The Coeur dAlene native had a standout college career at Oregon before being drafted in the first round by the SuperSonics in 2003. His 13-year-old daughter Gianna also passed away in the crash. After bouncing around the NBA, his basketball career took him overseas to Israel and the Philippines. Born: February 19, 1980, in Mitchell, S.D. He played well in his rookie season, but a torn ACL in his sophomore season derailed any hopes of him becoming the player he once was. Bill Laimbeer was born in Boston, raised in Chicago and went to high school in Southern California. Copyright 2022 Cricket Concept . Yes, the NBA consisted of just 8 to 14 teams during this period, so capturing championships was a statistically easier feat for a single franchise, but even that fact doesnt minimize Russells historic accomplishments. Before David Robinson earned his nickname "The Admiral" for his military service, he attended Osbourn Park High School in Virginia, where he earned all-district honors despite never before playing organized basketball. All-Time #NBArank continues with a countdown of the game's greatest giants -- the best centers in NBA history. He won two championships with the Spurs before retiring in 2016. Were not technically a sports website, but this editor (hi!) 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. Michael Jordan: Jordan is widely considered the greatest NBA player of all time. 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). At UMass, Camby won the Naismith College Player of the Year award and the John R. Wooden award in the 1995-96 season. 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. Cooper Flagg well may become the best basketball player ever from Maine. They were going to a travel basketball game with 9 others when the accident occurred. Delle Donne received a scholarship to play for UConn, but dropped out of the summer school program because she wanted to be close to family. High school: Emsley A. Laney High School (Wilmington, N.C.), Pros: Chicago Bulls (1984-93, 1995-98), Washington Wizards (2001-03). High school: Mauldin High School (Mauldin, S.C.)/Farragut Academy (Chicago, Ill.), Pros: Minnesota Timberwolves (1995-07, 2015-16), Boston Celtics (2007-13), Brooklyn Nets (2013-15). In terms of producing basketball greats, New York City tops all other locations on the planet and the state itself is second only to California in the number of NBA players it has given the world. This one was a total toss-up between two St. Louis natives in Hall of Famers Jo Jo White and Ed Macauley, whose careers and stats were remarkably similar. 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. Unless you agree with me, in which case this was the most meaningful thing Ive ever written. Before he was The Big Ticket, Kevin Garnett was a kid growing up in upstate South Carolina. Hes bigger than a good portion of the players in the NFL and yet he still moves as gracefully as the most nimble guards in basketball. Haywood was born in Silver City (population: 288) before eventually becoming an NBA champion with the Lakers in 1980. In the NBA, Billups is most known for his first stint with the Detroit Pistons and helping the franchise win the NBA title in 2004. But to give him that label now is at best premature, and at worst willfully ignorant of history. But before they were pros, basketball greats had to put in work to perfect their craft. He was a two-time All-Star and averaged 14.2 points per game for his 12-season NBA career. Mark Price was more than a shooter. Mario Chalmers always has been a winner. Before he left his mark on the NBA, he starred at Bethel High School, where he led both the football and basketball programs to state championships. Allen Iverson is one of the greatest pound-for-pound players in NBA history. He finished his college career as the leading scorer in Arizona history. 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. She finished her high school career ranked fourth in points scored in state history with 3,047. Position: Shooting guard and small forward, High school: Davenport North High School (Davenport, Iowa), Pros: Charlotte Hornets (1998-2000), Miami Heat (2000-01, 2007-08), Cleveland Cavaliers (2001-03), Boston Celtics (2003-06), Minnesota Timberwolves (2006-07), Los Angeles Clippers (2008-10), Turk Telekom (2010), Jiangsu Dragons (2010), Chorale Roanne (2011), Maine Red Claws (2011-12), Piratas de Quebradillas (2012), Erie BayHawks (2013-14). 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. 20 and to Val Whiting at No. Then, she helped lead UConn to a couple of NCAA championships in 2009 and 2010. 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. Learn more. He led the league in rebounding six times and was a 13-time All-Star who spent time with nine different franchises across the ABA and NBA, winning a championship with the Philadelphia 76ers in 1983. Log in to join the discussion. The most notable of his scoring feats came on March 2, 1962, when he put up an astounding 100 points in a game, an NBA record that will likely never be broken. 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. 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. He has had an amazing career and has many achievements. 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. Also, his career totals were inflated by the fact that he played roughly 10,000 years in the NBA. 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. When you've submitted your account email, we will send an email with a reset code. I know I risk getting run out of my beloved Chicago on a rail for daring to suggest His Airness isnt the best player ever but, well, I just dont think he is. At his peak, from 2004-2014, Wade was scoring 25.1 points per game to go with 6.1 assists and 5.1 rebounds, making him one of the most valuable players of his generation. Of all the great ones to come from the Golden State including current icons like James Harden, Kawhi Leonard and Russell Westbrook its tough to top Gary Paytons legacy. He helped the Lakers win their first NBA title in Los Angeles in 1972. He was a 9-time NBA All-Star and was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2013. And, of course, hes since won two titles (and counting?) Sheryl Swoopes is a Texas legend. The Best No. 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. The 15-year old Flagg is charging ahead into an undoubtedly bright basketball future. Before the two leagues merged in 1976, Haywood was a star with the ABAs Denver Rockets and Seattle SuperSonics, winning MVP honors as a rookie in 1970. He first tasted glory at Ames High School, leading the school to an Iowa 4A State championship in his junior and senior years. Basketball has been a popular sport throughout history since its invention in 1891 by a Canadian physical education teacher named James Naismith. Seven former Montverde players were selected in the 2021 NBA draft, including No. Born: Aug. 14, 1959, in Lansing, Michigan, High school: Everett High School (Lansing, Michigan), Pros: Los Angeles Lakers (1979-1991, 1996). [This list was originally published in April 2014. Oscar Robertson was one of the best players during his era in the 1960s and early 1970s. West averaged 32 points per game during the tournament and led his team in scoring and rebounding each game. When he got to the NBA, some thought the 6-foot-9 player was too small to play center, but he proved the doubters wrong, averaging 17 points and 15 rebounds per game in his rookie campaign. Like Alabamas Charles Barkley, Arizonas Sean Elliott stayed close to home for college and wound up having his jersey number retired by both his school and an NBA team. Michael Jordan. The rest of us are the ones who need to slow down. Shaquille ONeal is the definition of dominance. He helped his high school win its first championship in 53 years in his senior season. He was also named the NCAAs Most Outstanding Player those three years and was twice named College Player of the Year by The Sporting News. Point guard Luke Ridnour is the only Idahoan to last more than five years in the NBA, according to Basketball Reference. But Bryants career and impact on the league were indelible and his signature toughness partly came from learning to play ball in his native Philadelphia. From 2000-2010, he averaged 13.7 points per game, which was the best stretch of his time in the league, and was named sixth man of the year while playing with the Memphis Grizzlies in 2006. I hope you find my blogs informative. The 65 guy could hit his elbow on the rim when he was a freshman. Fantasy Basketball. In 1995 they won again, beating the Orlando Ricky Davis helped Davenport North to the state tournament, but did not reach the championship game. This list may not reflect recent changes . as a member of the Miami Heat. He also ranks third on the leagues all-time regular-season scoring and fourth on the all-time postseason scoring list. The Miami Heat's all-time leading scorer has had game for a while. During the 196162 season, The Big O averaged a triple-double with 30.8 points, 12.5 rebounds, and 11.4 assists per game. In the NBA, Stockton averaged a double-double of 13.1 points and 10.5 assists. The uber-confident Bird had arguably the quickest release of anyone to ever play basketball and hed often let his defender know that the shot was going in soon after it left his hands. According to the exhaustive database of player birthplaces compiled at Basketball Reference, Mario Chalmers is the only player in NBA history to come from Alaska. Maine Duncan Robinson. A forward, Turner played 10 years in the Michael Jordan is easily the best basketball player of all-time in the NBA history. Learn more and register Fantasy Basketball. McHale was born in Hibbing the same town that gave us Bob Dylan and was named Minnesotas Mr. Basketball as a high school senior in 1976 before playing at the University of Minnesota. Like some other guys on this list, Chambers got to go back to his home state during his NBA tenure, spending a couple of seasons with the Utah Jazz in the mid-1990s. WebHigh School Sports - Schedules, Scores, Rankings - MaxPreps Who else could represent Indiana but The Hick from French Lick? Larry Bird was born in West Baden Springs (population: 475), in Indianas French Lick Township and would make his home state proud by taking Indiana State to the NCAA championship game in 1979. He went on to win an MVP in 1995 and was named one of the 50 Greatest NBA Players of All Time in 1996. Along the way of his 15-year career, Cassell played on eight different teams and was a solid contributor, averaging over 17 points with four different clubs (Nets, Bucks, Timberwolves and Clippers) and finishing his career with 15.7 points per game, 6.0 assists and 3.2 rebounds. That was the case with Charles Barkley, whose roots in Alabama run deep. He averaged 14.1 points and 7 rebounds per game during his time in the league. Three-time All-America at Maine; led NL in ERA (2.08) with Giants in 1992, won 21 games in '93. 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. He repeated that feat against Dwight Howard and the Orlando Magic. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Quite possibly. On the womens side, Shaftsbury native Nicole Levesque is the only Vermonter to have ever played in the WNBA. 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. Its bad form to compare any high school athlete to a professional. 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. He finished his two-year college career with averages of 15.0 points, 3.9 rebounds, 6.3 assists and 2.5 steals per game for Wake Forest. But Catchings is the most complete basketball player I have ever seen. 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. He was the first overall pick in the 1959 draft, taken by the Cincinnati Royals (now the Sacramento Kings). Marcus Camby was more than an elite shot blocker and defensive force at Hartford Public High School. High school: Mount Anthony High School (Bennington, Vt.). Ceballos bounced around with five teams over his lengthy career, averaging 14.3 points and 5.3 rebounds per game as a small forward. 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. Robinson hurt his back in 1997 in the preseason, but it proved to be a blessing in disguise as the Spurs drafted Tim Duncan, the key to the elusive championship for Robinson. 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