best high school basketball player that never made it

Mike DeCourcy. In his 1985 recruiting class he was perceived to be better than Glen Rice, Danny Ferry, Sean Elliott, Pervis Ellison, Rod Strickland and Roy Marble - all who went on to have NBA careers. He probably scored 30-plus points, and I'm not sure I ever saw him put the ball on the floor. 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. 4. 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. Our staff picks includeone of the greatest basketball players of all time, but there are a few cautionary tales in the mix too. The NBA has been home to plenty of elite ball handlers, but in all fairness, point guard Marques Hayenes was on another level. For head coach Kristin Meyer of West Des Moines Dowling High School, Caitlin started all four years. Of course, Williamson is not just a great athlete; hes a great basketball player. Bill Bender. 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. He is a Final Year Engineering student. The San Antonio Spurs drafted him first overall in 1997. He would spend the next three years shuffling between the NBA and the G-League and played a total of 80 NBA games. Oh, what could have been. Everyone remembers the Fab Five of Michigan but did you know there was a Fab Five II? 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. It's still debatable. 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. 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. 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. 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! Some players are just a flash in the pan. Copyright 2023 Sporting News Holdings Limited. 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. Caitlin Clark is an accomplished basketball player born and raised in Iowa, USA. Unique lists featuring pop culture, entertainment and crazy facts. 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. 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. She has been one of the basketball players in the United States who is on the rise. A post shared by Caitlin Clark (@caitlinclark22). By. 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. 15 Basketball High School Phenoms Who Never Made It In The NBA. In 2014 he grew tired of the NBAs minor league system and headed back overseas. 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. Top Basketball States. O.J. Big mistake. It was a Golden Age in Central Ohio hoops in the 1990s. He went for 24 points, six rebounds and three steals in a 69-39 win over Wood Memorial. Caitlin has 214 assists, which is the most by a newbie in programme history. He now plays for the Rio Grande Valley Vipers of the G-League and averaged 5.9 PPG in 2016-17. That was kind of the case with Suntino Korleone Young, whose name seems to derive from the Godfather character Santino 'Sonny' Corleone. 'Estaban.' SHARE High school boys basketball: Orem continues unlikely 5A tourney run, bounces Lehi to advance to semifinals. She was also named Big Ten Freshman of the Year and unanimously selected for both the All-Big Ten Freshman Team and First Team All-Big Ten after the regular season. But imagine an alternate reality where injuries had kept one of these gifted, highly scouted prospects from ever becoming an NBA player. Know All About His Life! Fields subsequently went undrafted by the NBA in the late 1990s, never achieving the greatness of his teammate KG. Earl Manigault was a legendary basketball player with unbelievable hops. 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. The nation's top high school basketball players used to be able to go straight to the draft. From then until I moved out of Pittsburgh in 1993, I went to the Dapper Dan every year. These individuals have broken records, displayed otherworldly talent, and taken the game itself to new heights. Maggette was smooth and fun to watch doing everything on the floor." -. That is, until July 1, 2016 when he was banned from the league for two years for drugs. Press Esc to cancel. Back in the late '90s and early 2000s, there were far fewer, readily accessible media outlets that covered prep sports beyond a local level. Call Star reporter Kyle Neddenriep at (317) 444-6649. 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. During a summer camp Cooke, the then No. He played for four teams in four seasons and even Michael Olowokandi lasted nine seasons in the NBA. Tyreke Evans 3. Candler was 12-for-17 from the field and 4-for-5 from the free-throw line to finish with 28 points, eight rebounds and three assists. The closest he would get to the NBA would be an invitation to the Raptors training camp in 2002 and Ward would play everywhere from the Philippines to Japan to Lebanon during his 13-year pro career. Sean Deveney. The World's Most Entertaining Car Website. Greg Oden did in fact spend a year in college after being hyped up as a future superstar in the NBA. USA Today has named its top high school player since the 1982-83 season. 3 ranked played in the Class of 2001 and had a solid year in college as he averaged over 21 PPG for Memphis. But I had seen what I needed to see: the most impressive display of human athleticism Ive ever witnessed in any athletic competition or showing. Mayo became the first player in 10 years to be banned by the NBA. Such was Garnett's maturity that he was able to bypass college and still exceed expectations. Who was the best high school basketball player you ever saw in person? He was later recruited by Chicago's DePaul University, but was ruled academically ineligible. When Bailey was 14 years old, Indiana coach Bob Knight saw him play and said, Damon Bailey is better than any guard we have right now. Unfortunately, while Los Angeles offered Hammond $50,000 to sign as a rookie, there was just one problem: Hammond was making more money than that on the street, dealing drugs and shooting dice. 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. Thislegend preceded LeBron in Ohio, and it was just as big at the start. When he was just 14 years old, legendary Indiana coach Bobby Knight declared that Bailey was better than any point guard his college team had. In 2017 and 2019, she won two gold medals in the FIBA Americas Tournament and the FIBA World Cup Tournament with Team USA. 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. 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. The 10th is Chris Walker who struggled as soon as he finished high school. Swift then transferred to the dully named Highland High School where he had to win a court battle to be eligible to play. Shes a stunning basketball player with a well-built body. Seconds after throwing down a vicious alley-oop during the 1990West Coast Conference tournament championship game, Gathers unexpectedlycollapsed. 15 Basketball High School Phenoms Who Never Made It In The NBA (And 5 Who Became Bigger Stars). So I've seen nearly every great basketball talent as a high schooler for the past four decades: Ewing, Mourning, Garnett, Davis. 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. Caitlin might have a future plan to reveal it, and if she does, regular readers will be aware of it. USA Today has named its top high school player since the 1982-83 season. Oden would enroll at Ohio State where he was a dominant two-way player and led the team to the National Championship game. It was a well-deserved ranking as the Legend of Mayo had reached epic heights by then. 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. 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. The Philadelphia 76ers selected Raymond Lewis with the No. In 1984, as a senior, he was the Parade Magazine co-player of the year with none other than Danny Manning. 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. With that in mind, heres a look at the nine best players who fit this description. These four players, and many more, skipped college to jump straight from high school to the NBA to great results. Montverde Academy . MISHAWAKA MARIAN (41): Dareon Thornton 3 2-2 10, Deaglan Sullivan 7 5-6 21, Jackson Price 1 0-0 3, Deuce Owens 1 0-0 2, Zion Rhoades 1 3-4 5 TOTAL: 13 10-12 41 Some ballers opted not to enter the league for monetary reasons (back in the day, most NBA players made meager, five-figure salaries). She started every game she played in as a freshman in 201617, contributing to her teams 195 record and trip to the state quarterfinals with game averages of 5.3 points, 3.3 rebounds, 4.7 assists, and 2.25 steals. 'Whatever seed we are, we're ready': Is there room for Cleveland among the East elite? In addition, she also retains the award of Iowa Gatorade Player-of-the-Year in 2019 and 2020. 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. Favorite . 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. Either way, they never really "made it" as a pro. 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. Young was a talented small forward from Kansas but even his high school coach was surprised he opted to skip college. I have no idea how many points Williamson scored that day, but I do remember being disappointed when the game turned into a blowout. Despite his stock at an all-time low, he declared for the draft and was taken in the second round by the Grizzlies. He was selected 13th overall by the Trail Blazers and his pro career proceeded to be a never-ending shuffle. 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. However, since breaking Duke's all-time scoring. 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. Gabriella Brooks and Liam Hemsworth Were Spotted Together Following Miley Cyrus Release Of A Song About Him. 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. But it became clear very soon that Bailey had peaked in high school. MORE: What drives LeBron's next decision? Only two members of the Fab Five II would go on to play in the NBA: Maceo Baston and Maurice Taylor. 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). Caitlin Clark is a college basketball player who has been involved in the sport throughout her entire life. Unique lists featuring pop culture, entertainment and crazy facts. Her date of birth is not known. 5. She doesnt appear to share anything about her private life with others, though. ', Was I wrong about any of that? Will Spellman, Center Grove: Spellman had 18 points, six rebounds, four blocked shots and three assists as Center Grove defeated Brownsburg 61-60 in a top-10 matchup. AIKEN For the first time in its history and in coach Fran Campbell's 39-year stint at the school, the Wren boys . "Growing up in Charlotte in the mid-90s, it was impossible to ignore the hype surrounding a local basketball star named Antawn Jamison. Cell phones throughout that crowd were set in video mode and trained on Williamson before he even finished his stretches. She has amassed more than 10 thousand followers on her Instagram site. 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. Therefore, in most of these cases, as you shall discover, college probably would have been a good idea for the player in question. They were the best onthe court, and it wasn't close. How Tall Is Celebrity Singer Paula Abdul? Maggette was smooth and fun to watch doing everything on the floor." The No. D.J. By 18, Telfair was on the cover of Sports Illustrated and just months later he was drafted by the Portland Trail Blazers. Tyler remains the first and only player to not only skip college to turn pro, but he skipped part of high school as well. 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." The man who was once dubbed The Spanish Michael Jordan reached his peak at just the age of 14. Because ESPN ranked her as the second best guard, more people started paying attention to what she had to say about the game. 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. Ebi was well regarded after leading Westbury Christian Academy to three Texas state titles, but then the forward made the crucial mistake of thinking he was better than he actually was, and skipped college. Telfair also had various run-ins with the law including multiple arrests for possession of weapons. On Caitlins current financial situation, nothing is known. Wren basketball wins first ever boys state championship, beats Crestwood 56-49. 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. 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. 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. The physical resemblance to Shaq went all the way to his extra-low haircut and the occasional cross-eyed expression (but ended with the notable gap in his front teeth). 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. We wound up matching up against his team late in the tournament. It's unfortunate Ebi didn't make it in the NBA. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. 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. He was rated the No. After bouncing around myriad high schools in two states, he enrolled at a private school in Orlando for his senior season. best high school basketball player that never made it. He last played professionally in 2007 in Argentina. Follow Nonstop Sports Instagram - https://instagram.com/nons. Consensus college player of the year Michael Jordan doing it was one thing. But before all that, center/power forward Butler was an excellent post player,twice being Mississippi's "Mr. Basketball" (2002 and '03). I remember he dunked the ball so hard on a fast-break, the portable goal just collapsed to the ground. He would eventually move on to play in the CBA before retiring in 2003. Howard practically fulfilled the selection by taking the 2008-09 Magic all the way to the NBA Finals. The basketball player was born to Brent and Anne Nizzi Clark, her sisters. But Bryant's still not good enough to top this list. Cooke declared for the 2002 NBA Draft after three different teams promised him they would draft him. But Maggette was the best all-around player on the floor against a favorite team that had Kentucky recruit Ryan Hogan. Below is the ESPN High School Boys' Basketball Top 25 for the week of Feb. 27, 2023. 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. 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. Jordan really didn't top that one until the 1988 NBA dunk contest maybe. McCain grew up in Sacramento and spent a majority of his life in the . Seriously, that's how you had to do it. 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.' It is currently unknown who her companion is. 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). But damn are they fast." Michael Dyer Dyers freshman year at Auburn not only brought NFL potential but also a national championship. He went in the second round of the 1994 draft to the Pacers, his hometown team. 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. 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. These are the best high school basketball players in the country, state by state, and they represent the future of the game. 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. For us, we remember when we saw these players for the first time. He played for eight different teams and was traded six different times including in the deal that sent Kevin Garnett to Boston. Well never know. "Normally, when a kid is thinking about something like this, you'll hear about it, said Youngs high school coach. He was the best player on his varsity team when he was just in 7th grade. Below is our take on the 30 greatest basketball players to never play in the NBA. First player in Chicago history to ever be named top high school player in the nation in 1983-84. Those in the Columbus area who remember watching Weaver play in the '90s will tell you 100 variations of thissame legend. Vinnie Iyer, "Before she starred at North Carolinaand was later drafted No. Chris Washburn's one moment makes him my choice." In recent years, Howard has dampened his stature as an NBA pro. 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. Graham made a spot start for the Spurs on Thursday, finishing with 18 points on 5 of 10 shooting. Oden was already being called the next Patrick Ewing or the next Tim Duncan when he was just 16 years old. How good could Wilson have been? But then it all went downhill for Fields, who fractured a bone in his neck before his senior year playoffs. Complex Media, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 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. Williams was a star with two different high schools in Mississippi and Texas and was ranked in the top 20 prospects of 2009. 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. Though Bryant was drafted #13 overall by the Charlotte Hornets, of course, such an obscure franchise was beneath Kobe's destined greatness, so he promptly engineered a curious trade to the Los Angeles Lakers (for Vlade Divac?) Howard opted to forego college and head straight for the draft where he was the number one overall selection by the Orlando Magic. 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. 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. Despite being an unathletic, overweight and undersized power forward, the Cavs thought he was worthy of the top pick of the 2013 draft. In this blog post, we are going to talk about the Best High School Basketball Player That Never Made It. 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. Her favourite NBA player is Kevin Durant, and Maya Moore was her basketball role model when she was little. Michael Beasley 2. Caitlin has played basketball since she was very little. The World's Most Entertaining Car Website. 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. 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. But the team played with just five eligible varsity players after a fight during a game last . Our editorial content is not influenced by any commissions we receive. Averaged 19.4 points, 5 . 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. 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. I could tell you what happened next, but I'd rather show you. "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. I had no motivation to attend beyond my simple desire to verify the internet sensation with my own eyes. Jerry West is one of the most accomplished players in NBA history. LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, Kevin Garnett and Tracy McGrady are all examples of when the prep-to-pro process works out. 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). The most vivid thing I remember was how fast Jamison would get his shot off after catching a pass. 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. 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. 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. Texas (575 Athletes) California (399 Athletes) Florida (389 Athletes) Illinois (308 Athletes) New York (299 Athletes) Georgia (294 Athletes) 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. Clark started playing basketball at age five. At 26.6 points per game, Caitlin set the Iowa freshman record and led NCAA Division I scoring in 202021. 1 entry. 1 player in the nation and skipped college altogether, going No. Basketball scorers start young. For the last three seasons hes played for three different teams in the Chinese Basketball Association. After being named Mr. USA Basketball in 1990, Knight recruited Bailey to play for Indiana. The ironically nicknamed "Black Jack" Ryan represents the only "great white hope" of this list. 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. 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. Her zodiac sign is Aquarius, based on the day of her birth. Swift was going to hoop for USC, which probably would have been been the smarter decision. For this piece, let's take a look at the 10 best basketball players to never play in the NBA. It didn't disappoint. After being named Mr. Basketball USA in 1990, Bailey joined Knight in Bloomington, Indiana. 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 . 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. He was the No. 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.