best california high school basketball players of all time best california high school basketball players of all time

4 NBA draft pick whos a rookie for the Orlando Magic, could play in any era. Kenny "Bad Santa" Brunner, Dominguez (Compton) '97 DeShon Brown James did help Artesia get those two big wins, but Artesia clearly had a better supporting cast. Biff Burrell One of the true local L.A. legends. Most sowed their seeds for greatness on the high school level. Thompson played collegiately at Syracuse, then in the CBA and briefly in the NBA. As a senior, he led the Knights to a 31-3 record and was named Cal-Hi Sports Div. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. Eric McWilliams Jason Kidd tops list of Bay Areas all-time basketball team Eugene Wright, 'It's going to be epic': Stephen Curry and LeBron James face off -- again, Panthers in awe after ousting 'unbelievable' Bruins, Kraken win 1st playoff series, oust champion Avs, Curry sets G7 record with 50 as Dubs move on, Bergeron undecided on future after B's stunner, Harper may return Tue., 160 days post-TJ surgery, Grizz's Brooks doesn't regret verbal jab at LeBron, LB Barrett's 2-year-old daughter drowns in pool, Griner: 1st practice 'everything I wanted it to be', Which teams will reach the NBA conference finals? With a rock solid physique and an unstoppable pull-up jumper, Williams is one of the greatest shooters in playground history. Stevie Thompson (Crenshaw, Los Angeles) 86 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. Zach "Chestnuts" Fray (Chatsworth, CA), Bishop Montgomery 23 retired. Ed OBannon (Artesia, Lakewood) 90 April 21, 2023 9:00 AM. The best high school basketball teams of all time had some of the game's greatest players. Nathan Bittle Prolific Prep (Napa, CA) For one list Stanley is higher. Muirs Magic is the most exciting player weve seen the past 30 years and one of the brightest, too. Oh, if it weren't for injury. After three quarters of the 1992 D1 state final, Jason had outscored the other team by himself and that team was Mater Dei (Santa Ana). Jason Works, Dorsey (Los Angeles) '78 Donald Strong As a junior, the stellar point guard, complete with substance and splash, helped Crossroads win the Southern Section Division. (Temecula, CA), Balboa City School Left his indelible mark on SoCal basketball by leading public school to FAB 50 national title plus 35-0 season in memorable fashion. 2 Grizzlies, Bayern back in charge, Yamal makes history, Napoli's party spoiled: Weekend Review, Man City go top of Premier League as Haaland scores 50th goal in win at Fulham, Man United end Villa's run, take step towards top-four finish against backdrop of fan protests, Legacy pick: Cardinals take great-great-nephew of team's first-ever draft pick, The story of the Cowboys scout and prospect son Dallas just drafted, UFC 288: Why Burns and Muhammad are taking the biggest fight of their careers on short notice, Transfer Talk: Man Utd, PSG to battle for Abraham's signature. You can now join for one-month rate of just $3.99. 19. The girls, Asha Thomas and Aisia Robertson, were so good that they were starters with the Rabb and Austin for the Montera Middle School 8th grade boys basketball team. If ODowd wins a state title, Id put Rabb right behind Kidd and Gordon based on his sheer dominance of the game for three years, said Mitch Stephens, a Chronicle correspondent who is a MaxPreps national columnist and has been covering Bay Area high schools for 30 years. 12. At the foot of the San Gabriel Mountains, Murray was king of the hill while attending Glendora High. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. Theus seemed destined for greatness while starring at Inglewood High, just blocks from the famous Great Western Forum (as it was formerly known). Brunner's college career at Georgetown and Fresno State was marred by plenty of issues, but he eventually found modest success in the ABA. His overall athleticism was obvious during his prep days, and opened the door for a successful run at UCLA, where he was twice selected a first-team All-PCC performer and consensus All-American. B5. John Staggers, Crenshaw (Los Angeles) '88 Baron Davis (Crossroads, Santa Monica) 97 NorCal icon in high school consistently impacted winning basketball on both ends of the floor more than anyone. This clearly was a list of guys weve seen play and not a list of great players. Max Whittaker/Prime / Special to The Chronicle. He took his own life in 1994, at age 30, by jumping from a bridge. Vince "Chico" Langston You had to be there when Tracy hit for 64 points in a CIF state title game and his team lost. Dawand Jones weighed 8 pounds, 1 Demetrius "Hook" Mitchell, McClymonds (Oakland) '86 Teams beat him up with double and triple teams but they still couldnt stop him. SMH DO BETTER!!!! Tayshaun Prince (Dominguez, Compton) 98 Yes, but he also was only a part-time starter as a sophomore at Canyon Springs. Those that saw him play, or played against him, still marvel at just how good he was individually. Guy "The Fly" Williams wine startup leaves customers with thousands of Two more S.F. At Haas Pavilion, Cal. 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 Stories of his ability to sky to the top of the backboard are endless and nine years ago, Hillman was No. He went for 28 points, 13 rebounds, and seven assists in the regional title game over archrival Banning. 9. 25. Dwight Slaughter USA Today also ranked Westchester the country's No. Chris Sandle (Poly, Long Beach) 84 No player has dominated there quite like him. 1. This website uses cookies to improve your experience. LeBron James, St. Vincent-St. Mary, (San Juan Capistrano, CA), Monterey Trail Dominguez also won three state titles (1999, 2000, 2001) during Chandler's high school run, where he averaged 20 points, 12 rebounds, six assists and three blocks as a junior, then 26 points, 15 boards and eight blocks during his senior campaign. (Los Angeles, CA), Capistrano Valley Christian School Dominic Ellison The five-time NBA All-Star is the son of former basketball player Mychal Thompson. (Newport Beach, CA), Donda Academy (Carmichael, CA), San Ysidro Part of Taylors selection was his career achievements. The unanimous best player was former St. Joseph-Alameda, Cal and NBA point guard Jason Kidd. 8. Naturally gifted, it seemed Miner could do anything on the court. WebNBA & ABA Players Who Attended High School in California. Hey sports fans please dont forget about the greatest shooter of all time in the great Raymond Lewis from Verbum Dei. Another candidate for the greatest high school player to come out of the city and Los Angeles County. Wun "The Shot" Versher From the San Pedro projects, Naulls was a standout football player at San Pedro High School, but basketball would be his future. StubHub. Four state titles in highest classification, he willed Monarchs to final one with skill and IQ. 1 Justices went 28-0, captured Class 2 state title and notched big wins over Columbus and Wheeler. The 7-foot Chandler went from the halls of Dominguez right to the NBA, as the second overall pick in 2001 draft. Cleveland "Pete" McKinney "Jumpin" Joey Johnson, Banning (Wilmington) '85 Tommie "Tank" Davis He has played for numerous teams in his career, the Beijing Ducks of the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA) being the latest. Taiwanese-American professional basketball player Jeremy Lin is famous for being the first Asian American to win an NBA championship. Steve Thompson (Crenshaw, Los Angeles) 86 Marques Johnson, Crenshaw (Los Angeles) '73 Listed in chronological order. Add to List. Williams led "The Shaw" to a state title as a junior and scored 41 points in the city final as a senior. Ernest Killum (Lynwood) 90 From the heart of Los Angeles and Jefferson High School, Lacy was the city's top player and California's Mr. Basketball in 1963. (San Diego, CA), Hillcrest (Harbor City, CA), Rancho Verde Freeman Williams, Manual Arts (Los Angeles) '74 Erron "E Money" Maxey He earned his nickname from his good friend and Chaffey College running mate Reggie Cotton because his moves, especially his "Rob K Cross," were so sick (meaning good). View California Basketball ranking list. He still puts in work overseas and when he's ballin' at Venice, HAX, or the Drew League, people know who he is now. Tyson Chandler (Dominguez, Compton) 01 Edgar Lacey Tayshaun Prince (Dominguez, Compton) 98 S.F. Theyll probably be back, Your Privacy Choices (Opt Out of Sale/Targeted Ads). 4. Predictions, analysis ahead of Warriors-Kings Game 7, Stanford preschool teacher held on suspicion of murder, Warriors crush Kings 120-100 as Steph Curry scores Game 7-record 50 points. He was a better offensive player than Kidd who could hit three-pointers, but they didnt have them back then.. It was fun seeing DeMarcus break the state career scoring record that night at old Arco Arena. Shaun Pennington 9. But as underclassmen, yes Ricky was more highly-regarded. Sam Robinson, Jefferson (Los Angeles) '66 Drew Pagano (Webster Schroeder): The senior pole leads Section V with 37 takeaways and its not even close. Web1. One of the few players who was an all-star in the ABA and NBA, Caldwell led Fremont to back-to-back city titles and was the city player of the year in 1960, pumping in 24.8 ppg. Johnson went on to become a five-time NBA All-Star and had his No. 1 for me from CIF Central Section, but this wouldnt count Jalen Greens year at Prolific Prep. Oglesby is the prep school all-time state scoring leader, playing five years on the varsity at Hamden Hall. Perhaps the least-known player on Cali's Elite 24 list, Works' basketball career is a bit of a mystery. Harden wasn't a superstar in high school, but he was destined to be going forward. Dwayne Polee, Sr., Manual Arts (Los Angeles) '81 He was on USA Todays 1st team. Paul Pierce (Inglewood) 95 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. States leading scorer for average (Tom Tolbert of Lakewood Artesia was second) was a great shooter and could get to the bucket as quick as anyone Ive ever seen. Goodrich, California's Mr. Basketball in 1961, would eventually have his jersey retired by the school. Scattered showers, thunderstorms and steam fog. The Iceman is not only the states all-time leading scorer, hes top 15 in rebounding and assists. "Everybody wants to be like Gumby," Marques Johnson said during a Fresno State telecast. The documentary "Raymond Lewis: L.A, Legend" chronicles his life. photo ran 09/29/1982 He teamed with Dorsey's Rickey "Tex" Walker to lead his RSDL team to a title game against a team filled with pros and led "The Shaw" to a two-year 32-0 on-court record before joining the Bruins. Hailing from Watts, Lewis tends to fall into the category of "best that never was," when it came to professional basketball success. He makes offensive life at the midfield miserable. Angelo Robinson Simply put, a man amongst boys. T.J. As could all of the players on the second team and the honorable mention list. The offense wasnt in his game yet, but he was a phenomenal defender/shot blocker and we were blown away how he handled everything he went through in his junior year. has one of the most spectacular sites in the world, but its often Dynasty on the ropes? "No one knew who he was, but he was great," said Reggie Morris, Sr., then a UC-Irvine assistant. 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. Harold "Baby Jordan" Miner, Inglewood (Inglewood) '89 Will Weir Taylor King outplayed James Harden in their matches but Artesia beat Mater Dei twice in the same season and came home with the trophy. Peyton Watson Long Beach Poly (Long Beach, CA) SF. By then, stories told of his performances on playgrounds and gyms across the country were already legendary. That season, Polee scored 43 points during Manual Arts' 82-69 victory over Crenshaw in the City championship game that reportedly drew more than 14,000 at the nearby Los Angeles Sports Arena. Its interesting how players performed or didnt perform after high school can affect this list. James "Gumby" Gray, Westchester (Los Angeles) '92 With Cal-Hi Sports having a history of more than 40 years and with these types of lists gaining in popularity during the current COVID-19 sports shutdown, we thought it would be fun to do it for our own years of covering California high school boys basketball. A Chicago native, Jeff Mezydlo has professionally written about sports, entertainment and pop culture for nearly 30 years. He then spent a little more than a decade in the NBA. John Wooden (Martinsville), Oscar Robertson (Indianapolis Crispus Attucks), Steve Alford (New Castle Chrysler) and Rick Mount (Lebanon) rank among Indiana's best prep players ever. Francois Wise All California Basketball teams are listed. The current record holder, however, is still a mystery. Tyson Chandler (Dominguez, Compton) 01 10. "Once in the Best of Summer (AAU tournament), Alonzo Mourning was blocking everyone's shots, except John," said Danny Griffin, who played one year behind him at "The Shaw". Changed the game with running one-handed shots. John Williams (Crenshaw, Los Angeles) 84 Hes Seen (As HS Talents) 1. The college basketball blue bloods are the most elite teams in college basketball. While at Verbum Dei, he was a two-time state player of the year in two divisions. Walter Ned Dominguez went 123-14 during Brunner's prep tenure, which included third-team ParadeAll-American honors. Basketball player LaMelo Ball currently represents the Charlotte Hornets of the NBA. Newhouse may never get over his exclusion of 5-8 dunking guard Joe Gardere, who once scored 51 points for McClymonds in 1956. California's answer to Jackie Jackson, Hillman is one of the game's greatest leapers on all levels. 2005-2023 CBS Interactive. Johnson was all-city for the Pilots and finished at Arizona State, in between winning a JUCO national title at College of Southern Idaho, where locals still marvel at his legendary leaping feats. They all take a backseat to the father of Findlay Prep (Henderson, Nev.) standout Nick Johnson and younger brother of NBA Hall of Famer Dennis Johnson. Correct, Im not old enough to see Walton in HS and Mark didnt have a chance to as a teenager/kid. 7. Ronnie Coleman Honors. Averaged 30 points a game, won three Tournament of Champions titles from 1958-60. Davis went on to be named Pac-10 Freshman of the Year at UCLA and was a two-time NBA All-Star for the Charlotte/New Orleans Hornets. Photo: lsusports.net. He regularly puts up 25 points, 15 rebounds and five blocks without even playing a full game.. His stats were similar as a senior when Harden was named a McDonald's All-American and second-team Parade All-American. "Hook (Mitchell) passed the torch to me right on ESPN2," Brunner said. Willie Thomas 4. (Farmington, MI), Taft Miner could score with finesse and dunk with breath-taking power. All rights reserved. His prolific ability to score from difficult situations and positions has helped his team win many games. There are so many great players from this area, that it almost feels wrong to go with just 10, Buckner said, laughing. 15. [1] Many have gone on to play in the NBA. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website.