best california high school basketball players of all time

(Modesto, CA), Rancho Christian 18. 5. With a rock solid physique and an unstoppable pull-up jumper, Williams is one of the greatest shooters in playground history. He averaged more than 22 points each of the next two seasons, then truly solidified himself as one of the nation's best players during a senior campaign in which DeRozan averaged 29.2 points and eight boards while leading Compton to a second straight Moore League title. (Dublin, CA), Archbishop Mitty 18. 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. 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. Similar to New York's Albert King, Cotton was a basketball prodigy. Mike Brown Photos: Cal-Hi Sports archives & BallisLife.com. As a standout power forward for Westchester, Ariza delivered a mix of power and grace on the floor. 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. A cinch Mr. Basketball pick if not for Lonzo Ball, the talented forward might be San Diegos best since Bill Walton. Don McLean (Simi Valley) 88 He attended six different schools in six years, ending up at UC-Irvine, where he did not finish the 1980-81 season. CBS Sports is a registered trademark of CBS Broadcasting Inc. Southern California Academy (Torrance, CA), Pacifica Christian Luckett holds the state record for non-prep school (Northridge, CA), Southern California Academy Baron Davis (Crossroads, Santa Monica) 97 Why? One of California's all-time late-bloomers, Spillers pumped in 21.3 ppg in his senior season. Are there better players among Cali's Elite 24? High school basketball: Every national player of the year since 1922 From Chet Holmgren to Bobby Thompson, MaxPreps names each year's top player. Dwain Bradberry Most likely candidates include three-time state Player of the Year Derrick Low of 'Iolani or Alika Smith of Kalaheo. "He drove coaches nuts," said current Chapman College coach Mike Bokosky, who recruited Works to UC-Irvine out of LACC. Like Pistol Pete, Ransom may have been a bit ahead of his time as a ball-handler and shot-maker, but he never forgot the object of the game: winning Wally Rank Chris Ford "But that's what happens when you have to duck to get out of the rim's way." The five-time NBA all-star nearly invented the point forward position with the Milwaukee Bucks. California basketball fans, were ranking the best California Bears of all-time. 32 was retired the same night as Prince's jersey. 15. Harold Miner (Inglewood) 89 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. Vote now. Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. James Harden (Artesia, Lakewood) 07 Deke Jordan In stark contrast to many playground legends, Lee was obsessed with playing in the NBA. Dominic Ellison The epitome of a student-athlete. Yes, those were two awesome freshmen on that Chino Hills team, but Lonzos senior year play on that squad was unforgettable. James Hardy (Farmington, MI), Taft 19. 4 NBA draft pick whos a rookie for the Orlando Magic, could play in any era. He got better and better each season. He even lit up UNLV for 50 and another school for 81. has one of the most spectacular sites in the world, but its often Dynasty on the ropes? Woody Sauldsberry 23. #20 Best High Schools for Athletes in California. With his zero-gravity dunks, Baby Jordan is one of the most influential SoCal players of all-time. 34. Cant speak for Ronnie, but I saw Paul play. Central Sections best since the Pondexter brothers at San Joaquin Memorial, Stevenson was a man among boys well known since the 7th grade. These include Russell Westbrook, Damian Lillard, James Harden, Kawhi Leonard, LaMelo Ball and others. Complete package of talent, skill and the burning desire to win, with results. O'Bannon won another championship, of the national variety, at UCLA in 1995, when he was the Wooden Award winner and Final Four Most Outstanding Player. 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. 99. Guy "The Fly" Williams Upvote the best basketball players in Golden Bears history based only on the player's college career. Voting is done in a points system. Featuring Hall of Fame greats, superstars, and active players, this list of basketball players who were born in California includes Kawhi Leonard, James Gary Payton (Skyline, Oakland) 86 Holiday, whose parents both played college basketball, had already proved himself to be a star prior to his senior campaign, for which he also was named Gatorade National Player of the Year and a first-team ParadeAll-American. Freeman Williams, Manual Arts (Los Angeles) '74 As a senior, he led the Knights to a 31-3 record and was named Cal-Hi Sports Div. Photos Courtesy of the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame * Greg Oden, Lawrence North (Indianapolis) 2002-2006 One of the country's best prep post players "But the thing is, he played in dockers, pants, under shorts, whatever. Theus went on to UNLV, where his No. In an era when high school players started bypassing college for the NBA, Duncan stayed four years. 13. 3. Apart from making his presence felt in the NBA, Paul George also played a key role in helping the United States men's national basketball team win Olympic gold in the 2016 Summer Olympics held at Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. 78 The Best SoCal Hoopers We've Seen w/ Eric Sondheimer, Stephen Thompson & Pooh Jeter. Jimmy "Helicopter" Payne As could all of the players on the second team and the honorable mention list. The Register's 50 greatest Iowa high school volleyball players of all time LISA BECKER, C.R. Lonzo Ball (Chino Hills) 16 Kevin Johnson (Sacramento) 83 "No one knew who he was, but he was great," said Reggie Morris, Sr., then a UC-Irvine assistant. We just want some real inglewood love. Peyton Watson Long Beach Poly (Long Beach, CA) SF. Taylor King beat him out for Mr. Basketball (career achievement), but Harden was as good an offensive playmaker as anyone to come down pike. Just unbelievable to watch.. 17. That's what hoop gurus that watched Hudson play in high school. McClymonds won six TOCs over a span from 1957-1963 that started with Silas and saw it go 110-1. His stats were similar as a senior when Harden was named a McDonald's All-American and second-team Parade All-American. Interestingly, Polee's prep career started at the aforementioned Verbum Dei, before transferring to Manual Arts for his sophomore year. Harden wasn't a superstar in high school, but he was destined to be going forward. Jordan Farmar (Taft, Woodland Hills) 04 (Newport Beach, CA), Donda Academy Hes just smooth, said Riordan coach Rich Buckner, whose team lost to ODowd 59-41 this season. John Staggers, Crenshaw (Los Angeles) '88 O'Bannon never enjoyed extended success in the NBA, but the road getting there was pretty special. 24. Cherokee Parks (Marina, Huntington Beach) 91 Eric Saulny Eric "Spinmaster" Holmes Jacque Vaughn (Muir, Pasadena) 93 In the 2017-18 NCAA Division I mens basketball season, the Cal Bears roster has the starting five: Darius McNeill, Juhwan Harris-Dyson, Justice Sueing, Marcus Lee, and Kingsley Okoroh.Vote up the ones you think are the greatest UC Berkeleybasketball players in Golden Bears history. The way he ran the floor and attacked the basket was special. Leaf (Foothill Christian, El Cajon) 16 Left his indelible mark on SoCal basketball by leading public school to FAB 50 national title plus 35-0 season in memorable fashion. MaxPreps is a registered trademark of CBS Broadcasting Inc. More and more names kept popping up, and the opinions of old-school cats varied greatly from the younger guys still lacing them up. Saw him at least once in all four of his prep seasons and just so unique in his skills, body type and overall presence. One of three Holiday brothers in the NBA, Jrue clearly is the one who had the most impressive high school career. 1 team that season, which also saw Adams earn McDonald's All-American honors. After his NBA career, Williams put in work in various summer pro leagues and won multiple Drew League titles. Tayshaun Prince (Dominguez, Compton) 98 Williams led "The Shaw" to a state title as a junior and scored 41 points in the city final as a senior. Tyson Chandler (Dominguez, Compton) 01 He led Sequoia to the Tournament of Champions before there was a state tournament in 1967 and went on to play for Cal and the Warriors. In Sacramento, Lee is a legend for leading Kennedy to a 29-1 record as a senior and for his battles with Kevin Johnson, a future NBA guard one year his junior at Sacramento High. A 10-time NBA All-Star, three-time scoring champion and MVP, Harden will go down as one of the greatest NBA players of all time, and it all essentially started at Artesia, where he averaged 13.2 points as a sophomore varsity starter. He was so talented." Perhaps the best overall defender on this list, Prince was a four-time CIF Champion and helped Dominguez won back-to-back state titles in 1996 and '97. 9 3 1. Stunning his fans with his precise shooting abilities, 33 points per game average and five NBA All-Star selections, Damian Lillard has only kept rising in his career as a professional basketball player. WhatIs The Best Team In The NBA Right Now? Marvin Bagley 3 ended up being one and done at Duke with big numbers and and the #2 NBA draft pick but only 2 years in California with no championships. "He was a born-again Christian that would take the bible on road trips just one of those different cats." Perhaps no four-year pro career is more memorable, as teammates recall things he did in warm-ups. USA Today also has never been much of a source weve ever agreed that much with and we think our picks over the years have proven to be superior. LeBron James, St. Vincent-St. Mary, 6. The younger brother of two-time first-team All-Metro player Drew Gordon, the 6-foot-7 forward was best known for highlight-reel dunks that didnt tell the whole story. Walter "Chipper" Bentley A first-team ParadeAll-American and McDonald's All-American, DeRozan starred at USC, then the NBA, where he earned a sixth All-Star nod with the Chicago Bulls in 2023. Oglesby is the prep school all-time state scoring leader, playing five years on the varsity at Hamden Hall. However, a leg injury forced Lacy to redshirt his senior year. This is a carousel. 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. Your email is never published nor shared. Shaun Pennington 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. Drew Pagano (Webster Schroeder): The senior pole leads Section V with 37 takeaways and its not even close. He was a smooth jump shooter who could get to the rim effortlessly. 4. Aaron Gordon (Archbishop Mitty, San Jose) 13 He had been cut from the junior varsity squad as a junior and backed up future baseball Hall of Famer Frank Robinson when he did make the varsity team. There would be huge crowds to see him. Rick Suter. Mainly because of the video showing him doing amazing feats, such as jumping over people, motorcycles, and cars. All rights reserved. John Williams, Crenshaw (Los Angeles) '84 Kind of the boys hoops version of our No. Wasnt Ricky Price a more highly regarded talent coming out of high school than Paul Pierce? (Temecula, CA), Balboa City School Tayshaun Prince (Dominguez, Compton) 98 (Carmichael, CA), San Ysidro Brunner's college career at Georgetown and Fresno State was marred by plenty of issues, but he eventually found modest success in the ABA. Killum grew up on the tough streets of Watts, but he won over teammates with his leadership and classmates with his wit. An Indiana All-Star and Marion County player of the year, Jones helped lead Ben Davis to the basketball state finals as a senior. "He would take it in the key, hesitate and finger roll or tear-drop it in. Cliff Robinson (Castlemont, Oakland) 77 Many of our panelists had a hard time deciding on 10 players, and several re-voted a time or two before the story went to press. Carl Ray Harris Cleveland "Pete" McKinney Murray earned McDonald's All-American honors and then went on to star at UCLA , where he was a two-time, first-team All-Pac-10 performer, before embarking on a 12-season NBA career. However, we are certain that total has long since been surpassed. Kawai Leonard had the big senior season averaging 27 points and 15 boards a game while bringing home the trophy. 14,123 people were at that game, but thousands more claim to have witnessed it. Taylor King was named Mr. Basketball over James. The Pasadena native did not have a well-known prep career, but he flourished at the JUCO level and on the streets. 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. "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". 2022: Consensus All-American (School's first-ever DB to do so) 2022: Big Ten Defensive Back of the Year 2022: Jim Thorpe Award finalist Scott Williams (Wilson, Hacienda Heights) 86 Eldridge Hudson (Carson) 82 James did help Artesia get those two big wins, but Artesia clearly had a better supporting cast. Each year the California Mr. Basketball award is given to the person chosen as the best high school boys basketball player in the U.S. state of California. After failing to make the varsity team as a freshman and sophomore, Pierce quickly blossomed into a prep star during his junior campaign. We saw all four of the state title games in which Stanley played and he stepped up in each one of them. (Riverside, CA), Notre Dame Marques Johnson, Crenshaw (Los Angeles) '73 An eight-time All-NBA Team member, Russell is one of the most athletic NBA players of all time. A teammate of the aforementioned Jacque Vaughn at Kansas, Pierce ended up in Lawrence thanks to a stellar career at Inglewood High, which retired his No. 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. 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. 22. J.C. Gipson His scoring averages were 34.1, 29.3, and 29.7 his final three years, leading the nation each season. Playing for local legend Willie West, Crenshaw went 32-0 during Johnson's final two seasons. Her 6,190 point-total includes six Gordon, the No. Biloxis Shaneal Corpuz (Napa, CA), Centennial It was unbelievable." 14. Zach "Chestnuts" Fray John Staggers (Crenshaw, Los Angeles) 88 7. "I can't give him enough credit," said former Manual Arts coach Reggie Morris, Sr. "He lingered in the Drew League for years.". He would go on to help the Bruins win the 1965 national title. Paul dont count. 12. Those that saw him play, or played against him, still marvel at just how good he was individually. Teams beat him up with double and triple teams but they still couldnt stop him. 12. Ransom never lost that street flair to his game in the Pac-8 and was even offered a contract by the Harlem Globetrotters. This Drew League veteran is known nationwide and you can still catch him crossing over defenders up at Venice Beach in the summer. Ed OBannon (Artesia, Lakewood) 90 9. Correct, Im not old enough to see Walton in HS and Mark didnt have a chance to as a teenager/kid. Johnson was born in Louisiana, but eventually moved to Los Angeles, where he was the first true superstar at mighty Crenshaw High School. For subscription info, CLICK HERE. He went to 3 CIF finals and won 1. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. 25. MaxPreps. 21. Sean Higgins (Fairfax, Los Angeles) 87 Russell Brown Kevin Beal SoCals best all-around player ever. Here is our list of the best prep players from L.A. (Los Angeles County, to be more specific). Stanley Johnson (Mater Dei, Santa Ana) 14 The magical run he led the Vikings on during that 2006 season (ending with a win over Mater Dei in the state final) wound up being repeated when he debuted in the NBA for the New York Knicks a few years later. Russell Westbrook is a professional basketball player. Jason Kapono (Artesia, Lakewood) 99 22 on Slam Magazine's list of greatest dunkers. Unlike King, Cotton didn't develop in an NBA forward, but countless pros, both older and younger than him such as Kevin Garnett, Lamar Odom and Kobe Bryant, have all been subjects in those true tales. Gerald Walker SMH DO BETTER!!!! "Ray Lew" Raymond Lewis, Verbum Dei (Los Angeles) '71 If he could do it again, he'd attend Degrassi Junior High, Ampipe High and Grand Lakes University. Ricky Hawthorne From the San Pedro projects, Naulls was a standout football player at San Pedro High School, but basketball would be his future. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. CBS SPORTS HQ. Nathan Bittle Prolific Prep (Napa, CA) II school saw him playing in an Atlanta summer league after failing to qualify academically at Washington. I state title, averaging 25.1 points in seven post-season games. Had very strong hands. "There was nobody like Sam," said Reggie Morris, Sr. "He's one of the greatest to play high school ball in Los Angeles.". Chris Mills (Fairfax, Los Angeles) 88 Vote for Your Favourite Basketball Players, (American Professional Basketball Player and 5-Time NBA All-Star Winner), (American Professional Basketball Player Who Plays at the Point Guard / Shooting Guard Position), (American Professional Basketball Player Who Plays at the Shooting Guard' Position), (American professional Basketball Player Who Plays at the 'Point Guard' Position), (American Professional Basketball Player Who Plays as a Point Guard), (American Professional Basketball Player Who Plays at the 'Small Forward' Position), (American Former Basketball Player Who Played at the 'Small Forward' Position), (Former Basketball player at point guard position), (Former Basketball player who played the point guard position), (American Television Sportscaster and Former Professional Basketball Player), (Professional Basketball Player and First Asian American to Win an NBA Championship), (American Basketball Player Who Plays as a Shooting Guard / Small Forward), (American Former Professional Basketball Player Who Played as the Shooting Guard), Nick Young, also known as "Swaggy P, is an, (Basketball player - Point guard / Shooting guard), (American Professional Basketball Player Who Plays as a Power Forward / Center), Shareef O'Neal, son of legendary basketball player Shaquille O'Neal, plays college basketball for the, (American Commentator for ESPN and Former Basketball Coach), Jeff Van Gundy is a former basketball coach who now serves as an, (American Professional Basketball Player Who Plays as the Shooting guard), LiAngelo Robert Ball, son of former football player LaVar Ball, was a three-star recruit and played for, (Former Basketball player at small forward position). On the other, Aaron is higher. NBA & ABA Players Who Attended High School in California Show/Hide Locations List. By Kevin Askeland Follow Kevin Askeland on Twitter Apr 22, 2021, 11:15am MaxPreps Boys Basketball All-America Team Announced 88,627 views 3:14 Demar DeRozan (Compton) 08 Photo: Twitter.com. Ivan Rabb (Bishop ODowd, Oakland) 15 The 1972-73 season concluded with Johnson averaging 26.4 points and 18 rebounds to be named Los Angeles City Section 4-A Division Player of the Year. His sad story is well-known in Sacramento, but not many outside the city saw how explosive and how creative he was on the court. Even though he didn't start for Crenshaw at times, he was city player of the year and averaged 23.8 ppg for a team that spent a majority of the 1987-88 season ranked No. DeRozan is proof that great high school basketball players from Compton don't have to attend Dominguez. Some of those guys on Westchester and Verbum Dei were on liaded teamshard to be singled out as superstars sharing shots. Trevor Ariza (Westchester, Los Angeles) 03 Dont forget to follow him on Twitter:@RonMFlores, Mark Tennis is the co-founder and publisher of CalHiSports.com. All California Basketball teams are listed. 's hottest neighborhoods sell Beautification Day launches first I Love Tenderloin Week for neighborhood, Missed the northern lights in California? Im sure if Id have seen those guys play in person, theyd be on the list. The first-team ParadeAll-American then played two seasons at LSU and was a first-round pick of Washington in the 1986 NBA Draft. His legend had just begun. Tom Lewis (Mater Dei, Santa Ana) 85 Add to List. Fabian Nixon Payton was a near-miss on the first- and second-team ballots, as voters focused exclusively on high school accomplishments and not what players went on to do. Jason Kidd (St. Joseph, Alameda) 92 By Scott Watkins. Who was the Coasts best girls basketball player during the 2022-23 season? But the more we talked to people in the know, the further we got from narrowing down the list. Marco Fleming The legend of "Hook" first grew at Mack, where he teamed up with Antonio Davis in OAL battles with Skyline's Gary Payton and Greg Foster. Hernell "Jeep" Jackson 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. 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. "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. "I consider myself 1A with Ray Lew (Raymond Lewis)." Golden State Warriors shooting guard Klay Thompson has won three NBA championships with the team. Jason Kidd tops list of Bay Areas all-time basketball team 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. "His leaping ability probably was detrimental to the rest of his game," said former USC and L.A. Lakers guard Duane Cooper. MB3 only played one year. (Beaumont, CA), Dublin A nasty dispute with management led to him being unofficially blackballed from the pros, but he was well respected by his pro playground peers such as Dr. J. His No. Web2023 High School Pos Rankings State Rankings Top247 247Sports Composite Rank Player Pos Ht / Wt Rating Team 1 4 AJ Johnson Southern California Academy (Castaic, Nevertheless, he didn't have a big reputation around the city. 8. (Corona, CA), Sierra Canyon These cookies do not store any personal information. The streets are where Hook's game thrived, but unfortunately it's the place that has defined his life. 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. 13. The 6-foot-11 Rabb also doesnt get into foul trouble and can make free throws. 1 for me from CIF Central Section, but this wouldnt count Jalen Greens year at Prolific Prep.

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