When he moved to Vicksburg before his senior year, Devan Kiner admits he was a little too cocky.

After a couple of solid seasons at Lake Highlands High School in Dallas, Texas, Kiner figured he would come to Mississippi and dominate the competition. That attitude did not last long.

“Five games in, I had a game where I came out too big-headed. I thought it was going to be a cake walk,” Kiner said. “I came out and shot the ball real bad. That was a wake-up call for me to get in the gym more, work on my game and get more humble.”

Kiner put in the work and eventually did emerge as a superstar. The 6-foot-6 guard led Vicksburg High and Warren County in scoring with 14 points per game, was in double figures in 19 of 24 games this season, and helped the Gators reach the MHSAA Class 5A state tournament.

And, in his only season at VHS, he earned The Vicksburg Post’s boys basketball Player of the Year award.

“I feel like I could have played way, way better. I still watch film because you have to prepare for the next level. You can’t take breaks in between. Now there’s college ball, too, and that’s a way different level,” Kiner said. “I’m proud to have the award and all that, but I feel like I could have done better. I’m nowhere near as good as I can be.”

Kiner was plenty good enough to help the Gators finish 17-11, a four-win improvement over last season. In addition to his scoring he averaged 2.4 assists and 3.1 rebounds per game.

VHS coach Kelvin Carter said Kiner’s versatility was his greatest asset. Kiner had the size and ballhandling skill to play any position on the floor, and was assigned to defend the other team’s best player.

“His skillset is what’s going to take him to the next level, because he can do everything,” Carter said. “When you find a 6-6, 6-7 kid that can handle the ball, shoot the ball, that can get to the rack, all he needs to do now is continue to fine tune.”

Despite his ability, Kiner’s transition to his new team wasn’t entirely smooth. On a personal level, he had to quickly adjust to a different style of basketball than he was used to. Mississippi players, he said, play a more physical style of defense than he had gotten accustomed to in the Texas high school and AAU circuit he had played in.

“It really shocked me, because Mississippi defense is way tougher than Texas defense. All five guys play defense. I thought I would come here and do all the little fancy stuff, but you have to actually play defense. It’s tough out here,” Kiner said.

He added that he also had to adjust to a larger role than he was used to. Rather than just being a shooter or ballhandler, he was asked to use his versatility to do a bit of everything.

“It was weird for me because I had to get used to my teammates. I’m from Texas and they play different,” Kiner said. “I had to figure out my role. At first I thought my role was to get my teammates more involved. But then I had to be more aggressive, too, and be a playmaker. I had to figure out how to do both at the same time for us to be successful.”

Basketball was only part of the adjustment, though. He had to mesh with a new set of teammates, and they to him. The addition of a talented player like Kiner by necessity took playing time away from someone else and threatened the chemistry of a team whose core had been together since junior high.

Carter said most of the team eventually came around when they saw what Kiner brought to the table, but admitted it was an issue that occasionally surfaced throughout the season.

“You’ve got to realize that most of the guys that were seniors have been together since they were in eighth grade. Mr. Kiner comes in and adjustments had to be made. It was difficult,” Carter said.

Both Kiner and the Gators dealt with it well enough to have a good season, however, and now he’s ready to take the next step. Kiner is getting attention from several colleges and junior colleges and said he plans to sign with one in the next couple of weeks.

Kiner is also competing for Vicksburg’s track team this spring as a distance runner, and said he’s working to bulk up for the rigors of college basketball.
Carter said it was a year of challenges for his player, but he was happy with how Kiner handled it all.

“Getting a guy that can play the one through the five is any coach’s dream. At the same time, it’s tough because you have to get other guys to understand that this guy is multi-talented. Everybody doesn’t like that all the time,” Carter said. “But he really came in and gave us a boost with leadership on the court and hard work, and showing these guys what a next level basketball player is supposed to look like. He took us to a whole other level.”

Vicksburg Post boys basketball Players of the Year
2019 – Devan Kiner, Vicksburg
2018 – Chavis Smith, Warren Central
2017 – Kirk Parker, Vicksburg
2016 – Shaun Walton, Warren Central
2015 – Mario Doyle, Warren Central
2014 – De’Angelo Richardson, Vicksburg
2013 – Ted Brisco, Porters Chapel
2012 – Kourey Davis, Warren Central
2011 – Mychal Ammons, Vicksburg
2010 – Mychal Ammons and Kelsey Howard, Vicksburg
2009 – Kelsey Howard, Vicksburg
2008 – Jonathan Phelps, Vicksburg
2007 – Jonathan Phelps, Vicksburg
2006 – Hayden Hales, Porters Chapel
2005 – Chico Hunter, Warren Central
2004 – Kyle Richards, St. Aloysius
2003 – Devin Jones, Vicksburg
2002 – Willie Powers, Vicksburg
2001 – Demetrick Allen, Vicksburg
2000 – Herman Griffin, Vicksburg
1999 – Jason Johnson, St. Aloysius
1998 – Coleman Lewis, Warren Central
1997 – Brandon Carr, Porters Chapel
1996 – Quentin Smith, Vicksburg
1995 – Quentin Smith, Vicksburg
1994 – Oscar Denton, Vicksburg
1993 – Mark Smith, Vicksburg