The rest is a cautionary tale seen here in this Homage documentary , but for the sake of a modern comparison it felt like watching Derrick Rose and Vince Carter at the same time. That's how real it was." Such was Garnett's maturity that he was able to bypass college and still exceed expectations. Watch James make one routine trip down the court and the whole package hits you at once: the size, the skills, the awareness, the competitiveness. A knee injury wiped out his entire third season and by the time he was healthy, the SuperSonics were becoming the OKC Thunder and Kevin Durant was the young superstar. 1 prospect, was outplayed by an unknown player named LeBron James who would then supplant Cooke as the top player in the country. Led the Tigers to a 28-5 record heading into the Class 4A sectional final. Bill Bender. Bryant lead the "Aces" to the Pennsylvania state title in '96, and in 2010, the school named their new gymnasium for the hoops legend. 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. She doesnt appear to share anything about her private life with others, though. There's a reason the NBA stopped letting kids straight outta high school join the league--because most have been disappointing, as this list will demonstrate time and time again. But before we get to that, here are a couple more losers: Here's a perfect example of a young hoopster who should have attended the college he committed to; in Ndudi Ebi's case, it was the University of Arizona, a strong basketball program. We were playing Salem at our small gym with a brick wall that was about 10 feet off the baseline. He was selected in the first round of the 2003 draft (26th overall) by the Timberwolves, but was never suited for the pros and wound up playing overseas for one obscure team after the next. In 1984, as a senior, he was the Parade Magazine co-player of the year with none other than Danny Manning. So I've seen nearly every great basketball talent as a high schooler for the past four decades: Ewing, Mourning, Garnett, Davis. But at that peak, he was years before his time. Perhaps the singular flaw on KG's resume is the fact he "only" won one title; but still, KG is an all-time great. Our editorial content is not influenced by any commissions we receive. Lopez stayed local with his college choice at went to St. Johns where he was solid but unspectacular. Last week, we unveiled our top high school basketball team in each state and today we are digging . He had not turned 18 yet. Williams wound up being a "Summer League" player, when real ballers want to hoop in the winter and spring. He died of natural causes back in 2015 at the age of 89. Type above and press Enter to search. That was kind of the case with Suntino Korleone Young, whose name seems to derive from the Godfather character Santino 'Sonny' Corleone. He dominated the Georgia basketball scene that year, leading. It certainly seemed at the time as if only Jordan himself could even have matched that any time in our lifetimes. Conversely, the five listed as becoming bigger stars in the pros somehow exceeded the hype that was bestowed on them coming out of high school. Was Manigault the original "G.O.A.T"? For this particular list, we take a look at those basketball phenoms that are termed "Prep-to-Pro," meaning thatno college was deemed necessary for this or that particular player to achieve success in the National Basketball Association. 3 ranked played in the Class of 2001 and had a solid year in college as he averaged over 21 PPG for Memphis. He would play only 103 games in the NBA and his career was over by the age of 23. The World's Most Entertaining Car Website. It's still debatable. First with the Timberwolves, where he never quite had the supporting cast to go all the way, and then with the Celtics, where he teamed with Paul Pierce and Ray Allen to bring the C's their 17th championship. Kevin Love 6. The World's Most Entertaining Car Website. Smith dominated at Chicago's Martin Luther King high school as power forward/center, and was drafted by the San Antonio Spurs with the 29th overall pick in the 1999 NBA Draft, but was immediately traded to the Dallas Mavericks. MORE: Have you seen the legend of Mac McClung? 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. Top 6 High School Basketball Players in California History Guard - Jason Kidd, St. Joseph Notre Dame (Alameda), 1989-92 Courtesy of The Sacramento Bee Jason Kidd, St. Joseph Notre Dame A four year starter, a two-time state Player of the Year and the National Player of the Year as a senior, Kidd was the most canonized prep in state history. We wound up matching up against his team late in the tournament. That is, until July 1, 2016 when he was banned from the league for two years for drugs. High school basketball player videos, pictures, profiles, and high school basketball recruiting information. When I was a freshman at Independence HighJamison was a senior at Providence, our archrival in just about every sport. In addition, she also retains the award of Iowa Gatorade Player-of-the-Year in 2019 and 2020. The most by a freshman since 2000, a gifted woman is the first rookie in NCAA Division I history with 12 30-point games. Malone didn't need college; his last two years in high school, his team didn't lose a single game, taking back-to-back state titles in Virginia. Her favourite NBA player is Kevin Durant, and Maya Moore was her basketball role model when she was little. Her father participated in baseball and basketball at Simpson College. Howard practically fulfilled the selection by taking the 2008-09 Magic all the way to the NBA Finals. The fact that Bennett went to three different high schools should have been the first sign of trouble but he excelled in basketball at all three. For 15 year old Ryan Chian, love of basketball won't fade away. I remember listening to Weaver's first high school game against Lancaster on the radio. The Capital Centre didn't react with an "ooohhhhh,"but with an explosion of "WHOAAAAAAA! (This time, it included me, as I was again seated behind the same basket he slammed on). Bennett ended the 2016-17 season in Turkey but was cut after his team won the championship. A summer league stint with the Boston Celtics is the closest Cooke would ever get to the NBA and a pair of torn Achilles tendons ended his career by the age of 25. Top opponent: Jason Drake Jr., Ferndale. 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." Unique lists featuring pop culture, entertainment and crazy facts. 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. Some players are just a flash in the pan. I was in the hunt for the starting point guard slot, a battle I'd eventually lose a couple games into the state AAU tournament at Disney's Wide World of Sports in Orlando. Buchanans 10 3-pointers set a program record for a single game. Manning ended up winning the MVP with 20 points; Washburn scored 18. The 10 players listed here either went to college and saw their careers dip, or their pro career just never lived up to what they achieved in high school. (Michael A. Schwarz-USA TODAY Sports) Dwight Howard created a legendary resume in high school, especially his senior year in 2004. The game meant something to us, but it was everything for him. It could be Williams' lack of desire or competitive fire, or maybe he didn't get a chance, sometimes it's as simple as that. I vividly remember his first post-stretch action being a rebound off a teammate's missed warm-up jumper. Like many of the players on this list, Cisse switched schools, finishing up at St. Jude Catholic High. Caitlin has 214 assists, which is the most by a newbie in programme history. 1 overall pick to be sent down to the D-League. However, Ryan did have his moment in the sun, starring at John Jay High in Brooklyn, where he averaged 26 points a game as a guard with a deadly shot during the late 1970s. Some context: less than three months before the Capital Classic, in mid-January 1984, top-ranked North Carolina beat fifth-ranked Maryland at Cole Field House, and the win was capped in the final seconds by one of Michael Jordan's most legendary dunks , a swooping breakaway rock-the-cradle jam, silencing the building except for a collective "oooooooohhhhh.". Seriously, that's how you had to do it. Lance . (July 2022 update: Since the publication of this list in July 2020, 13 of the players on the list have been selected in the NBA Draft, including a No. Young was a talented small forward from Kansas but even his high school coach was surprised he opted to skip college. 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. But Bryant's still not good enough to top this list. Luke McBride, Norwell: The senior became Norwells all-time leading scorer with 24 points and eight rebounds in a 48-46 win over Homestead. They were the best onthe court, and it wasn't close. During his four seasons at Maryland, Len Bias averaged 16.4 points and 5.7 rebounds per game, was a two-time ACC Player of the Year, and earned All-American honors in 198485 and 198586. Nick Fazekas-Ralston Valley High School- Mr. Basketball-Colorado" for the 2002-03 season along with being a two-time 4A classification player of the year. Everyone remembers the Fab Five of Michigan but did you know there was a Fab Five II? Thirty-four years ago, it wasn't. But Baldwin is also . Sometimes, it's a maturity issue, other times, players' skills are simply too raw and it's clear they could have used some more time in college or in a developmental league rounding out their game. He turned 17 at the end of his freshman year and had to sit out his entire senior year because he was too old to qualify for high school play. The basketball player was born to Brent and Anne Nizzi Clark, her sisters. These are players we continue to talk about; continue to use as a measuring stick for any and all players who take the hardwood at the games highest level. How good could Wilson have been? She also received the most weekly Player of the Week honours in the Big Ten Conference with five. 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. But it was never meant to be in the NBA for Cisse, despite being drafted #46 overall in the 2001 by the Denver Nuggets, as hecouldn't stay healthy and bounced around, getting released by one NBA team after another until heading overseas. Mar 1, 2023, 4:15pm PST. First player in Chicago history to ever be named top high school player in the nation in 1983-84. LennyCooke was once considered a bigger high school star than our no. We take an in-depth look at the greatest high school hoopers ever, and how their stats compare. But with Korleone, it was a total surprise. Young would be a second round pick of the Pistons in 1998 but played a total of 15 minutes in the lockout-shortened season before being cut. That means getting to see them play in high school. The National Basketball Association is known for its history ofphenomenal players. Eventually, Wrenn ran into legal troubles, thus ending his bid at the pros. "Growing up in Charlotte in the mid-90s, it was impossible to ignore the hype surrounding a local basketball star named Antawn Jamison. 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. Shes a stunning basketball player with a well-built body. 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. 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. The best high school basketball player you ever saw: Sporting News makes its picks, final seconds by one of Michael Jordan's most legendary dunks. By the time Weaver reached high school, you couldn't get a seat at the gym. 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. Either way, while these talented basketball players never made it to the National Basketball Association, they certainly had the game required to do so. Caitlin hasnt mentioned her romantic relationship, but its possible that shes unmarried and devoted on elevating her career. Between 1995 and 2005, these nine future NBA All-Stars (including two future Hall of Famers) decided to skip college and head directly to the league. Fields subsequently went undrafted by the NBA in the late 1990s, never achieving the greatness of his teammate KG. Seconds after throwing down a vicious alley-oop during the 1990West Coast Conference tournament championship game, Gathers unexpectedlycollapsed. In three seasons at Loyola Marymount, 6-foot-7 forward Hank Gathers averaged 28 points and 11.1 rebounds per game and was one of the most dominant forces in college basketball. With that in mind, heres a look at the nine best players who fit this description. But then it all went downhill for Fields, who fractured a bone in his neck before his senior year playoffs. By Posted google sheets script get row number In los angeles skateboard deck On the day before his senior year at Simeon High School, Wilson was shot and killed, sending shockwaves through the city of Chicago and the rest of the country. Heck, there was no YouTube. 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. 6. Dakota Candler, South Knox: The 6-5 senior made the game-winning three-point play in the final seconds as South Knox defeated Pike Central 60-58. Herman "Helicopter" Knowings Image via Complex Original Accolades: One of 24 ESPN Rucker Park Legends The. "Normally, when a kid is thinking about something like this, you'll hear about it, said Youngs high school coach. 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. Trey Buchanan, Westfield: The junior guard had a career-high 32 points on 10-for-15 shooting from the 3-point line in a 59-32 win over Frankfort. The 'Punks'section of Slam Magazine and maybe ESPN's 'SSA'were the primary ways we caught wind of big-time hoopers elsewhere. Two days after being taken by the Celtics, Biasdied of a cardiac arrest brought on by a cocaine overdose. The No. Inside Her Life! Jerod Ward was supposed to be the centerpiece of this second wave of Michigan freshmen after winning the Naismith Prep Player of the Year award in Mississippi in 1994. 10. He was by far the best player to come out of Oakland. There weren't. The No. But before all that, center/power forward Butler was an excellent post player,twice being Mississippi's "Mr. Basketball" (2002 and '03). 5. The bleachers at the Sumter Civic Center were full by the time Williamson's team took the floor for pregame warm-ups. Emoni Bates, Jr., Ypsi Prep Academy (Ypsilanti) Preseason favorite to win MaxPreps National Player of the Year honors averaged 32.4 points, 9.0 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 2.2 steals for the 19-3 Railsplitters. I could tell you what happened next, but I'd rather show you. In 2017 and 2019, she won two gold medals in the FIBA Americas Tournament and the FIBA World Cup Tournament with Team USA. 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. Eventually, the Boston Celtics selected him with the No. He then suffered the Portland-itis that so many other Blazers have suffered as recurring injuries kept him off the court. It turned out Oden was the one whose body couldn't handle the NBA, as he was seemingly hurt year after year. Alston. It is so appropriate that this entry of Fields as a "Never Was" directly follows our previous "Became Bigger"--Kevin Garnett--because the pair were actually high school teammates at Chicago's Farragut Academy. They arent All-Star caliber players but they still made tens of millions of dollars and proved right in their decisions to skip college. The 6-foot-3 senior guard committed to Duke earlier this year. Cooke was once the top prospect in the nation but that may have been because he was so much older than everyone else. 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. The volume of his talent is staggering, even breathtaking. A post shared by Tadd Haislop (@taddhaislop) on Feb 18, 2017 at 12:03pm PST. Walker thought that his play in high school would warrant a draft selection in the pros but that wasnt the case and he ended up lasting just one month as an undrafted free agent with the Rockets. When Roselle Catholic boys basketball coach Dave Boff originally envisioned his team for the 2021-22 season, he thought he would have at least two of the top players in the state -- if not the nation. "Like dating, the Internet has taken the mystery out travel basketball. If only he couldve put basketball before everything else. But the team played with just five eligible varsity players after a fight during a game last . We all know what happened when Oden went pro as he was drafted by the Blazers first overall in 2007. And even then you heard about players a lot more than you saw them. She has amassed more than 10 thousand followers on her Instagram site. Throughout the regular season, many Oklahoma high school girls basketball stars made their cases for consideration of The Oklahoman's Super 5 Player of the Year. Oh, what could have been. 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. Telfair is 32 years old and last played in the NBA in 2014; however, his 40-year-old cousin, Stephon Marbury, has a better shot at rejoining the NBA than Bassy does. Maggette was smooth and fun to watch doing everything on the floor." However, Manigault should be glad he never made it to the NBA, because he became much more famous being a "never made it" as opposed to some obscure player who rode the bench for a couple of meaningless NBA seasons. SHARE High school boys basketball: Orem continues unlikely 5A tourney run, bounces Lehi to advance to semifinals. Young's ego couldn't abide going to college, and while he did get selected by the Detroit Pistons with the 40th overall pick in the 1998 NBA Draft, his injury prone and bench-riding career soon went nowhere. Caitlin keeps her focus on her goal at all times. Duke has been viewed as the leader for his services for a long time, and the Blue Devils hope to add him to a class that already includes two top-10 players on this list. Unfortunately, like many of the other NYC playground talents, Manigaults life was destroyed by drugs. As a sophomore in 201718, Caitlin averaged 27.1 points, 6.5 rebounds, 4.0 assists, and 2.3 steals, leading her squad to a 204 record and the state quarterfinals. "He was a star guard for Salem High, someone we all saw regularly at the Salem YMCA. Unique lists featuring pop culture, entertainment and crazy facts. "Moments usually stick with you longer than stats, which is why on the surfaceit makes no sense to mention Chris Washburn in a conversation about the best high school players anybody ever saw. 9 in the next summer's NBA Draft. In February2017, I dragged a friend from Charlotte down to Sumter, S.C., an unsuspecting town in the middle of the state. Who was the best high school basketball player you ever saw in person? Go figure: The best high school player performance I saw was on campus when I was a college student attending a game at Evanston's Welsh-Ryan Arena, in Chicago's second-ever City/Suburban Showdown. Right after his junior prom, Tyler announced he was dropping out of school and heading overseas to start his pro basketball career. He was selected 13th overall by the Trail Blazers and his pro career proceeded to be a never-ending shuffle. Needless to say they did it without Butler, who never did learn much about that work ethic. By. 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. He played for four teams in four seasons and even Michael Olowokandi lasted nine seasons in the NBA. Kody Clancy, Scottsburg: The junior guard had 28 points and four steals on 13-for-16 shooting in an 83-47 win over Mitchell and had 15 points in a 50-45 loss to Jennings County. She was the most sought-after student at her high school and rose to fame as a result of her performances in high school athletics. He was one of the most-touted players to come out of New York in years and won the Mr. Basketball USA award in 1994. There's been an ongoing debate for years, even decades, on whether the "one and done" rule in the NBA should be liftedor if in fact, basketball players should spend even more time in college. 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. As a senior he led the Mustangs to a 25-2 record and a state championship after an undefeated regular season and semi-finals appearance the previous year. Except now he's got Magic Johnson's head on Karl Malone's body, and it's even more frightening." Mike DeCourcy. On the other hand, she can currently make a respectable living as a college player. From there, it soon became clear that not all was right with Smith and he clearly wasn't ready for the rigours and responsibilities of being a professional athlete. Follow Us On Social Media!Twitter: http://bit.ly/2zHv7dJInstagram: http://bit.ly/2inVlI4Facebook: http://bit.ly/2zNPZNQ And, man, he was mean out there, almost menacing, grimacing and snarling as he imposed his will on you. Nick Birdsong. USA Today has named its top high school player since the 1982-83 season. Michael Beasley 2. He was rated the No. Since then hes spent his time in the coaching ranks in both Indiana high schools and for the Butler womens basketball team. He was a 14-time All-Star and a member of the NBA's 50th Anniversary All-Time Team. christopher vernon net worth, how to keep a neck gaiter from slipping down,