He would eventually move on to play in the CBA before retiring in 2003. Some players are just a flash in the pan. The volume of his talent is staggering, even breathtaking. Unless youre a diehard basketball fan, you probably dont know about the majority of these players. Who was the best high school basketball player you ever saw in person? When you've put on the "classic" uniform of basketball franchises like Lokomotiv Mineralnye Vody and Bnai HaSharon, who needs the Celtics or the Lakers? Mar 1, 2023, 4:15pm PST. The first high school player to be drafted straight out of high school was Tim Duncan of Rock Hill High School in South Carolina. Thus he didnt enroll until December 2013 but was then suspended 12 more games after it was revealed that he received improper benefits while in high school. High school boys basketball: Panguitch and PIute set for 1A boys High school basketball player videos, pictures, profiles, and high school basketball recruiting information. I vividly remember his first post-stretch action being a rebound off a teammate's missed warm-up jumper. The Trail Blazers saw Oden's career dwindle, with his knees never being able to hold up. Nonetheless, she has a chance to be selected by a WNBA team in the upcoming days, and if that occurs, she will make almost as much as the stated sums. Caitlin hasnt mentioned her romantic relationship, but its possible that shes unmarried and devoted on elevating her career. best high school basketball player that never made it - Lindon CPA's He was the No. We also made sure that any aspect about her is included in this post. He was the best player on his varsity team when he was just in 7th grade. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. 'Whatever seed we are, we're ready': Is there room for Cleveland among the East elite? Below is the ESPN High School Boys' Basketball Top 25 for the week of Feb. 27, 2023. Pee Wee Kirkland, another legend of Rucker Park, made a name for himself in two highly distinct ways: as a drug kingpin and superstar basketball player. The World's Most Entertaining Car Website. I beat my defender baseline and went up for a layup, but turned my back to him to avoid the contact before flipping the ball over my shoulder. Luke McBride, Norwell: The senior became Norwells all-time leading scorer with 24 points and eight rebounds in a 48-46 win over Homestead. But then it all went downhill for Fields, who fractured a bone in his neck before his senior year playoffs. The San Antonio Spurs drafted him first overall in 1997. The 35 Best Basketball Documentaries Ever (Watch For Free) Swift would play a total of 97 games in the NBA and experience more problems off the court. That was near the end of the regular season in 1990. He would play only 103 games in the NBA and his career was over by the age of 23. LennyCooke was once considered a bigger high school star than our no. Back in the late '90s and early 2000s, there were far fewer, readily accessible media outlets that covered prep sports beyond a local level. He then suffered the Portland-itis that so many other Blazers have suffered as recurring injuries kept him off the court. Although he played college ball at Cal State LA, Lewis is most notable forbeing arguably the greatest California streetball legends of all time. ARLINGTON, Texas - For Arlington Martin High School, Tuesday was the biggest game of the post-season.. Malone was a three-time NBA MVP (1979, 1982 and '83), and in 1981 took alackluster Houston Rockets team all the way to the NBA Finals, before Larry Bird and Kevin McHale won their first title with the Boston Celtics. How Tall is POP Star I Cant Breath Singer Bebe Rexha? Seriously, that's how you had to do it. Oden lived up to his billing in college, leading the Ohio State Buckeyes to the National Championship game. The No. Moses Malone, Petersburg (Va.), 1974 The first high school player to go directly to the professional ranks, Malone was a two-time Parade and Scholastic Coach All-American while leading Petersburg to a pair of Virginia state championships. RANKING THE BEST HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL PLAYERS IN THE WORLD - YouTube For those of us who did attend a university, we know the unmatched experience and knowledge that going to college provides a young person's mind, and life in general. Not only was the wiry Jamison taller than most on the court, he was quicker too. Best High School to NBA Players | Stadium Talk Daniel Tippit, New Palestine: The senior hit a 30-footer in New Palestines 61-31 win over Greenwood on senior night as the Dragons finished off a 21-2 regular season. In the state tournament shortly thereafter, Burnson had perhaps the greatest performance in Massachusetts high school basketball history: 42 points against Bishop Feehan in the state tournament at Boston Garden. That is, until July 1, 2016 when he was banned from the league for two years for drugs. Earl Manigault was a legendary basketball player with unbelievable hops. As it stands, Selby has played 38 games in the NBA and 31 games in the D-League although he has found some success overseas. Wagners hype reached epic proportions when he was billed as a bigger, stronger Allen Iverson right after the former Sixer won the 2001 MVP award. Orem players celebrate a 3-pointer in the 5A boys basketball state quarterfinal game against Lehi at the Dee Events Center in Ogden on Wednesday, March 1, 2023. The top three-ranked players in the Class of 1998 all jumped straight from high school to the NBA. There's no big tragic story behind Williams' failures; he appears to have not been good enough, at least for any teams to believe in him to sign him and actually play him. Such was Garnett's maturity that he was able to bypass college and still exceed expectations. The closest the shooting guard ever came to the NBA was playing in the Summer League for the Boston Celtics. Williamson, at the time, was still considering South Carolina as a college commitment, so as a Gamecocks fan who had seen the YouTube videos, my friend was all in for a trip to see Spartanburg Day play in the first round of the state playoffs. I could tell you what happened next, but I'd rather show you. Here then, is the man, the player, LeBron James, who defeated the aforementioned Lenny Cooke and derailed Cooke's career while elevating his own stature that led James to being drafted number one by Cleveland in 2003. Follow Us On Social Media!Twitter: http://bit.ly/2zHv7dJInstagram: http://bit.ly/2inVlI4Facebook: http://bit.ly/2zNPZNQ Despite being an unathletic, overweight and undersized power forward, the Cavs thought he was worthy of the top pick of the 2013 draft. The nights watching tournament games at the State Fairgrounds in Columbus affectionately known as the 'The Barn' were the best. Some of these high school phenoms did decide to go to college but they still werent able to relive the glory from their high school days. He was a lottery pick by the Supersonics but spent most of his first two years on the bench. Young is another entry on this list who was so good he starred at two high schools--and he did it in two different states; both Wichita East High School (a coed public school in Kansas) and Hargrave Military Academy (a private, all-male boarding school in Virginia). A stint with the 76ers summer-league team would be the next-closest Young would get to the NBA and he would toil in various minor leagues around the world. He also attracted the biggest of stars as LeBron James and Carmelo Anthony attended some of his high school games. And in the early 1990s, I began to cover recruiting camps like the ABCD and then the elite tournaments like the Big Time and Peach Jam. West began his pro career with the Los Angeles Lakers in 1960. Players who made the most successful jumps from high school to the NBA He attempted suicide while with the Mavs after he swallowed 250 aspirin tablets and he told police I am an Indian fighting Columbus! Dallas would cut him and he wouldnt make his NBA debut until 2001 with the Hawks. Except now he's got Magic Johnson's head on Karl Malone's body, and it's even more frightening." Oden was already being called the next Patrick Ewing or the next Tim Duncan when he was just 16 years old. Like Antoine Walker and Juwan Howard before him, Smith was thought to be the next All-Star big man to come from Chicago. The center/power forward's other "claim to fame" is being the first player to ever skip college basketball and go directly to the minors, the NBA's Tulsa 66ers, a franchise in the former "NBA D League", now called the NBA G League. He started in the McDonald's game and the Capital Classic, then nearly on a par with the McDonald's game in national prestige. Heck, there was no YouTube. He wound up whacking me in the head and I saw three goals as I stood at the free-throw line. Two significant NCAA Division I freshman of the year honours, the USBWA Tamika Catchings Award and the WBCA Freshman of the Year award, were shared by her and UConns Paige Bueckers. Caitlin has played basketball since she was very little. "He was a star guard for Salem High, someone we all saw regularly at the Salem YMCA. Sean Marbaugh, Cathedral: The student manager got a chance to suit up on senior night and made the most of it by scoring a basket in the fourth quarter of a 67-55 win over Zionsville. And it's really not close. There is no comparison to me, Gary Payton, Antonio Davis, Greg Foster or Brian Shaw.. That was kind of the case with Suntino Korleone Young, whose name seems to derive from the Godfather character Santino 'Sonny' Corleone. Shooting guard Fields became the first sophomore high schooler to play in the "Best of the Best" all-star game with the likes of Garnett and future NBA superstar Allen Iverson, and he justified the selection by becoming the number three all-time leading scorer in Chicago public league history. Get your votes in by noon Friday for our high school boys basketball player of the week for Feb. 20-25: Cast your vote in the poll at the bottom of the article or click here to vote.. Trey . The 10th is Chris Walker who struggled as soon as he finished high school. There was no Ball is Life, Overtime or Mars Reel. That's where I saw him, Wearing straight-back cornrows, he was laced in a Tracy McGrady Nike Swingman jersey with a oversized grey tee beneath it, a gleamy gold chain with a matching medallion, shin-length jean shorts (Hey, that was the wave back then), and a pearly white pair of mid-top Air Force 1s. True, Washburn is now a cautionary tale, and always will be. Believe me, I tried. Meanwhile, we all know how Kevin Durant fared. These individuals have broken records, displayed otherworldly talent, and taken the game itself to new heights. If only he couldve put basketball before everything else. Needless to say they did it without Butler, who never did learn much about that work ethic. Cooke did have good times, first at Lane High in Brooklyn and then he moved on to La Salle Academy in Manhattan. I left the game that night feeling lucky to have seen that caliber of player in person but also anguished knowing that I'd be seeing a lot more of Antawn Jamison in the future." There's not much to write about LeBron that hasn't already been published; he's one of the preeminent talents the NBA ever has, or ever will, produce. Michael Dyer Dyers freshman year at Auburn not only brought NFL potential but also a national championship. Jake Gyllenhaal Dating History: Heres Look At His Dating History Over The Years! It's still debatable. Although he never strutted his stuff in the NBA, Haynes played in two separate stints for the Harlem Globetrotters, mesmerizing the crowd with his style, pizzazz, and insane handle. High school boys basketball: Orem beats Lehi in 5A quarterfinals Texas (575 Athletes) California (399 Athletes) Florida (389 Athletes) Illinois (308 Athletes) New York (299 Athletes) Georgia (294 Athletes) "It's like playing with your brother in the backyard," said Panguitch coach Clint Barney. But Maggette was the best all-around player on the floor against a favorite team that had Kentucky recruit Ryan Hogan. He was drafted in the second round of the 1994 NBA Draft by his hometown Pacers but it became evident that Bailey had peaked in high school as he would never see the court in the NBA. Two days after being taken by the Celtics, Biasdied of a cardiac arrest brought on by a cocaine overdose. By Posted google sheets script get row number In los angeles skateboard deck He added six rebounds, four assists and one steal in 32 minutes, attempting double-digit 3 . They were the best onthe court, and it wasn't close. Cooke declared for the 2002 NBA Draft after three different teams promised him they would draft him. Well never know. He was a two-time All-Star in the Israeli League and at the age of 26 he could still get one more opportunity in the NBA. D.J. In the documentary, Hooked: The Legend of Demetrius Hook Mitchell, former NBA superstar and current Milwaukee Bucks head coach Jason Kidd said the following: Hook could jump over a building. Weve watched our fair share of ESPNs 30 for 30 documentaries, yet few affect us as much as, BENJI, the story of Ben Wilson, Chicagos pride and joy and the best high school basketball player in the country. Manning ended up winning the MVP with 20 points; Washburn scored 18. Unique lists featuring pop culture, entertainment and crazy facts. Washburn showed glimpses of his dominance at both ends, the way it tends to happen in all-star games that loaded with talent trying to show off. At Benjamin Franklin High in New York City, shooting guard Manigault set a record by scoring 57 points in one game in the late 1950s. (Feb. 20-25), Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. She also won awards including Iowa Miss Basketball, Gatorade State Player of the Year, and the McDonalds All-American title. She has amassed more than 10 thousand followers on her Instagram site. I don't mean potentially better, I mean better today. Bailey was LeBron before LeBron and had over 40,000 people coming to watch his high school games which remains an all-time attendance record. Our two best players wound up signing with Florida State and East Tennessee State. Unfortunately, Gathers also had an abnormal heartbeat and it proved to be something even he couldnt overcome. The 6-foot-3 senior guard committed to Duke earlier this year. And, man, he was mean out there, almost menacing, grimacing and snarling as he imposed his will on you. Those in the Columbus area who remember watching Weaver play in the '90s will tell you 100 variations of thissame legend. However, since breaking Duke's all-time scoring. My friend gave me the kind of look one would expect from a person who had just seen a human defy physics. Her 799 points set a freshman record, while her 39 points in one game broke a previous school mark. Best High School Basketball Player in Every State - Stadium Talk She is currently attending the University of Iowa and is likely to graduate in 2020. News on all your favorite celebs, reality TV, and movies. For those who think Julius "Dr. J" Erving is all that, keep in mind that Erving never won an NBA title until the 1982-83 Philadelphia 76ers acquired the late great Moses Malone to replace the lesser great but also late Darryl "Chocolate Thunder" Dawkins at center. Michael Beasley 2. Best high school basketball player in all 50 states - MaxPreps Despite my best defensive efforts, Latta was able to score 54 points against my team, the future 4A State Champions. Jerry West is one of the most accomplished players in NBA history. He is also the only player in NBA history to be named Finals MVP despite being on the losing team. He ran the floor like a defensive back doing the 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine. But the team played with just five eligible varsity players after a fight during a game last . Press Esc to cancel. It turned out Oden was the one whose body couldn't handle the NBA, as he was seemingly hurt year after year. In the 2010s, seeing high schoolers do things beyond their sizes is almost commonplace. They either flamed out in college or flamed out in the pros which means the highpoint of their basketball careers came as teenagers. 9 Best Basketball Players Who Never Made It to the NBA - Sportscasting Thirty-four years ago, it wasn't. We held the lead deep into the second half before he decided he'd had enough. Tippit, the quarterback of the football team, played on basketball and football teams that are a combined 33-3. There weren't. 3. Cooke was apparently so intent on going pro after high school that he never even bothered taking the SAT or ACT which are required for college. Top High School Basketball Scorers of All Time | Stadium Talk In this blog post, we are going to talk about the Best High School Basketball Player That Never Made It. 1. It should be noted that the tragic tales of the likes of Hank Gathers and Benji Wilson will be left off the list, as their circumstances went far beyond anything basketball related. Initially, he committed to Louisville after a stellar run at Abraham Lincoln High School in Brooklyn, but extenuating circumstances prompted him to change his mind and declare for the 2004 draft. Said former Lynwood coach Bill Lee:Ive seen Jerry West, Oscar Robertson, and Michael Jordan and Ive never seen anyone better with the basketball. Since then hes spent his time in the coaching ranks in both Indiana high schools and for the Butler womens basketball team. Of the 10 players who started in the 2013 Jordan Brand Classic, nine of them were either drafted or are currently in the NBA including Joel Embiid, Andrew Wiggins and Jabari Parker. Only two members of the Fab Five II would go on to play in the NBA: Maceo Baston and Maurice Taylor. He played college basketball at Norfolk State and was even drafted by the Chicago Bulls in 1968, yet chose to return to the more lucrative operations he ran in Harlem. Considering he is often credited with inventing the cross-over as well as the spin move to the bucket, we truly wish he had chosen the other life. I already knew I wanted to be a sportswriter; seeing all those great players on one night made me realize I wanted to write about basketball more than any other sport. During her junior season, she averaged 32.5 points, seven rebounds, 3.5 assists, and 2.2 steals per game as she guided Dowling Catholic High School to a 17-8 record and a spot in the Iowa Class 5A playoffs. Selby became the highest-ranked player to ever join Bill Self at Kansas but his college career got off to an inauspicious start after he was suspended for receiving improper benefits. Mayo AKA Grocery List was the consensus top player of the Class of 2007 and ahead of such players as Kevin Love, Blake Griffin and James Harden. Jordan really didn't top that one until the 1988 NBA dunk contest maybe. Let there be no doubt; LeBron James is the greatest player to transition from high school (the coed St. Vincent-St. Mary in Akron, Ohio) directly to the NBA. Basketball scorers start young. During a summer camp Cooke, the then No. Was Manigault the original "G.O.A.T"? All that you've heard about his ability is true, except that it may be incomplete. The two brothers she has are Blake and Colin. 30 Best basketball players who NEVER played in the NBA - Sporcle Since he was never a senior, we dont have his senior rankings but he was ranked the 7th best junior in the nation and had college offers from UNC, Louisville and UCLA. Telfair played for nine NBA teams in 10 years and spent some time overseas as well, never living up to the incredible hype. After one year at USC Mayo joined the NBA where he wasnt the star that many expected but was still a serviceable role player. Dr. A's weekly risers and fallers: Jeremy Sochan, Christian Wood make the list, NBA Power Rankings: Kevin Durant's return could rock the West. But Bryant's still not good enough to top this list. The streets run ripe with ball players who had the talent but never played in the NBA for various reasons. But imagine an alternate reality where injuries had kept one of these gifted, highly scouted prospects from ever becoming an NBA player. "The common pushback against the absurdity that is a Zion Williamson high school highlight video is the level of competition facing Spartanburg Day School. She is 5 feet 11 inches tall and 70 kg, and she has a slim build. 6. The ball had hit the rim and was rising toward the top of the backboard; Williamson snatched the ball, his head easily above said rim, before gravity had a chance to take effect. SHARE High school boys basketball: Orem continues unlikely 5A tourney run, bounces Lehi to advance to semifinals. Won two gold medals with USA Basketball. As I was sitting on the baseline under the very basket he threw it down on, covering the game for the Black Explosion student paper, I was one of the few who refrained from oooh-ing, but not because the dunk hadn't earned it. "You know every move each other is going to make . Best High School Boys Basketball Player in Every State 2022: West By Tony Adame on October 24, 2022 Twitter Stadium Talk's annual preseason list of the best high school boys basketball player in all 50 states is upon us, and we're trying something new and exciting this year by dividing the stories up into regions. Swimming in National Player of the Year awards just a year after Kevin Garnett's successful leap from high school to the NBA, Bryant made the none-too-surprising decision to turn pro himself. Caitlin might have a future plan to reveal it, and if she does, regular readers will be aware of it. 3. SCNext Top 25 - The best 2022-23 high school boys' basketball teams He died of natural causes back in 2015 at the age of 89. A 2008 documentary that follows the lives of 8 of the best high school basketball prospects at the time leading up the 1st annual Boost Mobile Elite 24 Hoops Classic at Rucker Park. Samaki Walker, Michael Redd, Gary Trent and Kenny Gregory were must-see players too, but I can't remember a time when I was more excited to see a player for the first time than Weaver. Best High School Boys Basketball Player in Every State 2022: West He had not turned 18 yet. This is who we would take. Caitlin Clark Early Life. The game meant something to us, but it was everything for him. Blake is a football player for Iowa State and is also an athlete. Swift has swiftly faded into obscurity, fodder for lists such as this. He was rated the No. That also is where the aforementioned indelible moment happened. She is 5 feet 11 inches tall and 70 kg, and she has a slim build. Graham made a spot start for the Spurs on Thursday, finishing with 18 points on 5 of 10 shooting. Get your votes in by noon Friday for our high school boys basketball player of the week for Feb. 20-25: Cast your vote in the poll at the bottom of the article or click here to vote. That pretty much sums up the professional "career" of Cisse, who lead Montgomery Catholic High School in Alabama to a state title in 1999. In 1984, as a senior, he was the Parade Magazine co-player of the year with none other than Danny Manning. I don't remember how many points or how many dunks, but what stood out was his ball-handling skills and ability to spin through traffic with an effortless grace I've never seen at the high-school level since. The 25 Most Hyped High School Basketball Recruits Of All Time He played for eight different teams and was traded six different times including in the deal that sent Kevin Garnett to Boston. The third-ranked player, Korleone Young, played 3 NBA games. 11 overall by the Detroit Shock in the 2007 WNBA Draft, Ivory Latta was a huge star at York High School. Copyright 2023 Endgame360 Inc. All Rights Reserved. Know Her Career And Life! Hes looking at a future of second-rate foreign leagues and G-League appearances. What happens if an high school basketball star decides to throw a "direct to the NBA Draft" party and no one decides to show? Sergio Llull Unlike the other players in this list, Sergio Llull still has a chance to make.