Congratulations to Catholic Central's Durral "Phat Phat" Brooks for being named this year's Detroit Free Press "Mr. Basketball" Award winner. Brooks becomes the first player from Grand Rapids to win since 2006.

"Durral 'Phat Phat' Brooks represents everything that a Mr. Basketball candidate in our state should. He's an incredible person and leader, on and off the court. In the classroom, he’s been a big part of our team being Academic All-State the last 3 years. In our school’s only state championship (2021) in boys’ basketball, he was 1 assist shy of a triple double, and he's having the best of years this year, leading a very young team to another conference title averaging 26.8 ppg, 8.1 rpg, and 5.5 assists per game, all while playing with a small tear in his patella tendon and never complaining or publicizing that injury. In his 4 years on varsity, he's broken our school’s all-time steals record, almost always guarding the other team's top player, even if he's a 6'9 DI post player. He recently broke out All Time Scoring record by surpassing 1,600 career points, he’s the all-time leader in field goals made with 613, 3rd in career rebounds as a point guard with 636, and he is currently second in career assists with 398." - Coach TJ Meerman

Next year he will attend the University of Michigan where he will continue his basketball career and study business.

Read more from the Detroit Free Press here.