2023, was named the inaugural Mississippi’s Mr. Basketball in the Class 6A division by the Mississippi High School Activities Association on Tuesday. A senior at Starkville, Myles is averaging 22 points, 9.7 rebounds, 2.8 assists, 2.5 steals and 2.7 blocks per game.
Myles is rated as the No. 262 prospect in the class of 2023 recruiting rankings, per 247Sports, and is considered one of the best recruits in the state. He helped Starkville (24-4) earn the top seed from Region 1 and advance to the state quarterfinals with a win last week over Clinton. Starkville plays Horn Lake in a highly anticipated showdown on Friday with a spot in the state championships on the line.
He signed his national letter of intent to play basketball at WSU back in November, choosing the Shockers over offers from Mississippi State, Creighton, Missouri and Ole Miss. He is WSU’s lone 2023 recruit signed so far.
“Makhi is a long, athletic wing with a high basketball IQ and a winning pedigree,” WSU head coach Isaac Brown said in a statement in November. “He has the tools to be a big-time defender, and he can really shoot the ball. I can’t wait to get him on campus.”
Myles helped lead Starkville to a state championship appearance during his sophomore season, then averaged 24 points, 11 rebounds and four blocks last year as a junior to earn all-state honors.
His recruiting gained traction during the summer when he played with Team Thad Nation on the Nike EYBL circuit, where he showcased the prototypical skills of a 3-and-D player at the next level. He developed a reputation as a sharpshooter and his combination of size, length and athleticism allowed him to overwhelm players he was defending on the perimeter.
But he told The Eagle when he committed that he has bigger plans than just being a 3-and-D player at WSU.
“I’m a 3-and-D right now, but I plan on expanding to become even more than that,” Myles said. “I’m working on creating my own shot so I don’t have to sit on the three-point line and just catch and shoot. I want to be able to catch and take it to the rim, take it to the mid-range and create for my teammates. I’m all about expanding.”
His commitment to Wichita State stunned many in Mississippi, who expected him to pick one of the home-state SEC teams. But Myles said he felt like WSU was “meant for me.”
“I’ve been in the South all of my life, so I feel like I need to expand my experience outside the state of Mississippi,” Myles told The Eagle. “I’ve still got love for Mississippi State and Ole Miss. They were the first schools to start my recruitment process. They were there since the beginning and I have a lot of respect for those programs.”
