Bryson Warren kept it to two words announcing his future plans:
Warren is the top basketball prospect in Arkansas for the 2023 class and is currently ranked 32nd overall per 247 Sports composite rankings (16th per Rivals.com) and will play basketball at Link Academy in Branson, MO next season.
The 6’2 combo guard is already highly sought after with over 20 offers from schools including Arkansas, Auburn, Gonzaga, Kansas, Memphis, Oklahoma, and Tennessee among others.
Warren scored 24.1 points per game leading Central to a 20-5 finish that resulted in a return trip to the state championship game where they fell to North Little Rock 65-55. He was stellar from the field shooting 57.5% from the field, including 43.6% from 3-poing range and 76.6% from the charity stripe. For the first time in its history, the Arkansas Basketball Coaches Association named Warren the Overall Boys Player of the Year for his accomplishments.
Other honors include Arkansas Democrat Gazette’s Underclassmen of the Year and 1st-team All-Arkansas Preps, along with being named MVP of The Circuit League back in April playing for the 16-under Mokan Elite.
“I am thankful for the whole Central Tigers family & the time I was able to spend there,” Warren said. “It was fun to be apart of a 6A conference championship which was the first since 2008.”
Mokan is affiliated with Link, which made the decision a pretty easy one for Warren: “I chose Link because I felt like it was the best decision for me,” Warren stated. “Having already played for Mokan, I am used to the environment and structure (of Link).”
Link head coach Rodney Perry, who is Warren’s AAU coach, knows he has a rising star:
“Everything begins with relationships,” Perry said. “Bryson is the type of kid who wants to be pushed, challenged, and play competitive year round. The 17 years combined of Division 1 experience on our coaching staff will provide the tutelage of learning the D1 game before Bryson gets there.”
Prior to Link, Perry had stops at Oral Roberts University, University of Missouri-Kansas City, head coach at Avila University, Western Illinois, Duquesne University, and Southwest Baptist University. He has also coached nine current NBA players including Michael Porter Jr, Willie Cauley-Stein, and Trae Young.
Adam Donyes, who is the school’s founder and current president, began Link Year Prep 5 years ago and reached the post grad national championship game last season as the team’s head coach. As of this year the school has added the 9-12 grades.
Warren mentioned the high expectations he has set continuing his playing career for Perry: “I look forward to helping Link win a national championship with Coach Perry this year. We have a close bond and I like that he always tells me the truth.”
The most familiar name to attend Link for Arkansans would be former Razorback star Mason Jones. Jones spent the 2016-17 season with the Lions, two years before arriving in Fayetteville where he would eventually become the Associated Press SEC Player of the Year leading the conference with 22 points per game and also being named honorable mention All-American by the AP. I asked Warren if he had spoken to Jones but he said they have not connected as of now.
The schedule for the 2021-22 season is listed below per linkhoops.com:
11/25-26/2021 – KEVIN DURANT HOOPFEST (MEMPHIS, TN)
12/2-4/2021 – BATTLE AT THE ROCK (ROCK HILL, SC)
12/18-23/2021 – CITY OF PALMS (FT. MYERS, FL)
12/10-11/2021 – NORM STEWART CLASSIC (COLUMBIA, MO)
1/6-8/2022 – CRC CANCER RESEARCH CLASSIC (CHARLESTON, WV)
1/15-17/2022 – HOOPHALL CLASSIC (SPRINGFIELD, MA)
1/21-22/2022 – QUINCY SHOOTOUT (QUINCY, IL)
Published by Kyle Sutherland, follow on Twitter @k_sutherlandHTP