2. Bassy remains the only pure point guard to be drafted straight out of high school and the movie He Got Game was loosely based on Telfair among other players. When it came to dribbling the basketball, Haynes was a revolutionary; considered by many to be the greatest dribbler in the history of the game. My friend gave me the kind of look one would expect from a person who had just seen a human defy physics. 1. 18 pick in the 1973 draft, yet on account of a contract dispute, Lewis never played a single game in the NBA. 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. Our editorial content is not influenced by any commissions we receive. D.J. 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. USA Today has named its top high school player since the 1982-83 season. The top-two ranked, Al Harrington and Rashard Lewis, combined to play 32 NBA seasons and appear in over 2000 games. Born in the Dominican Republic, Lopezs family moved to New York when he was 14 and he enrolled at Rice High School in Manhattan. Thirty-four years ago, it wasn't. How Tall is Popular Singer and Star Actor Nick Lachey? "You know every move each other is going to make . The volume of his talent is staggering, even breathtaking. He attacked the rim like it had stole something from him. Telfair was arguably the most famous basketball player in the New York City area in the early 2000s. With his height, physical attributes and skill level, it's not hard to believe that Howard led his high school, the blandly named Southwest Atlanta Christian Academy to a 31-2 record and the 2004 Georgia state title. Is The Famous Actress And Comedian, Aubrey Plaza, Married? The San Antonio Spurs drafted him first overall in 1997. Despite his stock at an all-time low, he declared for the draft and was taken in the second round by the Grizzlies. But Telfair wouldnt prove to be the Blazers point guard of the future and was nothing more than a journeyman backup during his 10 NBA seasons. Lamborghinis are known for their luxury and class in addition to their performance and speed. Below is the ESPN High School Boys' Basketball Top 25 for the week of Feb. 27, 2023. They either flamed out in college or flamed out in the pros which means the highpoint of their basketball careers came as teenagers. Chris Washburn's one moment makes him my choice." It was a Golden Age in Central Ohio hoops in the 1990s. Favorite athlete: Stephen Curry. High school basketball player videos, pictures, profiles, and high school basketball recruiting information. 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. A post shared by Tadd Haislop (@taddhaislop) on Feb 18, 2017 at 12:03pm PST. Welcome to The Whistler News, your go-to source for the latest news and trends across a wide range of categories, including Application, Business, Celebrity, Dating, Entertainment, Event, Food, How To, News, Questions, Streaming, Technology, Trending, and Uncategorized. MORE: Have you seen the legend of Mac McClung? I was not on the basketball team at Lynn English, my high school, but my friend, Charlie Leslie, was a forward for the team. News on all your favorite celebs, reality TV, and movies. He had not turned 18 yet. For the last three seasons hes played for three different teams in the Chinese Basketball Association. These individuals have broken records, displayed otherworldly talent, and taken the game itself to new heights. But at that peak, he was years before his time. Professional journalist for 25 years, contributing writer with High Times magazine and High Times.com since 1993. We wound up matching up against his team late in the tournament. 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. Charlie fouled Brunson from behind, pushing him into the brick wall, and he fractured his wrist. He ran the floor like a defensive back doing the 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine. Tyler remains the first and only player to not only skip college to turn pro, but he skipped part of high school as well. Swift would play a total of 97 games in the NBA and experience more problems off the court. 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. Who was the best high school basketball player you ever saw in person? 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. Meanwhile, we all know how Kevin Durant fared. 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. Thornton, which played in the second game against King, had its team loaded with athletes that year, featuring future college stars Melvin Ely (Fresno State power forward), Antwaan Randle El (Indiana quarterback) and Napoleon Harris (Northwestern linebacker). His last known basketball activity was a tryout with the Warriors D-League team in 2016. He was a very good player for the Hoosiers, was a four-year starter and left the school sixth on Indianas all-time scoring list. Buchanans 10 3-pointers set a program record for a single game. Alston. Whether or not he actually finished high school is up for debate as he didnt qualify academically at the University of Florida. The Trail Blazers saw Oden's career dwindle, with his knees never being able to hold up. 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. 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. I nearly killed a full phone charge by pressing record each time Williamson touched the ball during the game. He would play only 103 games in the NBA and his career was over by the age of 23. Cooke was once the top prospect in the nation but that may have been because he was so much older than everyone else. Swift has swiftly faded into obscurity, fodder for lists such as this. But the team played with just five eligible varsity players after a fight during a game last . Maggette was smooth and fun to watch doing everything on the floor." -. There's almost nothing else to remember from Chris Washburn's basketball career, except him posing with Len Bias after they were picked back-to-back in the 1986 NBA Draft, or maybe him lounging on the Warriors' bench before or after one of his suspensions. Lance . I had the unfortunate pleasure of guarding her while I played for Dorman High School. 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. Due to complicated eligibility issues, Cooke opted to listen to agents instead of going to college, but every team passed on him in the 2002 draft. But imagine an alternate reality where injuries had kept one of these gifted, highly scouted prospects from ever becoming an NBA player. Oden lived up to his billing in college, leading the Ohio State Buckeyes to the National Championship game. 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. 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. Salem won the state title, and Brunson surprised a few of us by choosing Temple over Kentucky. AIKEN For the first time in its history and in coach Fran Campbell's 39-year stint at the school, the Wren boys . Fast forward to the Capital Center in Landover, Md., in late March, at the Capital Classic. Mike DeCourcy. . 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. Her 799 points set a freshman record, while her 39 points in one game broke a previous school mark. For every teenage phenom that comes along, there are many who go into the pros at a young age and they clearly aren't ready for the added responsibilities that come with being a pro athlete. This is who we would take. Either way, while these talented basketball players never made it to the National Basketball Association, they certainly had the game required to do so. Manning ended up winning the MVP with 20 points; Washburn scored 18. The National Basketball Association is known for its history ofphenomenal players. Because ESPN ranked her as the second best guard, more people started paying attention to what she had to say about the game. Fans would always wonder, what if? 9. 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. Viraj is a Content Editor currently working at Whistlernews.com, He intended to write on the most recent developments of Entertainment, Sports to News from his own unique angle. Either way, they never really "made it" as a pro. Top Basketball States. 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. Only twice has a player won the award two times: LeBron James and Greg Oden. Caitlin hasnt mentioned her romantic relationship, but its possible that shes unmarried and devoted on elevating her career. All eight players went on to play in the NBA. He was so skilled that the Lakers even selected him in the NBAs 1971 hardship draft. 1. LennyCooke was once considered a bigger high school star than our no. The No. A legend of Rucker Park, Hammond destroyed opponents with his thunderous jams and smooth shot. Washburn, from Hickory, N.C., was 6-11, 230-plus pounds, ran the floor like a forward, handled like someone eight inches shorter and 50 pounds lighter, shook backboards with his dunks and blocked everything in sight. Graham made a spot start for the Spurs on Thursday, finishing with 18 points on 5 of 10 shooting. Her date of birth is not known. Below is our take on the 30 greatest basketball players to never play in the NBA. 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.