State’s Hubbard Captures Historic Third Straight Howell Trophy
April 15, 2026 | Men's Basketball
by Matt Dunaway, Director/Communications
PHILADELPHIA, Mississippi – Mississippi State's Josh Hubbard continued to make history and became the first three-time male winner of the Howell Trophy awarded Wednesday by the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame.
Named after Mississippi State legend and Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame inductee Bailey Howell, the honor is given to the state of Mississippi's top collegiate player.
Hubbard extended State's run of dominance to eight of the last nine seasons with the Howell Trophy winner which is presented by the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians and Pearl River Resort. Since 2017-18, Hubbard has been joined by two-time recipient Quinndary Weatherspoon in addition to Iverson Molinar, Reggie Perry and Tolu Smith III.
Hubbard is a three-time All-SEC selection and a two-time NABC All-District First-team honoree. He also has had his fair share of recognition for all of his work off the court as the 2026 Coach Wooden Citizenship Cup winner for his exceptional leadership, his character and his commitment to community service.
Hubbard was recently honored for his outstanding contributions inside the capitol building and presented with Senate Resolution 93 led by Mississippi Senator Josh Harkins on March 25. The Madison native also was selected to the 2025-26 All State NACDA Good Works Winter Team and notched SEC Community Service Team honors for the second straight season.
Hubbard has amassed 1947 career points which ranks 4th on State's all-time list, ranks 4th for SEC players after their junior season and ranks 34th overall in SEC history. He is joined by Howell (State), Pete Maravich (LSU) and Vernon Maxwell (Florida) as the only SEC players to have 3 of his school's top 10 scoring seasons.
Hubbard is State's first player to amass at least 700 points and 100 assists in a season and is 1 of 9 major conference players to accomplish the feat this season. He is 1 of 2 SEC players and 1 of 12 major conference players with multiple seasons of 640+ points and 100+ assists during the 2000s.
Hubbard has already shattered State's program mark by knocking down 311 career three-pointers. The 311 treys are tied for 9th on the SEC's all-time list.
Last season, Hubbard had a performance for the ages and poured in a career-high 46 points against Auburn (Feb. 18) fueled by a program single-game mark of 10 triples. He added 42 points versus Georgia (March 7) during the 2025-26 regular season finale. He and Howell are the only two State players with multiple SEC performances of 40+ points.
Hubbard has used his platform and his resources through Name Image Likeness in numerous community efforts. He founded The Josh Hubbard Showcase, a basketball camp which has hosted around 200 aspiring athletes in his hometown of Madison, Mississippi and awarded approximately $40,000 in scholarship money over the last two April's.
Hubbard partnered with Make-A-Wish Mississippi in 2025-26 where he launched the "Buckets for Wishes" campaign where every three-point shot he made resulted in donations from sponsors and donors, directly funding wishes for children in Mississippi. His campaign has already granted 11 wishes for children, most recently a trip to Disney World for one young boy in early March and has raised over $75,000.
Hubbard spent an afternoon in December 2025 handing out close to 100 gifts he purchased at Children's of Mississippi Hospital in Jackson, the same hospital where he was a patient for 19 days at 9 years old in September 2014. As a child, he was diagnosed and treated for Kawasaki disease which is a condition causing inflammation in the walls of some blood vessels in the body.
Hubbard teamed with his showcase, Aerus, and US Foods for helping provide food and donations to Ballas Family Community Kitchen, which serves 200 meals a day to the Greenwood, Mississippi, community in November 2025.
Hubbard worked closely with Delbert Hosemann, the Lieutenant Governor in the State of Mississippi, on a public awareness campaign to reduce rates of chronic absenteeism among school children last spring.
About The Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame
The Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame exists to promote, preserve and protect Mississippi's rich sports heritage for this and generations to come. The Museum serves as a destination for sports legends to live forever through interactive displays and exhibits where visitors can play, live and dream.
The 501(c)(3) organization recognizes excellence in athletics and contributions to sports. For more information about the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame & Museum, visit msfame.com or follow us on Facebook at facebook.com/mssportshofandmuseum or Twitter at twitter.com/mssportshof.
Visit www.HailState.com for the latest news and information on the State's basketball program. Fans also can follow the program on their official social media accounts by searching 'HailStateMBK' on Facebook, X and Instagram.
PHILADELPHIA, Mississippi – Mississippi State's Josh Hubbard continued to make history and became the first three-time male winner of the Howell Trophy awarded Wednesday by the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame.
Named after Mississippi State legend and Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame inductee Bailey Howell, the honor is given to the state of Mississippi's top collegiate player.
Hubbard extended State's run of dominance to eight of the last nine seasons with the Howell Trophy winner which is presented by the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians and Pearl River Resort. Since 2017-18, Hubbard has been joined by two-time recipient Quinndary Weatherspoon in addition to Iverson Molinar, Reggie Perry and Tolu Smith III.
Hubbard is a three-time All-SEC selection and a two-time NABC All-District First-team honoree. He also has had his fair share of recognition for all of his work off the court as the 2026 Coach Wooden Citizenship Cup winner for his exceptional leadership, his character and his commitment to community service.
Hubbard was recently honored for his outstanding contributions inside the capitol building and presented with Senate Resolution 93 led by Mississippi Senator Josh Harkins on March 25. The Madison native also was selected to the 2025-26 All State NACDA Good Works Winter Team and notched SEC Community Service Team honors for the second straight season.
Hubbard has amassed 1947 career points which ranks 4th on State's all-time list, ranks 4th for SEC players after their junior season and ranks 34th overall in SEC history. He is joined by Howell (State), Pete Maravich (LSU) and Vernon Maxwell (Florida) as the only SEC players to have 3 of his school's top 10 scoring seasons.
Hubbard is State's first player to amass at least 700 points and 100 assists in a season and is 1 of 9 major conference players to accomplish the feat this season. He is 1 of 2 SEC players and 1 of 12 major conference players with multiple seasons of 640+ points and 100+ assists during the 2000s.
Hubbard has already shattered State's program mark by knocking down 311 career three-pointers. The 311 treys are tied for 9th on the SEC's all-time list.
Last season, Hubbard had a performance for the ages and poured in a career-high 46 points against Auburn (Feb. 18) fueled by a program single-game mark of 10 triples. He added 42 points versus Georgia (March 7) during the 2025-26 regular season finale. He and Howell are the only two State players with multiple SEC performances of 40+ points.
Hubbard has used his platform and his resources through Name Image Likeness in numerous community efforts. He founded The Josh Hubbard Showcase, a basketball camp which has hosted around 200 aspiring athletes in his hometown of Madison, Mississippi and awarded approximately $40,000 in scholarship money over the last two April's.
Hubbard partnered with Make-A-Wish Mississippi in 2025-26 where he launched the "Buckets for Wishes" campaign where every three-point shot he made resulted in donations from sponsors and donors, directly funding wishes for children in Mississippi. His campaign has already granted 11 wishes for children, most recently a trip to Disney World for one young boy in early March and has raised over $75,000.
Hubbard spent an afternoon in December 2025 handing out close to 100 gifts he purchased at Children's of Mississippi Hospital in Jackson, the same hospital where he was a patient for 19 days at 9 years old in September 2014. As a child, he was diagnosed and treated for Kawasaki disease which is a condition causing inflammation in the walls of some blood vessels in the body.
Hubbard teamed with his showcase, Aerus, and US Foods for helping provide food and donations to Ballas Family Community Kitchen, which serves 200 meals a day to the Greenwood, Mississippi, community in November 2025.
Hubbard worked closely with Delbert Hosemann, the Lieutenant Governor in the State of Mississippi, on a public awareness campaign to reduce rates of chronic absenteeism among school children last spring.
About The Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame
The Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame exists to promote, preserve and protect Mississippi's rich sports heritage for this and generations to come. The Museum serves as a destination for sports legends to live forever through interactive displays and exhibits where visitors can play, live and dream.
The 501(c)(3) organization recognizes excellence in athletics and contributions to sports. For more information about the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame & Museum, visit msfame.com or follow us on Facebook at facebook.com/mssportshofandmuseum or Twitter at twitter.com/mssportshof.
Visit www.HailState.com for the latest news and information on the State's basketball program. Fans also can follow the program on their official social media accounts by searching 'HailStateMBK' on Facebook, X and Instagram.
Players Mentioned
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/ Men's BasketballMEN'S BASKETBALL | Chris Jans & Players SEC Tournament Postgame vs. Auburn - 3/11/26
Thursday, March 12
MEN'S BASKETBALL | Chris Jans Media Session - 3/9/26
Monday, March 09
MEN'S BASKETBALL | Josh Hubbard & Ja'Borri McGhee Postgame Press Conference vs. Georgia - 3/7/26
Sunday, March 08
MEN'S BASKETBALL | Chris Jans Postgame Press Conference vs. Georgia - 3/7/26
Saturday, March 07