AL PINKINS

Al Pinkins, a legendary multi-sport athlete at Mitchell-Baker, became the first Georgia high school player to pass for more than 3,000 yards (3,090) in a season in 1989 when he led the Eagles to a Class AA title as a junior. He was named First-Team AJC All-State in 1989 and 1990 and was a preseason AJC Super 11 pick in 1990. Pinkins, who stood 6 feet, 6 inches, finished with a state-record 6,626 passing yards along with 66 passing touchdowns. Mitchell-Baker was 24-2 over Pinkins’ final two seasons. Pinkins was also an outstanding baseball pitcher, but he first found high school stardom in basketball as a four-year starter who led Mitchell-Baker to state titles in his junior and senior seasons. Pinkins scored 30 points with six 3-pointers and 10 rebounds in the 1991 Class AA championship game. He averaged 17.5 points and eight rebounds in two seasons at Chipola Junior College, then finished his career at N.C. State. Pinkins then played professional basketball in Spain and China. He became a college basketball coach in 2003, and has been on staffs at Florida, LSU, Tennessee, Texas Tech, Middle Tennessee State and Ole Miss. He was Florida’s interim head coach during the 2022 NIT. Pinkins is currently an assistant coach in his second stint at Ole Miss.