Greatest High School Boys Basketball Player From Every State

The greatest high school basketball players of all time are legends in each of their own states and beyond.

Picking the greatest high school basketball player from every state is hard.

Deciding the criteria for what makes them the GOAT isn’t as difficult.

Imagine it like a draft: You’ve got the No. 1 pick in every state and you’ve got the entire history of high school basketball players in every state to pick from … as the player they were in high school. Not in college. Not in the NBA if they were good enough to make it that far.

Individual awards are important, as are individual stats. State championships are golden. A great high school basketball player can come from anywhere — no matter the size of the town or city.

Here’s a look at the greatest high school boys basketball player of all time, from all 50 states.

Alabama: Gerald Wallace, Small Forward

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Born: July 23, 1982 (Childersburg, Alabama)

High school: Childersburg High School (Childersburg, Alabama)

Graduation year: 2000

College: Alabama

Career highlights: Naismith Prep Player of the Year (2000), Alabama Gatorade Player of the Year (2000), Parade High School All-American (2000), USA Today National Player of the Year (2000), USA Today High School All-American (2000), Alabama Mr. Basketball (2000), NBA All-Star (2010), NBA All-Defensive Team (2010)

Bottom Line: Gerald Wallace

Charlotte Bobcats forward Gerald Wallace

AP Photo

Childersburg High’s Gerald Wallace became the only high school basketball player from Alabama to be named USA Today National Player of the Year and Naismith Prep Player of the year as a senior in 2000. Wallace played one season at the University of Alabama before being selected by the Sacramento Kings at No. 25 overall in the 2001 NBA Draft.

Wallace played 14 seasons in the NBA and was an All-Star in 2010 — and he’s one of just three players in NBA history to average two rebounds and two steals over an entire season.

Alaska: Mario Chalmers, Point Guard

Alaska Sports Hall of Fame

Born: May 19, 1986 (Anchorage, Alaska)

High school: Bartlett High School (Anchorage, Alaska)

Graduation year: 2005

College: Kansas

Career highlights: Parade High School All-American (2005), two-time Alaska Gatorade Player of the Year (2004, 2005), McDonald’s All-American (2005), three-time Class 4A State Player of the Year (2003-05), two-time Class 4A state champion (2002, 2003), NCAA champion (2008), NCAA Tournament Most Outstanding Player (2008), Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year (2007), Big 12 Tournament MVP (2006), two-time NBA champion (2012, 2013), NBA All-Rookie Team (2009)

Bottom Line: Mario Chalmers

AP Photo

Bartlett High’s Mario Chalmers was only the second player in Alaska history to be named Class 4A Player of the Year three times after East Anchorage’s Trajan Langdon. He also won a pair of state championships along with being named a McDonald’s All-American.

Chalmers won on every level — he hit one of the most clutch shots in NCAA history to help lift Kansas to the 2008 national championship and won a pair of NBA titles with the Miami Heat.

Arizona: Mike Bibby, Point Guard

BallisLife

Born: May 13, 1978 (Cherry Hill, New Jersey)

High school: Shadow Mountain High School (Phoenix, Arizona)

Graduation year: 1996

College: Arizona

Career highlights: Mr. Basketball USA (1996), McDonald’s All-American (1996), Parade High School All-American (1996), Class 5A state champion (1996), NCAA champion (1997), AP All-American (1998), Pac-10 Player of the Year (1998), All-Pac-10 (1998), Pac-10 Freshman of the Year (1997), NBA All-Rookie Team (1999)

Bottom Line: Mike Bibby

David Zalubowski / AP Photo

Mike Bibby led Shadow Mountain High to its first state championship in 1996. The next year, he also led Arizona to the lone NCAA championship in school history.

Bibby was selected No. 2 overall by the Vancouver Grizzlies in 1999 and played 14 seasons in the NBA.

Arkansas: Corliss Williamson, Power Forward

Russellville High School Athletics

Born: Dec. 4, 1973 (Russellville, Arkansas)

High school: Russellville High School (Russellville, Arkansas)

Graduation year: 1992

College: Arkansas

Career highlights: Gatorade National Player of the Year (1992), two-time Parade High School All-American (1991, 1992), three-time AAA All-State (1990-92), NCAA champion (1994), NCAA Final Four Most Outstanding Player (1994), two-time AP All-American (1994, 1995), two-time SEC Player of the Year (1994, 1995), NBA champion (2004), NBA Sixth Man of the Year (2002)

Bottom Line: Corliss Williamson

AP Photo

Russellville High’s Corliss Williamson was named Gatorade National Player of the Year in 1992 before the 6-foot-7, 245-pound power forward led Arkansas to the NCAA championship two years later. Russellville retired Williamson’s famous No. 34, which hangs in the school’s gym alongside his McDonald’s All-American jersey.

California: Jason Kidd, Point Guard

St. Joseph Notre Dame

Born: March 23, 1973 (San Francisco, California)

High school: St. Joseph Notre Dame High school (Alameda, California)

Graduation year: 1992

College: California

Career highlights: Naismith Prep Player of the Year (1992), USA Today National Player of the Year (1992), two-time California Mr. Basketball (1991, 1992), two-time Parade High School All-American (1991, 1992), two-time CIF state champion (1991, 1992), AP All-American (1994), USBWA National Freshman of the Year (1993), Pac-10 Player of the Year (1994), Pac-10 Freshman of the Year (1993), NBA champion (2011), 10-time NBA All-Star (1996, 1998, 2000-04, 2007, 2008, 2010), six-time All-NBA Team (1999-2004), nine-time NBA All-Defensive Team (1999-2007), NBA Co-Rookie of the Year (1995), NBA 75th Anniversary Team

Bottom Line: Jason Kidd

AP Photo

Jason Kidd was a national sensation and the most famous high school basketball player in the country in 1992 after he led St. Joseph Notre Dame High to back-to-back state championships and named both Parade and USA Today National Player of the Year. Kidd starred at Cal for two years before he was selected No. 2 overall in the 1994 NBA Draft. He played 19 seasons in the NBA and was elected to the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2018.

Colorado: Chauncey Billups, Point Guard

George Washington High

Born: Sept. 25, 1976 (Denver, Colorado)

High school: George Washington High School (Denver, Colorado)

Graduation year: 1995

College: Colorado

Career highlights: Two-time Parade All-American (1994, 1995), three-time Mr. Colorado Basketball (1993-95), two-time Class 5A state champion (1993, 1994), four-time Class 5A All-State (1992-95), AP All-American (1997), All-Big 12 (1997), NBA champion (2004), NBA Finals MVP (2004), five-time NBA All-Star (2006-10), three-time All-NBA (2006, 2007, 2009), two-time NBA All-Defensive Team (2005, 2006), NBA Teammate of the Year (2013)

Bottom Line: Chauncey Billups

AP Photo

Almost 30 years from when he played high school basketball, Washington High’s Chauncey Billups is still the gold standard in Colorado. Billups won two state championships, was a three-time Mr. Colorado Basketball and two-time Parade All-American.

The athlete played two years for the University of Colorado and led the Buffs to the NCAA Tournament for the first time in 28 years. He played 17 seasons in the NBA and led the Detroit Pistons to the 2004 NBA championship and was named NBA Finals MVP. Billups has been the head coach of the Portland TrailBlazers since 2021.

Connecticut: Calvin Murphy, Point Guard

AP Photo

Born: May 9, 1948 (Norwalk, Connecticut)

High school: Norwalk High School (Norwalk, Connecticut)

Graduation year: 1966

College: Niagara

Career highlights: Parade High School All-American (1966), Mr. Basketball USA (1966), three-time CIAC state champion (1964-66), three-time CIAC All-State (1964-66), three-time three-time AP All-American (1968-70), NBA All-Star (1979), NBA All-Rookie Team (1971)

Bottom Line: Calvin Murphy

F. Carter Smith / AP Photo

The shortest player to make this list at 5-foot-9, Norwalk High’s Calvin Murphy was arguably the best in the country in two sports in high school — he was a two-time All-American and three-time state champion in basketball and won a national championship in baton twirling as well.

Murphy was a three-time All-American and averaged 33.3 points over three seasons at Niagara before playing 13 seasons in the NBA. He was elected to the Basketball Hall of Fame in 1993.

Delaware: Donte DiVincenzo, Shooting Guard

Salesianum School

Born: Jan. 31, 1997 (Newark, Delaware)

High school: Salesianum School (Wilmington, Delaware)

Graduation year: 2015

College: Villanova

Career highlights: Two-time DIAA state champion (2014, 2015), two-time DIAA All-State (2014, 2015), DSBA Player of the Year (2015), two-time NCAA champion (2016, 2018), NCAA Final Four Most Outstanding Player (2018), Big East Sixth Man of the Year (2018), Big East All-Freshman Team (2017), NBA champion (2021)

Bottom Line: Donte DiVincenzo

Mark J. Terrill / AP Photo

Donte DiVincenzo’s basketball career has been defined by winning championships. The 6-foot-4 shooting guard won back-to-back state championships to cap his career at Salesianum before winning two national championships at Villanova, including being named Final Four Most Outstanding Player. DiVincenzo was drafted No. 18 overall by the Milwaukee Bucks in 2018 and — no surprise here — won an NBA championship with the team in 2021.

Florida: Vince Carter, Guard/Forward

NBA

Born: Jan. 26, 1977 (Daytona Beach, Florida)

High school: Mainland High School (Daytona Beach, Florida)

Graduation year: 1995

College: North Carolina

Career highlights: Parade High School All-American (1995), McDonald’s All-American (1995), Florida Mr. Basketball (1995), Class 6A state champion (1995), AP All-American (1998), two-time All-ACC (1997, 1998), two-time All-NBA Team (2000, 2001), eight-time NBA All-Star (2000-07), NBA Rookie of the Year (1999), NBA Slam Dunk Contest champion (2000), NBA Teammate of the Year (2016)

Bottom Line: Vince Carter

AP Photo

Florida has seen a boom in high school basketball talent over the last decade with players like Ben Simmons, Joel Embiid, Cameron Boozer and Austin Rivers making their mark — Mainland High’s Vince Carter is still the best to ever do it in the Sunshine State.

Carter, an electric, 6-foot-6 guard/forward, led his high school to the first state championship in 56 years as a senior in 1995 and was named a McDonald’s All-American. Perhaps the greatest dunker of all time, Carter starred at North Carolina before setting the NBA record for longevity by playing 22 seasons over four different decades.

Georgia: Lou Williams, Guard

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Born: Oct. 27, 1986 (Memphis, Tennessee)

High school: South Gwinnett High School (Snellville, Georgia)

Graduation year: 2005

College: None

Career highlights: Naismith Prep Player of the Year (2005), two-time Parade High School All-American (2004, 2005), two-time Mr. Georgia Basketball (2004, 2005), McDonald’s All-American (2005), Class 5A state champion (2004), four-time Class 5A All-State (2002-05), three-time NBA Sixth Man of the Year (2015, 2018, 2019)

Bottom Line: Lou Williams

Nate Billings / AP Photo

South Gwinnett’s Lou Williams was a four-time All-State pick, led his team to the Class 5A state championship in 2004 and was named Naismith National Prep Player of the Year as a senior in 2005. Williams averaged 27.5 points, 6.6 rebounds and 5.2 assists for his career and finished as the No. 2 career scorer in Georgia history.

Williams committed to play for Georgia but went straight to the NBA in the last year high school players could go directly to the league, where he played 17 seasons and was named NBA Sixth Man of the Year three times.

Hawaii: Derrick Low, Shooting Guard

Elaine Thompson / AP Photo

Born: March 21, 1986 (Honolulu, Hawaii)

High school: Iolani School (Honolulu, Hawaii)

Graduation year: 2004

College: Washington State

Career highlights: Three-time Hawaii Gatorade Player of the Year (2002-04), three-time Hawaii Mr. Basketball (2002-04), three-time Division AA state champion (2002-04), two-time All-Pac-10 (2007, 2008), Lithuanian League All-Star (2010), two-time LKL Three-Point Shootout Champion (2010, 2016)

Bottom Line: Derrick Low

Rich Schultz / AP Photo

Derrick Low led Iolani High to three consecutive state championships and was a three-time Hawaii Gatorade Player of the Year and three-time Hawaii Mr. Basketball. Iolani won 72 consecutive games against Hawaiian teams to close out his career and went 101-4 against in-state foes while he was in high school.

Low was a two-time All-Pac-10 pick at Washington State before playing a decade of pro basketball overseas.

Idaho: Steve Hayes, Center

New Jersey Nets’ Terrence Williams (1), is guarded by Maccabi Haifa’s Derrick Low (4), during an exhibition basketball game at the Prudential Center in Newark , N.J., Sunday, Oct. 3, 2010. (AP Photo/Rich Schultz) Rich Schultz / FR27227 AP

Born: Aug. 2, 1955 (American Falls, Idaho)

High school: Aberdeen High School (Aberdeen, Idaho)

Graduation year: 1973

College: Idaho State

Career highlights: Class 3A state champion (1973), three-time All-Big Sky (1975-77), CBA MVP (1985), CBA Playoff MVP (1980), CBA champion (1980)

Bottom Line: Steve Hayes

AP Photo

There has never been an Idaho high school basketball player quite like Aberdeen High’s Steve Hayes, a 7-foot center who led his school the Class 3A state championship in 1973 before starring for Idaho State.

In college, Hayes led Idaho State to two NCAA Tournament appearances and set Big Sky Conference career records for rebounds (1,147), career blocked shots per game (3.51) and single-game blocked shots (10), but saved his best for last. In 1977, Idaho State faced UCLA in the Sweet 16 as the Bruins tried to make a record 11th consecutive Final Four but behind Hayes’ 27 points and 12 rebounds Idaho State pulled out a 76-75 win for one of the biggest upsets in NCAA Tournament history.

Hayes played 13 seasons of pro basketball, including six seasons in the NBA, and was the CBA MVP for the Tampa Bay Thrillers in 1985.

Illinois: Jabari Parker, Power Forward

Charles Rex Arbogast / AP Photo

Born: March 16, 1995 (Chicago, Illinois)

High school: Simeon Career Academy (Chicago, Illinois)

Graduation year: 2013

College: Duke

Career highlights: Gatorade National Player of the Year (2012), USA Today National Player of the Year (2013), Parade High School All-American (2013), McDonald’s All-American (2013), two-time Illinois Mr. Basketball (2012, 2013), AP All-American (2014), USBWA National Freshman of the Year (2014), ACC Rookie of the Year (2014)

Bottom Line: Jabari Parker

Sue Ogrocki / AP Photo

An almost impossible state to pick a single player for but Jabari Parker’s high school career stands above all others.

Parker won four state championships for Simeon Career Academy (the same school that produced Derrick Rose and Benji Wilson) and was the first two-time Illinois Mr. Basketball. Parker was named Gatorade National Player of the Year as a junior in 2012 and USA Today National Player of the Year in 2013. He was a consensus All-American in one season at Duke and selected No. 2 overall by the Milwaukee Bucks in the 2014 NBA Draft but within three seasons had torn the ACLs in both of his knees.

Indiana: Oscar Robertson, Point Guard

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Born: Nov. 24, 1938 (Charlotte, Tennessee)

High school: Crispus Attucks High School (Indianapolis, Indiana)

Graduation year: 1956

College: Cincinnati

Career highlights: Two-time IHSAA state champion (1955, 1956), Indiana Mr. Basketball (1956), Mr. Basketball USA (1956), three-time AP All-American (1958-60), three-time UPI College Player of the Year (1958-60), three-time Sporting News College Player of the Year (1958-60), three-time All-MVC (1958-60), NBA champion (1971), NBA MVP (1964), 12-time NBA All-Star (1961-72), 12-time NBA All-Star (1961-72), three-time NBA All-Star Game MVP (1961, 1964, 1969), 11-time All-NBA Team (1961-71), NBA Rookie of the Year (1961), NBA 50th Anniversary Team

Bottom Line: Oscar Robertson

Hans Von Nolde / AP Photo

Oscar Robertson was a basketball prodigy at Crispus Attucks High, an all-Black high school he led to back-to-back Indiana state championships as a junior and senior. Crispus Attucks went 62-1 over that stretch, with a 45-game winning streak. He helped the team become the first in state history to have a perfect season.

“The Big O” went on to star in college for Cincinnati and in the NBA for 14 seasons — the Hall of Famer is even credited with creating the head fake and the fadeaway jump shot.

Iowa: Harrison Barnes, Forward

Steve Pope / AP Photo

Born: May 30, 1992 (Ames, Iowa)

High school: Ames High School (Ames, Iowa)

Graduation year: 2010

College: North Carolina

Career highlights: USA Today National Player of the Year (2010), two-time Parade High School All-American (2009, 2010), Mr. Basketball USA (2010), Iowa Mr. Basketball (2010), McDonald’s All-American Game MVP (2010), two-time Class 4A state champion (2009, 2010), two-time Iowa Gatorade Player of the Year (2009, 2010), two-time All-ACC (2011, 2012), ACC Rookie of the Year (2011), ACC All-Freshman Team (2011), NBA champion (2015), NBA All-Rookie Team (2013)

Bottom Line: Harrison Barnes

Harrison Barnes, Jordan Hill, Pau Gasol, David Lee

Mark J. Terrill / AP Photo

Ames High superstar Harrison Barnes and teammate Doug McDermott formed one of the great 1-2 punches in high school basketball history, going 53-0 and winning back-to-back state championships over the last two seasons. Barnes, 6-foot-8, was the No. 1 recruit in the country for the Class of 2010 and played two seasons at North Carolina before being selected No. 7 overall by the Golden State Warriors in the 2012 NBA Draft.

Kansas: Ricky Ross, Guard/Forward

John Avery / Wichita Eagle

Born: Unknown

High school: Wichita South High School (Wichita, Kansas)

Graduation year: 1979

Colleges: Kansas/Tulsa

Career highlights: Two-time Class 5A/6A state champion (1978, 1979), two-time Class 5A/6A All-State (1978, 1979), McDonald’s All-American (1979)

Bottom Line: Ricky Ross

University of Tulsa

There are 43 high school basketball players from Kansas who have made it to the NBA, dating all the way back to the league’s first season in 1946 to the nine players on rosters headed into the 2023-24 season.

Wichita South High’s Ricky Ross isn’t one of them. That doesn’t mean he’s not the best high school basketball player in Kansas history.

Ross was a 6-foot-6 guard forward who could score, pass and rebound. He was a pure shooter who played before the three-point line and still averaged 27.1 points as a junior and 31.7 points as a senior. He led South to back-to-back state championships in 1978 and 1979 and was a McDonald’s All-American before a circuitous college career that saw him start his career at Kansas before veering off to Wichita State, where he never suited up because of academics, then a junior college in California and finally Tulsa for his final two seasons, where he averaged 17.3 points, 6.2 assists and 3.2 rebounds as a senior. He was selected by the Washington Bullets in the third round in 1984 but never played in the NBA.

Former Wichita Eagle sports columnist Bob Lutz wrote a brilliant column examining the reasons why Ross never fully lived up to his potential after high school.

Kentucky: Wes Unseld, Forward/Center

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Born: March 14, 1946 (Louisville, Kentucky)

Died: June 2, 2020, 74 years old (Baltimore, Maryland)

High school: Seneca High School (Louisville, Kentucky)

Graduation year: 1964

College: Louisville

Career highlights: Parade High School All-American (1964), two-time KHSAA state champion (1963, 1964), Kentucky Mr. Basketball (1964), two-time AP All-American (1967, 1968), three-time All-MVC (1966-68), NBA champion (1978), NBA MVP (1969), NBA Finals MVP (1978), five-time NBA All-Star (1969, 1971-73, 1975), All-NBA Team (1969), NBA Rookie of the Year (1969), NBA 50th Anniversary Team

Bottom Line: Wes Unseld

AP Photo

Seneca High’s Wes Unseld was an undersized, 6-foot-7 center who led his school to back-to-back state championships in 1963 and 1965. Unseld’s 72 rebounds at the 1963 state tournament and 88 rebounds at the 1964 state tournament are still Nos. 1-2 in state tournament history.

Unseld averaged 20.6 points and 18.9 rebounds over three seasons at Louisville, won NBA MVP honors as a rookie in 1969 and helped lead the Washington Bullets to an NBA championship in 1978. He died in 2020, at 74 years old.

Louisiana: Randy Livingston, Point Guard

Isidore Newman School

Born: April 2, 1975 (New Orleans, Louisiana)

High school: Isidore Newman School (New Orleans, Louisiana)

Graduation year: 1993

College: LSU

Career highlights: Naismith Prep Player of the Year (1993), Gatorade National Player of the Year (1993), two-time Parade High School All-American (1992, 1993), McDonald’s All-American (1993), NBA D-League MVP (2007), NBA D-League champion (2008), CBA All-Star (2005), four-time All-CBA Team (1999, 2002, 2004, 2005)

Bottom Line: Randy Livingston

AP Photo

In the early 1990s, New Orleans’ Isidore Newman School had the nation’s top basketball and football recruit on campus at the same time with point guard Randy Livingston and quarterback Peyton Manning. Livingston was the No. 1 recruit in the nation over future North Carolina stars Rasheed Wallace and Jerry Stackhouse but injuries derailed his career at LSU, where he only played 32 games in two seasons before spending 12 years playing pro basketball, including parts on nine NBA seasons.

Maine: Cooper Flagg, Small Forward

Gregory Payan / AP Photo

Born: Dec. 21, 2006 (Newport, Maine)

High school: Nokomis Regional High School (Newport, Maine)

Graduation year: 2024

College: Undecided

Career highlights: Maine Gatorade Player of the Year (2022), Class A state champion (2022), Class A Tournament Most Outstanding Player (2022), FIBA U17 World Cup gold medal (2022), FIBA U17 World Cup All-Tournament Team (2022), USA Basketball Male Athlete of the Year (2022), MaxPreps All-American (2023)

Bottom Line: Cooper Flagg

Gregory Payan / AP Photo

We had to fudge the rules just a little bit for this spot but it feels like it would be blasphemous to say there’s ever been a better high school basketball player to come out of Maine than Cooper Flagg.

The 6-foot-8 forward led Nokomis Regional High to the Class A state championship and was named Maine Gatorade Player of the Year in 2022, becoming the first freshman to earn the honor. Flagg followed that up by leading Team USA to the gold medal at the FIBA U17 World Cup in 2022.

He transferred to Montverde (Fla.) Academy for his sophomore season and in the summer of 2023 reclassified to the Class of 2024 — he’s projected as the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft.

Maryland/D.C.: Elgin Baylor, Small Forward

AP Photo

Born: Sept. 16, 1934 (Washington, D.C.)

Died: March 22, 2021, 86 years old (Los Angeles, California)

High school: Spingarn High School (Washington, D.C.)

Graduation year: 1954

Colleges: College of Idaho/Seattle

Career highlights: Washington Post All-Metro Team (1954), two-time AP All-American (1957, 1958), NCAA Final Four Most Outstanding Player (1958), 11-time NBA All-Star (1959-65, 1967-70), NBA All-Star Game MVP (1959), 10-time All-NBA Team (1959-65, 1967-69), NBA Rookie of the Year (1959), NBA 50th Anniversary Team, NBA 75th Anniversary Team

Bottom Line: Elgin Baylor

Ron Frehm / AP Photo

Elgin Baylor played his first two years of high school basketball at Phelps Vocational High before finishing his career at famed Springarn High, where he became the first player from an all-Black school to make the prestigious Washington Post All-Metro Team in 1954 after he averaged 36.1 points and set a D.C.-area record with 63 points … against Phelps.

Playing in an era where almost no colleges recruited Black high schools, Baylor was forced to head west to play one year for the College of Idaho, a junior college, before playing two years for the University of Seattle, where he led his school to a national runner-up finish. He was named NCAA Final Four Most Outstanding Player in 1958.

Baylor played 14 seasons in the NBA, all for the Minneapolis/Los Angeles Lakers, becoming one of the league’s most popular players of all time and a 10-time All-NBA Team selection. He died in 2021, at 86 years old.

Massachusetts: Patrick Ewing, Center

Cambridge Rindge & Latin's Patrick Ewing

RMY Auctions

Born: Aug. 5, 1962 (Kingston, Jamaica)

High school: Rindge and Latin School (Cambridge, Massachusetts)

Graduation year: 1981

College: Georgetown

Career highlights: Two-time Parade High School All-American (1980, 1981), McDonald’s All-American (1981), USA Basketball National High School Player of theYear (1981), three-time Division I state champion (1979-81), NCAA champion (1984), NCAA Final Four Most Outstanding Player (1984), National College Player of the Year (1985), three-time AP All-American (1983-85), two-time Big East Defensive Player of the Year (1984, 1985), four-time Big East Defensive Player of the Year (1982-85), four-time All-Big East (1982-85), 11-time NBA All-Star (1986, 1988-97), seven-time All-NBA Team (1988-93, 1997), three-time NBA All-Defensive Team (1988, 1989, 1992), NBA Rookie of the Year (1986), NBA 50th Anniversary Team, NBA 75th Anniversary Team

Bottom Line: Patrick Ewing

AP Photo

Patrick Ewing grew up playing cricket and soccer in his native Jamaica before his family moved to the Boston area when he was in middle school. This is when he began playing basketball. Mentored by Cambridge Rindge and Latin School by head coach Mike Jarvis, the 7-foot Ewing turned into one of the most dominant high school players of all time, leading his school to three consecutive state championships and earning National Player of the Year honors as a senior.

Ewing starred at Georgetown and led the Hoyas to a national title in 1984. He was the No. 1 overall pick by the New York Knicks in 1985, played 17 seasons in the NBA and was inducted into the Pro Basketball Hall of Fame in 2008 as an individual and in 2010 as a member of the 1992 Olympic “Dream Team.”

Michigan: Earvin ‘Magic’ Johnson, Point Guard

prabook

Born: Aug. 14, 1959 (Lansing, Michigan)

High school: Everett High School (Lansing, Michigan)

Graduation year: 1977

College: Michigan State

Career highlights: Parade High School All-American (1977), McDonald’s All-American (1977), Michigan Mr. Basketball (1977), Class A state champion (1977), two-time Class A All-State (1976, 1977), NCAA champion (1979), NCAA Final Four Most Outstanding Player (1979), two-time AP All-American (1978, 1979), two-time All-Big Ten (1978, 1979), five-time NBA champion (1980, 1982, 1985, 1987, 1988), three-time NBA Finals MVP (1980, 1982, 1987), three-time NBA MVP (1987, 1989, 1990), 12-time NBA All-Star (1980, 1982-92), two-time NBA All-Star Game MVP (1990, 1992), 10-time All-NBA (1982-91), NBA All-Rookie Team (1980), NBA 50th Anniversary Team, NBA 75th Anniversary Team

Bottom Line: Earvin ‘Magic’ Johnson

AP Photo

Considered by many to be the greatest point guard of all time, Earvin “Magic” Johnson earned the most famous nickname in sports history from a local sportswriter after a triple-double of 36 points, 18 rebounds and 16 assists as a sophomore at Everett High. Johnson would eventually lead Everett to a state championship as a senior in 1977, averaging 28.8 points and 16.8 rebounds as his team went 27-1.

Two years after winning a state championship, Johnson led Michigan State to an NCAA championship. A year following a national championship victory, Johnson led the Los Angeles Lakers to the first of five NBA championships with him as the star player.

Minnesota: Chet Holmgren, Center

Ellen Schmidt / AP Photo

Born: May 1, 2002 (Minneapolis, Minnesota)

High school: Minnehaha Academy (Minneapolis, Minnesota)

Graduation year: 2021

College: Gonzaga

Career highlights: Naismith Prep Player of the Year (2021), Gatorade National Player of the Year (2021), Minnesota Mr. Basketball (2021), FIBA U-19 World Cup MVP (2021), McDonald’s All-American (2021), four-time Class 2A/3A state champion (2018-21), AP All-American (2022), All-WCC (2022), WCC Defensive Player of the Year (2022), WCC Newcomer of the Year (2022), WCC All-Freshman Team (2022)

Bottom Line: Chet Holmgren

Sarah Phipps / AP Photo

Minnehaha Academy’s Chet Holmgren won four consecutive state titles and capped his career by sweeping every major national player of the year award as the 7-foot-1 center averaged 20.8 points, 12.6 rebounds, 4.7 blocks, and 4.7 assist while shooting 68.2 percent from the field. Holmgren was an All-American in one season at Gonzaga before the Oklahoma City Thunder selected him No. 2 overall in the 2022 NBA Draft — Holmgren sat out the 2022-23 season with a broken foot but was scheduled to return to play in 2023-24.

Mississippi: Othella Harrington, Forward/Center

Tom Horan / AP Photo

Born: Jan. 31, 1974 (Jackson, Mississippi)

High school: Murrah High School (Jackson, Mississippi)

Graduation year: 1992

College: Georgetown

Career highlights: Two-time Parade High School All-American (1991, 1992), McDonald’s All-American Game MVP (1992), USA Today High School All-American (1992), two-time Mississippi Mr. Basketball (1991, 1992), Big East Freshman of the Year (1993)

Bottom Line: Othella Harrington

AP Photo

Murrah High’s Othella Harrington averaged a staggering 28.9 points, 24.9 rebounds, and 5.8 blocked shots as a senior in 1992 and his 2,033 career rebounds are still second in high school basketball history. Harrington was a two-time Mississippi Mr. Basketball and the 1992 McDonald’s All-American Game MVP with 19 points and a game record 21 rebounds. He finished his college career at Georgetown in the top five for career points, rebounds and blocks before playing 12 seasons in the NBA.

Missouri: Jayson Tatum, Forward

Jeff Roberson / AP Photo

Born: March 3, 1998 (St. Louis, Missouri)

High school: Chaminade College Prep (Creve Coeur, Missouri)

Graduation year: 2016

College: Duke

Career highlights: Gatorade National Player of the Year (2016), McDonald’s All-American (2016), three-time Missouri Gatorade Player of the Year (2014-16), Class 5A state champion (2016), All-ACC (2017), three-time All-NBA Team (2020, 2022, 2023), four-time NBA All-Star (2020-23), NBA All-Star Game MVP (2023), NBA All-Rookie Team (2018)

Bottom Line: Jayson Tatum

Mary Schwalm / AP Photo

One of the most difficult states to pick on this list was Missouri, where Chaminade Prep’s Jayson Tatum gets the nod over fellow high school legends like Bradley Beal, Tyler Hansbrough and Bill Bradley. Tatum was named Missouri Gatorade Player of the Year three times and capped his career by leading Chaminade to the Class 5A state championship and earning Gatorade National Player of the Year honors. He was also an All-ACC pick in his one season at Duke and was selected No. 3 overall by the Boston Celtics in 2017.

Headed into his seventh season in 2023-24, Tatum is already a four-time NBA All-Star and three-time All-NBA Team selection.

Montana: Mike Lewis, Power Forward

Montana Sentinel High School

Born: March 18, 1946 (Missoula, Montana)

High school: Missoula Sentinel High School (Missoula, Montana)

Graduation year: 1964

College: Duke

Career highlights: Parade High School All-American (1964), MHSAA state champion (19640, two-time All-ACC (1967, 1968), AP All-American (1968), ABA All-Star (1971)

Bottom Line: Mike Lewis

Harry Cabluck / AP Photo

Mike Lewis led Missoula Sentinel High to a state runner-up finish as a sophomore in 1962 before his team won 56 consecutive games over the next two seasons but only one state title after the school board wouldn’t allow the team to attend the 1963 state tournament.

Lewis, a 6-foot-8 center, was a three-time All-State selection and averaged 28.5 points per game as a senior. He played college basketball for Duke, where he led the ACC in rebounding twice, helped the Blue Devils make it to the Final Four in 1966 and was an All-American in 1968.

Nebraska: Bob Boozer, Power Forward

Omaha Technical High School

Born: April 26, 1937 (Omaha, Nebraska)

Died: May 19, 2012, 75 years old (Omaha, Nebraska)

High school: Omaha Technical High School (Omaha, Nebraska)

Graduation year: 1955

College: Kansas State

Career highlights: Class A All-State (1955), two-time AP All-American (1958, 1959), two-time Big Eight Player of the Year (1958, 1959), NBA champion (1971), NBA All-Star (1968), Olympic gold medal (1960)

Bottom Line: Bob Boozer

AP Photo

Future Pro Basketball Hall of Famer Bob Boozer teamed up with future Baseball Hall of Fame pitcher Bob Gibson as stars for Omaha Tech in the mid-1950s — an amazing tandem of players with Gibson actually starring in basketball for hometown Creighton in college.

Boozer, 6-foot-8, went right down the road to play college basketball for Kansas State where he’s still the only Nebraska native to earn All-American honors, which he did twice as he led the Wildcats to the Final Four in 1958. Boozer was also part of the legendary 1960 U.S. Olympic gold medal team alongside fellow Hall of Famers Oscar Robertson, Jerry West, Jerry Lucas and Walt Bellamy. Boozer was selected No. 1 overall in the 1959 NBA Draft by the Cincinnati Royals and played 11 seasons in the NBA, winning an NBA championship in 1971 with the Milwaukee Bucks.

Nevada: Luke Babbitt, Forward

Nevada Appeal

Born: June 20, 1989 (Cincinnati, Ohio)

High school: Galena High School (Reno, Nevada)

Graduation year: 2008

College: Nevada

Career highlights: Parade High School All-American (2008), McDonald’s All-American (2008), two-time Nevada Gatorade Player of the Year (2007, 2008), three-time Class 4A All-state (2006-08), Class 4A state champion (2007), WAC Player of the Year (2010), two-time All-WAC (2009, 2010)

Bottom Line: Luke Babbitt

Jonathan Bachman / AP Photo

Galena High’s Luke Babbitt set the Nevada career scoring record with 2,941 points, was a two-time Nevada Gatorade Player of the Year, McDonald’s All-American and led his school to the lone state championship in school history as a junior in 2007. Babbitt, who was born in Ohio, committed to play for Ohio State but flipped to the University of Nevada, where he was WAC Player of the Year in 2010. Babbitt was selected No. 16 overall by the Minnesota Timberwolves in 2010 and played eight seasons in the NBA.

New Hampshire: Matt Bonner, Power Forward/Center

Mark Lennihan / AP Photo

Born: April 5, 1980 (Concord, New Hampshire)

High school: Concord High School (Concord, New Hampshire)

Graduation year: 1999

College: Florida

Career highlights: Parade High School All-American (1999), Mr. New Hampshire Basketball (1999), three-time New Hampshire Gatorade Player of the Year (1997-99), three-time Class L state champion (1997-99), three-time All-SEC (2001-03), two-time AP All-American (2002, 2003), two-time NBA champion (2007, 2014)

Bottom Line: Matt Bonner

David Zalubowski / AP Photo

New Hampshire was a difficult state to pick because of the proliferation of boarding schools like Brewster Academy, Exeter and Tilton. But there is only one public school player in state history to make it to the NBA: former Concord High star Matt Bonner.

Bonner, 6-foot-10, won three consecutive state championships at Concord and was named New Hampshire Gatorade Player of the Year three times before going on to star for Florida, where he was a three-time All-SEC pick and two-time All-American. Bonner played 13 seasons in the NBA, winning two NBA championships with the San Antonio Spurs.

New Jersey: Dajuan Wagner, Guard

NaismithTrophy / Twitter

Born: Feb. 4, 1983 (Camden, New Jersey)

High school: Camden High School (Camden, New Jersey)

Graduation year: 2001

College: Memphis

Career highlights: Naismith Prep Player of the Year (2001), USA Today National Player of the Year (2001), two-time Parade High School All-American (2000, 2001), McDonald’s All-American (2001), All-Conference USA (2002), NIT champion (2002), NIT MVP (2002)

Bottom Line: Dajuan Wagner

Duane Burleson / AP Photo

New Jersey has one of the richest histories of high school basketball talent in the country and Camden High’s Dajuan Wagner captured imaginations like no other player in state history. Wagner was ESPN’s National Freshman of the Year in 1998 and National Sophomore of the Year in 1999 — he eventually set the state scoring record with 3,462 career points.

Wagner had a game for the ages as a senior when he scored 100 points against Camden County Tech on Jan. 16, 2001, going 42-of-61 from the field with 10 three-pointers. Wagner averaged 42.5 points as a senior, played one season at Memphis and was selected No. 6 overall by the Cleveland Cavaliers in the 2002 NBA Draft.

New Mexico: Kenny Thomas, Power Forward/Center

kennythomas / Twitter

Born: July 25, 1977 (Atlanta, Georgia)

High school: Albuquerque High School (Albuquerque, New Mexico)

Graduation year: 1995

College: New Mexico

Career highlights: Parade High School All-American (1995), Class 4A state champion (1995), three-time All-WAC (1996, 1998, 1999), Sporting News All-American (1998)

Bottom Line: Kenny Thomas

Kenny Thomas, Grant Hill, Jason Richardson

Aaron J. Latham / AP Photo

Kenny Thomas moved to Albuquerque before his senior year of high school and made the most of his one year at Albuquerque High, where the 6-foot-7 post player averaged 25.2 points and 16.9 rebounds as his team went 22-3 and won the Class 4A state championship in 1995.

Thomas chose to stay at home and play college basketball for New Mexico, kicking off the greatest run in school history as the Lobos went 102-30 with four straight trips to the NCAA Tournament. Thomas was selected No. 22 overall by the Houston Rockets in 1999 and played 11 seasons in the NBA.

New York: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Center

AP Photo

Born: April 16, 1947 (Manhattan, New York)

High school: Power Memorial High School (New York City, New York)

Graduation year: 1965

College: UCLA

Career highlights: Three-time Parade High School All-American (1963-65), two-time Mr. Basketball USA (1964, 1965), three-time NCAA champion (1967-69), three-time NCAA Final Four Most Outstanding Player (1967-69), three-time National College Player of the Year (1967-69), three-time AP All-American (1967-69), six-time NBA champion (1971, 1980, 1982, 1985, 1987, 1988), two-time NBA Finals MVP (1971, 1985), six-time NBA MVP (1971, 1972, 1974, 1976, 1977, 1980), 19-time NBA All-Star (1970-77, 1979-89), 15-time All-NBA (1970-74, 1976-81, 1983-86), 11-time All-NBA Defensive Team (1970, 1971, 1974-81, 1984), NBA Rookie of the Year (1970), NBA 50th Anniversary Team, NBA 75th Anniversary Team

Bottom Line: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

Paul Shane / AP Photo

Arguably the greatest basketball player of all time, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar went by Lew Alcindor when he starred for Power Memorial Academy. With the 7-foot-2 Abdul-Jabbar leading the way, Power Memorial went 79-2 in three seasons with him on the varsity, including a 71-game winning streak, three consecutive New York Catholic League championships and two mythical high school national championships.

Almost 60 years later, Abdul-Jabbar still holds the title of the “most highly-recruited player of all time.”He eventually flipped coasts to play for John Wooden at UCLA, where he won three national titles in three years. Abdul-Jabbar then played 20 seasons in the NBA, winning six NBA championships and six NBA MVP Awards.

North Carolina: Chris Paul, Point Guard

Local Wiki

Born: May 6, 1985 (Winston-Salem, North Carolina)

High school: West Forsyth High School (Clemmons, North Carolina)

Graduation year: 2003

College: Wake Forest

Career highlights: Parade High School All-American (2003), North Carolina Gatorade Player of the Year (2003), North Carolina Mr. Basketball (2003), McDonald’s All-American (2003), AP All-American (2005), two-time All-ACC (2004, 2005), ACC Rookie of the Year (2004), 10-time NBA All-Star (2008-16, 2020), NBA All-Star Game MVP (2013), nine-time All-NBA Team (2008, 2009, 2011-16, 2020), nine-time NBA All-Defensive Team (2008, 2009, 2011-17), NBA Rookie of the Year (2006), NBA 75th Anniversary Team

Bottom Line: Chris Paul

Jeff Chiu / AP Photo

West Forsyth High’s Chris Paul’s prep career became the stuff of legend after he scored 61 points in a game in honor of his 61-year-old grandfather who’d been murdered earlier that year. Paul averaged 30.8 points, 5.9 rebounds, 9.5 assists and 6.0 steals as a senior on the way to being named North Carolina Mr. Basketball and a McDonald’s All-American.

Paul played two seasons at Wake Forest before he was selected No. 5 overall by the New Orleans Hornets in 2005. He was entering his 19th NBA season in 2023-24 and is largely thought of as one of the greatest point guards of all time.

North Dakota: Phil Jackson, Power Forward

brim006 / Twitter

Born: Sept. 17, 1945 (Deer Lodge, Montana)

High school: Williston High School (Williston, North Dakota)

Graduation year: 1963

College: North Dakota

Career highlights: Class A state champion (1963), Class A All-State (1963), two-time NCAA Division II All-American (1966, 1967), two-time NCC Player of the Year (1966, 1967), three-time All-NCC (1965-67), two-time NBA champion (1970, 1973), NBA All-Rookie Team (1968)

Bottom Line: Phil Jackson

AP Photo

In the early 1960s the information coming out of Williston, North Dakota, was moving at less than a snail’s pace so the word on a wiry, 6-foot-8 forward with a knack for defense, rebounding and winning big games wouldn’t have traveled much beyond the state’s borders. But people who followed Williston High knew Phil Jackson was special.

Jackson was a four-sport star who led Williston to a state championship as a senior then went to play for head coach Bill Fitch at the University of North Dakota, where he led his school to the NCAA Division II Final Four twice. Jackson played 13 seasons in the NBA and won two titles with the New York Knicks — he’s widely considered the greatest NBA coach of all time, with 11 NBA championships as head coach of the Chicago Bulls and Los Angeles Lakers.

Ohio: LeBron James, Guard/Forward

Akron St. Vincent St. Mary's LeBron James

Jay LaPrete / AP Photo

Born: Dec. 30, 1984 (Akron, Ohio)

High school: St. Vincent-St. Mary High School (Akron, Ohio)

Graduation year: 2003

College: None

Career highlights: Naismith Prep Player of the Year (2003), two-time Gatorade National Player of the Year (2002, 2003), two-time USA Today National Player of the Year (2002, 2003), three-time USA Today High School All-American (2001-03), three-time Ohio Mr. Basketball (2001-03), three-time Division III/Division II state champion (2000, 2001, 2003), four-time NBA champion (2012, 2013, 2016, 2020), four-time NBA MVP (2012, 2013, 2016, 2020), four-time NBA Finals MVP (2012, 2013, 2016, 2020), 16-time NBA All-Star (2005-2020), three-time NBA All-Star Game MVP (2006, 2008, 2018), 16-time All-NBA Team (2005-2020), six-time NBA All-Defensive Team (2009-14), NBA Rookie of the Year (2004), NBA 75th Anniversary Team

Bottom Line: LeBron James

Eric Risberg / AP Photo

It’s probably down to St. Vincent-St. Mary’s LeBron James and Power Memorial’s Kareem Abdul-Jabbar when it comes down to the greatest high school basketball player of all time. James won three state titles at SVSM and was a two-time Gatorade and USA Today National Player of the Year — he also would have been the No. 1 pick in the NBA Draft following his junior year in high school before eventually going No. 1 to his hometown Cleveland Cavaliers in 2003. James was entering his 21st season in the NBA in 2023-24 and is a four-time NBA champion, four-time NBA MVP and broke Abdul-Jabbar’s NBA career scoring record in 2023.

Oklahoma: Blake Griffin, Power Forward

Oklahoma Christian School's Blake Griffin

IWasAtTheGame / Twitter

Born: March 16, 1989 (Oklahoma City, Oklahoma)

High school: Oklahoma Christian School (Edmond, Oklahoma)

Graduation year: 2007

College: Oklahoma

Career highlights: Parade High School All-American (2007), McDonald’s All-American (2007), Oklahoma Gatorade Player of the Year (2007), four-time Class 3A/2A state champion (2004-07), National College Player of the Year (2009), AP All-American (2009), Big 12 Player of the Year (2009), six-time NBA All-Star (2011-15, 2019), five-time All-NBA Team (2012-15, 2019), NBA Rookie of the Year (2011), NBA Slam Dunk Contest champion (2011)

Bottom Line: Blake Griffin

Mark J. Terrill / AP Photo

Oklahoma Christian’s Blake Griffin went 106-6 and won four consecutive state championships in high school — the first two playing alongside his older brother, Taylor Griffin. Blake Griffin averaged 26.8 points, 15.1 rebounds, 4.9 assists and 2.9 blocks as a senior before following his older brother to the University of Oklahoma. Griffin played two years for the Sooners and was named National College Player of the Year in 2009 before leaving school early for the NBA and being selected No. 1 overall by the Los Angeles Clippers that year.

Oregon: Kevin Love, Power Forward

LSInvitational / Twitter

Born: Sept. 7, 1988 (Santa Monica, California)

High school: Lake Oswego High School (Lake Oswego, Oregon)

Graduation year: 2007

College: UCLA

Career highlights: Naismith Prep Player of the Year (2007), Gatorade National Player of the Year (2007), USA Today National Player of the Year (2007), two-time Parade High School All-American (2006, 2007), AP All-American (2008), Pac-10 Player of the Year (2008), NBA champion (2016), five-time NBA All-Star (2011, 2012, 2014, 2017, 2018), two-time All-NBA Team (2012, 2014), NBA Most Improved Player (2011), NBA Three-Point Contest champion (2012), NBA All-Rookie Team (2009)

Bottom Line: Kevin Love

Lynne Sladky / AP Photo

Kevin Love led Lake Oswego High to three consecutive state championship games, winning once as a junior in 2006. Love, 6-foot-8, swept all of the major national player of the year awards as a senior after he averaged 33.9 points, 17.0 rebounds and 4.0 assists. He also set the Oregon high school career scoring record with 2,628 points. Love was an All-American in his one season at UCLA and led the Bruins to the Final Four before being selected No. 5 overall in the 2008 NBA Draft.

Pennsylvania: Kobe Bryant, Shooting Guard

Rusty Kennedy / AP Photo

Born: Aug. 23, 1978 (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania)

Died: Jan. 26, 2020, 41 years old (Los Angeles, California)

High school: Lower Merion High School (Ardmore, Pennsylvania)

Graduation year: 1996

College: None

Career highlights: Naismith Prep Player of the Year (1996), Gatorade National Player of the Year (1996), two-time Parade High School All-American (1995, 1996), McDonald’s All-American (1996), five-time NBA champion (2000-02, 2009, 2010), two-time NBA Finals MVP 2009, 2010), NBA MVP (2008), 18-time NBA All-Star (1998, 2000-16), four-time NBA All-Star Game MVP (2002, 2007, 2009, 2011), 15-time All-NBA (1999-2013), 12-time NBA All-Defensive Team (2000-04, 2006-12), NBA 75th Anniversary Team

Bottom Line: Kobe Bryant

Branimir Kvartuc / AP Photo

Lower Merion High’s Kobe Bryant was a household name by his senior year, when he led his school to the first state championship in 53 years with 30.8 points, 12.0 rebounds, 6.5 assists and 4.1 steals. Bryant swept all of the major national player of the year awards in 1996 and went directly to the NBA, where he spent 20 seasons with the Los Angeles Lakers, was an 18-time All-Star and won five NBA championships.

Rhode Island: Michael Carter-Williams, Guard

Michael Carter-Williams, from St. Andrews High School

Brian Kersey / AP Photo

Born: Oct. 10, 1991 (Hamilton, Massachusetts)

High school: St. Andrew’s School (Barrington, Rhode Island)

Graduation year: 2011

College: Syracuse

Career highlights: McDonald’s All-American (2011), AP All-American (2013), All-Big East (2013), Big East Most Improved Player (2013), NBA Rookie of the Year (2014), NBA All-Rookie Team (2014)

Bottom Line: Michael Carter-Williams

Michael Perez / AP Photo

Michael Carter-Williams was just 5-foot-9 as a freshman playing high school basketball in Massachusetts before he transferred to boarding school at St. Andrew’s … and grew eight inches. Carter-Williams averaged 25.4 points over the next three seasons before playing two seasons at Syracuse. He was selected No. 11 overall by the Philadelphia 76ers in 2013 and named NBA Rookie of the Year in 2014.

South Carolina: Zion Williamson, Power Forward

Gregory Payan / AP Photo

Born: July 6, 2000 (Salisbury, North Carolina)

High school: Spartanburg Day School (Salisbury, North Carolina)

Graduation year: 2018

College: Duke

Career highlights: South Carolina Mr. Basketball (2018), McDonald’s All-American (2018), National College Player of the Year (2019), AP All-American (2019), ACC Player of the Year (2019), All-ACC (2019), ACC Rookie of the Year (2019), ACC TournamentMVP (2019), two-time NBA All-Star (2021, 2022), NBA All-Rookie Team (2020)

Bottom Line: Zion Williamson

Gerald Herbert / AP Photo

There wasn’t a basketball fan in the country who didn’t know who Zion Williamson was by the time he was a senior at Spartanburg Day School thanks to a proliferation of viral dunks and plays by the 6-foot-6, 285-pound athletic marvel.

Williamson scored over 2,000 points in his high school career and averaged 36.6 points and 12.0 rebounds over his final two seasons before playing one season at Duke and then being selected No. 1 overall by the New Orleans Pelicans in the 2018 NBA Draft. In five NBA seasons through 2023-24, he has played in just 114 of a possible 308 regular-season games because of injuries and other issues.

South Dakota: Mike Miller, Guard/Forward

Mitchell High's Mike MIller

Born: Feb. 19, 1980 (Mitchell, South Dakota)

High school: Mitchell High School (Mitchell, South Dakota)

Graduation year: 1998

College: Florida

Career highlights: Parade High School All-American (1998), McDonald’s All-American (1998), two-time Class AA state champion (1996, 1997), three-time Class AA All-State (1996-98), two-time South Dakota Gatorade Player of the Year (1997, 1998), two-time NBA champion (2012, 2013), NBA Sixth Man of the Year (2006), NBA Rookie of the Year (2001)

Bottom Line: Mike Miller

Michael Conroy / AP Photo

Mitchell High’s Mike Miller made history when he became the first high school basketball player from South Dakota invited to play in the McDonald’s All-American Game after he led his school to back-to-back Class AA state championships in 1996 and 1997. He averaged 26.6 points and 10.5 rebounds as a senior in 1998.

Miller led Florida to the Final Four in 2000 and played 17 seasons in the NBA, where he was named NBA Rookie of the Year in 2001, NBA Sixth Man of the Year in 2006 and won back-to-back NBA championships with the Miami Heat in 2012 and 2013.

Tennessee: Brandon Miller, Small Forward

caneridgebball / Twitter

Born: Nov. 22, 2002 (Nashville, Tennessee)

High school: Cane Ridge High School (Antioch, Tennessee)

Graduation year: 2022

College: Alabama

Career highlights: Tennessee Mr. Basketball (2022), McDonald’s All-American (2022), AP All-American (2023), SEC Player of the Year (2023), SEC Freshman of the Year (2023), SEC Rookie of the Year (2023), All-SEC (2023), SEC Tournament MVP (2023)

Bottom Line: Brandon Miller

Andrew Harnik / AP Photo

One of the youngest players to make the list, Cane Ridge High’s was a two-time Tennessee Gatorade Player of the Year pick who averaged 24.1 points, 8.5 rebounds, 4.3 assists, and 2.3 steals as a senior. Miller turned himself into an elite NBA prospect in one season at Alabama, where he averaged 18.8 points, 8.2 rebounds, and 2.1 assists and was named SEC Player of the Year and All-American. Miller was selected No. 3 overall by the Charlotte Hornets in the 2023 NBA Draft.

Texas: Shaquille O’Neal, Center

John Hick / AP Photo

Born: March 6, 1972 (Newark, New Jersey)

High school: Cole High School (San Antonio, Texas)

Graduation year: 1989

College: LSU

Career highlights: Parade High School All-American (1989), McDonald’s All-American Game MVP (1989), Texas Mr. Basketball (1989), Class 3A state champion (1989), two-time AP All-American (1991, 1992), two-time SEC Player of the Year (1991, 1992), AP College Player of the Year (1991), four-time NBA champion (2000-02, 2006), three-time NBA Finals MVP (2000-02), NBA Most Valuable Player (2000), 15-time NBA All-Star (1993-98, 2000-07, 2009), three-time NBA All-Star Game MVP (2000, 2004, 2009), 14-time All-NBA (1994-2006, 2009), three-time All-NBA Defensive Team

Bottom Line: Shaquille O’Neal

AP Photo

Shaquille O’Neal’s stepfather’s military career took the family from New Jersey to Germany and finally to Texas for O’Neal’s final two years at Cole High in San Antonio. O’Neal led his school to a 68-1 record over two seasons, won a state championship as a senior and set the state single-season record with 791 rebounds. O’Neal, 7-foot-2 and 325 pounds, was the McDonald’s All-American Game MVP in 1989 then was a two-time All-American at LSU before the Orlando Magic selected him No. 1 overall in the 1992 NBA Draft.

O’Neal won four NBA championships and was named NBA Finals MVP three times — he’s considered one of the greatest centers of all time.

Utah: Shawn Bradley, Center

KSL Sports

Born: March 22, 1972 (Landstuhl, West Germany)

High school: Emery High School (Castle Dale, Utah)

Graduation year: 1990

College: BYU

Career highlights: Two-time Parade High School All-American (1989, 1990), McDonald’s All-American Game MVP (1990), Utah Mr. Basketball (1989), All-WAC (1991), WAC Freshman of the Year (1991), NBA All-Rookie Team (1994)

Bottom Line: Shawn Bradley

Roberto Borea / AP Photo

Shawn Bradley was born at a U.S. military hospital where his father was working and was 6-foot-8 by the end of junior high school. By his junior year at Emery High, he was 7-foot-5, which was one inch short of his adult height of 7-foot-6.

Emery went 68-4 while Bradley was in high school and won back-to-back state championships his junior and senior seasons — as a senior in 1989-90, Bradley averaged 25 points, 17 rebounds and 9.1 blocks on the way to being named MVP of the McDonald’s All-American Game.

Bradley played one season at BYU and led the nation in blocks as a freshman before going on a two-year Mormon mission. He returned from his mission and entered the NBA Draft, where he was selected No. 2 overall by the Philadelphia 76ers in 1993.

Vermont: Bruce Dalrymple, Shooting Guard

Wikipedia

Born: April 21, 1964 (Manhattan, New York)

High school: St. Johnsbury Academy (St. Johnsbury, Vermont)

Graduation year: 1983

College: Georgia Tech

Career highlights: Division I state champion (1982), two-time Parade High School All-American (1982, 1983), McDonald’s All-American (1983), ACC Rookie of the Year (1984)

Bottom Line: Bruce Dalrymple

Bill Haber / AP Photo

Bruce Dalrymple moved from his native New York to Vermont to attend prep school at St. Johnsbury Academy and became a star, leading his school to a state championship as a junior and a state runner-up finish as a senior. Dalrymple, 6-foot-4, was a two-time Parade All-American and McDonald’s All-American and signed with Georgia Tech, where he played alongside future NBA players Mark Price and John Salley.

Dalrymple was named ACC Rookie of the Year in 1984 and helped lead the Yellow Jackets to the Sweet 16 in 1987. Selected by the Phoenix Suns in the fourth round of the NBA Draft, Dalrymple played one season in the CBA for the Rockford Lightning before retiring from basketball.

Virginia: Moses Malone, Center

AP Photo

Born: March 23, 1955 (Petersburg, Virginia)

Died: Sept. 13, 2015, 60 years old (Norfolk, Virginia)

High school: Petersburg High School (Petersburg, Virginia)

Graduation year: 1974

College: None

Career highlights: Two-time Parade High School All-American (1973, 1974), USA Basketball National High School Player of the Year (1974), ABA All-Time Team, NBA champion (1983), NBA Finals MVP (1983), three-time NBA MVP (1979, 1982, 1983), 12-time NBA All-Star (1978-89), eight-time All-NBA Team (1979-85, 1987), two-time NBA All-Defensive Team (1979, 1983), NBA 50th Anniversary Team, NBA 75th Anniversary Team

Bottom Line: Moses Malone

AP Photo

Petersburg High’s Moses Malone was a 6-foot-10 basketball wunderkind who led his school to back-to-back state championships and undefeated seasons in 1973 and 1974. Malone signed with Maryland but bypassed college and went directly to the ABA, becoming the first player to enter modern pro basketball directly out of high school. Malone played in the pros for 21 seasons and was a three-time NBA MVP, eight-time All-NBA Team pick and helped lead the Philadelphia 76ers to the 1983 NBA Championships. He died in 2015, at 60 years old.

How good is high school basketball in Virginia? Malone got this spot over players like Allen Iverson, Ralph Sampson, Alonzo Mourning, J.R. Reid and Virginia career-leading high school scorer Mac McClung.

Washington: Dejounte Murray, Guard

Ted S. Warren / AP Photo

Born: Sept. 19, 1996 (Seattle, Washington)

High school: Rainier Beach High School (Seattle, Washington)

Graduation year: 2015

College: Washington

Career highlights: Parade High School All-American (2015), Washington Mr. Basketball (2015), Washington Gatorade Player of the Year (2015), three-time Class 3A state champion (2013-15), Seattle Times Player of the Year (2015), All-Pac-12 (2016), NBA All-Star (2022), NBA All-Defensive Team (2022)

Bottom Line: Dejounte Murray

Brynn Anderson / AP Photo

Few high schools in the country can compare to the tradition at Seattle’s Rainier Beach High, where they’ve been pumping out NBA players on a regular basis for the last 30 years. That includes 2015 grad Dejounte Murray, who led his school to three consecutive state championships from 2013 to 2015 and capped his career by being named Washington Gatorade Player of the Year and Washington Mr. Basketball as a senior, when he averaged 17.0 points, 13.3 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 2.0 steals.

Murray was an All-Pac-12 selection in one year at Washington and selected No. 29 overall by the San Antonio Spurs in 2016, making the NBA All-Defensive Team in 2018 and his first NBA All-Star Team in 2022.

West Virginia: Jerry West, Guard

SportsDaysPast / Twitter

Born: May 28, 1938 (Chelyan, West Virginia)

High school: East Bank High School (East Bank, West Virginia)

Graduation year: 1956

College: West Virginia

Career highlights: WVSSAC state champion (1956), West Virginia Player of the Year (1956), USA Basketball High School All-American (1956), three-time WVSSAC All-State (1954-56), NCAA Final Four Most Outstanding Player (1959), two-time AP All-American (1959, 1960), two-time SoCon Player of the Year (1959, 1960), NBA champion (1972), NBA Finals MVP (1969), 14-time NBA All-Star (1961-74), NBA All-Star Game MVP (1972), 12-time All-NBA (1962-73), five-time NBA All-Defensive Team (1969-73), NBA 75th Anniversary Team

Bottom Line: Jerry West

AP Photo

The stories about East Bank High’s Jerry West seem more like something pulled from an Oscar-winning movie than a basketball career: He was the son of an abusive coal miner who was too small and weak to play with other kids as a boy before he became one of the greatest basketball players of all time.

West was the first player in West Virginia history to score more than 900 points in a season. He averaged 32.2 points as a senior as he led East Bank to a state championship on March 24, 1956 — this started a tradition in which the high school changed its name to West Bank High every year on that date until it closed its doors in 1999.

West was a two-time All-American at West Virginia and the Final Four Most Outstanding Player in 1959. He played 14 seasons in the NBA — all for the Los Angeles Lakers — and is the only player from the losing team to be named NBA Finals MVP. West’s silhouette while dribbling the ball has been the NBA logo since 1969.

Wisconsin: Kevon Looney, Center/Power Forward

McDonald's East All-American Kevon Looney

Andrew Nelles / AP Photo

Born: Feb. 6, 1996 (Milwaukee, Wisconsin)

High school: Alexander Hamilton High School (Milwaukee, Wisconsin)

Graduation year: 2014

College: UCLA

Career highlights: Parade High School All-American (2014), McDonald’s All-American (2014), Wisconsin Mr. Basketball (2014), All-Pac-12 (2015), Pac-12 All-Freshman Team (2015), three-time NBA champion (2017, 2018, 2022)

Bottom Line: Kevon Looney

Godofredo A. Vásquez / AP Photo

Few high school highlight reels can compare to the one for Alexander Hamilton High’s Kevon Looney, who flirted with averaging a quadruple-double as a senior with 27.9 points, 12.7 rebounds, 7.0 assist, and 8.0 blocks. Looney battled injuries and inconsisent play in one season at UCLA before the Golden State Warriors selected him with the final pick of the first round in the 2015 NBA Draft.

Looney has been with the Warriors for the last nine years and won three NBA championships.

Wyoming: James Johnson, Power Forward

Mark Avery / AP Photo

Born: Feb. 20, 1987 (Cheyenne, Wyoming)

High school: Cheyenne East High School (Cheyenne, Wyoming)

Graduation year: 2007

College: Wake Forest

Career highlights: Class 4A state champion (2007), two-time Class 4A All-State (2006, 2007), two-time All-ACC (2008, 2009), ACC All-Freshman Team (2008)

Bottom Line: James Johnson

Jessie Alcheh / AP Photo

Cheyenne East’s James Johnson averaged 28.0 points, 9.0 rebounds and led Cheyenne East to the the Class 4A state championship as a senior in 2007, becoming a Top 50 national recruit despite playing in one of the most sparsely-populated states in the country.

Johnson, 6-foot-7, was a two-time All-ACC selection at Wake Forest and became the first high school basketball player from Wyoming to make it to the NBA since 1952 when the Chicago Bulls picked him in the first round of the 2009 NBA Draft. Johnson, the son of seven-time world kickboxing champion Willie Johnson, has also been a professional MMA fighter since 2007, with a 27-0 record in professional kickboxing and MMA matches combined.