Avery Sheets HOF Class of 2026

FROM 1998 THROUGH 2002, AVERY ESTABLISHED HIMSELF AS ONE OF THE PREMIER PLAYERS IN INDIANA HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL. BY THE TIME HIS MCCUTCHEON CAREER CONCLUDED, HE HAD SCORED 1,470 CAREER POINTS, A SCHOOL RECORD THAT STOOD FOR 15 YEARS, AND REMAINS AMONG THE PROGRAM’S ALL-TIME GREATS. HE STILL RANKS FIRST IN THREE-POINT FIELD GOALS MADE, THIRD IN ASSISTS AND STEALS, AND FOURTH IN FREE THROWS MADE—A TESTAMENT TO HIS COMPLETE, ALL-AROUND GAME.

HIS INDIVIDUAL ACCOLADES ARE EQUALLY IMPRESSIVE. AVERY WAS NAMED AN INDIANA JUNIOR ALL-STAR, AREA PLAYER OF THE YEAR, ALL-STATE, ACADEMIC ALL-STATE, AND ULTIMATELY SELECTED AS A 2002 INDIANA ALL-STAR—HONORS RESERVED FOR THE VERY BEST PLAYERS IN THE STATE.

AVERY’S IMPACT WAS NEVER CLEARER THAN DURING MCCUTCHEON’S HISTORIC 2001 TOURNAMENT RUN, WHICH INCLUDED A SECTIONAL AND REGIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP. IN THE REGIONAL TITLE GAME, HE SCORED 34 POINTS IN A ROAD WIN AT HUNTINGTON NORTH, THEN CALMLY KNOCKED DOWN THREE CLUTCH FREE THROWS TO FORCE OVERTIME IN THE SEMI-STATE—MOMENTS THAT REMAIN PART OF MCCUTCHEON BASKETBALL LORE.

A THREE-TIME ALL-CONFERENCE SELECTION, AVERY HELPED LEAD THE MAVERICKS TO A CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIP AND COMMITTED TO BUTLER UNIVERSITY AS A JUNIOR, DEMONSTRATING EARLY HIS ABILITY TO BALANCE ELITE BASKETBALL PERFORMANCE WITH ELITE ACADEMICS.

AT BUTLER, AVERY CONTINUED TO EXCEL ON AND OFF THE COURT. A FOUR-YEAR CONTRIBUTOR WHO PLAYED IN EVERY GAME OF HIS COLLEGIATE CAREER, HE BECAME THE STARTING POINT GUARD FROM HIS SOPHOMORE THROUGH SENIOR SEASONS, SERVED AS TEAM CAPTAIN, AND WAS PART OF BUTLER’S FIRST-EVER SWEET 16 TEAM DURING HIS FRESHMAN YEAR. HE FINISHED HIS CAREER AS A MEMBER OF BUTLER’S 1,000-POINT CLUB, RANKING AMONG THE PROGRAM’S ALL-TIME LEADERS IN ASSISTS, THREE-POINT FIELD GOALS, AND FREE-THROW PERCENTAGE.

REMARKABLY, AVERY ACCOMPLISHED ALL OF THIS WHILE COMPLETING A DOUBLE MAJOR IN MECHANICAL ENGINEERING AND ECONOMICS, EARNING DEGREES THROUGH BOTH PURDUE AND BUTLER—AN EXTRAORDINARY ACHIEVEMENT THAT REFLECTS HIS DISCIPLINE, WORK ETHIC, AND COMMITMENT TO EXCELLENCE.

AVERY SHEETS EMBODIES WHAT IT MEANS TO BE A MCCUTCHEON MAVERICK: LEADERSHIP UNDER PRESSURE, COMPETITIVE EXCELLENCE, AND SUCCESS BEYOND THE GAME. HIS LEGACY CONTINUES TO INSPIRE STUDENT-ATHLETES WHO FOLLOW.