It turned out Oden was the one whose body couldn't handle the NBA, as he was seemingly hurt year after year. During a summer camp Cooke, the then No. Top Basketball States. 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. He was a good four-year starter in college, but hardly lived up to the hype he built in high school. Along with teammate Chris Monroe, Roger led Good Counsel to the WCAC tournament finals. Complex Media, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 1 pick in the 2017 NBA Draft, Markelle Fultz, is currently enduring what has become a Philadelphia 76ers' rite of passage: spending his rookie year watching from the sidelines as he rehabs an injury. It wasn't the best decision for each one, but for a select group of superstars, skipping college paid off. Jerod Ward was supposed to be the centerpiece of this second wave of Michigan freshmen after winning the Naismith Prep Player of the Year award in Mississippi in 1994. Well never know. We held the lead deep into the second half before he decided he'd had enough. The nights watching tournament games at the State Fairgrounds in Columbus affectionately known as the 'The Barn' were the best. Some say his nickname, The Goat, came about from a mispronunciation of his last name, others claim its an acronym for the Greatest of All Time. Either way, Manigault was another example of wasted talent. 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. He was so skilled that the Lakers even selected him in the NBAs 1971 hardship draft. Yeah, right. But imagine an alternate reality where injuries had kept one of these gifted, highly scouted prospects from ever becoming an NBA player. Call Star reporter Kyle Neddenriep at (317) 444-6649. Vinnie Iyer, "Before she starred at North Carolinaand was later drafted No. Unfortunately, Gathers also had an abnormal heartbeat and it proved to be something even he couldnt overcome. In addition, she also retains the award of Iowa Gatorade Player-of-the-Year in 2019 and 2020. Manning ended up winning the MVP with 20 points; Washburn scored 18. 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.' He also had 14 points, eight rebounds, six blocked shots and three assists in a 57-46 win over Columbus North. We wound up matching up against his team late in the tournament. 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. Let there be no doubt; LeBron James is the greatest player to transition from high school (the coed St. Vincent-St. Mary in Akron, Ohio) directly to the NBA. Jared McCain is a prominent face in high school basketball. (Feb. 20-25), Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. I had no motivation to attend beyond my simple desire to verify the internet sensation with my own eyes. I was not on the basketball team at Lynn English, my high school, but my friend, Charlie Leslie, was a forward for the team. I already knew I wanted to be a sportswriter; seeing all those great players on one night made me realize I wanted to write about basketball more than any other sport. He was the No. Whether or not he actually finished high school is up for debate as he didnt qualify academically at the University of Florida. But even though he was talented, Smith had psychological issues before even joining the NBA as he suffered from neglect as a child and was moved to an Illinois foster home. But the team played with just five eligible varsity players after a fight during a game last . IF POLL DOES NOT APPEAR, click here to vote. Right after his junior prom, Tyler announced he was dropping out of school and heading overseas to start his pro basketball career. He added six rebounds, four assists and one steal in 32 minutes, attempting double-digit 3 . Maggette, a Fenwick (Oak Park, Ill.) star on his way to Duke and the NBA, dominated Deerfield with 27 points, 15 rebounds and three steals. 5. A legend of Rucker Park, Hammond destroyed opponents with his thunderous jams and smooth shot. "He was a star guard for Salem High, someone we all saw regularly at the Salem YMCA. best high school basketball player that never made it. The ironically nicknamed "Black Jack" Ryan represents the only "great white hope" of this list. Sun-Times Player of the Year. 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. The NBA has been home to plenty of elite ball handlers, but in all fairness, point guard Marques Hayenes was on another level. Greg Oden did in fact spend a year in college after being hyped up as a future superstar in the NBA. Swimming in National Player of the Year awards just a year after Kevin Garnett's successful leap from high school to the NBA, Bryant made the none-too-surprising decision to turn pro himself. Her date of birth is not known. She was the most sought-after student at her high school and rose to fame as a result of her performances in high school athletics. Fast forward to the Capital Center in Landover, Md., in late March, at the Capital Classic. "You know every move each other is going to make . Back in the late '90s and early 2000s, there were far fewer, readily accessible media outlets that covered prep sports beyond a local level. The 'Punks'section of Slam Magazine and maybe ESPN's 'SSA'were the primary ways we caught wind of big-time hoopers elsewhere. Offensively, there is nobody like him.. Those in the Columbus area who remember watching Weaver play in the '90s will tell you 100 variations of thissame legend. You cant find her Wikipedia article on the internet. Only twice has a player won the award two times: LeBron James and Greg Oden. His post-career life (as well as his college and NBA days) proved that his peak was at age 17. Williamson, at the time, was still considering South Carolina as a college commitment, so as a Gamecocks fan who had seen the YouTube videos, my friend was all in for a trip to see Spartanburg Day play in the first round of the state playoffs. He was then traded to the Mavs but never played a game due to more psychological issues. Won two gold medals with USA Basketball. woman jumps off carquinez bridge 2021 best high school basketball player that never made it. And one more player was drafted but never made it to any teams -- he died at age 20 in his own bed while sleeping. He is a Final Year Engineering student. 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. Swift has swiftly faded into obscurity, fodder for lists such as this. The basketball player was born to Brent and Anne Nizzi Clark, her sisters. 3 min read Chet Holmgren, the top high school player in the country, has been named the 2021 Morgan Wootten Boys High School Basketball Player. We take an in-depth look at the greatest high school hoopers ever, and how their stats compare. Big mistake. By 18, Telfair was on the cover of Sports Illustrated and just months later he was drafted by the Portland Trail Blazers. When Roselle Catholic boys basketball coach Dave Boff originally envisioned his team for the 2021-22 season, he thought he would have at least two of the top players in the state -- if not the nation. 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. But then Jackie decided he was too good to go to the University of Tennessee and declared for the NBA Draft. "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. That was near the end of the regular season in 1990. 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. Daniel Tippit, New Palestine: The senior hit a 30-footer in New Palestines 61-31 win over Greenwood on senior night as the Dragons finished off a 21-2 regular season. LennyCooke was once considered a bigger high school star than our no. He played in a total of 105 games in the NBA and another 25 games in the Chinese Basketball Association. Despite never playing high school or college ball, Joe The Destroyer Hammond was perhaps the greatest basketball player to ever come out of Harlem. It is currently unknown who her companion is. After being named Mr. Basketball USA in 1990, Bailey joined Knight in Bloomington, Indiana. 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). David Steele. Unless youre a diehard basketball fan, you probably dont know about the majority of these players. 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. First player in Chicago history to ever be named top high school player in the nation in 1983-84. We will revisit some of these players as we look at 15 high school phenoms who never made it in the NBA. Layups, jumpers, dunks; they were off his fingertips like electrostatic sparks. Philadelphia's other former top picks who have had to sit out their first yearNerlens Noel, Ben Simmons, and Joel Embiidhave recovered and blossomed into fine young NBA players, and odds are that Fultz will do the same. I nearly killed a full phone charge by pressing record each time Williamson touched the ball during the game. 3. A post shared by Caitlin Clark (@caitlinclark22). On Caitlins current financial situation, nothing is known. Two significant NCAA Division I freshman of the year honours, the USBWA Tamika Catchings Award and the WBCA Freshman of the Year award, were shared by her and UConns Paige Bueckers. That's how real it was." Caitlin was born on January 22, 2002, in Des Moines, Iowa, and is currently 19 years old. But Maggette was the best all-around player on the floor against a favorite team that had Kentucky recruit Ryan Hogan. Consensus college player of the year Michael Jordan doing it was one thing. The 10th is Chris Walker who struggled as soon as he finished high school. The World's Most Entertaining Car Website. 18 pick in the 1973 draft, yet on account of a contract dispute, Lewis never played a single game in the NBA. And Washburn took off and threw down the exact same dunk. 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. 1. 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. Earl Manigault was a legendary basketball player with unbelievable hops. 15 Basketball High School Phenoms Who Never Made It In The NBA. 10. Maggette was smooth and fun to watch doing everything on the floor." He then suffered the Portland-itis that so many other Blazers have suffered as recurring injuries kept him off the court. 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. 1 entry. 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. He was drafted in the second round of the 1994 NBA Draft by his hometown Pacers but it became evident that Bailey had peaked in high school as he would never see the court in the NBA. Dakota Candler, South Knox: The 6-5 senior made the game-winning three-point play in the final seconds as South Knox defeated Pike Central 60-58. Graham made a spot start for the Spurs on Thursday, finishing with 18 points on 5 of 10 shooting. Viraj is a Content Editor currently working at Whistlernews.com, He intended to write on the most recent developments of Entertainment, Sports to News from his own unique angle. He decided to stay local and went to UNLV where he was good but played against inferior competition in the Mountain West Conference. 15 Basketball High School Phenoms Who Never Made It In The NBA (And 5 Who Became Bigger Stars). It featured Rashad Anderson, UConn's all-time leading 3-pointer shooter and former USC standout and first-round NFL Draft pick wide receiver Mike Williams, but he was easily their best player. Meanwhile, we all know how Kevin Durant fared. These guys seemed destined for greatness, but they peaked in high school 15 Basketball High School Phenoms Who Never Made It In The NBA. Texas (575 Athletes) California (399 Athletes) Florida (389 Athletes) Illinois (308 Athletes) New York (299 Athletes) Georgia (294 Athletes) Perhaps, but Earl's "Goat" handle may have several other origins, including his surname ending with "-gault". These prodigies are so unique that when we catch them early on, it's always more special than if we discover them with the rest of the masses. He played a total of 15 games in the NBA and played in now-defunct leagues such as the IBL and BSN. Caitlin began playing basketball when she was a freshman in high school and quickly established herself as one of the top players at her school. News on all your favorite celebs, reality TV, and movies. Know About Her Amusing Dating History. Fields subsequently went undrafted by the NBA in the late 1990s, never achieving the greatness of his teammate KG. She is 5 feet 11 inches tall and 70 kg, and she has a slim build. They arent All-Star caliber players but they still made tens of millions of dollars and proved right in their decisions to skip college. It's unfortunate Ebi didn't make it in the NBA. For the last three seasons hes played for three different teams in the Chinese Basketball Association. He would spend the next three years shuffling between the NBA and the G-League and played a total of 80 NBA games. Michael Dyer Dyers freshman year at Auburn not only brought NFL potential but also a national championship. MORE: Have you seen the legend of Mac McClung? Our editorial content is not influenced by any commissions we receive. J.J. Redick was one of the best players in Duke basketball history, and he was one of the kings of the college basketball world at the time. Believe me, I tried. Salem won the state title, and Brunson surprised a few of us by choosing Temple over Kentucky. 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. Swift then transferred to the dully named Highland High School where he had to win a court battle to be eligible to play. 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. But before we get to that, here are a couple more losers: Here's a perfect example of a young hoopster who should have attended the college he committed to; in Ndudi Ebi's case, it was the University of Arizona, a strong basketball program. Oftentimes, you'd go into an AAU game, having never laid eyes on your opponent before opening tipoff. 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. I don't remember how many points or how many dunks, but what stood out was his ball-handling skills and ability to spin through traffic with an effortless grace I've never seen at the high-school level since. He last played professionally in 2007 in Argentina. Seconds after throwing down a vicious alley-oop during the 1990West Coast Conference tournament championship game, Gathers unexpectedlycollapsed.