best california high school basketball players of all time
Two of the best big men in state history have been Bill Cartwright of Elk Grove (1975) and Tyson Chandler of Compton Dominguez (2001). Harold "Baby Jordan" Miner, Inglewood (Inglewood) '89 Paul dont count. He did see Crenshaws John Williams in the season before that. As a junior, the stellar point guard, complete with substance and splash, helped Crossroads win the Southern Section Division. 4. 23. Accolades. Prepping in the shadows of the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum at Manual Arts, Polee was California's Mr. Basketball and a third-team ParadeAll-American in 1981. With a rock solid physique and an unstoppable pull-up jumper, Williams is one of the greatest shooters in playground history. Scott Williams (Wilson, Hacienda Heights) 86 John Williams (Crenshaw, Los Angeles) 84 United States. has one of the most spectacular sites in the world, but its often Dynasty on the ropes? He was so talented." 1. Paul Pierce (Inglewood) 95 James Harden is a basketball player, widely regarded as the best shooting guard in the history of the NBA. Jordan Divens Apr 7, 2023 MaxPreps Freshman All-America Team Latrell Allmond, Kaden House, Jayden Moore and Tyran Stokes join California star on first team. FeaturingAll-Americans, players in the NBA, and school legends who had their jerseys retired, the top players from University of California, Berkeleymen's basketball team history include Jason Kidd, Kevin Johnson, Jaylen Brown, and Ryan Anderson. Considered the best high school guard in SoCal over the past 40 years, Lewis was the youngest player ever drafted and signed when he left Cal-St. LA after his sophomore season. Didnt he graduate in 92 as the #2 All Time leading scorer in CA HS history?!?! If he could do it again, he'd attend Degrassi Junior High, Ampipe High and Grand Lakes University. There were times the all-state guard got the best of pros, and he continued to flourish at Moorpark JC and New Mexico State, where he led the nation in assists as a senior. Each year the California Mr. Basketball award is given to the person chosen Onyeka Okongwu (Chino Hills) 19 Ernest Lee was that good. The three-time Chronicle Metro Player of the Year led Mitty to Division II state titles in 2011 and 2012 and a Northern California crown in 2013. In 2017, his family's sports apparel company Big Baller Brand released a signature shoe for Ball, making him the youngest sportsperson to own a signature shoe. Henry Johnson Kevin Beal The Cougars finished with a 28-1 record and even in the one game Crenshaw lost to Manual Arts, he hit an NBA three-pointer to send the game into overtime. 4. Stevie Thompson (Crenshaw, Los Angeles) 86 We both saw that 1986 D1 state title team and loved what Stevie could do on the court. (Napa, CA), Centennial The biggest name on the SoCal hoops scene during the 1990s, Cotton won multiple AAU national championships and led Mater Dei to the Div. For my last spot it was between the Big O and Ivan Rabb of Bishop ODowd. 8. Russell graduated from McClymonds-Oakland in 1952 after playing only a year and a half. The 1988 Carlisle High team featured one of the greatest high Stanley Johnson (Mater Dei, Santa Ana) 14 After being kicked off the team at Kentucky for allegedly taking payments from a booster, Mills landed at Arizona, where he was the Pac-10 Player of the Year in 1993. Lee attended Clark (Atlanta, Ga.) when the coach at that Div. Sure, but Jumpin' Joey is a legend because he could simply sky. Williams is the only ESPNHS National Player of the Year pick from SoCal in the last 40 years. Trevor Ariza (Westchester, Los Angeles) 03 Dominic Ellison 20. That same season, Vaughn dished out 13 assists to earn MVP honors at the McDonald's All-American game. By the time he played one season for Jerry Tarkanian, he was already a legend at Rogers Park in Inglewood, and even turned out the Drew League one year playing left-handed because of a bum shoulder. DeShawn Stevenson (Washington, Easton) 00 He has played for numerous teams in his career, the Beijing Ducks of the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA) being the latest. Four state titles in highest classification, he willed Monarchs to final one with skill and IQ. 7. Its interesting how players performed or didnt perform after high school can affect this list. If a player isnt listed, its likely just because we didnt get to see that player in a game. (San Diego, CA), Hillcrest Lightning-quick, Ware was a three-time all-city performer and could bomb from NBA 3-point range even though the shot was only worth two. (Newport Beach, CA), Donda Academy He was never the same player, but did help Vegas reach the 1987 NCAA Final Four. These cookies do not store any personal information. All rights reserved. 15. His prolific ability to score from difficult situations and positions has helped his team win many games. Narrowed college list to Kentucky, Arizona, Cal, Kansas and UCLA, Averaged 27 points, 14 rebounds and 3.1 blocks as senior, Dennis Awtrey (Blackford-San Jose), Mike Farmer (Richmond), Joe Gardere (McClymonds), Drew Gooden (El Cerrito), Drew Gordon (Mitty), Fred LaCour (St. Ignatius), Todd Lichti (Mount Diablo-Concord), Jeremy Lin (Palo Alto), Damian Lillard (Oakland), Mike Mitchell (Capuchino-San Bruno), Erwin Mueller (Livermore), Lamond Murray (Kennedy-Fremont), Gary Payton (Skyline-Oakland), Jim Pollard (Oakland Tech), Gene Ransom (Berkeley), J.R. Rider (Encinal-Alameda), Darnell Robinson (Emery-Emeryville), Phil Smith (Washington), Nate Williams (McClymonds). Most would say Marques Johnson is the best player ever from Crenshaw, but neither Ronnie or myself were able to see him play. Saw him at least once in all four of his prep seasons and just so unique in his skills, body type and overall presence. Bernard Ward Lew Alcindor, Power Memorial, Manhattan, NY. Nicknamed the Claw for his amazing ball-hawking skills, Leonard is known for his quiet demeanor off-court. Caldwell was the predecessor to Cali's great leapers such as, Darnell Hillman, Joey Johnson and Harold Miner, but his game was complete. Outfielder Cody Nowlin was the teams top all-state player (he batted .417), but sophomore Chris Patrick had the best batting average at .463. California's top high school boys basketball players: Meet the state's best power forwards - Scorebook Live. That success translated to the NBA, where Naulls averaged 15.8 points and 9.1 rebounds for four teams while earning four All-Star nods and winning three league titles. Jrue Holiday (Campbell Hall, North Hollywood) 08 As a senior, Murray averaged a remarkable 44.3 points, and dropped 64 in a losing effort during the CIF Site D-II championship game. Ray Young (St. Joseph, Alameda) 98, Ronnie Flores is the managing editor of CalHiSports.com. When Pierce's senior season concluded, he averaged 27 points and 11 assists, was named California's Mr. Basketball and honored as a McDonald's All-American. 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This Drew League veteran is known nationwide and you can still catch him crossing over defenders up at Venice Beach in the summer. 99. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website. There wasn't much Adams couldn't do on the basketball court. 3. Another candidate for the greatest high school player to come out of the city and Los Angeles County. His two seasons at Contra Costa JC were dunk shows, as was the few games he played for Cal-St. Hayward. By the time he had graduated, Davis was California's Mr. Basketball, first-team Parade All-American, the Gatorade National Player of the Year and a McDonald's All-American. Silas scored 24 points in his first game as a sophomore and never looked back, averaging 30 points and about half that many rebounds. Ronnie wasnt born yet and I was just starting high school when Marques was at Crenshaw. There would be huge crowds to see him. All of our state class by class player rankings, final team rankings for more than 40 years and all of our recently updated all-time state records (team & individual) are for Gold Club members only. WebNBA & ABA Players Who Attended High School in California. (Chatsworth, CA), Bishop Montgomery He wasn't L.A.'s best high school basketball during his years at Inglewood, but Miner certainly left an impression on his peers and area youth at the time. View California Basketball ranking list. A nine-time NBA All-Star, Russell is only one of two players in the history of the NBA to average a triple-double for an entire season. Killum's high school exploits were better known than his playground game, but there's a reason for that. Peyton Watson Long Beach Poly (Long Beach, CA) SF. He attended six different schools in six years, ending up at UC-Irvine, where he did not finish the 1980-81 season. A street-court star, Lewis averaged 24 points and was a second-team ParadeAll-American at Verbum Dei, the Catholic school where he was known for his tremendous ball-handling abilities that helped it win three California Interscholastic Federation Southern Section titles (before the state champions were recognized). Stephon Davis Did we see that guy play or not? Jordan Farmar (Taft, Woodland Hills) 04 23 retired. Without further delay, heres our best of the best boys hoops players weve seen from California high schools (listed with senior season): 1. Other states, like Texas, California and Florida, etc., had state record books compiled by independent sources. Jason Kidd (St. Joseph, Alameda) 92 Chris Sandle (Poly, Long Beach) 84 His body control and command of the game were second to none en route to three CIF state titles. Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. An all-around talented athlete, Lacy could do it all on the court as a prep star, and that ultimately led him to UCLA. He had a quiet 20 and 12 against us.. He then enjoyed a 12-year NBA career, during which he won a championship with San Antonio. "But that's what happens when you have to duck to get out of the rim's way." CBS Sports. He left high school at 6-foot-8 and weighing more than 230 pounds. A four-time All-Star and six-time All-Defensive Team member, Kawhi Leonard has helped two teams win NBA championships while earning the Finals Most By clicking "Accept," you agree to our use of cookies and our, Ep. Russell couldnt even make the honorable mention list. Saw him as a junior at Modesto Christian tourney so this is one list he can be on. There were so many great players out of Oakland alone, when you include the whole Bay Area, thats a serious list, former Skyline-Oakland guard and nine-time NBA All-Star Gary Payton said. We just want some real inglewood love. Both Ronnie and Mark do agree on one thing: Jason Kidd is the best player from California in the last 40 years. 14. 1 in the nation. Shop. "He was a born-again Christian that would take the bible on road trips just one of those different cats." The freshman led a second-half comeback against the eventual state champs and in high school, was already doing battle with pros such as Michael Cooper and Norm Nixon. Leon Powe (Oakland Tech) 03 Explosive guard didnt play his last year for CIF program, but did enough in first three years to knock off Brandon Jennings (who went out of state two years). 18. By Johnson's admission, Lee was the superior talent. In the ABA or on the playground, Hillman is remembered just as much for his prodigious dunks as his Afro. Honors. 15. He was so fast, could jump out of the building and just rip the ball away from other players. Was that player that good compared to the ones from just last year? 4 NBA draft pick whos a rookie for the Orlando Magic, could play in any era. Wun "The Shot" Versher Clifford Allen High school basketball: Every national player of the year since 1922 From Chet Holmgren to Bobby Thompson, MaxPreps names each year's top player. Back of photo has date 03/21/1934. Interestingly, Polee's prep career started at the aforementioned Verbum Dei, before transferring to Manual Arts for his sophomore year. Max Whittaker/Prime / Special to The Chronicle. He even lit up UNLV for 50 and another school for 81. 5. Prince honed his exceptional two-way skills at Compton powerhouse Dominguez. As could all of the players on the second team and the honorable mention list. 1 of 25 Willie Naulls, San Pedro, 1952 UCLA Athletic Miner could score with finesse and dunk with breath-taking power. The seniors once played for the same middle school team, with two Bishop O'Dowd girls basketball stars and all will be playing college ball. Scattered showers, thunderstorms and steam fog. 32 was retired the same night as Prince's jersey. 34 retired. (Studio City, CA), Modesto Christian Stanley Johnson dominated Aaron Gordon in the State Final. Playing for local legend Willie West, Crenshaw went 32-0 during Johnson's final two seasons. (Los Angeles, CA), Narbonne April 21, 2023 9:00 AM. Here is our list of the best prep players from L.A. (Los Angeles County, to be more specific). Central Sections best since the Pondexter brothers at San Joaquin Memorial, Stevenson was a man among boys well known since the 7th grade. Tough as nails point guard who won tons of big-time games edges East Bakersfields J.R. Henderson as final Central Section choice. You might not agree with the list, but there's no doubt all 24 are well-known and talented players on Califronia's vast playground scene. (Corona, CA), Sierra Canyon This website uses cookies to improve your experience. Goodrich, California's Mr. Basketball in 1961, would eventually have his jersey retired by the school. From there, Vaughn went to Kansas, where he won Big Eight Player of the Year in 1996, and had his No. He also served as head coach at Cal State L.A. and, as of the 2022-23 season, was an assistant coach at Oregon State. This is our first mention of Southern California prep basketball powerhouse Dominguez High School, located in Compton. He later also played for teams such as the Los Angeles Clippers. "Free" averaged 24.6 ppg as a senior for "The Arts", but he turned it out at Portland State, leading the nation in scoring (35.9) as a senior in '78 over some guy named Larry Bird. He took his own life in 1994, at age 30, by jumping from a bridge. Forty-eight of Ohios top seniors, including one state champion, three Ms. Basketball finalists and 17 Division I signees highlight the Ohio High School A two-time prep All-American, Robinson had a reputation that stretched across the country, thanks to Sonny Vaccaro's Dapper Dan Roundball Classic in Pittsburgh, Pa. Back home, the sleek forward was two-time city player of the year and the ringleader of a team that averaged 110.9 points per game in '66, still a state record. Who is the best California Golden Bear ever? (Playa Del Rey, CA), Sierra Canyon We saw all four of the state title games in which Stanley played and he stepped up in each one of them. Bishop ODowd-Oakland center/power forward Ivan Rabb made a late run, and is still making it as he plays for a state title Saturday night at Cals Haas Pavilion. At Haas Pavilion, Cal. Jason Kapono (Artesia, Lakewood) 99 SportsLine. Third-team All-American shooting guard went on to Cal, left early for NBA. James "Gumby" Gray, Westchester (Los Angeles) '92 This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. Biloxis Shaneal Corpuz Drafted in the first round of the 1973 NBA Draft by the Philadelphia 76ers, Lewis in all likelihood is best player to never play in the NBA. (Sherman Oaks, CA), Prolific Prep Kurt Rambis (Cupertino) 76 Basketball player LaMelo Ball currently represents the Charlotte Hornets of the NBA. Left his indelible mark on SoCal basketball by leading public school to FAB 50 national title plus 35-0 season in memorable fashion. TK is like in the top 5 in scoring and rebounding all time I believe. 0:36. 17. There are so many great players from this area, that it almost feels wrong to go with just 10, Buckner said, laughing. John Staggers (Crenshaw, Los Angeles) 88 Cant speak for Ronnie, but I saw Paul play. Marco Fleming Listed in chronological order. If we're ranking these prep players, Williams would likely top this list. Newhouse may never get over his exclusion of 5-8 dunking guard Joe Gardere, who once scored 51 points for McClymonds in 1956. Gordon was also a big winner in high school. 32 was retired by the school. Don McLean (Simi Valley) 88 He returned for the 1967-68 campaign, but quit the team shortly after being benched against Houston during the "Game of the Century" at the Astrodome. In an era when high school players started bypassing college for the NBA, Duncan stayed four years. Jermoine "J-Boogey" Brantley California basketball fans, were ranking the best California Bears of all-time. California's Mr. Basketball during his senior season of 2007-08, Holiday averaged 25.9 points, 11.2 rebounds and nearly seven assists with five steals to help Studio City's Campbell Hall win the Division IV state championship. Despite an injury wiping out his freshman season, the 6-foo7 Murray still scored 3,053 points the most in California prep history at the time. WebTotal number of sports 19. 10. But as underclassmen, yes Ricky was more highly-regarded. 23. He then spent a little more than a decade in the NBA. Vernon "Schea" Cotton, St. John Bosco (Bellflower) '97 NorCal icon in high school consistently impacted winning basketball on both ends of the floor more than anyone. Guy "The Fly" Williams (Simi Valley, CA), Heritage Christian His legend had just begun. Sam Crawford, Westchester (Los Angeles) '89 All rights reserved. As a ninth-grader, he played on a nationally-ranked team at L.A. Verbum Dei, where he earned his keep in one-on-one battles with Raymond Lewis and other older players. He was a two-time ParadeAll-American, including a first-team selection as a senior in 1992-93. Polytechnic Highschool is a really good school when it comes to giving school students a variety of opportunities. He completely dominated the game at this level, and helped Crenshaw win the 1983 state championship. (San Ramon, CA), Etiwanda follow. Dubbed "Baby Jordan" for his leaping and dunking ability, Miner was a true showman. His overall athleticism and ability to take control of a game led to winning California Mr. Basketball in 2002, when Adams averaged 18 points while helping Westchester win the California State Division I-A Championship. 7. Theus seemed destined for greatness while starring at Inglewood High, just blocks from the famous Great Western Forum (as it was formerly known). James did help Artesia get those two big wins, but Artesia clearly had a better supporting cast. 's hottest neighborhoods sell Beautification Day launches first I Love Tenderloin Week for neighborhood, Missed the northern lights in California? Thank You! He can be reached [email protected]. His stats were similar as a senior when Harden was named a McDonald's All-American and second-team Parade All-American. Her 6,190 point-total includes six Jair Fray Some others that perhaps could have been on either list: Hassan Adams (Westchester, Los Angeles) 03` The players all walk to the baseline to get picked for a historical run down the hardwood. (Beaumont, CA), Dublin Are there better players among Cali's Elite 24? California's answer to Jackie Jackson, Hillman is one of the game's greatest leapers on all levels. Obviously, this is a ranking list of the best players weve seen in person during a game or an all-star game. Taylor King outplayed James Harden in their matches but Artesia beat Mater Dei twice in the same season and came home with the trophy. (Torrance, CA), Pacifica Christian DeShawn Stevenson (Washington, Easton) 00 16. 13. 2005-2023 CBS Interactive. Williams led "The Shaw" to a state title as a junior and scored 41 points in the city final as a senior. Chuck Hayes (Modesto Christian) 01 Some states, such as Kentucky, Tennessee, Alabama, etc., had state record books compiled by the state association. In addition to playing for Portland Trail Blazers of the NBA, Lillard is devoted to music and has been creating life-inspired songs under his rap persona, Dame D.O.L.L.A. 1 team that season, which also saw Adams earn McDonald's All-American honors. Photos: Cal-Hi Sports archives & BallisLife.com. An Indiana All-Star and Marion County player of the year, Jones helped lead Ben Davis to the basketball state finals as a senior. White Read-Aloud Award and the Ezra Jack Keats New Illustrator Honor, Hotel Bruce, BE QUIET!, and Bruce's Big Move. Were going to begin this post with the best 25 players that longtime managing editor and SoCal grassroots guru Ronnie Flores has seen followed by the top 25 from longtime Cal-Hi Sports editor Mark Tennis. Archbishop Mitty's Aaron Gordon, center, goes to the basket against Mater Dei at the CIF State Basketball Championships March 23, 2013 in Sacramento, California. From there, Goodrich famously helped UCLA win its first two national championships under John Wooden in 1964 and '65, and also had his uniform retired. Muirs Magic is the most exciting player weve seen the past 30 years and one of the brightest, too. John Williams, Crenshaw (Los Angeles) '84 March 9, 2023 7:11 pm ET. The 247Sports Composite is a proprietary algorithm that compiles rankings and ratings listed in the public domain by the major media recruiting services, creating the industry's most comprehensive and unbiased prospect and team rankingsMore Info, Powered by innovative technology products, 247Sports employs a staff of more than 50 full time recruiting reporters and evaluators that rank and compile data on the nation's elite high school recruitsMore Info.
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