1 entry. 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. 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. He had not turned 18 yet. You were drawn to Estaban. Two state marks, including the 5A record for most points scored in a game and most 3-pointers made in a game, are held by the young athlete. In fact, in a summer league game, Lewis dropped 52 points against a bunch of Los Angeles Lakers he was still in high school at the time. To make matters worse, as a Duke fan, I was excited that the McDonald's All-American had already committed to the hated Tar Heels. Buchanans 10 3-pointers set a program record for a single game. The scant highlight clips available in those prehistoric days for videoshowed a kid who looked like the next evolutionary stage of the game. "Growing up in Charlotte in the mid-90s, it was impossible to ignore the hype surrounding a local basketball star named Antawn Jamison. Caitlin Clark is a college basketball player who has been involved in the sport throughout her entire life. 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. She also finished the season with the fourth-highest points per game average in Iowa history. Along with teammate Chris Monroe, Roger led Good Counsel to the WCAC tournament finals. 3. The World's Most Entertaining Car Website. Young was a talented small forward from Kansas but even his high school coach was surprised he opted to skip college. Her favourite NBA player is Kevin Durant, and Maya Moore was her basketball role model when she was little. 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. Those Spurs went on to win the 2007 NBA title, defeating LeBron in his first Finals appearance. IHSAA boys hoops: Avon defeats Danville 61-49. Averaged 19.4 points, 5 . Such was Garnett's maturity that he was able to bypass college and still exceed expectations. Dylan Moles, Greenfield-Central: The 6-3 senior and Marian recruit went for 29 points, five assists, four rebounds and three steals on 9-for-13 shooting from the field and 9-for-9 from the free-throw line in a 69-53 win over Plainfield in the final regular-season game. In this blog post, we are going to talk about the Best High School Basketball Player That Never Made It. But even though he was talented, Smith had psychological issues before even joining the NBA as he suffered from neglect as a child and was moved to an Illinois foster home. Below is the ESPN High School Boys' Basketball Top 25 for the week of Feb. 27, 2023. With five players ranked in the 2023 ESPN 100 and four more ranked in the 2024 ESPN . That was kind of the case with Suntino Korleone Young, whose name seems to derive from the Godfather character Santino 'Sonny' Corleone. We understand this problem because we have gone through the entire Best High School Basketball Player That Never Made It research process already, which is why we have put together a comprehensive list of the Best High School Basketball Player That Never Made It available in the market today. I was not on the basketball team at Lynn English, my high school, but my friend, Charlie Leslie, was a forward for the team. For us, we remember when we saw these players for the first time. Telfair also had various run-ins with the law including multiple arrests for possession of weapons. Bennett was an unmitigated bust in the NBA and became the first No. She was an incredible shooter and I had NEVER seen handles like that, ever." Press Esc to cancel. He was a good four-year starter in college, but hardly lived up to the hype he built in high school. Meanwhile, we all know how Kevin Durant fared. And Washburn took off and threw down the exact same dunk. Caitlin has 214 assists, which is the most by a newbie in programme history. But damn are they fast." 7. 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. LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, Kevin Garnett and Tracy McGrady are all examples of when the prep-to-pro process works out. Aside from throwing down monster dunks, he was also known for blocking the shots of opponents much bigger than him. Michael Beasley 2. "Like dating, the Internet has taken the mystery out travel basketball. Her 799 points set a freshman record, while her 39 points in one game broke a previous school mark. Consensus college player of the year Michael Jordan doing it was one thing. 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. Top opponent: Jason Drake Jr., Ferndale. It wasn't the best decision for each one, but for a select group of superstars, skipping college paid off. MORE: Have you seen the legend of Mac McClung? Oden was already being called the next Patrick Ewing or the next Tim Duncan when he was just 16 years old. That meant more time on the bench for the main attraction. Ward didnt even become a starter until his senior season and by then the luster off his Naismith award had worn away. Player poll:These are the 3 best boys high school basketball teams in Louisville Top artist to listen to: EST Gee From Mary Travers to Jack Harlow, Louisville loves to support its local artists. 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. McCain grew up in Sacramento and spent a majority of his life in the . Eventually, Wrenn ran into legal troubles, thus ending his bid at the pros. Maggette was smooth and fun to watch doing everything on the floor." 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. Texas (575 Athletes) California (399 Athletes) Florida (389 Athletes) Illinois (308 Athletes) New York (299 Athletes) Georgia (294 Athletes) She doesnt appear to share anything about her private life with others, though. He was selected 13th overall by the Trail Blazers and his pro career proceeded to be a never-ending shuffle. Drafted in the 2000 NBA Draft after putting on a show in numerous high school all-star games he was so spectacular that Michael Jordan endorsed the Clippers taking him near the top of the. The NBA has been home to plenty of elite ball handlers, but in all fairness, point guard Marques Hayenes was on another level. There are some basketball high school phenoms that simply never take that next step at the pro level, whereas others are even better as pros. Our editorial content is not influenced by any commissions we receive. The only thing I could think was, There can't be eight players better than him. Cooke declared for the 2002 NBA Draft after three different teams promised him they would draft him. Tyreke Evans 3. 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. Players who made the most successful jumps from high school to the NBA, The paths of KD and Kyrie: How one month changed three franchises and two superstar legacies, Morant to miss two games after video with gun, Grizzlies' Clarke tore Achilles, out for season, 'Not going out this way': Nets, down 28, stun C's, Kerr touts 5-0 homestand: Dubs 'turned a corner', KD: Mavs tilt, Kyrie meeting 'just another game', Sources: Dragic joining Bucks for rest of season, Nets filling out big-man depth with Noel signing, Isaac has surgery on adductor, done for season. MORE: Jalen Brunson is SN Player of Year. That also is where the aforementioned indelible moment happened. I remember he dunked the ball so hard on a fast-break, the portable goal just collapsed to the ground. Mar 1, 2023, 4:15pm PST. Lance . By the time Weaver reached high school, you couldn't get a seat at the gym. We take an in-depth look at the greatest high school hoopers ever, and how their stats compare. Of course, Williamson is not just a great athlete; hes a great basketball player. There was no Ball is Life, Overtime or Mars Reel. 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. But when the Nets told Ryan to hone his skills in the NBA's former minor league, the CBA, Black Jack gave up his pro playing aspirations and gave up on the game altogether. He waspronounced dead later that evening at Daniel Freeman Marina Hospital. They either flamed out in college or flamed out in the pros which means the highpoint of their basketball careers came as teenagers. There weren't. 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. These guys seemed destined for greatness, but they peaked in high school 15 Basketball High School Phenoms Who Never Made It In The NBA. He added six rebounds, four assists and one steal in 32 minutes, attempting double-digit 3 . Sun-Times Player of the Year. They had to wheel out another one. Inside His Life! By 18, Telfair was on the cover of Sports Illustrated and just months later he was drafted by the Portland Trail Blazers. On November 25, 2020, she made her collegiate debut for Iowa, scoring 27 points in a 96-81 victory over Northern Iowa. In 2014 he grew tired of the NBAs minor league system and headed back overseas. Is The Famous Actress And Comedian, Aubrey Plaza, Married? LennyCooke was once considered a bigger high school star than our no. Yet, for all the incredible individuals who left their mark on the NBA, there are those who, while talented enough to play in the league, never got the chance. Know About Her Amusing Dating History. It's unfortunate Ebi didn't make it in the NBA. 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. Call Star reporter Kyle Neddenriep at (317) 444-6649. Type above and press Enter to search. He would play only 103 games in the NBA and his career was over by the age of 23. 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. Oftentimes, you'd go into an AAU game, having never laid eyes on your opponent before opening tipoff. With the playoffs underway, it's time to see who stands out as the best of the best so far. 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. Avon defeats Danville 61-49 on Friday, February 24, 2023. Who is IHSAA boys basketball player of the week? Our staff picks includeone of the greatest basketball players of all time, but there are a few cautionary tales in the mix too. 7 recruit in his class would average all of 3.7 PPG in two seasons with the Gators and declared for the 2015 NBA Draft. He was seen as the surer thing between he and fellow top prospect Kevin Durant, whom many felt wouldn't last in the NBA due to his lanky frame. Know Her Career And Life! 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. What happens if an high school basketball star decides to throw a "direct to the NBA Draft" party and no one decides to show? The nights watching tournament games at the State Fairgrounds in Columbus affectionately known as the 'The Barn' were the best. Ethan Roseman, Bishop Chatard: The freshman guard had 18 points, five assists, four rebounds and a steal as Chatard rolled to a 67-38 win over Tech. 9 in the next summer's NBA Draft. The Mavs were probably a bad fit for Smith, as they were coached by Don Nelson, an old-school type who was particularly hard on rookies. --and five NBA titles later, the rest is history. 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. Said former Lynwood coach Bill Lee:Ive seen Jerry West, Oscar Robertson, and Michael Jordan and Ive never seen anyone better with the basketball. 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. Pretty sure I gave him the same look. Like many of the players on this list, Cisse switched schools, finishing up at St. Jude Catholic High. 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. He went for 24 points, six rebounds and three steals in a 69-39 win over Wood Memorial. I had no motivation to attend beyond my simple desire to verify the internet sensation with my own eyes. The No. He also set a state record for blocked shots in a game--and he did that in the very first half of his very first game! Buta lack of inner motivation proved to be a distraction, and the closest Ryan ever came to the NBA was a tryout he had with the then-New Jersey Nets in 1990. Philadelphia's other former top picks who have had to sit out their first yearNerlens Noel, Ben Simmons, and Joel Embiidhave recovered and blossomed into fine young NBA players, and odds are that Fultz will do the same. . 1. No, that isn't comedian Carrot Top, that's NBA flame-out Robert Swift, a great high school player that managed to get Garces High School (Bakersfield, CA) ranked in the USA Today top 25 teams during the 2002-03 season. True, Washburn is now a cautionary tale, and always will be. Despite my best defensive efforts, Latta was able to score 54 points against my team, the future 4A State Champions. He would eventually move on to play in the CBA before retiring in 2003. 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. 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. Kevin Love 6. 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. 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 . There might be a player or two in here you've never heard of. 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. Best move: Uses a hesitation dribble to free the defender then shoots a 3-pointer or blows past for a lay-up. When you're known by just two letters--as in "KG"--you have to be something special. I had the unfortunate pleasure of guarding her while I played for Dorman High School. Tadd Haislop. Our two best players wound up signing with Florida State and East Tennessee State. 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? Wren basketball wins first ever boys state championship, beats Crestwood 56-49. He was so skilled that the Lakers even selected him in the NBAs 1971 hardship draft. 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. This is what I wrote in Sporting News after seeing LeBron James play as a rising junior at the 2001 ABCD Camp in New Jersey: 'Some baby boomers who've got me by a few years make a big deal of the first time they saw The Beatles on 'The Ed Sullivan Show.' The Philadelphia 76ers selected Raymond Lewis with the No. Only twice has a player won the award two times: LeBron James and Greg Oden. The two brothers she has are Blake and Colin. Cooke's story is proof positive there is a very thin line between achieving athletic greatness and being mired in obscurity. Alston. Cooke did have good times, first at Lane High in Brooklyn and then he moved on to La Salle Academy in Manhattan. 4 in MaxPreps Top 25 rankings. 'Man among boys'was not a cliche with him. I remember listening to Weaver's first high school game against Lancaster on the radio. Demetrius Hook Mitchell may have only been 5-foot-9, but the man who could jump over a Volkswagen was a legend on the playgrounds of Oakland. With that in mind, heres a look at the nine best players who fit this description. AIKEN For the first time in its history and in coach Fran Campbell's 39-year stint at the school, the Wren boys . Some players are just a flash in the pan. Favorite . How Tall Is Basketball Player Caitlin Clark? Her father participated in baseball and basketball at Simpson College. For the last three seasons hes played for three different teams in the Chinese Basketball Association. She was leading in the nation in assists (214), points (799), points per game (26.6), made field goals (266), and made 3-pointers (116), and second in assists per game (7.1) and 3-pointers per game (3.87). All eight players went on to play in the NBA. Howard opted to forego college and head straight for the draft where he was the number one overall selection by the Orlando Magic. Top Basketball States. O.J. Right after his junior prom, Tyler announced he was dropping out of school and heading overseas to start his pro basketball career. I vividly remember his first post-stretch action being a rebound off a teammate's missed warm-up jumper. Oden lived up to his billing in college, leading the Ohio State Buckeyes to the National Championship game. After bouncing around myriad high schools in two states, he enrolled at a private school in Orlando for his senior season. The San Antonio Spurs drafted him first overall in 1997. A post shared by Caitlin Clark (@caitlinclark22). And one more player was drafted but never made it to any teams -- he died at age 20 in his own bed while sleeping. 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. 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. Whether or not he actually finished high school is up for debate as he didnt qualify academically at the University of Florida. When I was a freshman at Independence HighJamison was a senior at Providence, our archrival in just about every sport. How Tall is POP Star I Cant Breath Singer Bebe Rexha? Follow Nonstop Sports Instagram - https://instagram.com/nons. "You know every move each other is going to make . Below is our take on the 30 greatest basketball players to never play in the NBA. There is no comparison to me, Gary Payton, Antonio Davis, Greg Foster or Brian Shaw.. He went in the second round of the 1994 draft to the Pacers, his hometown team. 1 overall pick to be sent down to the D-League. 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. 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. He played one year in Israel and one year in Japan before being drafted in the second round in 2011 by Charlotte. Whether it was bad luck, bad advice, or tragedy, here are the top 5 football / basketball players who never made it in their professional sports league. Seconds after throwing down a vicious alley-oop during the 1990West Coast Conference tournament championship game, Gathers unexpectedlycollapsed. In contrast, the most well-known NBA contracts, according to Go Banking Rates, are worth more than $40 million for an 82-game regular season, or $487,800 per game. Bryant lead the "Aces" to the Pennsylvania state title in '96, and in 2010, the school named their new gymnasium for the hoops legend. He last played, professionally, in 2005 and was arrested in 2009 for failing to appear in court for a child support hearing. Nick Birdsong. When Butler was with the 2006-07 San Antonio Spurs, a very telling comment by coach Gregg Popovich revealed the player's true nature: "Most of (Butler's) playing time in the initial part of the season is going to be in practice, learning what a work ethic is day in and day out and what it takes to play at this level.". 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. 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. Her zodiac sign is Aquarius, based on the day of her birth. She is 5 feet 11 inches tall and 70 kg, and she has a slim build. He was later recruited by Chicago's DePaul University, but was ruled academically ineligible. He also attracted the biggest of stars as LeBron James and Carmelo Anthony attended some of his high school games. 1 forward in the Class of 2012 while attending Findlay Prep in Nevada. In the 2010s, seeing high schoolers do things beyond their sizes is almost commonplace. First player in Chicago history to ever be named top high school player in the nation in 1983-84. Unfortunately, instead of showcasing his abilities in the NBA, Mitchell was seduced by a life of crime and ended up in prison. 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. 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. Coincidentally, Dawkins also skipped college, but never became the pro on Malone's level. These are the best high school basketball players in the country, state by state, and they represent the future of the game. 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). We wound up matching up against his team late in the tournament. Below is our take on the 30 greatest basketball players to never play in the NBA. It was a Golden Age in Central Ohio hoops in the 1990s. 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.