Looking ahead to Indiana Mr. Basketball 2023 race. It's wide open.

Now that Braden Smith has been named 2022 IndyStar Mr. Basketball, why not look ahead to the potential candidates for 2023?

The junior class is deep with a mix of guards, wings and versatile players with size. Like the 2021-22 season, the race next year could be a close one. This is my feel on how I see the landscape right now going into the spring and summer.

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Five to start with …

Xavier Booker, Cathedral

The 6-11 Booker emerged as a force down the stretch for Cathedral on its run to a Class 4A state championship. Booker averaged 12.5 points, 6.7 rebounds and 2.3 blocked shots per game and shot 35.6% (36-for-101) from the 3-point line. He shot 52% overall from the field and 73.5% (50-for-68) from the free-throw line. Booker posted a double-double in Cathedral’s final three games. He might be the best prospect in the state in the class (Booker is ranked No. 84 on the 247Sports composite). If he can play with a consistent motor all season as a senior, he could emerge as a frontrunner for Mr. Basketball.

Markus Burton, Penn

The 6-foot Burton is coming off a huge junior season that landed him on the core team for Junior All-Stars. Burton broke the single-season scoring record at Penn that dated to the 1986-87 season, averaging 26.9 points, 6.0 rebounds, 5.0 assists and 3.0 steals per game for a 24-3 team that played in a Class 4A regional final. Burton shot 45.7% from the 3-point line (43-for-94) and 54.5% overall from the field. He has an offer from Purdue Fort Wayne and was offered by Ball State prior to the coaching change.

Myles Colvin, Heritage Christian

Can Purdue make it three Mr. Basketball winners in a row? Colvin, the 6-6 Boilermakers recruit certainly has one of the most explosive games in the class. He was named to the core group of Junior All-Stars after a season that saw him average 18.4 points and 5.5 rebounds. He shot 40.4% from the 3-point line. But, so far, team success has eluded Colvin’s Heritage Christian teams. The Eagles, who were 12-12 last season, will move up from Class 2A to 3A next season.

Joey Hart, Linton-Stockton

The 6-5 Hart was named to the core group of Junior All-Stars after a season that saw him average 20.4 points, 4.5 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.8 steals per game on a team that went 22-5 and won a Class 2A sectional title. Hart, who has offers from Northwestern, Drake, Loyola of Chicago and others, has already scored 1,168 career points going into his senior season. Linton-Stockton should be one of the top state contenders next year in 2A.

Logan Imes, Zionsville

The 6-4 Penn State recruit averaged 17.8 points, 5.1 rebounds and 3.6 assists per game to lead Zionsville to a 14-8 season and, a for a time early on this season, to a No. 1 state ranking in Class 4A for the first time in program history. A sprained ankle slowed Imes and Zionsville’s momentum, but he is the leader of a core group that will return for a team that could be one of the state’s top squads in 4A next season.

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Five more knocking on the door …

Ahmere Carson, Anderson

The 6-2 Carson had a breakout junior season for 20-5 Anderson, which lost to Mt. Vernon in the sectional semifinal. Carson averaged 19.9 points, 4.8 assists, 4.5 steals and 3.8 rebounds per game, shooting 54.1% from the 3-point line (46-for-85). Carson was not named to the Junior All-Stars team, but the same could be said for Central Noble’s Connor Essegian and Pike’s Ryan Conwell (last year was a 12-player Junior All-Stars team) and both were named Indiana All-Stars this season.

Zane Doughty, Ben Davis

The 6-9 Doughty will be one of the major pieces to a Ben Davis team coming off a 22-7 season and regional championship game appearance. The Giants will be one of the teams to beat next season in 4A. Doughty, who has an offer from Siena, averaged 11.3 points, 11.0 rebounds and 2.9 blocked shots per game as a junior and shot 58.7% from the field. He was named as one of the six core members of the Junior All-Stars.

Sam Orme, Carmel

The 6-8 Orme, who has offers from Indiana State, Elon, Loyola of Chicago, Toledo and Western Michigan, averaged 11.9 points, 5.5 rebounds and 1.3 steals per game for Carmel, which was 18-6 and reached the sectional championship. He figures to improve on his 31.6% shooting (37-for-117) from the 3-point line. Orme was named a Junior All-Star, playing with the Red Group that will face the Kentucky Junior All-Stars.

JQ Roberts, Bloomington North

The 6-7 Roberts averaged 14.4 points, 9.1 rebounds and 1.1 steals per game for a 24-4 Bloomington North team that reached a Class 4A semistate. He shot 52.2% from the field and 37.5% (30-for-80) from the 3-point line. Roberts has offers from Cincinnati, Iowa, Indiana, Marquette, UMass and others. The Junior All-Star has 753 points and 449 rebounds in his three seasons at Bloomington North.

Ashton Williamson, Gary 21st Century

The 6-4 Williamson averaged 19.1 points, 11.4. assists, 7.8 rebounds and 4.0 steals per game for the 23-5 and Class A regional champion Cougars. Gary 21st will bump up next year to play in Class 2A. Williamson, a Junior All-Star, has an offer from New Orleans.

Ten others to consider: Anthony Ball, Beech Grove; Cade Brenner, NorthWood, Darrion Brooks, New Haven; Joey Brown, North Central; Jermaine Coleman, Park Tudor; Mason Jones, Valparaiso; Jaylen Mullen, North Daviess; Deaglan Sullivan, Mishawaka Marian; Jaron Tibbs, Cathedral; Brandon Trilli, Munster

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

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: IHSAA basketball: Looking ahead to 2023 Indiana Mr. Basketball race.