Just unbelievable to watch.. (Playa Del Rey, CA), Sierra Canyon Brunner's college career at Georgetown and Fresno State was marred by plenty of issues, but he eventually found modest success in the ABA. David "Airplane" Payne Nathan Bittle Prolific Prep (Napa, CA) How do you guys not have Gerald Walker (Hayward) on either of your lists?!? 13. We saw all four of the state title games in which Stanley played and he stepped up in each one of them. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate. From there, Goodrich famously helped UCLA win its first two national championships under John Wooden in 1964 and '65, and also had his uniform retired. In addition to Cartwright playing for a group of California all-stars vs. all-stars from the rest of the nation were Roy Hamilton, David Greenwood, Reggie Theus, James Hardy & Bill Laimbeer. Four state titles in highest classification, he willed Monarchs to final one with skill and IQ. 32 was retired the same night as Prince's jersey. Johnson went on to become a five-time NBA All-Star and had his No. The freshman led a second-half comeback against the eventual state champs and in high school, was already doing battle with pros such as Michael Cooper and Norm Nixon. Jeremy Lin (Palo Alto) 06 One of the greatest athletes to come out of the San Fernando Valley, Farmar attended Taft High, where he scored more than 2,000 points in just two varsity seasons. Vote now. He would go on to help the Bruins win the 1965 national title. Naturally gifted, it seemed Miner could do anything on the court. "He would take it in the key, hesitate and finger roll or tear-drop it in. 8 retired by the Milwaukee Bucks. Schea Cotton is not on this list NOR Corey Benjamin and Olougimi Man. Honors. The streets are where Hook's game thrived, but unfortunately it's the place that has defined his life. tech companies have mass layoffs; one blames rise of AI, Warriors lean into championship DNA, beat Kings behind sublime Curry. Prepping in the shadows of the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum at Manual Arts, Polee was California's Mr. Basketball and a third-team ParadeAll-American in 1981. Dwayne Polee, Sr., Manual Arts (Los Angeles) '81 CBS Sports. Lawrence "Camel" West "He was such a physical presencea guard couldn't play him on the perimeter," said former Banning all-state guard Eric Cooper Sr. "It would be like a two guard matching up with LeBron James." However, we are certain that total has long since been surpassed. He got better and better each season. USA Today also has never been much of a source weve ever agreed that much with and we think our picks over the years have proven to be superior. The players all walk to the baseline to get picked for a historical run down the hardwood. Marques Johnson, Crenshaw (Los Angeles) '73 Theus, also a head coach in college and the NBA, had his No. He was three-time all-city at Manual Arts and the watershed moment of his career came when he scored 43 points in a 82-69 championship game victory that ended Crenshaw's three-year stranglehold on the title. As a ninth-grader, he played on a nationally-ranked team at L.A. Verbum Dei, where he earned his keep in one-on-one battles with Raymond Lewis and other older players. TK is like in the top 5 in scoring and rebounding all time I believe. For subscription info, CLICK HERE. "What he did in '86 against Crenshaw was unheard of." 3. At Kansas, Pierce was an All-American, who had his No. WebHere is our list of the best prep players from L.A. (Los Angeles County, to be more specific). Jermaine "Three Ring" king After failing to make the varsity team as a freshman and sophomore, Pierce quickly blossomed into a prep star during his junior campaign. The whole list is a farce without Marques Johnson anywhere in sight!!! California has produced a number of Basketball Players who have made it big. Teammate Greg Foster got a lot of honors as well, but Payton had those great hands. Jason Works, Dorsey (Los Angeles) '78 One of the nation's top high school players in a legendary class, Staggers is in a class by himself at Venice Beach. Today, coaches compare his game to Allen Iverson, because there was no on else comparable then. Ivan Rabb has led Bishop O'Dowd to a second state Open Division title game. One of California's all-time late-bloomers, Spillers pumped in 21.3 ppg in his senior season. His two seasons at Contra Costa JC were dunk shows, as was the few games he played for Cal-St. Hayward. Always talented, he took off at Pac Shores Tourney his junior year and never looked back. Some states, such as Kentucky, Tennessee, Alabama, etc., had state record books compiled by the state association. 14. Complete package of talent, skill and the burning desire to win, with results. Each year the California Mr. Basketball award is given to the person chosen as the best high school boys basketball player in the U.S. state of California. 34 retired. Those that saw him play, or played against him, still marvel at just how good he was individually. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. Tyson Chandler (Dominguez, Compton) 01 (Dublin, CA), Archbishop Mitty Ransom never lost that street flair to his game in the Pac-8 and was even offered a contract by the Harlem Globetrotters. We hope you enjoy this free post on CalHiSports.com. A four-time All-Star and six-time All-Defensive Team member, Kawhi Leonard has helped two teams win NBA championships while earning the Finals Most He has played for numerous teams in his career, the Beijing Ducks of the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA) being the latest. California has its fair share of all-time great leapers: Evric Gray (Bloomington), David Whitmore (St. Bernard), Corey Benjamin (Fontana) and Shaun Pennington (Hayward) come to mind among players not on the Elite 24 list and more recently, Dwayne Polee, Jr. (Westchester). In addition to playing for Portland Trail Blazers of the NBA, Lillard is devoted to music and has been creating life-inspired songs under his rap persona, Dame D.O.L.L.A. Reggie Theus Mike Brown Kurt Rambis (Cupertino) 76 If this Elite 24 group was ranked based on high school dominance, Williams would be near the top. Third-team All-American shooting guard went on to Cal, left early for NBA. It could be argued that the stir he created at the 1975 NorCal TOC led to the state playoffs beginning a few years later. He completely dominated the game at this level, and helped Crenshaw win the 1983 state championship. With Cal-Hi Sports having a history of more than 40 years and with these types of lists gaining in popularity during the current COVID-19 sports shutdown, we thought it would be fun to do it for our own years of covering California high school boys basketball. 15. Wally Rank Top 6 California high school basketball players of all time There are so many great players from this area, that it almost feels wrong to go with just 10, Buckner said, laughing. "Jumpin" Joey Johnson, Banning (Wilmington) '85 Ware was a JUCO All-American and finished at Loyola Marymount, but his college accolades pale in comparison to his street credibility. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website. Davis went on to be named Pac-10 Freshman of the Year at UCLA and was a two-time NBA All-Star for the Charlotte/New Orleans Hornets. (Northridge, CA), Southern California Academy James Harden (Artesia, Lakewood) 07 Standing under 6 feet, Brunner was a master playmaker and a wizard with the ball who possessed excellent court vision. A street-court star, Lewis averaged 24 points and was a second-team ParadeAll-American at Verbum Dei, the Catholic school where he was known for his tremendous ball-handling abilities that helped it win three California Interscholastic Federation Southern Section titles (before the state champions were recognized). Aaron Gordon (Archbishop Mitty, San Jose) 13 Despite the odd moments, his talent was undeniable. Vernon "Schea" Cotton, St. John Bosco (Bellflower) '97 After starring at Crenshaw, John Williams went to LSU and in 1986 he led the Tigers to the Final Four. 15. He also frequently appears in commercials for brands like Air Jordan. 10. II school saw him playing in an Atlanta summer league after failing to qualify academically at Washington. Photo: lsusports.net. 6. Jimmy "Helicopter" Payne That success translated to the NBA, where Naulls averaged 15.8 points and 9.1 rebounds for four teams while earning four All-Star nods and winning three league titles. 2005-2023 CBS Interactive. Holiday, whose parents both played college basketball, had already proved himself to be a star prior to his senior campaign, for which he also was named Gatorade National Player of the Year and a first-team ParadeAll-American. Left his indelible mark on SoCal basketball by leading public school to FAB 50 national title plus 35-0 season in memorable fashion. SportsLine. Michael "Mountain Man" Johnson During his junior season, Farmar averaged 28.5 points, 8.0 rebounds, 5.9 assists and 4.5 steals. Raymond "Circus" King Just a delight to watch and a delight to coach for Tim Kennedy and NorCals most dominant talent since 2000. By Scott Watkins. Similar to New York's Albert King, Cotton was a basketball prodigy. Hes Seen (As HS Talents) 1. Stevie Thompson (Crenshaw, Los Angeles) 86 Tracy Murray (Glendora) 89 Onyeka Okongwu (Chino Hills) 19 Ernest Killum (Lynwood) 90 The 6-8 Catchings, a Purdue recruit, is a core Indiana Junior All-Star who averaged 17.5 points, 4.8 rebounds and 1.1 steals per Which high schools have produced the most McDonald's All-Americans in the last 20 years. Big weather shift headed to California. They have pathways designated to your future interest such as the medical pathway. View nearby homes. John Williams (Crenshaw, Los Angeles) 84 11. Lester Conner A teammate of the aforementioned Jacque Vaughn at Kansas, Pierce ended up in Lawrence thanks to a stellar career at Inglewood High, which retired his No. Kevin "Bean" Bradley Trevor Ariza (Westchester, Los Angeles) 03 CBS SPORTS HQ. Robin "Syk Wit It" Kennedy, Lynwood Aventist (Lynwood) '92 0:36. 22. Thompson played collegiately at Syracuse, then in the CBA and briefly in the NBA. 5. McClymonds won six TOCs over a span from 1957-1963 that started with Silas and saw it go 110-1. 2. Some states did not have any definitive sources, but we did the best we could to find the all-time leader. He then averaged 13.3 points in two seasons at UCLA, before winning two NBA championships with his hometown Los Angeles Lakers. Former Berkeley High shooting guard Phil Chenier, Mitty forward Aaron Gordon, McClymonds Paul Silas and Sequoia-Redwood Citys Charles Johnson round out the starting five. He then spent a little more than a decade in the NBA. 2005-2023 CBS Interactive. At the foot of the San Gabriel Mountains, Murray was king of the hill while attending Glendora High. California has its fair share of all-time great leapers: Evric Gray (Bloomington), David Whitmore (St. Bernard), Corey Benjamin (Fontana) and Didnt see Ricky. Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. Orlando Magic forward was two-time state player of the year like Kidd. Theus seemed destined for greatness while starring at Inglewood High, just blocks from the famous Great Western Forum (as it was formerly known). He didnt make it. Many feel he never got a fair shot at the pros after his initial contract squabble with the 76ers, but he never lost his swagger until his death in 2001. A nine-time NBA All-Star, Russell is only one of two players in the history of the NBA to average a triple-double for an entire season. He had been cut from the junior varsity squad as a junior and backed up future baseball Hall of Famer Frank Robinson when he did make the varsity team. In Sacramento, Lee is a legend for leading Kennedy to a 29-1 record as a senior and for his battles with Kevin Johnson, a future NBA guard one year his junior at Sacramento High. Marco Fleming Vote for Your Favourite Basketball Players, (American Professional Basketball Player and 5-Time NBA All-Star Winner), (American Professional Basketball Player Who Plays at the Point Guard / Shooting Guard Position), (American Professional Basketball Player Who Plays at the Shooting Guard' Position), (American professional Basketball Player Who Plays at the 'Point Guard' Position), (American Professional Basketball Player Who Plays as a Point Guard), (American Professional Basketball Player Who Plays at the 'Small Forward' Position), (American Former Basketball Player Who Played at the 'Small Forward' Position), (Former Basketball player at point guard position), (Former Basketball player who played the point guard position), (American Television Sportscaster and Former Professional Basketball Player), (Professional Basketball Player and First Asian American to Win an NBA Championship), (American Basketball Player Who Plays as a Shooting Guard / Small Forward), (American Former Professional Basketball Player Who Played as the Shooting Guard), Nick Young, also known as "Swaggy P, is an, (Basketball player - Point guard / Shooting guard), (American Professional Basketball Player Who Plays as a Power Forward / Center), Shareef O'Neal, son of legendary basketball player Shaquille O'Neal, plays college basketball for the, (American Commentator for ESPN and Former Basketball Coach), Jeff Van Gundy is a former basketball coach who now serves as an, (American Professional Basketball Player Who Plays as the Shooting guard), LiAngelo Robert Ball, son of former football player LaVar Ball, was a three-star recruit and played for, (Former Basketball player at small forward position). Web2022 Top Basketball Recruits in California. (Riverside, CA), Notre Dame 2005-2023 CBS INTERACTIVE ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Davey Fortson Her 6,190 point-total includes six 22. For my last spot it was between the Big O and Ivan Rabb of Bishop ODowd. The 10-time NBA All-Star was also named the NBA Finals MVP in 2008. Leon Powe (Oakland Tech) 03 After three quarters of the 1992 D1 state final, Jason had outscored the other 2. 2 pick in the first round of that 2001 draft. Kenny Brunner (Dominguez, Compton) 97 Theyll probably be back, Your Privacy Choices (Opt Out of Sale/Targeted Ads). The magical run he led the Vikings on during that 2006 season (ending with a win over Mater Dei in the state final) wound up being repeated when he debuted in the NBA for the New York Knicks a few years later. The documentary "Raymond Lewis: L.A, Legend" chronicles his life. Caldwell was known as "Jumpin' Joe" on the playgrounds of L.A. and "Pogo Joe" in the pros. Ernest Lee (Kennedy, Sacramento) 82 Meteorologist Gerry Daz provides a timeline-centered outlook for Mays upcoming weather patterns across California, along with some insights into High-flying Jason Kidd (in air) led St. Joseph-Alameda to state championships in 1991 and 92. Learn more about the author. He averaged more than 22 points each of the next two seasons, then truly solidified himself as one of the nation's best players during a senior campaign in which DeRozan averaged 29.2 points and eight boards while leading Compton to a second straight Moore League title. Jumpin Joe Caldwell (Fremont), Billie The Hill McGill (Jefferson), Gail Goodrich (Polytechnic) for fun. Archbishop Mitty's Aaron Gordon, center, goes to the basket against Mater Dei at the CIF State Basketball Championships March 23, 2013 in Sacramento, California. Some others that perhaps could have been on either list: Hassan Adams (Westchester, Los Angeles) 03` From there, Vaughn went to Kansas, where he won Big Eight Player of the Year in 1996, and had his No. States leading scorer for average (Tom Tolbert of Lakewood Artesia was second) was a great shooter and could get to the bucket as quick as anyone Ive ever seen. Taiwanese-American professional basketball player Jeremy Lin is famous for being the first Asian American to win an NBA championship. Drew Pagano (Webster Schroeder): The senior pole leads Section V with 37 takeaways and its not even close. Collegiately, Polee played at UNLV, then Pepperdine, where he was twice named West Coast Player of the Year (1985, '86). The South Central Los Angeles product was a two-time, first-team ParadeAll-American and McDonald's All-American. There were so many great players out of Oakland alone, when you include the whole Bay Area, thats a serious list, former Skyline-Oakland guard and nine-time NBA All-Star Gary Payton said. 21. 10. (Sherman Oaks, CA), Prolific Prep May be greatest player ever to come out of S.F. Jacque Vaughn (Muir, Pasadena) 93 Johnson was born in Louisiana, but eventually moved to Los Angeles, where he was the first true superstar at mighty Crenshaw High School. He then enjoyed a 12-year NBA career, during which he won a championship with San Antonio. Stanley Johnson (Mater Dei, Santa Ana) 14 Forty-eight of Ohios top seniors, including one state champion, three Ms. Basketball finalists and 17 Division I signees highlight the Ohio High School 1 of 25 Willie Naulls, San Pedro, 1952 UCLA Athletic Voting is done in a points system. Like Pistol Pete, Ransom may have been a bit ahead of his time as a ball-handler and shot-maker, but he never forgot the object of the game: winning Hands down the best player ever in the Bay Area, Buckner said. Buckner, who has coached at Riordan for 18 years (eight as the head coach), played for the school and went against Kidd in 1989. Marvin Bagley 3 ended up being one and done at Duke with big numbers and and the #2 NBA draft pick but only 2 years in California with no championships. WebTotal number of sports 19. "I can't give him enough credit," said former Manual Arts coach Reggie Morris, Sr. "He lingered in the Drew League for years.". Listed in chronological order. If we're ranking these prep players, Williams would likely top this list. A 10-time NBA All-Star, three-time scoring champion and MVP, Harden will go down as one of the greatest NBA players of all time, and it all essentially started at Artesia, where he averaged 13.2 points as a sophomore varsity starter. Gordon was also a big winner in high school. DeShawn Stevenson (Washington, Easton) 00 Tom Lewis (Mater Dei, Santa Ana) 85 21 retired by Dominguez in January 2023. (Woodland Hills, CA), Salesian Ray Young (St. Joseph, Alameda) 98, Ronnie Flores is the managing editor of CalHiSports.com. Robinson also put in work on the playground and was the first-ever professional draft choice out of Long Beach State. Central Sections best since the Pondexter brothers at San Joaquin Memorial, Stevenson was a man among boys well known since the 7th grade. Cleveland "Pete" McKinney Vaughn was star at Pasadena's Muir High School both on the court (averaging 21 points and 19 assists as a senior) and in classroom (3.9 grade-point average). Similar to "The Goat" in New York City, his legacy lives on because of the court named in his honor at Watts' 109th Street Recreation Center. The younger brother of two-time first-team All-Metro player Drew Gordon, the 6-foot-7 forward was best known for highlight-reel dunks that didnt tell the whole story. I State Player of the Year while averaging 29.4 ppg and shooting 41 percent from 3-point land. Stanley Johnson dominated Aaron Gordon in the State Final. Taylor King outplayed James Harden in their matches but Artesia beat Mater Dei twice in the same season and came home with the trophy. He wasn't L.A.'s best high school basketball during his years at Inglewood, but Miner certainly left an impression on his peers and area youth at the time. He was never the same player, but did help Vegas reach the 1987 NCAA Final Four. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience. Lonzo Ball (Chino Hills) 16 As a junior, the stellar point guard, complete with substance and splash, helped Crossroads win the Southern Section Division. 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