Gary Kristopher Wilkinson (born October 2, 1982) is an American retired professional basketball player.

[1] At Bingham High School, Wilkinson was cut from the basketball team and dropped out his senior year; he told ESPN The Magazine: "I really didn't have any goals.

Eventually, Wilkinson earned his GED, went on a two-year mission in Alberta, Canada, and enrolled in Salt Lake Community College.

[2] Recalling his missionary work in Canada, Wilkinson said in an interview with the New Zealand Herald: "Sometimes it was so cold I actually couldn't speak because my jaw was frozen.

[6] However, in the first round of the NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship, Utah State lost to Marquette 58–57.

In August 2009, Wilkinson became the first Utah State student-athlete to win the Stan Bates Award for top academic achievement.

[9] Scott Powers, in a profile of Wilkinson for ESPN The Magazine, commented: "...the fact he's 26-years-old, dropped out of high school after never playing basketball there, found God, spent two years in Canada on a mission, is married and is the lone senior on the 25–2 nationally ranked Aggies is what really separates him from every other elite college basketball player.

[3] Wilkinson was named Player of the Month for January 2011, averaging 20.3 points per game, shooting the ball at 61% from the field and 42% from the perimeter.

He also made 82% of his freethrows and averaged 8.0 rebounds per game,[14] and was later named to the All-NBL First Team (alongside teammate Kirk Penney).