Seven former Montverde players were selected in the 2021 NBA draft, including No. Then, Robertson starred at Cincinnati, leading the Bearcats to two NCAA Final Four appearances and a 79-9 record when he was there. After coming from tiny Summerfield, Malone played college ball at Louisiana Tech before spending all but one season of his career with the Utah Jazz and finishing second in career points and minutes played in NBA history. He was rookie of the year in 1971, league MVP in 1973, a three-time member of the All-Defensive first team and an eight-time All-Star. Listed at 7 ft 0 in (2.13 m), Olajuwon is also considered one of the greatest centers ever to play the game. Read Kareem Abdul-Jabbars Britannica essay on the New York Rens. Thats why its a good thing for us that Michael Jordan was born there because it takes all the work out of sorting through those hundreds of options to find the best one. Then Ceballos went the junior college route and played at Ventura College, before catching the attention of NBA scouts at Cal State Fullerton. While his famously vanilla playing style and quiet demeanor kept him from having a cultural impact similar to the other greats, his four championships, 14 All-Star Games, and two NBA MVP awards are indisputable evidence of his fantastic ability. 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. Plus his 30.1 points per game is the NBAs highest career scoring average. And it forgets. Current star Domantas Sabonis could take the honor of Oregons best in years to come but for now it belongs to Brandon. After helping the Seminoles advance to the Elite Eight in the 1993 NCAA tournament where they lost to the Kentucky he was drafted by the Houston Rockets in the first round with the 24th overall pick. After high school, he did not attend an elite basketball program, but instead became one of the premier college basketball players in Division II for Southern Illinois University. Lionel Hollins is a basketball lifer. Michael also earned the nicknames Air Jordan and His Airness. He went on to play college hoops at the University of Oregon, where he was named the Pac-10s player of the year in 1991. Elliott was a consensus All-American in his junior season at the University of Arizona and led his team to the Final Four. As a sophomore, Miller led the Florida Gators to the 2000 NCAA championship game, only to lose to Michigan State. At Wake Forest, she was a two-time All-ACC Second-Team selection, the school leader in minutes, free throws made and free-throw percentage, while being second all-time in assists. 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. High school: Lawrence High School (Fairfield, Maine), Pros: Cleveland Rockers (1998), Sacramento Monarchs (1999-2001). Were not technically a sports website, but this editor (hi!) Why Michael Jordan Was The Best By Neil Paine Filed under NBA Michael Jordans reputation as the GOAT has withstood the tests of both time and science. LeBron James overtook Kareem Abdul-Jabbar as the NBAs leading scorer in February 2023.]. Her success followed her in college as she led the University of Connecticut to three consecutive national titles. Cindy Blodgett starred at Lawrence High School, leading the school to an 84-4 record in the four years she was there. 1. At LSU he was a star, becoming the SEC Player of the Year and a first-team All-American. Its time for BritannicaOK, one editor at Britannicato jump into the perpetually unresolved greatest ever in [insert sport here] fray. In one season of high school ball, hes well on his way. Basketball players come from all over America: cold states, warm states and everything in between. So here is the article on the greatest basketball players of all time. Sheryl Swoopes is a Texas legend. Matt Bonner helped Concord High School to three state championships. Born: June 11, 1989, in Jefferson City, Mo. Hakeem Olajuwon played center for the Houston Rockets from 1984 until 2001. 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. After leading Nokomis to the first boys basketball title in school history, Cooper and Ace will continue their basketball careers at Floridas Montverde Academy, a school that regularly produces college and NBA players. High school: Collins Hill High School (Suwanee, Ga.). In my free time, you can find me lost in a good book, traveling to new and exciting places, or simply enjoying the beauty of nature. Heres why. The 6-foot-7 shooting guard/small forward honed his skills at the University of Colorado, finishing third in rebounding in the 2011-2012 season and second in 2012-2013. Fantasy Basketball. In the WNBA, Delle Donne has become a productive star, helping the Washington Mystics advance to their first-ever WNBA Finals in 2018. While Im too young to have ever seen him play, his statistics are so mind-blowing that I wish I had a time machine for the express purpose of going back and seeing him in action. High school: Dominguez High School (Compton, Calif.), College: Ventura (1986-88), Cal State Fullerton (1988-90), Pros: Phoenix Suns (1990-94, 1997-98), Los Angeles Lakers (1994-97), Dallas Mavericks (1998-2000), Detroit Pistons (2000), Miami Heat (2000-01), Las Vegas Slam (2002), Harlem Globetrotters (2002), Hapoel Tel Aviv (2002), Lokomotiv Mineralnye Vody (2002-03), Sioux Falls Skyforce (2003), San Miguel Beermen (2003-04), Los Angeles Stars (2004-05), Orange County/Maywood Buzz (2005-07, 2008-11), Phoenix Flame (2007). 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). Soon after his sophomore year, he declared for the NBA draft, going seventh to the Warriors in 2012. Born: Sept. 16, 1934, in Washington, D.C. Died: March 22, 2021, in Los Angeles, California (age 86), High School: Phelps Vocational School, Spingarn High School (Washington, D.C.), College: College of Idaho (1954-55), Seattle (1956-58), Pros: Minneapolis Lakers (1958-60), Los Angeles Lakers (1960-72). Before he became forever linked to hoops in North Carolina and Chicago, Jordan was born in Brooklyn and lived there for a few years of his early childhood. In the WNBA, she spent one season with the Cleveland Rockers before being traded to the Sacramento Monarchs and playing three more seasons. Whoever picked this list is not that knowledgeable about high school basketball history. While Hinrich had the longer career, Barnes is still working on his and has produced slightly better numbers so far. Following his 10-year playing career, Hollins wore a coaching suit for over 30 years. Success at the WNBA level followed as she helped lead the Phoenix Mercury to their first WNBA title over the defending champion, Detroit Shock in 2007. Before that, she helped lead Alliance High School to a state title as a freshman in 2007. He helped the Lakers win their first NBA title in Los Angeles in 1972. Before she became one of the best players in WNBA history, she helped the Texas Tech Lady Raiders to an NCAA womens basketball championship in her senior year. In the NBA, Bonner spent most of his 12 seasons as a backup power forward, playing behind Tim Duncan in San Antonio. One of the greatest defenders in history, he was named to the leagues prestigious All-Defensive first team eight times. High school: Bartlett High School (Anchorage), Pros: Miami Heat (2008-15), Memphis Grizzlies (2015-16). When people knocked him for not winning championships early in his career, they overlooked that he almost single-handedly took an overmatched Cleveland Cavaliers squad to the 2007 NBA finals at just 22 years old. Magic helped turn the Lakers team into "Showtime" and led Los Angeles to five NBA championships in nine seasons, including back-to-back titles in 1987 and 1988, on his way to becoming the greatest showman the game has ever seen. She was an All-American as a freshman and sophomore in high school and led her team o four consecutive state championship appearances. He was a two-time All-American and four-time All-ACC basketball player at Georgia Tech, helping the Yellow Jackets win an ACC championship in his junior season. Kevin McHale became a legend early. Then, at Nebraska, she helped the Cornhuskers reach the NCAA tournament. Every decision he and his twin brother, Ace, have made when it comes to their burgeoning basketball careers has been made by the Flagg family with much thought. B Cindy Blodgett Brett In the NBA, he made a name for himself by becoming an elite floor general, with a steady midrange jump shot and toughness on defense for his 6-foot, 175-pound size. High school: McClymonds High School (Oakland, Calif.). This season, Holmes has also earned recognition on the 2023 Lisa Leslie Award preseason watch list and the 2023 Jersey He won five NBA championships with the Lakers. 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. Long before Larry Bird became an NBA Hall of Famer, he was "The Hick From French Lick" a basketball prodigy from Indiana who set the all-time scoring record at Springs Valley High School, averaging 31 points, 21 rebounds and four assists his senior year. We gave the nod to White because of his multiple rings and his starring role on some stacked Celtics teams in the 1970s. Murphy spent at 13 of his NBA seasons with the Rockets organization, rarely missing games and averaging 17.9 points per game. Kevin Garnett was one of the fiercest competitors in basketball. Powers 1964 team not only had the best player ever in Lew Alcindor, but Jack Bettridge made 2nd team Parade AA, they had 69 guy up front with Alcindor, a total of 4 DI signees. The seeds of intensity were planted in South Carolina, where he was named National High School Player of the Year after his junior season at Mauldin. Copyright 2022 Cricket Concept . For most of his childhood, he dreamed of becoming a soccer player like his father. Speaking of guards who are still in the league as of this writing, Tyler Johnson represents his home state of North Dakota, which hasnt exactly cranked out the ballers so far. He was born in Grand Forks, which is one of the biggest cities in the state, but spent his high school and college careers in California. High school: Saint Francis (Mountain View, Calif.), Pros: Sioux Falls Skyforce (2014-15), Miami Heat (2015-19), Phoenix Suns (2019-20), Brooklyn Nets (2020-present). Oh my, yes. Kobe Bean Bryant is an American former basketball player. In the NBA, he continued to have a defensive impact as he ranks 12th on the all-time blocks list and was the Defensive Player of the Year in 2007. Thats what social media does. In high school, he broke a city record for points scored in one game. Jerry West is synonymous with basketball in his home state, as he was born in tiny Chelyan before becoming a national star at the University of West Virginia in the late 1950s. Walt Frazier took the road less traveled to stardom. The Hall of Famer averaged a career double double of 17.8 points and 10 rebounds per game. He first tasted glory at Ames High School, leading the school to an Iowa 4A State championship in his junior and senior years. He was born in Lansing and had an outstanding high school hoops career there before staying very close to home and playing at Michigan State, a program that he led to a national championship in 1979. Others play overseas. Russell overcame racial taunts in college and then in the NBA, where he was the centerpiece of one of the greatest dynasties the Association has ever seen. He was born and raised in the city of Mitchell, which is in the southeastern part of the state. He also won numerous awards and achieved many accolades. 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