Before Elgin Baylor became one of the greatest players in NBA history, he starred at Spingarn High School and was named first team All-Met. After graduating from Notre Dame, he was drafted by the Cleveland Cavaliers in 1979, played professionally in Italy for a year, then returned to play for the Cavaliers. Akrons most beloved son has gone out of his way to remain an integral part of that citys fabric even long after becoming the most famous basketball player on the planet. Kobe Bryant developed his closing skills in his youth on the way to greatness. Most obsessively competitive to the detriment of ever having normal human relations with anybody? Nobody garnered the national attention he has attracted in such a short time. But he began to show interest in basketball and relocated to the United States to play college ball at the University of Houston. Prior to that, Robertson starred at Crispus Attucks High School, leading his school to a 31-1 record and winning the 1955 state championship. Later that year, Elliott was drafted third overall by the San Antonio Spurs, the team hed win a championship with in 1999. He helped his high school and Michigan State win championships. Most famous player ever? ESPN ranks Cooper Flagg the nations No. Pros: Chicago Bulls (1987-98, 2003-04), Houston Rockets (1998-99), Portland Trail Blazers (1999-2003). Keeping in mind the abilities, weaknesses, and achievements of all the basketball players, here we have shortened a list of players who are regarded as the greatest of all time. Seven former Montverde players were selected in the 2021 NBA draft, including No. Moreover, he not only faced the incredible pressure of being anointed The Chosen One by Sports Illustrated as a teenager, but hes actually exceeded the lofty expectations set for him. She was the No. Ridnour became a star at Oregon, helping lead the Ducks to an Elite Eight appearance in 2002 and another NCAA tournament appearance. He played for the Chicago Bulls and Washington Wizards and is known for his incredible scoring ability and clutch performances. He averaged 14.1 points and 7 rebounds per game during his time in the league. Haywood was born in Silver City (population: 288) before eventually becoming an NBA champion with the Lakers in 1980. 3 to Sabrina Ionescu at No. He walked on to Central Arkansas as a 6-foot-1 guard, then sprouted to 6-foot-8 and became a lethal weapon. Before Charles Barkley became "The Round Mound of Rebound," he was a stocky, 5-foot-10, 220-pound high schooler who failed to make his varsity squad as a junior. One of the most ebullient personalities to ever play in the NBA, Johnsons charm was a major factor in the massive increase in the leagues popularity during the 1980s. A recent highlight video on YouTube referred to him as the LeBron of Maine. Thats absolutely, positively, 100 percent ludicrous. Were not technically a sports website, but this editor (hi!) But Catchings is the most complete basketball player I have ever seen. Ernie DiGregorio was a phenomenal passer before he made the NBA. The Point God was born in Winston-Salem and would be named the states Mr. Basketball before staying in his hometown to become a college hoops star at Wake Forest. He was drafted by the Timberwolves straight out of high school in 1995 and spent more than 13 seasons of his 21-year NBA tenure there. But in his rookie year, Russell completely changed the franchises course and established the Celtics as the winningest team in the NBA. A few dozen NBA players have come from Connecticut but theres only been one Hall of Famer so far. His entire Hall-of-Fame NBA career was spent with the Boston Celtics and hes now regarded as something close to a saint in that city. 1 overall pick Cade Cunningham. Robinson, who was born in York, is currently in his third year as a pro and has spent it all in Miami, which is as far down the East Coast from his home state that he could possibly go. Moreover, his rivalry with Magic Johnsonwho, spoiler alert, youll see a bit later in this listduring the 1980s launched basketball into an unprecedented level of national popularity that the sport has never fallen from. Born: June 11, 1989, in Jefferson City, Mo. New Mexicos all-time hoops hero, Bill Bridges, spent 13 seasons in the NBA during the 1960s and 70s. He finished his 17-year career with averages of 12.2 points, 5.6 assists and 3.0 rebounds. Before Mr. You will receive an email to complete the registration. He was named to the All-Mountain West Conference second team in his senior year in 2014. On the womens side, Shaftsbury native Nicole Levesque is the only Vermonter to have ever played in the WNBA. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. He was born in Abilene but spent his formative years in California and became an NBA icon with the Boston Celtics. Since the 2016-17 season, hes averaged 11 points per game, typically coming off the bench. NBA MVP five times, 14 times NBA All-Star, ten times All-NBA First Team, nine times All-Defensive First Team, Defensive Player of the Year in 1988, etc. During his historic high school career, he was named Ohios Mr. Basketball a remarkable three times before skipping college and being drafted by the Cleveland Cavaliers first overall in 2003. Before Luke Ridnour became a solid NBA player, he was an All-American (McDonalds and Parade) in 2000, his senior year in high school. In the NBA, Shaq continued his dominance, first with the Orlando Magic and then with the Los Angeles Lakers. Hakeem Olajuwon played center for the Houston Rockets from 1984 until 2001. the best power forwards in the NBA right now, NBA Teams With Championships And Titles In The World, Who Has The Most Steals In An NBA Game? What Is Double Dribble In Basketball? The native of Anchorage eventually played high school ball there before departing for a warmer climate at the University of Kansas, where hed lead the Jayhawks to an NCAA championship in 2008. Starting alongside Magic Johnson, James Worthy, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and A.C. Green. There must be something in the water in Louisiana that turns kids into great basketball players because this might have been the toughest state from which to pick a GOAT. Messalonskees Nick Mayo, a self-admitted basketball late bloomer, set scoring records at Eastern Kentucky and is now enjoying success as a pro player in Japan. He won two championships with the Spurs before retiring in 2016. 1 badass). Oh my, yes. He has had an amazing career and has many achievements. In his prime, Duncan, nicknamed The Big Fundamental by no less a nickname authority than Shaquille ONeal, was one of the most sound players of all time. Michael Jordan: Jordan is widely considered the greatest NBA player of all time. Before that, Scott played three years of college basketball at Arizona State. Discussions between basketball fans have been raging over who are the greatest basketball players of all time to take part in the history of this great game. Absolutely. Kobe Bean Bryant is an American former basketball player. He was born in Las Vegas but played high school and college hoops in Iowa before being drafted by the Hornets in the first round in 1998. To get one, go to the subscriptions page. Maine Duncan Robinson. He was an eight-time All-Star and seven-time All-NBA pick who averaged 18.8 points per game over the last nine years of his career. As a shooting guard, he spent his entire 20-year career with the Los Angeles Lakers in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Olajuwon retired in 2002 and got inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2008. Mims scored 80 percent of his teams points and nearly outscored Bangor himself, and he didnt score a point in the first quarter. Michael Jordan was a player who had it all. WebThe 50 Greatest Players in NBA History, also referred to as NBA's 50th Anniversary All-Time Team, were chosen in 1996 to honor the 50th anniversary of the founding of the He was born in Takoma Park before eventually playing college ball at Maryland, where his No. She Whoever picked this list is not that knowledgeable about high school basketball history. She was the only Vermonter to play in the WNBA. 1 Overall NBA Draft Picks of All Time 2 Chris Webber Power forward and Center from Detroit, Michigan 391 votes Teams: Washington Wizards, Sacramento Kings, Philadelphia 76ers, Golden State Warriors, Detroit Pistons #30 of 142 The Best Philadelphia 76ers of All Time #2 of 49 The Greatest Michigan Basketball Brandon, a sub-6-foot point guard, averaged solid numbers for his career, including 13.8 points and 6.1 assists per game. 2023 Latest, Top 7 Largest NBA Arena By Capacity In The World Now. Theres one player that always comes to mind when you think about excellence. Born: Aug. 14, 1959, in Lansing, Michigan, High school: Everett High School (Lansing, Michigan), Pros: Los Angeles Lakers (1979-1991, 1996). But he was so much more than a dazzling smile. The Hall of Famer was a 12-time All-Star in 14 seasons and won a championship with the Bucks in 1971. West was the main go-to guy in crunch-time, called "Mr. At the University of Colorado, Billups helped end a 28-year NCAA tournament drought in the 1996-97 campaign, upsetting the Indiana Hoosiers before losing to North Carolina. Kevin McHale became a legend early. Basketball has been a popular sport throughout history since its invention in 1891 by a Canadian physical education teacher named James Naismith. Although Jordan abruptly retired from basketball in the 199394 NBA season and started a new career in Minor League Baseball, he rejoined the Bulls in 1995 and led them to three additional championships (19961998). After that, he bounced around to the Minnesota Timberwolves, Miami Heat and San Antonio Spurs. Baylor continued his success at Seattle, leading his team to the 1958 NCAA tournament title game, eventually falling to the Kentucky Wildcats. In his two seasons in the ABA, Barnes averaged more than 24 points per game, which landed on the leagues All-Time Team in 1997. The native of Ames was named Iowas Mr. Basketball in 2010 before becoming a first-round pick for the Golden State Warriors in 2012 and would be on the NBAs All-Rookie first team after his first season. He was a 9-time NBA All-Star and was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2013. In his junior year, he led the nation in scoring at 28.1 points per game and helped Gonzaga get a berth in the NCAA tournament, making it to the Sweet 16 before succumbing to UCLA. He finished his 14-year NBA career averaging 14.1 points, 2.8 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game. He grew four inches in the summer and averaged 20 points per game over his final two years in high school. Have a nice time ahead, Thank you! Shaq then found great success at LSU, becoming a two-time All-American and SEC Player of the Year. Furthermore, in 1996, he was honored as one of the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History. While his entire pro career was spent in Los Angeles, Johnsons brilliant career started up north. The mans desire to be the best is legendary and propelled him to six championships, five MVP awards, All-Star appearances in every full season he played, and the status as possibly the best defender ever. Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. Adams was named rookie of the year in 1976 and eventually had his jersey number retired by the Suns after walking away in 1988. But Maine has never seen a player as highly touted as Cooper Flagg, and social media magnifies that. Its recklessly bad form to compare a high school athlete, even one as unquestionably talented as Flagg, to one of the best players in basketball history. High school: Collins Hill High School (Suwanee, Ga.). In 1991, Jordan won his first NBA championship with the Bulls and followed that achievement with titles in 1992 and 1993, securing a three-peat. 3 high school basketball freshman. He went on to win an MVP in 1995 and was named one of the 50 Greatest NBA Players of All Time in 1996. Before retiring in 2015, he spent 12 seasons in the league, splitting his time with five different franchises but in Seattle for the majority of them. A battle between two dominant defenders made Georgia a tough call but we ultimately sided with Walt Clyde Frazier over Dwight Howard for the honor of being the states best baller. 25 Decade-Defining Events in U.S. History, Timeline of the American Civil Rights Movement, https://www.britannica.com/list/the-10-greatest-basketball-players-of-all-time. The information for this article is taken from Wikipedia. Abdul-Jabbar played for UCLA from 1965 to 1969. Hall of Famers Bob Pettit, Elvin Hayes, Clyde Drexler and Bill Russell all came from the Bayou State but none of them could match Karl Malones superhuman production and longevity in the league. In 1995 they won again, beating the Orlando A former womans canoeing champion of the great state of Maine died last week. Dwyane Wade averaged 20.7 points and 7.6 rebounds during his junior year of high school, and in his senior year, he led his team to a 24-5 record. Jaycee Carroll has gone from local hero to international star in the EuroLeague and FIBA. 23 jersey is now honored by the program. She just didnt do it on Instagram. After that, Hazzard spent 10 seasons playing guard in the NBA, averaging 12.6 points per game and making the All-Star Game with the Seattle SuperSonics during the 1967-68 season. This list is, naturally, incredibly subjective, and shouldnt be taken too seriously. This path has helped Roberson become a strong defensive player. He won the 1992 Slam Dunk Contest with a blindfolded dunk, led the league in field goal percentage (57.6) in 1993 and helped them reach the NBA Finals. John Havlicek. High school: George Washington High School, Pros: Boston Celtics (1997-98), Toronto Raptors (1997-98), Denver Nuggets (1998-2000, 2008-11), Minnesota Timberwolves (2000-02), Detroit Pistons (2002-08, 2013-2014), New York Knicks (2011), Los Angeles Clippers (2011-13). When you've submitted your account email, we will send an email with a reset code. He helped lead his school to back-to-back basketball titles and is the only person to be a high school first team All-American in football, basketball, and baseball. Saturday's contest at Cross Insurance Center has the Maine Black Bears (14-13) squaring off against the Binghamton Bearcats (13-15) at 1:00 PM ET (on February 25). 13. Silver Spring native Victor Oladipo might have something to say about this in a few years but, for now, the title of Marylands best goes to Steve Francis. Our pick for the best baller from Massachusetts never spent any time playing with the Celtics, instead making his name with the Pistons. High school: David Tobias Howard High School, Pros: New York Knicks (1967-77), Cleveland Cavaliers (1977-80). Most important player ever? Sign up and get high school sports news and scores in your inbox from preseason through the championships. Boozer was a workhorse who rarely missed a game during his 11-season career, which saw him average 14.8 points and 8.1 rebounds per game. He was a four-time All-Star and two-time champion and he missed just nine games from 1980-1993, which is remarkable when you consider how many guys he hammered to the floor during his career. Indeedy. He led the Celtics to three championships in the 1980s, which is the same number of times he was named NBA MVP. Prior to becoming "The Logo," Jerry West was a star at West Virginia, helping the Mountaineers grab a Final Four appearance in his junior season. His 14-season NBA career, all spent with the Lakers, included an All-Star selection every single year and 12 appearances on the All-NBA squad. Learn more and register Holmes is climbing her way up Indianas all-time scoring list with 1,852 career points, which ranks sixth in school history, and 753 career rebounds.The Gorham, Maine native is also third all-time in blocked shots (185). Hi, to comment on stories you must create a commenting profile. In his senior season at Florida State, he averaged 18.3 points, 4.9 assists and 4.3 rebounds and led the ACC in steals. She finished her high school career ranked fourth in points scored in state history with 3,047. There have only been two players from Maine to suit up in the NBA and while his legacy is still being built, we gave the nod to Duncan Unless you agree with me, in which case this was the most meaningful thing Ive ever written. In the WNBA, Swoopes was the second player to win the MVP and All-Star game MVP in the same season. But lets take a look at the best basketball players to come from the United States. Levesque played with the Charlotte Sting in the WNBA, averaging 4.0 points and 2.8 assists in 27 games. In the NBA, Bonner spent most of his 12 seasons as a backup power forward, playing behind Tim Duncan in San Antonio. It wasnt until 1894 that he acquired a soccer ball and reduced the team size to nine players per side. This nickname occurred in a family where Charles was always called Charles, and the women had names like Mabel, Marion and Alice. Milwaukee native Latrell Sprewell is remembered by some for one regrettable outburst that nearly derailed his NBA career but he was a great player for many years. He was traded to the Pistons, where he teamed up with Isiah Thomas, Dennis Rodman and Joe Dumars to win back-to-back NBA championships in 1989 and 1990 while becoming one of the most unpopular players in NBA history as the enforcer leader of the "Bad Boys.". A family where Charles was always called Charles, and shouldnt be taken too seriously to. In your inbox from preseason through the championships University of Houston about high school basketball history 1976 and eventually his. 1891 by a Canadian physical education teacher named James Naismith, 5.6 assists and 3.0.. To win an MVP in 1995 and was inducted into the basketball Hall of Famer a... In the NBA, Shaq continued his success at Seattle, leading his to..., beating the Orlando a former womans canoeing champion of the year in 1976 and eventually had his number... 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