'Did I hear that right?': When the Jamisons got the Mr. Basketball phone call

DETROIT — On the evening of March 14, Brian Jamison's cell phone rang. When he saw who was calling, the Port Huron Northern boys basketball coach quickly answered it.

"I was actually at a practice," Brian Jamison said. "(My son) Alex had an AAU practice. I got a call from the chairman of the committee (for the Basketball Coaches Association of Michigan) and, of course, I picked it up."

He knew exactly what the call was about. Earlier in the month, his oldest son, Tyler, was named a finalist for the 2023 Hal Schram Mr. Basketball Award, which recognizes the top boys basketball player in Michigan.

"I thought maybe it was just to say, 'Hey, (Tyler) finished third.' Or second, or fifth or whatever," Brian Jamison said. "And it would've still been a huge honor. But then when he said (Tyler) won, I was kind of shocked. I had to make sure he repeated it because at that point, you're like, 'Did I hear that right?' "

He heard correctly. Tyler had just been voted the 43rd winner of the state's most sought after high school basketball award.

But Tyler wasn't with his dad and brother at that moment.

"I was at home," Tyler said. "They were on the road back and (my dad) called me and goes, 'I found out who won Mr. Basketball.' I was like, 'Oh boy.' And Alex goes — he was on speaker — he goes, 'Hey Tyler, from now on, tell people to call you Mr. Basketball.' "

"Once Alex's practice ended, we called Tyler right away," Brian Jamison said. "It was a special moment. There was no way I could wait to get home (before telling him). We were in Waterford. I would've liked to tell him person, but that was a phone call (to him) the second I could."

"It was awesome," Tyler Jamison said. "I was kind of in shock. I thought I had a chance, but it's just such a prestigious award. It's something I've dreamed about since I was a little kid ... I broke down a little bit. My family, we were cheering. I had to sit down and take it all in because it's something that I worked towards my entire life."

The 6-foot-5 senior became the first player from St. Clair County to win Mr. Basketball.

"From the minute I heard, I happened to look (at the past winners)," Brian Jamison said. "And there was not a single person on that list that I didn't know or that I didn't grow up watching. It just blows my mind. It is hard to believe that his name will be forever engraved on that trophy. Michigan basketball has had some phenomenal players — even the guys that didn't win."

The Jamisons are a family of "basketball junkies." Brian has coached at Northern, his alma mater, since 1999. His wife, Anna, and brother, Scott, are assistant coaches on the team. Tyler and Alex have quite literally grown up around the program. If any family knows basketball, it's this one.

"I'm extremely happy to have everyone here," Tyler Jamison said of his family at Monday's Mr. Basketball ceremony. "They're a huge part in this. They deserve to be here as much as I do. I'm glad they could see that all of our hard work has paid off. It's not just me. It's not just any one of us. It's everyone working together. Each person here has had a special part in (winning) this trophy."

"It's the most coveted award in high school basketball," Brian Jamison said. "My whole life, I've been a basketball fan. I've gone to the state finals for years and years. I've watched all those kids (that've won Mr. Basketball) play. I think (Tyler winning) is great for our area."

A week has passed since Brian received that phone call. In the time since, Tyler has gone from a local legend to a household name across the state.

"I'm going to be honest, it hasn't entirely set in yet," Tyler Jamison said. "It's crazy to see all these amazing players (on the trophy) that've gone big time and gone to the NBA — obviously, that's the ultimate goal as a basketball player. It just means a lot that people consider me to be on that list of (Mr. Basketball) award winners."

Contact Brenden Welper at bwelper@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter @BrendenWelper.