Top 40 High Schools That Have Produced the Most NBA Players

Basketball is the second-most popular sport in U.S. high schools. But only the best programs create pros.

Top 40 High Schools That Have Produced the Most NBA Players

Muggsy Bogues, right, starred at Dunbar High School in Baltimore before playing 14 seasons in the NBA.

The NBA has become a global game. Still, the grassroots of basketball come at the youth level, where it's the second-most popular sport in United States high schools.

But not all high schools are created equal, and most of them are lucky to have a single player make it to the NBA. Laney High School in North Carolina can attest to that — its only NBA player is Michael Jordan. The same can be said for Springs Valley High School in Indiana, which was one and done with Larry Bird.

On the other hand, a number of schools have sent multiple players to the NBA and are considered basketball powerhouses. These schools are spread out throughout the country with 20 different states plus Washington, D.C., represented among the 40 high schools that have produced the most NBA players.

Does your school make the cut?

Note: All data is from the high school database on Basketball Reference. The number in parentheses is the player’s number of years in the NBA.

35.Canton McKinley High School (Canton, Ohio) — 6 Players (Tie)

Canton is home to the Pro Football Hall of Fame, but the city also has a rich basketball history, and there’s no Ohio high school more prestigious on the hardwood than Canton McKinley.

The school ranks first all-time in Ohio in wins and also holds the state record for most championship game appearances (11). Every season from 1973 to 2008, the school had at least one player in the NBA and often had more than one.

While the school hasn’t had an NBA player in over a decade, that could change with the recent merger of Timken High School into McKinley. McKinley now is the only public high school in Canton, giving it a monopoly on students outside of the private school system.

NBA Players Who Attended Canton McKinley

Gary Grant (13)

Michael Hawkins (4)

Phil Hubbard (10)

Keith McLeod (4)

Eric Snow (13)

Nick Weatherspoon (7)

Taking State: Canton McKinley

Gary Grant, fighting for control of the ball with Clyde Drexler, was a first-round NBA pick of the Seattle SuperSonics in 1988.

State championships: 3 (1984, 2005, 2006)

35. Flint Northwestern High School (Flint, Michigan) — 6 Players (Tie)

Flint Northwestern was one of the youngest schools on this list as it opened in 1964 before closing in 2018. The school won two state championships, and those came in the junior and senior seasons of three-time NBA All-Star Glen Rice.

Flint Northwestern did a great job of not just producing guys who played in the NBA, but rather guys who had careers in the NBA. Their six players had an average NBA career that lasted 8.1 seasons, and Rice was one of four players from the school who played at least nine seasons in the NBA.

NBA Players Who Attended Flint Northwestern

Toronto Raptors forward Morris Peterson.

Desmon Farmer (2)

Jeff Grayer (9)

Morris Peterson (11)

Glen Rice (15)

Barry Stevens (1)

Trent Tucker (11)

Taking State: Flint Northwestern

State championships: 2 (1984, 1985)

35. Southwest Magnet High School (Macon, Georgia) — 6 Players (Tie)

1973 Southwest basketball team — The 1973 Southwest team won the Georgia state championship. The starting five was Norm Nixon (No. 22), Walter Daniels (14), Joe Everette (between Nixon and Daniels), Myles Patrick (34, in the back row behind Nixon) and Jessie Hubbard (52, standing behind Daniels).

Once considered the largest high school in the United States, Southwest Magnet has dwindled in size over the decades due to concerns about its large student body.

That reduction in students also is evident in the NBA players produced. The school sent six players to the league by the middle of the 1990s, but the number still sits at six nearly 25 years later.

The longtime coach at the school was Donald "Duck" Richardson. During his 19 years at the school, he never had a losing season.

Richardson's most famous pupil is Norm Nixon, who was a part of the "Showtime" era with the Los Angeles Lakers and won two NBA championships.

NBA Players Who Attended Southwest Magnet

Jeff Malone (13)

Ivano Newbill (3)

Norm Nixon (10)

Myles Patrick (1)

Chris Robinson (2)

Sharone Wright (4)

Taking State: Southwest Magnet

Norm Nixon won two NBA championships with the Los Angeles Lakers.

State championships: 6 (1973, 1975, 1978, 1979, 1985, 1989)

35. McKinley High School (Baton Rouge, Louisiana) — 6 Players (Tie)

McKinley’s six NBA players match the six NFL players the school has produced.

But even though the school is just one mile away from LSU, only one of the six McKinley Panthers to make it to the NBA passed through LSU to get there.

Keith Smart went to Indiana, where he hit the game-winning shot in the 1987 NCAA championship game en route to being named the Final Four’s Most Outstanding Player.

Another graduate, Don Chaney, went to the University of Houston before becoming a two-time champion with the Boston Celtics.

NBA Players Who Attended McKinley

Don Chaney (12)

Tommie Green (1)

Fred Hilton (2)

Cincinnatus Powell (8)

Keith Smart (1)

Tyrus Thomas (8)

Taking State: McKinley

Don Chaney — How many NBA Hall of Famers do you see?

State championships: 2 (1981, 1993)

35. Washington High School (Washington, Indiana) — 6 Players (Tie)

Lorri, Steve, Cody and Tyler Zeller — North Carolina forward Tyler Zeller, right, greets his parents, Lorri and Steve, and brother Cody after an NCAA game against Evansville in Evansville, Ind., in 2010.

How did a school from a town of 11,000 people make this list? Thank the Zeller family.

Without the three Zeller brothers (Cody, Tyler, Luke), Washington High’s NBA total would be cut in half. All three brothers won the Indiana Mr. Basketball award while at the school with Luke winning in 2005, Tyler winning in 2008 and Cody winning in 2011.

While Cody had the best NBA career and Tyler had the best college career, the oldest brother, Luke, had the best high school career. Luke became the first player in Washington High history to be selected all-conference four times, and he was also selected all-state all four years.

NBA Players Who Attended Washington

Charlotte Hornets forward/center Cody Zeller.

Leo Klier (2)

Craig Neal (2)

Jim Riffey (1)

Cody Zeller (7)

Luke Zeller (1)

Tyler Zeller (7)

Taking State: Washington

State championships: 7 (1930, 1941, 1942, 2005, 2008, 2010, 2011)

35. Murrah High School (Jackson, Mississippi) — 6 Players (Tie)

Murrah basketball team — Murrah players celebrate after advancing in the 2017 playoffs.

Just 59 players from Mississippi high schools have made it to the NBA, and Murrah has over 10 percent of those players.

Murrah has dominated the in-state high school basketball scene for decades, and the school has had seven Mississippi Mr. Basketball winners.

Othella Harrington won two of those awards, and he represented Murrah at the 1992 McDonald’s All-American Game, where he grabbed a record 21 rebounds.

Harrington was one of three Murrah Mustangs who played at least 12 years in the NBA, along with guards Mo Williams and Lindsey Hunter.

NBA Players Who Attended Murrah

Othella Harrington (12)

Lindsey Hunter (17)

Trey Johnson (3)

Ryan Lorthridge (1)

James Robinson (7)

Mo Williams (13)

Taking State: Murrah

State championships: 1 (2013)

26. East High School (Columbus, Ohio) — 7 Players (Tie)

Jerry Dixon was a high flyer at East High in 2010.

Pretty much every school on this list has some big name to hang its hat on, but East High is an outlier. It has a high quantity of NBA players, but the quality of those players isn’t up to par with other schools.

None of the six players who went to East High ever made an NBA All-Star team nor did any of them even average 10 points per game in the league.

For whatever reason (and no, there was no ABA team in Columbus), most of East High’s NBA players also played in the ABA as four of the six players spent at least part of their careers in the now-defunct league.

NBA Players Who Attended East High

Indiana Pacers center Granville Waiters, left.

Larry Jones (8)

Bo Lamar (4)

Mel Nowell (2)

Ed Ratleff (5)

Joe Roberts (4)

Granville Waiters (5)

Chuckie Williams (1)

Taking State: East High

Ed Ratleff, center, played his whole NBA career with the Houston Rockets and averaged 8.3 points.

State championships: 5 (1951, 1963, 1968, 1969, 1979)

26. Crane High School (Chicago, Illinois) — 7 Players (Tie)

Once a traditional high school, Crane has transitioned into a health sciences high school over the last decade and is classified as a medical prep school.

Before the change, it was popping out future pros left and right and had seasons in which multiple future NBA players were on the team. The most recent of those was the 1999-2000 school year in which Tony Allen and Will Bynum shared a backcourt.

While Crane has produced more NBA players than 99 percent of all other high schools in Chicago, it’s somewhat surprising that no Illinois Mr. Basketball has come from the school. Twenty-seven different schools have been represented with the state’s Mr. Basketball winner, but none from Crane High.

NBA Players Who Attended Crane

Tony Allen (14)

Cory Blackwell (1)

Em Bryant (8)

Will Bynum (8)

Sherron Collins (1)

Ken Norman (10)

Andre Wakefield (2)

Taking State: Crane

Will Bynum played eight seasons in the NBA with three teams.

State championships: None

26. Spingarn High School (Washington, D.C.) — 7 Players (Tie)

Of the 45 NBA players to attend a high school in Washington, D.C., just two of those players made the Hall of Fame, and both passed through Spingarn High School to get there.

Elgin Baylor was the first, and he enrolled in 1953, the school’s second year of existence. The future Laker set the single-game scoring record for D.C. high schools with 63 points as he was named the Area’s Best Basketball Player.

Four years later, future seven-time All-Star Dave Bing enrolled at the school and led the team to its first city championship in 1961.

Spingarn won’t be adding any more championships or alums. The school closed in 2013.

NBA Players Who Attended Spingarn

Elgin Baylor (14)

Dave Bing (12)

Sherman Douglas (12)

Earl Jones (2)

Fatty Taylor (8)

John Tresvant (9)

Stan Washington (1)

Taking State: Springarn

Dave Bing was elected to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1990.

State championships: 7 (1961, 1980, 1985, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003)

26. Abraham Lincoln High School (New York City, New York) — 7 Players (Tie)

With the likes of Marv Albert, Mel Brooks and Louis Gossett Jr. graduating from Lincoln High, the school’s non-athlete alums exceed the notoriety of the athlete alums.

The best baller to emerge from the school was Stephon Marbury, and "Starbury" is one of four Lincoln Railspiltters to win the Mr. New York Basketball award. Another one of those was Marbury’s cousin, Sebastian Telfair, who became a celebrity while in high school as his exploits on the court eventually led him to jump to the NBA and skipping college.

Marbury may have been the better player of the cousins, but Telfair brought the most fame to Abraham Lincoln High as he infamously appeared on the cover of Slam Magazine while wearing his high school jersey.

NBA Players Who Attended Abraham Lincoln

Jim Brasco (10)

Stephon Marbury (13)

Dave Newmark (3)

Lance Stephenson (9)

Sebastian Telfair (10)

Jamel Thomas (2)

Isaiah Whitehead (2)

Taking State: Abraham Lincoln

Sebastian Telfair played 564 games in his NBA career and averaged 7.4 points and 3.5 assists.

State championships: 5 (1995, 2003, 2007, 2008, 2017)

26. Compton High School (Compton, California) — 7 Players (Tie)

Compton star DeMar DeRozan skies for a dunk during a game in 2007.

Outside the city of Los Angeles, Compton has produced more NBA players than any other city within Los Angeles County. Most of those have come from the titular school, including DeMar DeRozan, who started all four of his years at Compton.

The school, and the city as a whole, underwent dramatic demographics shifts over the last few decades, and the school now is more known for its performing arts programs than its athletic programs.

The school has produced 30 NBA or NFL players, but DeRozan and Datone Jones are the only ones to emerge from the school since 2000.

NBA Players Who Attended Compton

Jeff Trepagnier and Kobe Bryant — Denver Nuggets guard Jeff Trepagnier, left, takes the ball from Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant in 2004.

DeMar DeRozan (11)

Ron Knight (2)

Tito Maddux (1)

Louie Nelson (5)

Woody Sauldsberry (7)

Jose Slaughter (1)

Jeff Trepagnier (3)

Taking State: Compton

State championships: None

26. Carver Military Academy (Chicago, Illinois) — 7 players (Tie)

Carver guard Tim Hardaway is introduced before the 1985 Chicago Public League championship game against Simeon.

Now a military academy, Carver Military Academy was formerly known as George Washington Carver Area High School when it was a general high school.

Before the transition, Carver was a pipeline for future NBA All-Stars from the South Side of Chicago. It produced the No. 1 overall pick in the 1966 draft Cazzie Russell, the 1983 Rookie of the Year Terry Cummings and Hall of Fame finalist Tim Hardaway.

Those three players combined for nine All-Star teams and combined to play 43 seasons in the NBA.

Since becoming a military academy in 2000, it has not produced any NBA players.

NBA Players Who Attended Carver Military Academy

Terry Cummings (18)

Tim Hardaway (13)

Priest Lauderdale (2)

Renaldo Major (1)

Andre Moore (1)

Marlbert Pradd (2)

Cazzie Russell (12)

Taking State: Carver Military Academy

State championships (1): 1963

26. South Philadelphia High School (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) — 7 Players (Tie)

South Philadelphia High School retired Lionel Simmons' No. 22 jersey in 2014.

Philadelphia always has been a hotbed for basketball players, and years ago, South Philadelphia High School likely would have been higher on this list. But the pipeline from the school to the NBA has dried up, and it hasn’t had anyone in the league in over 20 years.

Part of that is due to the enrollment being cut in half from over 1,000 students to fewer than 500. However, a shift in the demographics of the enrollment also played a factor.

The most famous NBA player from the school is Lionel Simmons, who stayed home for college and went to La Salle where he was the national player of the year in 1990. He then played seven seasons for the Sacramento Kings and was runner-up for the 1991 Rookie of the Year award.

NBA Players Who Attended South Philadelphia

Nate Blackwell (1)

Stan Brown (2)

Ollie Johnson (10)

Herm Klotz (1)

Petey Rosenberg (1)

Lionel Simmons (7)

Isaiah Wilson (2)

Taking State: South Philadelphia

Ollie Johnson, right, played 10 seasons in the NBA.

State championships: None

26. Inglewood High School (Inglewood, California) — 7 Players (Tie)

Paul Pierce starred at Inglewood High School.

Located one mile away from the legendary Great Western Forum that used to house the Los Angeles Lakers, Inglewood High gave birth to one of the best nicknames in NBA history: Baby Jordan.

Harold Miner earned the nickname at Inglewood due to his similar physique and prowess through the air as Michael Jordan, although dunking was all the two had in common. Miner lasted just four seasons in the NBA,.

Paul Pierce picked up the slack for him as an Inglewood alum. Pierce nearly transferred from the school after not making varsity as a sophomore, but he stuck it out and became California’s Mr. Basketball by the time he was a senior.

Before Pierce and Miner, Reggie Theus starred at Inglewood and had a 13-year NBA career.

NBA Players Who Attended Inglewood

Noel Felix (1)

Jason Hart (9)

Jay Humphries (11)

Ralph Jackson (1)

Harold Miner (4)

Paul Pierce (19)

Reggie Theus (13)

Taking State: Inglewood

Harold Miner had a 44-inch vertical and was nicknamed "Baby Jordan."

State championships: None

26. La Salle Academy (New York City, New York) — 7 Players (Tie)

La Salle is located about two miles southeast of Madison Square Garden, and its basketball team once had two players who would make any NBA All-Name team. In the mid-1990s, Ron Artest and Shammgod Wells were teammates, and they later became Metta World Peace and God Shammgod, respectively.

About 50 years before either of them became La Salle Cardinals, future Hall of Famer Dick McGuire suited up for the school and then stayed local by going to St. John’s and being drafted by the New York Knicks.

NBA Players Who Attended La Salle Academy

Los Angeles Lakers forward Metta World Peace, with ball.

Ed Bartels (2)

Billy Hassett (2)

Dick McGuire (11)

Tom Owens (12)

John Roche (8)

God Shammgod (1)

Metta World Peace (17)

Taking State: La Salle Academy

God Shammgod played 20 games with the Washington Wizards in his NBA career.

State championships: 1 (2017)

20. Crenshaw High School (Los Angeles, California) — 8 Players (Tie)

Willie West and Crenshaw basketball team — Crenshaw coach Willie West, center talking to team, was one of the most successful high school basketball coaches of all time.

Two high school teammates making it to the NBA is rare. Two high school teammates making it to the NBA and then becoming NBA teammates is even rarer. But that’s what happened with Crenshaw’s Marques Johnson and Robert Smith in 1982 with the Milwaukee Bucks.

Johnson already was an established star with three All-Star Games under his belt while Smith was a journeyman signed on a 10-day contract. Nonetheless, it was an unforgettable experience for the two since they last were teammates nearly a decade earlier on Crenshaw’s squad.

Both Johnson and Smith played under Willie West, who coached the basketball team at Crenshaw for over 30 years (1971-2007) and won 805 games, 28 league titles, 16 city crowns and eight state championships.

NBA Players Who Attended Crenshaw

Chicago Bulls guard Kevin Ollie, with ball.

Stanley Brundy (1)

Darwin Cook (8)

Tremaine Fowlkes (4)

Marques Johnson (11)

Kevin Ollie (13)

Robert Smith (7)

Stephen Thompson (1)

John Williams (8)

Taking State: Crenshaw

Marques Johnson, right, was a five-time NBA All-Star.

State championships: 8 (1983, 1985, 1986, 1993, 1994, 1996, 1997)

20. Long Beach Polytechnic (Long Beach, California) — 8 Players (Tie)

With over 4,000 students, Long Beach Poly is among the largest high schools in the country. That lends itself to lots of famous alums on sheer probability alone, and the non-basketball alums of Long Beach Poly are much more famous than those who made it to the NBA.

Jordan Bell is a center for the Golden State Warriors, but UCLA hero Tyus Edney remains the most notable Jackrabbit to make it to the NBA, although he’s not as prominent as the lanky shooting guard he shared a backcourt with in high school.

Rapper Snoop Dogg was Edney’s teammate at Long Beach Poly and had some college offers, but he made the smart decision by going in a different direction.

NBA Players Who Attended Long Beach Poly

Jordan Bell (3)

Mack Calvin (11)

Tyus Edney (4)

Bobby Jones (2)

Ozell Jones (2)

Ben McDonald (4)

Michael Wiley (2)

Morlon Wiley (7)

Taking State: Long Beach Poly

State championships: None

20. Male High School (Louisville, Kentucky) — 8 players (Tie)

Founded in 1856, Male is the oldest high school west of the Allegheny Mountains and the second oldest school on this list. With all of that history comes lots of opportunities to produce great athletes, and Male is one of three schools to also be among the top 20 in NFL players produced.

The pipeline from Male to the NBA has dried up in recent years, so it's been over 25 years since a graduate from the school appeared in the NBA.

The most famous NBA alum of Male High School is Darrell Griffith, who won the Rookie of the Year award in 1980-81 and had one of the best nicknames in sports: "Dr. Dunkenstein."

NBA Players Who Attended Male

Cleveland's Winston Bennett, back left, guards Philadelphia's Charles Barkley during the 1990 NBA playoffs.

Henry Bacon (1)

Ralph Beard (2)

Winston Bennett (3)

Wesley Cox (2)

Darrell Griffith (10)

Gene Rhodes (1)

Dallas Thornton (2)

George Tinsley (2)

Taking State: Male

Darrell Griffith was nicknamed "Dr. Dunkenstein."

State championships: 4 (1945, 1970, 1971, 1975)

20. McClymonds High School (Oakland, California) — 8 Players (Tie)

With a student body of just over 300, McClymonds is one of the smallest high schools on this list. But their lack of students has not meant a lack of star power.

They are home to the greatest winner in team sports, Bill Russell. The 11-time NBA champion was a high school teammate of Major League Baseball Hall of Famer Frank Robinson, and those two became the first black head coaches/managers in their respective sports.

Other notable graduates of McClymonds include former NBA All-Stars Paul Silas and Antonio Davis, as well as Stanley Burrell, aka MC Hammer.

NBA Players Who Attended McClymonds

Odis Allison (1)

Will Cherry (1)

Antonio Davis (13)

Joe Ellis (8)

Jim Hadnot (1)

Bill Russell (13)

Paul Silas (16)

Nate Williams (8)

Taking State: McClymonds

Bill Russell, right, owns the most NBA championship rings. He won 11 NBA titles in the 13 seasons he played for the Boston Celtics.

State championships: 2 (1978, 2008)

20. St. Anthony High School (Jersey City, New Jersey) — 8 Players (Tie)

Bob Hurley and St. Anthony team — St. Anthony coach Bob Hurley has some words of wisdom for his players.

Just four high school coaches are in the Pro Basketball Hall of Fame. One of them, Bob Hurley, is there because of the program he built at St. Anthony.

Hurley is the father of former Duke guard Bobby Hurley, and Bobby is one of 150 players from St. Anthony to play Division I basketball.

Bobby won four state titles under his father, and St. Anthony has 28 state championships in all — the most of any school in the nation.

Kyle Anderson of the Memphis Grizzlies is the lone active NBA player from the school, and there aren’t any more on the way as St. Anthony closed in 2017 due to declining enrollment and a lack of funding.

NBA Players Who Attended St. Anthony

Vancouver Grizzlies guard Rodrick Rhodes, right.

Kyle Anderson (6)

Terry Dehere (6)

Bobby Hurley (5)

Roshown McLeod (3)

Rodrick Rhodes (3)

David Rivers (3)

Tyshawn Taylor (2)

Luther Wright (1)

Taking State: St. Anthony

Kyle Anderson, left, was drafted by the San Antonio Spurs in the first round (30th pick) of the 2014 NBA draft.

State championships: 28 (1968, 1969, 1973, 1974, 1976, 1977, 1980, 1981, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1993, 1995, 1996, 1997, 2001, 2002, 2004, 2008, 2011, 2012, 2016)

20. Roman Catholic High School (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) — 8 players (Tie)

Along with New York, Los Angeles, and Chicago, Philadelphia is one of four cities that has sent over 100 players to the NBA. Most of the players to emerge from Roman Catholic High School have been recent, as six of their eight NBA alums have played in the league since 2000.

Rasual Butler is the most famous Roman Catholic Cahillite to make the NBA. And what is a Cahillite? There is no definition. The school created its mascot from the name of its founder, Thomas Cahill.

NBA Players Who Attended Roman Catholic

Houston Rockets forward Eddie Griffin goes for a dunk over Philadelphia 76ers center Dikembe Mutombo.

Mike Bantom (9)

Rasual Butler (10)

Dallas Comegys (2)

Eddie Griffin (5)

Marc Jackson (7)

Lari Ketner (2)

Brad Wanamaker (2)

Maalik Wayns (2)

Taking State: Roman Catholic

Rasual Butler made his NBA debut in 2002.

State championships: 3 (2015, 2016, 2018)

11. Archbishop Molloy (New York City, New York) — 9 players (Tie)

Located in Queens, N.Y., Archbishop Molloy was always best known for its legendary basketball coach Jack Curran. He is the all-time winningest coach in both New York City and New York state and coached at the school for 45 years.

But Curran’s name was surpassed with the arrival of Kenny Anderson to the school in 1985. Anderson already had seen his picture on the front page of the NYC sports sectionbefore arriving to Molloy, and his legend only grew.

Anderson was the first player in New York City history to be named all-city four times, and he set the state’s all-time scoring record. Anderson went on to a 14-year NBA career and made his lone All-Star appearance with the nearby New Jersey Nets in 1994.

NBA Players Who Attended Archbishop Molloy

Kenny Anderson (14)

Moses Brown (1)

Sundiata Gaines (3)

Kevin Joyce (3)

Tommy Kearns (1)

York Larese (1)

Kenny Smith (10)

Robert Werdann (3)

Brian Winters (9)

Taking State: Archbishop Molloy

Sundiata Gaines played for four NBA teams.

State championships: None

11. Montverde Academy (Montverde, Florida) — 9 Players

Ben Simmons in action at Montverde Academy,

You could field a playoff-caliber starting five just with the current NBA players from Montverde, such as 76ers teammates Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons. The future Sixers weren’t at the school at the same time, but both ended up there after dominating the local competition in their home countries of Cameroon and Australia, respectively.

They sought out Montverde not just because it’s in sunny Orlando, but because the school plays a national schedule rather than a state schedule. The school competes against the best teams all around the country, and that exposure often leads to more scholarship opportunities from Division I schools.

As result, playing time can be hard to get. That's why Embiid transferred to The Rock after one year at Montverde.

NBA Players Who Attended Montverde

Solomon Alabi (2)

R.J. Barrett (1)

Joel Embiid (3)

Michael Frazier (1)

Patricio Garino (1)

Dakari Johnson (1)

Luc Mbah a Moute (11)

D'Angelo Russell (5)

Ben Simmons (3)

Taking State: Montverde

New York Knicks guard RJ Barrett in 2021.

National championships: 6 (2013, 2014, 2015, 2018, 2020, 2021)

11. Huntington Prep (Huntington, West Virginia) — 9 Players (Tie)

Following the success of the famed Oak Hill Academy, more "basketball high schools" started popping up all over the country like Huntington Prep.

The school describes itself as a "basketball-focused college preparatory school," and its basketball team plays a national schedule instead of just other schools in West Virginia.

Huntington accepts prospective student-athletes from all over the world, and virtually everyone who starts for them is a future Division I player at the worst.

Six of Huntington's nine graduates have played in the NBA since 2018, including No. 1 draft pick and 2014-15 Rookie of the Year Andrew Wiggins.

NBA Players Who Attended Huntington Prep

Memphis Grizzlies guard O.J. Mayo, with ball.

Sim Bhullar (1)

Miles Bridges (2)

Thomas Bryant (3)

Gorgui Dieng (7)

Marshall Hawkins (1)

O.J. Mayo (8)

Patrick Patterson (10)

Xavier Rathan-Mayes (1)

Andrew Wiggins (6)

Taking State: Huntington Prep

Thomas Bryant made his NBA debut in 2017.

State championships: None

11. Mater Dei High School (Santa Ana, California) – 9 Players (Tie)

Mater Dei vs. Archbishop Mitty — Mater Dei forward Stanley Johnson, left, battles Archbishop Mitty forward Aaron Gordon during the 2013 CIF boys open division state high school basketball championship game in Sacramento, Calif.

Mater Dei promotes itself as a family-oriented school, and that’s evident by several family centers on campus.

That familial approach is also evident in the NBA players that have come from the school. They include D.J. Strawberry (son of Darryl), Jamal Sampson (cousin of Ralph), LeRon Ellis (son of Leroy) and the Wear Twins (Travis and David).

Stanley Johnson has no known family ties to anyone famous, but he is the school’s only player currently in the NBA.

An all-around great athletic school, Mater Dei also is home to multiple Heisman Trophy winners, including Matt Leinart.

NBA Players Who Attended Mater Dei

Cedric Bozeman (1)

LeRon Ellis (3)

Reggie Geary (2)

Stanley Johnson (5)

Jamal Sampson (5)

Miles Simon (1)

D.J. Strawberry (1)

David Wear (1)

Travis Wear (2)

Taking State: Mater Dei

D.J. Strawberry is the son of former Major League Baseball player Darryl Strawberry.

State championships: 11 (1987, 1990, 1995, 2001, 2003, 2007, 2008, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014)

11. Mount Vernon High School (Mount Vernon, New York) — 9 Players (Tie)

Mount Vernon vs. Boys and Girls — Mount Vernon's Isaiah Cousins (1) drives past Boys and Girls player Nicholas Jackson (15) during a 2012 Federation Tournament of Champions boys basketball game in Albany, N.Y.

Known as the home of basketball, New York state has an astounding 14 different high schools that have produced at least five NBA players.

Mount Vernon is just outside of New York City, but it’s had no trouble attracting top talent. Four of the nine players it has sent to the NBA played at least 10 seasons. They include Ben Gordon and the Williams brothers (Ray and Gus), who aren’t as accomplished as the Williams sisters of tennis, but they each had seasons where they averaged 20 points per game.

The Williams brothers also can say they shared a locker room with a legend as they played ball with fellow Mount Vernon graduate, Denzel Washington.

NBA Players Who Attended Mount Vernon

Ben Gordon (11)

Rudy Hackett (2)

Kevin Jones (1)

Rodney McCray (10)

Scooter McCray (3)

Lowes Moore (3)

Earl Tatum (4)

Gus Williams (11)

Ray Williams (10)

Taking State: Mount Vernon

Rodney McCray won an NBA title with the Houston Rockets in 1993.

State championships: 5 (1991, 2000, 2004, 2006, 2011)

11. St. Benedict’s Prep (Newark, New Jersey) — 9 Players

While New Jersey is a hotbed for football prospects, St. Benedict’s is one of the few high schools in the Newark area which doesn’t offer the sport. Thus, many of the students gravitate toward basketball, including alum J.R. Smith, who attended four different high schools, the last of which was St. Benedict’s.

In addition to serving Newark, the school also accepts students from many different countries, including Jamaica, where former player Samardo Samuels is from, and Canada, where former player Tyler Ennis was born.

In all, the school has six graduates who have played in the NBA since 2017, which ranks fourth out of any school on this list.

NBA Players Who Attended St. Benedict's

Tyler Ennis (4)

John Holland (2)

Scott Machado (2)

Xavier Munford (2)

Lamar Patterson (2)

Samardo Samuels (3)

Chris Smith (1)

J.R. Smith (15)

Lance Thomas (8)

Taking State: St. Benedict's

State championships: None

11. Pershing High School (Detroit, Michigan) — 9 Players (Tie)

Pershing doesn’t have any active NBA players, but they may have the best collection of former players of anyone on this list.

Two Hall of Famers have walked the halls, including Spencer Haywood and Mel Daniels, both of whom were also MVPs in the ABA.

There are another three All-Star players who were once Pershing Doughboys, including Kevin Willis and Steve Smith, who later won an NBA championship together as members of the San Antonio Spurs.

The last Pershing alum to play in the NBA is Kay Felder, who played for the hometown Pistons in 2018 and is cousins with Smith.

NBA Players Who Attended Pershing

Keith Appling (1)

Mel Daniels (9)

Kay Felder (2)

Bubbles Hawkins (4)

Spencer Haywood (13)

Willie Iverson (1)

Ralph Simpson (10)

Steve Smith (14)

Kevin Willis (11)

Taking State: Pershing

State championships: 5 (1967, 1970, 1992, 1993, 2009)

11. Maine Central Institute (Pittsfield, Maine) — 9 Players (Tie)

Who knew that a boarding school in Maine would become a basketball powerhouse? Maine high schools have produced just nine NBA players total, and all nine of those came from Maine Central Institute.

MCI often is a place that post-graduates transfer to in order to improve their grades before college since the remote location lends itself to academics, basketball and not much else.

All-Stars such as Caron Butler and Brad Miller went that route before taking their talents to college and then the NBA.

However, it doesn’t appear that anyone else will follow their path. In 2012, MCI dropped its post-graduate basketball program, and it hasn’t had any alums join the NBA since 2002.

NBA Players Who Attended Maine Central Institute

Erick Barkley (2)

Etdrick Bohannon (4)

Caron Butler (14)

Sean Colson (1)

Dave Johnson (2)

DerMar Johnson (7)

Brad Miller (14)

Cuttino Mobley (11)

Mamadou N'Diaye (5)

Taking State: Maine Central Institute

Cuttino Mobley averaged 16 points in his NBA career.

State championships: None

11. Dunbar High School (Baltimore, Maryland) — 9 Players (Tie)

A high school with two future NBA players on the team at the same time is unique. Having three players is extraordinary, and having four players is something only Paul Laurence Dunbar High School can claim.

In the early 1980s, the team had four future pros, including Reggie Lewis and Muggsy Bogues. Over a two-year stretch, the Dunbar Poets went undefeated, won two state championships and one national championship. This era of Dunbar basketball was depicted in the ESPN film "Baltimore Boys."

The school has also produced quality NBA players since then, including Sam Cassell, who spent one year as a classmate of Tupac Shakur.

NBA Players Who Attended Dunbar

Muggsy Bogues (14)

Keith Booth (2)

Sam Cassell (15)

Terry Dozier (1)

Kurk Lee (1)

Reggie Lewis (6)

Reggie Williams (10)

David Wingate (15)

Skip Wise (1)

Taking State: Dunbar

Reggie Lewis was drafted by the Boston Celtics in 1987.

State championships: 11 (1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1998, 1999, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006)

10. Thomas Jefferson High School (New York City, New York) — 11 Players

Jefferson High is located in Brooklyn and once was one of the preeminent schools for successful individuals in all sectors of life, not only for athletes.

Few schools can say they produced a heavyweight champion (Riddick Bowe), a Golden Globe and Emmy winner (Jimmy Smits) and the chairman of Goldman Sachs (Lloyd Blankfein).

The NBA players from the school mostly played in the early days of the league, including Max Zaslofsky, the NBA's scoring champion in its second season in 1947-48.

Jefferson High lasted for 85 years until it was shut down in 2007 due to low graduation rates.

NBA Players Who Attended Thomas Jefferson

Sidney Green, left, played 679 games in the NBA. Here he is playing defense against the Washington Bullets for the New York Knicks.

Harry Boykoff (2)

Leroy Ellis (14)

Jack Garfinkel (3)

Sidney Green (10)

Tony Jackson (2)

Jim McMillian (9)

Boris Nachamkin (1)

Shamorie Ponds (1)

Phil Sellers (1)

Sid Tannenbaum (2)

Max Zaslofsky (10)

Taking State: Sidney Green

State champions: 1 (2016)

8. Proviso East High School (Maywood, Illinois) — 12 players (Tie)

Only New York City has produced more NBA players than Chicago, and Proviso East is located in a suburb of the Windy City. The sheer number of students has lent itself to many opportunities for notable athletes to emerge as the school had an enrollment of 4,000 in the 1970s.

That time period is when Doc Rivers was a Proviso East Pirate, and he coached another alum of the school, Michael Finley. A two-time NBA All-Star, Finley brought Proviso East a state championship in 1991 and played for Rivers on the Boston Celtics nearly two decades later.

NBA Players Who Attended Proviso East

Donnie Boyce (2)

Jim Brewer (9)

Dee Brown (2)

Shannon Brown (9)

Sterling Brown (3)

Jevon Carter (2)

Michael Finley (15)

Sherell Ford (1)

Steven Hunter (8)

Reggie Jordan (6)

Jacob Pullen (1)

Doc Rivers (13)

Taking State: Proviso East

State championships: 4 (1969, 1974, 1991, 1992)

8. Overbrook High School (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) — 12 players (Tie)

The legend of Wilt Chamberlain began at Overbrook High, where he won two city championships and set Pennsylvania’s all-time high school scoring record.

It was also in high school where the Stilt first attracted the attention of the NBA as Red Auerbach tried to persuade Chamberlain to go to a college near Boston so the Celtics could draft him as a territorial pick.

None of the 11 other players to attend Overbrook had anything close to the hype that Chamberlain generated.

While they were all serviceable players, they combined to make just one NBA All-Star Game. That came courtesy of Walt Hazzard, who was an All-Star in 1968, the same year another future Overbook High alum was born, actor Will Smith.

NBA Players Who Attended Overbrook

San Antonio Spurs guard Malik Rose, left.

Wilt Chamberlain (14)

Mike Gale (11)

Walt Hazzard (10)

Wayne Hightower (10)

Wali Jones (11)

Rich Laurel (1)

Hal Lear (1)

Lewis Lloyd (7)

Andre McCarter (3)

Jackie Moore (3)

Angelo Musi (3)

Malik Rose (13)

Taking State: Overbrook

Walt Hazzard, with ball, played for five NBA teams.

State championships: None

6. Findlay Prep (Henderson, Nevada) — 13 Players (Tie)

Findlay Prep is the name of the basketball program that operates out of Henderson International School, but many contend it’s more of an AAU program than a school.

The 12 basketball players on the team comprise the entire enrollment of Henderson, and they barnstorm the country to play a national schedule, leaving academics as almost an afterthought.

The NCAA caught wind of this "school" and labeled Findlay Prep as "non-scholastic," which means college coaches can’t conduct in-person recruiting.

But the school still has no problem attracting top talent. Currently, nine players from Findlay are in the NBA, including Tristan Thompson and Avery Bradley.

And many other Findlay alums play in the G-League or abroad, such as former No. 1 overall pick Anthony Bennett.

NBA Players Who Attended Findlay Prep

Cleveland Cavaliers forward Tristan Thompson.

Anthony Bennett (4)

Avery Bradley (10)

Dillon Brooks (3)

Jorge Gutierrez (3)

Nick Johnson (1)

Cory Joseph (9)

DeAndre Liggins (5)

Kelly Oubre (5)

Tristan Thompson (9)

Allonzo Trier (2)

Rashad Vaughn (3)

Nigel Williams-Goss (1)

Christian Wood (3)

Taking State: Findlay Prep

National championships: 3 (2009, 2010, 2012)

6. Laurinburg Institute (Laurinburg, North Carolina) — 13 Players (Tie)

Just like Hargrave, Laurinburg Institute is another school outside of Charlotte that accepts post-graduates. Basketball is the only sport offered at the school, so all of the athletic resources are devoted to their hoops program which won a national title in 2005 after defeating Hargrave.

None of the 13 alums from Laurinburg are currently in the NBA, but two of the 13 alums are in the Pro Basketball Hall of Fame. Ten-time NBA champion Sam Jones and five-time All-Star Charlie Scott have been enshrined in Springfield, Mass.

NBA Players Who Attended Laurinburg Institute

Chris Washburn, left, was the No. 3 overall pick by the Golden State Warriors in the 1986 NBA draft.

Antonio Anderson (1)

Renaldo Balkman (6)

Spider Bennett (1)

Charlie Davis (3)

Joey Dorsey (4)

Mike Evans (9)

Chris Johnson (3)

Sam Jones (12)

Charlie Scott (10)

Jimmy Walker (9)

Chris Washburn (2)

Dexter Westbrook (1)

Shane Williams (7)

Taking State: Laurinburg Institute

Renaldo Balkman was a first-round pick of the 2006 NBA draft.

State championships: None

4. Hargrave Military Academy (Chatham, Virginia) — 14 Players (Tie)

Hargrave is a private boarding school that’s about a two-hour drive from Charlotte. The school is known for its military program (which is similar to the Army’s) and for producing world-class athletes in multiple sports.

Hargrave is one of the three schools on this list which also is on the top NFL players produced list, and unlike its football program, its basketball program still allows for post-graduates.

All of the school’s NBA players come from the post-graduate program, which has featured the likes of David West and Josh Howard.

NBA Players Who Attended Hargrave Military Academy

Houston Rockets forward Montrezl Harrell.

Joe Alexander (2)

Lonny Baxter (4)

Lorenzo Brown (5)

Sharrod Ford (1)

Donte Grantham (1)

P.J. Hairston (2)

Montrezl Harrell (5)

Josh Howard (10)

Vernon Macklin (1)

Terry Rozier (5)

Marteese Speights (10)

James Thomas (2)

James White (3)

Korleone Young (1)

Sam Young (4)

Taking State: Hargrave Military Academy

Josh Howard played 507 games in the NBA and averaged 14.3 points.

National championships: 3 (2004, 2008, 2016)

4. Brewster Academy (Wolfeboro, New Hampshire) — 15 Players (Tie)

Of the 28 players who have made their way from a New Hampshire high school to the NBA, half of them passed through the expensive halls of Brewster Academy.

The boarding school’s tuition is over $60,000, making it the most expensive school in the state and one of the most expensive in the country.

The world-class facilities at Brewster are one of the biggest drawing points for prospective students and include a 50,000-square-foot athletics center, indoor and outdoor turf fields, a boathouse, a rowing tank and a climbing wall.

Seven active NBA players once hooped at Brewster, including Utah Jazz guard Donovan Mitchell.

NBA Players Who Attended Brewster Academy

Jeff Adrien (5)

Will Barton (8)

Jonah Bolden (2)

Craig Brackins (2)

Semaj Christon (1)

Marcus Derrickson (1)

Devonte' Graham (2)

Jalen Lecque (1)

Mitch McGary (2)

Donovan Mitchell (3)

Thomas Robinson (5)

JaKarr Sampson (5)

Xavier Silas (2)

Jared Terrell (1)

T.J. Warren (6)

Taking State: Brewster Academy

Thomas Robinson played for six teams in the NBA.

State championships: 6 (2008, 2010, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2017)

2. DeMatha Catholic High School (Hyattsville, Maryland) — 18 Players (Tie)

The third and final school on this list that also is on the NFL version of this list, DeMatha has twice been named the No. 2 high school athletic program in the country. It is just outside of Washington, D.C., but the school attracts students from all over the DMV area.

At least one alum of DeMatha has been in the NBA for 48 of the last 50 seasons. This includes a Hall of Famer (Adrian Dantley), a current All-Star (Victor Oladipo) and a recent No. 1 overall draft pick (Markelle Fultz).

NBA Players Who Attended DeMatha Catholic

Johnny Austin (2)

Keith Bogans (11)

Adrian Branch (4)

Kenny Carr (10)

Sid Catlett (1)

Adrian Dantley (15)

Danny Ferry (13)

Joseph Forte (2)

Markelle Fulz (2)

Jerami Grant (6)

Jerian Grant (4)

Johnny Jones (2)

Joe Kennedy (3)

Sidney Lowe (4)

Jerrod Mustaf (4)

Victor Oladipo (7)

Hawkeye Whitney (2)

Bernie Williams (5)

Taking State: DeMatha Catholic

Danny Ferry won an NBA title with the San Antonio Spurs in 2003.

State championships: 41 (1961, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1987, 1988, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1994, 1996, 1998, 2001, 2002, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2018, 2020)

2. DeWitt Clinton High School (New York City, New York) — 18 Players (Tie)

Located in the Bronx, DeWitt Clinton was once the largest high school in the world with over 12,000 students in the 1930s. Today, its enrollment is about 1,400, and that large drop-off also has impacted its NBA alums.

Nearly all of the DeWitt Clinton graduates to make it to the NBA played before the ABA-NBA merger in 1976, and none have played in the last 20 years.

These days, many of the prominent New York prep players opt to go to school in the suburbs or head to a boarding academy elsewhere as New York City overall has seen a drop-off in NBA players produced.

Hall of Famers Dolph Schayes and Tiny Archibald highlight the best players who once were DeWitt Clinton Governors.

NBA Players Who Attended DeWitt Clinton

Tiny Archibald (13)

Ron Behagen (7)

Tommy Byrnes (5)

Leo Gottlieb (2)

Luther Green (3)

Jerry Harkness (3)

Tom Henderson (9)

Ralph Kaplowitz (2)

Dan Kraus (1)

Butch Lee (2)

Barry Liebowitz (1)

Ruben Nembhard (1)

Billy Reid (1)

Dolph Schayes (15)

Steve Sheppard (2)

Ricky Sobers (11)

Oliver Taylor (4) Willie Worsley (1)

Taking State: DeWitt Clinton

Nate Archibald — Nate "Tiny" Archibald, with ball, played in 876 NBA games.

State championships: None

1. Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, Virginia) — 33 Players

What do the University of Alabama, Boston College and the University of Oklahoma have in common? They all are in Power 5 Conferences, yet each of them has produced fewer NBA players than a tiny boarding school on the Virginia-North Carolina border.

Oak Hill Academy has an enrollment of just 132 students, and high school basketball players from across the country know that there is no better place to prepare you for the next level. Carmelo Anthony moved from Baltimore to attend Oak Hill. Rajon Rondo came from Louisville. Brandon Jennings moved from Compton, and Steve Blake relocated from Miami, just to name a few.

The school even recruits international prospects, including DeSagana Diop, who came from Senegal.

Oak Hill has been named the national high school champion nine times under coach Steve Smith, who also has produced 28 McDonald’s All-Americans.

Seven Oak Hill graduates currently are in the NBA with more on the way. The school had three of the top four ranked players in the state of Virginia for the class of 2018.

NBA Players Who Attended Oak Hill Academy

Boston Celtics guard Rajon Rondo, with ball.

Jordan Adams (2)

Cory Alexander (7)

Carmelo Anthony (16)

William Avery (3)

Dwayne Bacon (3)

Alex Blackwell (1)

Steve Blake (13)

Mark Blount (9)

Junior Burrough (1)

Quinn Cook (4)

Ben Davis (4)

DeSagana Diop (12)

Sean Green (3)

A.J. Hammons (1)

Stephen Jackson (14)

Brandon Jennings (9)

Keldon Johnson (1)

Doron Lamb (2)

Ty Lawson (8)

Caleb Martin (1)

Cody Martin (1)

Jeff McInnis (11)

Ron Mercer (8)

Makhtar N'Diaye (1)

Josh Reaves (1)

Rajon Rondo (14)

Josh Smith (13)

Nolan Smith (2)

Jerry Stackhouse (18)

Rod Strickland (17)

Sindarius Thornwell (2)

Marcus Williams (4)

Troy Williams (3)

Taking State: Oak Hill Academy

Carmelo Anthony has scored over 27,000 points in his NBA career.

National championships: 9 (1993, 1994, 1999, 2001, 2004, 2005, 2007, 2012, 2016)