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. ESPN ranks Cooper Flagg the nations No. After leading his team to back-to-back state championships, he also became Ohios Mr. Basketball as well as the USA Today High School Player of the Year twice (2002 and 2003). Before he became synonymous with South Florida hoops, Wade was a star high school player in the suburb of Oak Lawn. The Flaggs should sprint toward this opportunity. In the NBA, Johnson was a three-time MVP who led the Lakers to five championships in the 1980s as one of the most versatile players in history. Pros: Tulsa Shock/Dallas Wings (2014-16), Besiktas (2014-15), South East Queensland Stars (2015-16), Connecticut Sun (2017), Atlanta Dream (2017), Chicago Sky (2017). High school: Evanston High School (Evanston, Wyo. Griffin was the first overall pick in the 2009 draft and, after sitting out his first season with an injury, made an impact right away with the Los Angeles Clippers, being named rookie of the year in 2011. Payton is also Oh, and while this has nothing to do with his ranking on this list, its still incredibly awesome and noteworthy that he has successfully fought off HIV for over two decades, helped de-stigmatize AIDS through his high-profile advocacy, and launched a second career as an entrepreneur who opens businesses predominantly in poverty-stricken areas in efforts to spur urban revitalization. His story still unfolding. In college at North Carolina, Jordan made the game-winner in the 1982 NCAA championship game against Georgetown, which featured future NBA great Patrick Ewing. He then played for Florida and was a first-team All-SEC selection in his senior year and an honorable mention for an All-American. Before he had a solid college career at Florida State and a pro career in Europe, Ralph Mims scored 41 points, including 35 in a row, for Brunswick in a 51-42 win over Bangor in the 2004 Eastern Class A championship game. 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. He eventually won three NBA championships and was a 13-time All-Star, all with the Miami Heat. 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. He was born in Oklahoma City and delighted the basketball fans in his home state when he stayed home to play college ball at the University of Oklahoma. Ernie DiGregorio was a phenomenal passer before he made the NBA. The Mailman may not have won a ring but he ranks right near the top of many of the NBAs all-time records. After tensions between Shaq and Kobe arose, Shaq was traded to the Miami Heat in 2004 and won his final title in 2006 with Dwyane Wade. 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. Pros: Denver Nuggets (1990-96), Sacramento Kings (1996-98), Fenerbahce (1998-99), Vancouver Grizzlies (2000-01), Ural Great (2003-04), Sedima Roseto (2004-05), Aris BC (2006-07), Al-Ittihad (2007-08), Kyoto Hannaryz (2009-11). He played for the Chicago Bulls and Washington Wizards and is known for his incredible scoring ability and clutch performances. He was born in Greenville and spent most of his high school career there before finishing it in Illinois. 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. As a senior, Carroll set the state record for points per game with 39.4. Then, she helped lead UConn to a couple of NCAA championships in 2009 and 2010. In the NBA, Iverson became known for his quickness and tough drives to the basket, where he would take a lot of contact. Levesque played with the Charlotte Sting in the WNBA, averaging 4.0 points and 2.8 assists in 27 games. Kobe is an 18-time All-Star, a 15-time member of the All-NBA Team, and also a 12-time member of the All-Defensive team. He won a championship with the Warriors during his final season in 1975. Sign up and get high school sports news and scores in your inbox from preseason through the championships. While the northernmost state might not be a haven for hoops talent, it has given us a very good player in Chalmers. 3 college prospect in the Class of 2025. She also was a three-time MVP, three-time Defensive Player of the Year and four-time WNBA champion. Nevada has not exactly been a hotbed for basketball talent over the years, so the pickings here were pretty slim, but Ricky Davis enjoyed a long career in the NBA as a journeyman shooting guard and small forward. In the NBA, McHale helped the Celtics become champions in 1981, 1984 and 1986 as a sixth man, and he was also a seven-time All-Star. Mims scored 80 percent of his teams points and nearly outscored Bangor himself, and he didnt score a point in the first quarter. Point guard Luke Ridnour is the only Idahoan to last more than five years in the NBA, according to Basketball Reference. 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. The 69 Johnson (making him the NBAs tallest point guard) not only posted the best assists-per-game mark in league history (11.2) but had a tremendous all-around game, as well. Abdul-Jabbar played for UCLA from 1965 to 1969. Bobby Knight who coached him in the 84 Olympics once made a statement saying he is the best player to ever play any team sport. Nicole Levesque was named one of the 50 Greatest Sports Figures from Vermont. Dont be fooled by his humble small-college provenance and the Hick from French Lick nicknameLarry Bird was one of the fiercest competitors and greatest smack-talkers in NBA history. Bryant died in a helicopter crash in California in 2020. 1 Overall NBA Draft Picks of All Time #47 of 80 The Best Point Guards Currently in the NBA #27 of 34 High school: East Bank High School (East Bank, W.Va.). But he didnt earn his place on this list though some sort of vague, ethereal winningness. Russell was one of the fiercest defenders of all time and he redefined the value of blocking shots, in addition to averaging an incredible 22.5 rebounds per game over his career. He also won numerous awards and achieved many accolades. Following his 10-year playing career, Hollins wore a coaching suit for over 30 years. Cedric Ceballos gets the nod over his fellow islander, Red Rocha, because he had a longer career and better stats. Hes led the league four times in assists and six times in steals, making him undoubtedly one of the best pure point guards to ever play the position. The products and services mentioned below were selected independent of sales and advertising. Olajuwon led his college squad to three straight National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) championships and also earned a reputation as a dominating defensive player with an agile ability to hit shots from all over the court. 1-ranked recruit and a McDonalds All-American coming out of high school. He led the Celtics to three championships in the 1980s, which is the same number of times he was named NBA MVP. This winning combination of talent and hard work is why Michael Jordan is still revered today as the greatest basketball player of all time. The Houston Rockets selected him as the first overall pick of the 1984 NBA draft, and he made an immediate splash in his rookie season by winning that years NBA Defensive Player of the Year award. For his career, Spree averaged 18.3 points per game, which is easily the best mark for any player born in Wisconsin. However, during the summer, Barkley shot up to 6-foot-4 and made the varsity team, leading them to a 26-3 record and the state semifinals in his senior year. Calvin Murphy was born and raised in Norwalk, which is in the New York City metro area. Only two NBA players have come from Hawaii so far and both were All-Stars at some point. High school: Harold L. Richards High School, Pros: Miami Heat (2003-16, 2018-present), Chicago Bulls (2016-17), Cleveland Cavaliers (2017-18). He was the key ingredient in the Chicago Bulls dynasty of the 90s, leading them to victory in six NBA titles. In 1995 they won again, beating the Orlando He's now known as "Larry Legend. Before Mr. Murphy spent at 13 of his NBA seasons with the Rockets organization, rarely missing games and averaging 17.9 points per game. But basketball was his true love, and he became a household name by hitting a game-winning buzzer-beater against Notre Dame in the 1981 NCAA tournment. He never won a ring, but he was inducted into in the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2016 and remains one of the most popular players in NBA history. Before he became perhaps the all-time icon of hoops in the city of Cincinnati, Ohio, Oscar Robertson was born in the small town of Charlotte, Tennessee. He went on to win an MVP in 1995 and was named one of the 50 Greatest NBA Players of All Time in 1996. He finished his 17-year career with averages of 12.2 points, 5.6 assists and 3.0 rebounds. Your email address will not be published. Mark Price was more than a shooter. The Miami Heat's all-time leading scorer has had game for a while. The commonwealth of Kentucky has given the NBA some truly great players, with Dave Cowens at the forefront. WebHe averaged a stellar 22.6 points and 9.1 rebounds per game for his career, easily landing him in the Hall of Fame and on this list of the greatest NBA players ever. In his senior season, he averaged 27 points, 11 rebounds, 8 blocks and 8 assists leading his team to a 27-0 record and state title. Absolutely. With every ounce of defensive energy focused on stopping Mims, the Rams still couldnt do it. He got into tussles with multiple players, including Michael Jordan, and was a key component to the Celtics championships in 1984 and 1986. Kevin Garnett was one of the fiercest competitors in basketball. This season, the 6-foot-7 Flagg averaged 20.5 points, 10 rebounds, 6.2 assists, 3.7 steals, and 3.7 blocks per game. His Hall-of-Fame NBA career never included a stop with the New Jersey Nets but he played for six franchises, winning four titles with the Lakers and Heat. Born: Oct. 19, 1953, in Arkansas City, Kan. High school: Rancho High School (North Las Vegas, Nev.), College: Dixie State (1971-73), Arizona State (1973-75), Pros: Portland Trail Blazers (1975-80), Philadelphia 76ers (1980-82), San Diego Clippers (1982-83), Detroit Pistons (1983-84), Houston Rockets (1984-85). Chris Paul starred in high school, averaging 25 points, 5.3 assists and 4.4 steals in his junior year. The Hall of Famer was a 12-time All-Star in 14 seasons and won a championship with the Bucks in 1971. 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. His Hall-of-Fame NBA career took him from Philadelphia to Phoenix to Houston but Barkley still loves his home state, even considering a run for governor in years past. 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. There, he was named an NAIA First-Team All-American as a junior and senior. The Minneapolis Lakers then selected Baylor as the No. ), Pros: Chicago Sky (2013-16), Washington Mystics (2017-present). Minnesotas Kevin McHale did plenty of battle with Michigans Magic Johnson as a Celtics star in the 1980s. He led his high school to a 68-1 record over two years and helped them win a state championship in his senior season. The Sycamores lost the championship game to Magic Johnson and Michigan State, but the final was the beginning of a new era in hoops. Even though he is in his 18th NBA season, the 36-year-old is playing at an MVP level and has said he wants to keep playing until his son, who is in the 10th grade now, is in the league. He was a big part of the Bulls winning six championships in eight years, the NBA Finals MVP on all six occasions with two three-peats. He moved on to Kansas and was a major contributor to a national championship in 2008. Since the 2016-17 season, hes averaged 11 points per game, typically coming off the bench. His unique blend of power and speed raised eyebrows, and he was drafted No. Before that, she helped lead Alliance High School to a state title as a freshman in 2007. He graduated to Auburn, where he holds the school record for field goal percentage (62.6 percent), and went on to become one of the best rebounders in NBA history. He helped the Lakers win their first NBA title in Los Angeles in 1972. Log in to join the discussion. 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. But do you know how he got to be so great? 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