Chad Milne scores multiple all-state and all-star basketball positions

Allen basketball player Chad Milne was recently selected as the only player from class A to play in the 2021 Oklahoma All-State boys' basketball game. The Oklahoma Coaches Association's selection of the 19-year-old also makes him the first high school boys basketball player from Allen to make the Oklahoma All-State roster.

The game is slated for Thursday, July 29, and will include players from all over the state competing and representing their hometown teams. He made the roster for "small east."

As separate accomplishments, the young Chickasaw basketball player also made the 2021 Oklahoma Basketball Coaches Association All-Star team for small east class A as well as the 2021 Oklahoma Native All-State team.

"I was so excited when I received the news that I made the All-State team and the All-Star team," Milne said. "All my extra time and hard work is showing and paying off for me all these years, and to have a successful senior year is very rewarding."

"When he texted me to tell me he made it, it was just really emotional. I'm proud of all the hard work he has done. He's really deserving of this honor," said Kala Dawn Stephens, Milne's mother.

"It means he's one of the best players in our region," she said. "I know he is excited, his coach too. He looks forward to representing Allen and playing basketball in college."

It was in junior high, his eighth grade year, when Milne got serious about basketball. He had a few good games grabbing more than 30 points and realized he could do a lot with his 6'6" height.

His coach, Greg Mills, has been guiding Milne's growth since those early days in junior high. Even so, Mills said most of the credit for success belongs to Milne's family.

"We all have to look back to who raised us, and his mother and grandmothers were pretty important all these summers playing ball all over the United States. They gave him confidence to be what he is," Mills said.

Milne said he has learned the value of teamwork, commitment, sacrifice and leadership while playing.

"I've had a huge support system to help me along the way," he said.

Coach Mills is the person who nominated Milne for the All-State competition, in part because he believes Milne has abilities an average player does not have. He said Milne has done a lot for the school these past four years. He also vaunted Milne's ability to play any position, keep a level head and skill at sinking three pointers.

"Chad is one of the most talented players I've coached in 32 years," Mills explained. "He's the all-time leading scorer at Allen High School and that's a great honor."

Milne was a four-year starter for the Mustangs. In addition, his senior year proved to be record setting, with Milne earning more than 2,000 points.

His senior year so far, Milne scored 488 points – adding up to 2,046 points throughout his high school basketball career.

As career averages, Milne successfully scores roughly two out of three two-point shots he attempts, three out of four free throws and about 40% of his three pointers. In his senior year, he has greatly increased his number of assists per game as compared to his career average.

That is all while also pursuing athletic feats in football and track.

Milne has been active with traveling teams since that first summer after eighth grade. It was a flurry of traveling, practicing, playing and learning from then on.

In addition to wearing number 23 for Allen's Mustangs, Milne has played on travel teams such as H&H Elite, Oklahoma Impact and Shades of Red.

"I spend a lot of my free time playing basketball whether it's at school or just playing pickup ball in an open gym, at the park or at a community center. I have made so many friends while playing both school ball and travel ball," Milne said.

As part of his traveling teams, Milne has competed in Nevada, Arizona, California, Texas and Colorado.

"It's just all basketball," his mother said. "He's a hard worker. He spends all of his time in the gym. He has been playing travel ball these last three summers, traveling and playing every weekend. He just loves the sport."

Milne is currently touring colleges both inside and outside of Oklahoma, making plans for his future studies and athletics.

Some of his extracurricular activities include the Allen Johnson-O'Malley Program, the Chickasaw Nation Native Youth Community Project and the Chickasaw Nation Toksali SMART program.

Milne also traces his heritage to the Choctaw, Seminole and Creek tribal nations.

"I'm excited to continue playing basketball at the next level. My community has been amazing in showing me support. So to be able to represent Allen in these upcoming games is going to be something I will never forget. These are the things you grow up wanting to accomplish for yourself," Milne said.