Jimmy England was an All-State guard at Knoxville’s Holston High School. He was selected to the All-State team as a junior and senior. In the 1966-67 season, he was named Mr. Basketball in Tennessee, one of the top 100 players in America and was MVP of the state tournament.
England was an all-star at the University of Tennessee from 196-71. As a senior, he served as a team captain and helped lead the Tennessee Vols to a 21-7 record, a second-place SEC finish and a National Invitation Tournament berth in New York.
Known by the nickname “Mr. Clutch,” England finished his career ranked third on UT’s all-time scoring list. His fade-away jump shot was unstoppable, and he was Tennessee’s top scorer, free-throw shooter and assists man in both his junior and senior years. He was an 88 percent career free throw shooter — the best in school history — and was ranked as high as No. 2 in the nation his senior year, finishing at No. 3.
In the opening game of 1969, England led an undersized, outmanned Volunteer team to what might be called the biggest upset win in Tennessee basketball history by beating No. 1 ranked University of South Carolina in Columbia, South Carolina. He scored 20 points and played a flawless floor game.
Later that season, England battled Pistol Pete Maravich, the most prolific scorer in NCAA history, in an epic game in Knoxville where both players scored 30 points with the Vols prevailed 88-87.
In the 1970 Trojan Classic in Los Angeles, one sports writer called England the best one-on-one player and shooter under pressure he had seen since Jerry West of the Los Angeles Lakers.
Jimmy was a two-time First-Team All-SEC performer during 1970-71. He was named to the First-Team 1971 Helms Athletic Foundation All-America team after averaging 20.6 points per game.
UT head coach Ray Mears stated that England was a self-made All-American, and what England lacked in raw talent, he made up in hard work, desire and intelligence.
England was selected as Tennessee’s SEC Legend in 2011 and joined teammate Bill Justus as a member of the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame.
England works with the Suzanne Somers companies in Los Angeles where he is currently in his fifteenth year as president and CEO. He lives in Marietta, Georgia. Although being very thankful for his basketball career, England quickly recognizes his mom and dad and his loving, supportive family as his biggest blessing. England passed away in 2016 at the age of 67.