Indiana's Lamar Wilkerson Buys Mom a New Car: 'She Means Everything to Me'

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — Over 40 minutes after he’d untucked his jersey and walked off the floor to one final standing ovation, Lamar Wilkerson still hadn’t left Branch McCracken Court.

Lamar signed jerseys and took photos with friends and family and friends who’d suddenly become family. In a decorated senior season, Indiana basketball’s star guard has played his way into becoming Bloomington’s adopted son.

But he’s forever Kizzy Stewart’s son first.

On Wednesday night, an hour after the final home game of his college career, Lamar turned a night designed to celebrate his journey — from his family’s trailer in Ashdown, Ark., to stardom at one of college basketball’s most prestigious programs — into paying back the woman behind him through it all.

In a parking garage on Bloomington’s west side, Lamar gifted his mother a black 2026 Cadillac Escalade. When she rounded the corner and saw the car, which had a red bow placed on its hood, Kizzy looked around, pointed, jumped and, in a delirium-filled moment of realization, screamed.

“THAT’S MY CAR,” she yelled.

As Kizzy sprinted to her new car, her phone fell out of her hand. So, too, her bottle of Coca-Cola. She jumped, she danced, she squealed. Soon, she walked to the front of the car and fell on her knees.

“Thank you, Jesus,” she cried. Then, she lowered her head to the ground. “He is good, and he is faithful.”

Lamar emerged moments later. Kizzy rose to her feet, ran to her son and jumped into his arms. Together, they hugged, celebrated and relished a moment Lamar’s long wanted to make happen.

His heart full and his eyes glimmering, Lamar tried to hold back his emotions while he watched Kizzy examine her newest gift. After a long pause, he found the words.

“Without mama dukes, I ain’t nothing, man,” Lamar said. “I ain't nothing.”

During times where Lamar had little more than a basketball hoop on a dirt road, he always had his mother.

Indiana basketball senior guard Lamar Wilkerson and his mom, Kizzy Stewart, pose after Lamar gifted Kizzy a Cadillac Escalade — Indiana basketball senior guard Lamar Wilkerson and his mom, Kizzy Stewart, pose after Lamar gifted Kizzy a new Cadillac Escalade on March 4, 2026, in Bloomington. | Daniel Flick // Indiana Hoosiers On SI

Kizzy drove Lamar two-and-a-half hours each way to Conway, Ark., for AAU practices and games in his 10th grade summer. She worked three jobs to help support the family and instilled loyalty, dedication and work ethic into Lamar. She drove him to get his first tattoos. She always provided and made sure Lamar had all he needed.

When nobody else believed in Lamar’s future, Kizzy did. When Lamar needed a shoulder to cry on, Kizzy offered hers.

Lamar returned the favor Wednesday night.

“She means everything to me,” Lamar said. “Without my momma, I wouldn't be here right now. She gave birth to me. She gave me life — that says enough — but not even that, though.

“When she gave me life, she didn't have to love me, she didn't have to sacrifice her life to help me get to where I wanted to be, man. She’s one of them ones.”

Kizzy drove her Nissan from Ashdown to Bloomington, a 10-hour trip, to watch Lamar’s senior day. She pondered trading in her car, which Lamar said was “messed up” and “on the bad side,” for Lamar’s Lincoln.

No need. The car she wanted — color and everything — belonged to her. And she won’t have to deal with a car payment, either.

“It’s my dream come true,” Kizzy said. “I love everything about it. I can't believe it's mine.”

Lamar Wilkerson just gifted his mom, Kizzy, a brand new Cadillac Escalade.

What an end to Senior Day. #iubb pic.twitter.com/C6mibAUPEb
— Daniel Flick (@ByDanielFlick) March 5, 2026

The 2026 Cadillac Escalade, which has a 55-inch digital dashboard and video screens in the back seat, is all black. Lamar said it embodies Kizzy’s character—she’s always in the shadows and often overlooked.

Lamar, who’s commanded attention while developing into one of the Big Ten’s best scorers, gave his mom a glimpse of the spotlight.

“She deserves it, man,” Lamar said. “She deserves the world, the stars and everything in it.”

Lamar expects Kizzy will add her own flavor to the Cadillac, be it a custom license plate or something else. But he knows his new purchase will get plenty of use.

Kizzy is a road-runner. She often drives to games instead of flying and, with a smile, she said she may carry that forward into next week’s Big Ten Tournament in Chicago. She has a big heart, Lamar said, and likes taking people on trips. The Cadillac, which can fit up to eight people, only helps her cause.

Lamar wants Kizzy to feel seen, to feel appreciated. Surrounded by her mom, children and extended family and friends, she had more than enough reasons to feel both Wednesday night.

“It means everything,” Kizzy said. ”I know he's always wanted to be able to do something nice for me. I know he loves me, and I know there ain't nothing he wouldn’t do for me. But he also knows I love him, and there is nothing I haven't or wouldn't still do for him. And so, it's just who he is.

”He's told me he got me. We got each other. I'm just thankful. Just blessed.”

Lamar views the car, which won the MotorTrend 2026 SUV of the Year award, as “just a small token” for everything Kizzy has done for him.

“This don't cover everything she gave me in life, all the sacrifices she made and stuff like that,” Lamar said. “So, just to be able to do something — this gesture might be big to somebody else, but for her, man, this is amazing.”

Lamar Wilkerson placed a red bow atop the Cadillac Escalade he gifted his mom, Kizzy Stewart, March 4, 2026, in Bloomington. — Lamar Wilkerson placed a red bow atop the Cadillac Escalade he gifted his mom, Kizzy Stewart, on March 4, 2026, in Bloomington. | Daniel Flick // Indiana Hoosiers On SI

Lamar knew he had business to handle before giving Kizzy the car.

Indiana entered Wednesday night’s game against Minnesota as losers of four straight, needing a win to revitalize itself and its NCAA Tournament aspirations. Lamar made the Hoosiers’ first field goal, a 3-pointer from the left wing, less than a minute-and-a-half into the contest.

Lamar cashed four triples, including three in the first half, as part of a 16-point effort in the Hoosiers’ 74-44 victory over the Golden Gophers at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall in Bloomington.

In row 15 of section K, right next to Indiana’s student section, sat Lamar’s personal cheering section. His family wore T-shirts and hoodies with his face, name and number printed on them. After his second 3-pointer in the first half, Lamar turned toward his family, lifted his hands and held up three fingers.

Lamar leads all Big Ten players with 23.5 points per game in conference play. He’s scored 446 points against Big Ten teams, third-most in Indiana history and 14 points from the record, and he’s only the second Hoosier ever to make 100-plus 3-pointers in a single season.

Indiana coach Darian DeVries said he’s been surprised by Lamar’s ability to get to the interior of Big Ten defenses, be it midrange jumpers or post-ups, while being the focus of opposing teams’ scouting reports.

“He's been great,” DeVries said postgame. “We all knew he could shoot it. We knew that would translate at any level. But the other things he's been able to do with being a really big, featured part of the scout every night has been pretty impressive.

“You go through this league for 20 games and put the numbers up with the kind of attention that he's getting every night, I think that says a lot about his versatility as a scorer.”

Lamar has become Indiana’s biggest superstar. He’s the last to rise from the bench in player introductions and routinely gets the loudest cheer. Scoring feats aside, he’s a team captain and one of the Hoosiers’ primary energy providers.

Yet on senior night, a setting built in part to honor him, Lamar deflected attention.

When his name bellowed through the speakers to cap the Hoosiers’ recognition of their six seniors, Lamar slowed his stride and let Kizzy and his older sister, Lark, lead the charge onto Branch McCracken Court.

Kizzy carried a bouquet of flowers in her right hand. Three-and-a-half hours later, she swapped flowers for keys to a Cadillac.

“I'm thankful he thought enough of me to do this for me,” Kizzy said. “He just keeps hooping and the sky’s the limit. And we’re up.”

Nearly 30 minutes after Lamar backed the Cadillac into parking spot No. 15, the crowd of onlookers — once around 20 guests, including Indiana guards Tayton Conerway and Jasai Miles — dissipated to a handful. The night was still young.

No matter, Kizzy had her audience, her keys and the car of her dreams.

“Y’all ready to ride? Who’s ready to ride?” Kizzy said. “I’m ready to ride.”