Prep Parade: Why The Oklahoman’s Super 5, All-State teams stand out from the rest

It’s probably hard keeping up with the amount of postseason awards there are.

Every conference gives out awards. There are all-tournament teams. Then there’s All-State selections.

But not just one All-State team. More than a handful.

For the 2021-22 season, there will likely be six All-State teams announced for boys and girls basketball players. Some athletes will be on all six lists. Some won’t, and that’s to be expected because of the different criteria from every entity that picks an All-State team.

In a time when being chosen as an All-State athlete has lost its luster because of how seemingly watered down the term has become, I’m reminded how unique The Oklahoman’s Super 5 and All-State basketball teams are. It’s because of the criteria to be selected, the time put into making those selections, and trying to find the best five players in the state, regardless of class, location or age.

More: Meet The Oklahoman’s 2022 Super 5 and All-State girls basketball teams

Being selected as an All-State athlete is a huge honor. It’s something I don’t think athletes today appreciate as much as they will down the road. Part of the reason they don’t understand the significance of it is because of how many different lists pop up with the term All-State attached to it.

Let’s talk about the number of All-State teams, first. The Oklahoma Coaches Association annually puts out its selections to play during the All-State week in late July in Tulsa. There is a large school and small school game, and only 10 athletes can represent the west and east teams for each contest. Those athletes must be seniors, and there’s more criteria than that, as well.

With the OCA All-State games, a lot of times the best athletes don’t play because they’re already in college or their college coaches don’t want them playing to avoid the injury risk, even though the games are more of an exhibition. Especially in football and basketball, the true stars of the past year don’t participate.

More: Meet The Oklahoman’s 2022 Little All-City girls basketball roster

The boys and girls basketball coaches' associations each select their own All-State teams, separate from the state coaches’ association. So all of those groups are picking an All-State team. Yet the state association not working with the individual ones to pick All-State athletes waters down the meaning.

Being selected as an All-State athlete used to be a big deal. It’s simply not as important or impactful anymore, and this could be part of the reason why.

During The Oklahoman’s Super 5 photo shoot last week, one of the boys selections asked me whether there was a game to play involving our picks, and it took me a while to figure out what he meant.

Then it hit me. He was asking whether The Oklahoman’s Super 5 selections also played in an All-State game.

Not even these high school athletes can keep up with how many All-State games they’ve been selected to play in, nor do they know which selection means they get to play in the so-called “prestigious” game that’s supposed to be a celebration of the best.

That’s a shame.

More: Meet The Oklahoman’s 2022 Super 5 and All-State girls basketball teams

In addition to The Oklahoman’s Super 5/All-State selections, there are other outlets, websites and radio stations that also pick All-State teams. Similar to the coaches associations, the criteria for these varies, and that shows in the final selections.

That’s why it’s so important for our high school coverage team to make sure The Oklahoman’s Super 5 team truly resembles what that honor is supposed to be about: Who are the best five players in the state?

When viewing The Oklahoman’s Super 5 teams, you’re looking at the answer to that question. They are truly the Super 5.

There’s no bias toward what classification these players play in. No bias toward location. No bias toward whether they’re a senior or freshman.

Picking the Super 5 is hard. It’s one of the most difficult projects James D. Jackson, who handles girls selections, and myself (boys) work on all year. It’s difficult because there’s no shortcuts taken in making selections, and narrowing down to five players makes the honor stand out.

James and I attended multiple games every week leading up to the state tournaments. We watched most every team from the Oklahoma City area and multiple teams from around the state.

Come championship time, as an outlet, The Oklahoman was the only one in the entire state to have a reporter at every single basketball state tournament game. The Oklahoman is also the only outlet to have covered every state championship game in every sport this school year.

In the midst of covering all of the basketball action, James and I were constantly evaluating players. As games were played and gold balls claimed, our Super 5 selections started to take shape.

Selections are based on who the best players were this year. They’re not based on recruiting or to help someone get recruited. They’re not based on location. There are also not more than five players selected per team because you can have only five on the court, so players have to earn one of those spots.

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The only goal of The Oklahoman’s Super 5 is to select and celebrate the five best players in the state. The players deserve that, especially those who’ve earned the honor. The coaches and parents and fans deserve that.

Although the process isn’t perfect, there are no shortcuts taken. Every coach in the state is contacted via email and given an opportunity to nominate their players and others. Some are consulted by phone.

The Oklahoman’s Super 5 team stands out. It’s a true representation of the best boys and girls basketball players in Oklahoma each year. When followers of high school basketball read the term "Super 5," I want it to mean something. I want it to mean something for the players.

That’s why our coverage team is so passionate about putting time and effort in to make sure it does.

When looking at all of the numerous postseason honors for Oklahoma high school basketball players, recognize that the term All-State still means something.

But when you see The Oklahoman’s Super 5, know it means the best.

Cameron Jourdan covers high school sports across the Oklahoma City metro and state. Have a story idea for Cameron? He can be reached at cjourdan@oklahoman.com or on Twitter at @Cam_Jourdan. Support Cameron’s work and that of other Oklahoman journalists by purchasing a digital subscription today at subscribe.oklahoman.com or by using the link at the top of this page.

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Prep Parade: Why The Oklahoman’s Super 5, All-State teams stand out