Donald Strong Dominguez also won three state titles (1999, 2000, 2001) during Chandler's high school run, where he averaged 20 points, 12 rebounds, six assists and three blocks as a junior, then 26 points, 15 boards and eight blocks during his senior campaign. He also served as head coach at Cal State L.A. and, as of the 2022-23 season, was an assistant coach at Oregon State. (San Diego, CA), St. Bernard VIEW MORE Top Performers View All Leaders After three quarters of the 1992 D1 state final, Jason had outscored the other team by himself and that team was Mater Dei (Santa Ana). Ronnie wasnt born yet and I was just starting high school when Marques was at Crenshaw. Got it done by leading the Dragons to NorCals only CIF crown in the Open Division era. Walter "Chipper" Bentley I state title as a sophomore. I thought Paul Pierce was better in high school than Ricky Price. best Baron Davis (Crossroads, Santa Monica) 97 Jason Kidd tops list of Bay Areas all-time basketball team The five-time NBA all-star nearly invented the point forward position with the Milwaukee Bucks. Ronnie Coleman The biggest name on the SoCal hoops scene during the 1990s, Cotton won multiple AAU national championships and led Mater Dei to the Div. California High School Basketball 10. David Greenwood (Verbum Dei, Los Angeles) 75 He attended six different schools in six years, ending up at UC-Irvine, where he did not finish the 1980-81 season. By the time he had graduated, Davis was California's Mr. Basketball, first-team Parade All-American, the Gatorade National Player of the Year and a McDonald's All-American. 9. While at Verbum Dei, he was a two-time state player of the year in two divisions. This website uses cookies to improve your experience. You had to be there when Tracy hit for 64 points in a CIF state title game and his team lost. The first school year that Ronnie says he began to closely watch top basketball players was 1984-85 so he wouldnt be listing anyone earlier than that. From the heart of Los Angeles and Jefferson High School, Lacy was the city's top player and California's Mr. Basketball in 1963. 25. LeBron James, St. Vincent-St. Mary, Bishop ODowd-Oakland center/power forward Ivan Rabb made a late run, and is still making it as he plays for a state title Saturday night at Cals Haas Pavilion. 6. The college basketball blue bloods are the most elite teams in college basketball. "Once in the Best of Summer (AAU tournament), Alonzo Mourning was blocking everyone's shots, except John," said Danny Griffin, who played one year behind him at "The Shaw". Some states, such as Kentucky, Tennessee, Alabama, etc., had state record books compiled by the state association. Williams is the only ESPNHS National Player of the Year pick from SoCal in the last 40 years. "But that's what happens when you have to duck to get out of the rim's way." 9. 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. MaxPreps. Dont forget to follow Mark on the Cal-Hi Sports Twitter handle: @CalHiSports. "He would take it in the key, hesitate and finger roll or tear-drop it in. Tough as nails point guard who won tons of big-time games edges East Bakersfields J.R. Henderson as final Central Section choice. Caldwell was known as "Jumpin' Joe" on the playgrounds of L.A. and "Pogo Joe" in the pros. At one time during the 1980s, the all-time leading scorer in the state was Brian Clark of Mililani with 1,093 points. Central Sections best since the Pondexter brothers at San Joaquin Memorial, Stevenson was a man among boys well known since the 7th grade. As a senior, he led the Knights to a 31-3 record and was named Cal-Hi Sports Div. He got better and better each season. Ransom never lost that street flair to his game in the Pac-8 and was even offered a contract by the Harlem Globetrotters. Theus, also a head coach in college and the NBA, had his No. Part of Taylors selection was his career achievements. Tracy Murray (Glendora) 89 Averaged 30 points a game, won three Tournament of Champions titles from 1958-60. Then, he was a five-time NBA All-Star and helped the Los Angeles Lakers win the 1972 title. JEFFERSON Becker used her height to overpower foes, scoring 58.7 points a game as a senior in 1983. WebFinal MaxPreps Top 25: John Marshall No. Buckner, who has coached at Riordan for 18 years (eight as the head coach), played for the school and went against Kidd in 1989. Silas, meanwhile, was just plain strong. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. All rights reserved. Ohio State football's Dawand Jones, Indiana native, readies for NFL His prolific ability to score from difficult situations and positions has helped his team win many games. California Mr. Basketball - Wikipedia Obviously, this is a ranking list of the best players weve seen in person during a game or an all-star game. "His leaping ability probably was detrimental to the rest of his game," said former USC and L.A. Lakers guard Duane Cooper. Orlando Magic forward was two-time state player of the year like Kidd. (Santa Monica, CA), Fairfax Senior Allen "Houdini" Caveness Scored 50 in semifinal, and won back-to-back CCS titles. Beats out a few at the bottom of this list because his defense complimented his offense so well. 22 on Slam Magazine's list of greatest dunkers. Then during his senior campaign, Davis averaged 25 points while rarely playing the second half of games. He would go on to help the Bruins win the 1965 national title. I State Player of the Year while averaging 29.4 ppg and shooting 41 percent from 3-point land. 6. Silas scored 24 points in his first game as a sophomore and never looked back, averaging 30 points and about half that many rebounds. From there, Vaughn went to Kansas, where he won Big Eight Player of the Year in 1996, and had his No. Each voter selects first, second, and third place votes. 23 was retired. He didnt make it. Robinson also put in work on the playground and was the first-ever professional draft choice out of Long Beach State. II school saw him playing in an Atlanta summer league after failing to qualify academically at Washington. DeMar DeRozan is an American basketball player who currently plays for the San Antonio Spurs of the NBA. Norman "Doc" Shavers Web2023 High School Pos Rankings State Rankings Top247 247Sports Composite Rank Player Pos Ht / Wt Rating Team 1 4 AJ Johnson Southern California Academy (Castaic, Only when the game was in hand for Mater Dei did Aaron Gordons stats start to even out. 14. 12. 32 was retired by the school. The second team list, honorable mentions, voters and the schedule for this weekends state basketball championships. At Kansas, Pierce was an All-American, who had his No. By Johnson's admission, Lee was the superior talent. His two seasons at Contra Costa JC were dunk shows, as was the few games he played for Cal-St. Hayward. Gilbert Arenas (Grant, Van Nuys) 99 2. Accolades. Chris Sandle (Poly, Long Beach) 84 The Menlo Park native attended Oakland Tech, Stanford and then quarterbacked for the 49ers. Ricky Hawthorne We hope you enjoy this free post on CalHiSports.com. One of the nation's top high school players in a legendary class, Staggers is in a class by himself at Venice Beach. Charles Johnson 2023 NFL Draft grades: Why Devon Witherspoon going to 22. (Moreno Valley, CA), Crossroads School 17. (Woodland Hills, CA), Salesian (Napa, CA), Centennial 16. Great, legendary players. 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. 8. California's top high school boys basketball players: Meet the state's best power forwards - Scorebook Live. Erron "E Money" Maxey Shaquille O'Neal named him The Truth.. State Junior of the Year for 2006 was on such a balanced team at Artesia that it kept his stats lower than they probably would have been elsewhere. This list is different than the top 50 we just did of the best football players weve seen in our more than 40 years of doing Cal-Hi Sports in various platforms. Johnson went on to become a five-time NBA All-Star and had his No. (Sherman Oaks, CA), Prolific Prep One of California's all-time late-bloomers, Spillers pumped in 21.3 ppg in his senior season. He even dropped 52 points in a summer league game against a group of L.A. Lakers before entering college and his 53-point performance against No. 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. Two of the best big men in state history have been Bill Cartwright of Elk Grove (1975) and Tyson Chandler of Compton Dominguez (2001). He teamed with Dorsey's Rickey "Tex" Walker to lead his RSDL team to a title game against a team filled with pros and led "The Shaw" to a two-year 32-0 on-court record before joining the Bruins. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website. 13. All-time leading high school boys basketball scorers in all 50 all He then averaged 13.3 points in two seasons at UCLA, before winning two NBA championships with his hometown Los Angeles Lakers. The 6-foot-11 Rabb also doesnt get into foul trouble and can make free throws. 1. Gary Payton (Skyline, Oakland) 86 Another South Central product, Davis prepped at Crossroads, the prominent private high school in Santa Monica. 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. 24 retired by Inglewood in 2014. He went for 28 points, 13 rebounds, and seven assists in the regional title game over archrival Banning. Theyll probably be back, Your Privacy Choices (Opt Out of Sale/Targeted Ads). California has produced a number of Basketball Players who have made it big. Lee attended Clark (Atlanta, Ga.) when the coach at that Div. Baron Davis (Crossroads, Santa Monica) 97 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. Prince honed his exceptional two-way skills at Compton powerhouse Dominguez. A six-time NBA All-Star, Paul George has been an important player in the NBA for the last decade or so. Andrew Gooden (El Cerrito) 99 Darnell "Dr. Dunk" Hillman, Johnson (Sacramento, Calif.) '67 The first-team ParadeAll-American then played two seasons at LSU and was a first-round pick of Washington in the 1986 NBA Draft. Kawai Leonard had the big senior season averaging 27 points and 15 boards a game while bringing home the trophy. Dont forget to follow him on Twitter:@RonMFlores, Mark Tennis is the co-founder and publisher of CalHiSports.com. There would be huge crowds to see him. 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). All rights reserved. 3 Long Beach State is still spoken of with detail as if it happened yesterday. At Haas Pavilion, Cal. J.C. Gipson Here is our list of the best prep players from L.A. (Los Angeles County, to be more specific). For subscription info, CLICK HERE. He left high school at 6-foot-8 and weighing more than 230 pounds. 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. Edgar Lacey Greatest High School Basketball Teams of All Time - Stadium Talk Hes Seen (As HS Talents) 1. 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. If this Elite 24 group was ranked based on high school dominance, Williams would be near the top. 21 retired by Dominguez in January 2023. "Hook (Mitchell) passed the torch to me right on ESPN2," Brunner said. Zach "Chestnuts" Fray Simply put, a man amongst boys. He had a great combination of being flashy but controlled while leading the Roadrunners to a state title. His overall athleticism was obvious during his prep days, and opened the door for a successful run at UCLA, where he was twice selected a first-team All-PCC performer and consensus All-American. 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 After playing at Cal State Los Angeles, Lewis was drafted by the Philadelphia 76ers. Allen attended segregated and now defunct Roosevelt (Palm Beach, Fla.). You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. Golden State Warriors shooting guard Klay Thompson has won three NBA championships with the team. Sam Martin At Johnson, Hillman was an All-Superior California selection, pumping in 21.1 ppg, but he developed into a valuable defender and shot-blocker in the pros. Kenny Brunner (Dominguez, Compton) 97 Then it was off to the NBA, where he was a two-time All-Star (1981, '82) with the Chicago Bulls. In the NBA, Miner's prowess for showmanship continued by twice winning the league's Slam Dunk Contest (1993, '95). These lists feature the best college basketball programs, as well as some that are knocking on the door of earning college basketball blue blood status. (Long Beach, CA), Dougherty Valley "He drove coaches nuts," said current Chapman College coach Mike Bokosky, who recruited Works to UC-Irvine out of LACC. 1 football player, D.J. In an era when high school players started bypassing college for the NBA, Duncan stayed four years. Jason Kidd tops list of Bay Areas all-time basketball team 23. Wally Rank Billy "The Hill" McGill Perhaps the best overall defender on this list, Prince was a four-time CIF Champion and helped Dominguez won back-to-back state titles in 1996 and '97. 7. He also helped John Wooden win his final NCAA title, but he was also an up-and-coming playground star in the late 1960s during the formative years of L.A.'s streetball scene. Dion Brown Russell graduated from McClymonds-Oakland in 1952 after playing only a year and a half. While Rabb made the Chronicles second-team, Buckner also played against another person on his ballot Kidd. 5. Stacy Augmon (Muir, Pasadena) 86 Before the injury, he could lead the break or dominate on the box. An Indiana All-Star and Marion County player of the year, Jones helped lead Ben Davis to the basketball state finals as a senior. O'Bannon won another championship, of the national variety, at UCLA in 1995, when he was the Wooden Award winner and Final Four Most Outstanding Player. He later also played for teams such as the Los Angeles Clippers. 17. Photo: Twitter.com. His legend had just begun. March 9, 2023 7:11 pm ET. Vernon "Schea" Cotton, St. John Bosco (Bellflower) '97 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. Guess you didnt understand the Weve Seen part of it. He led the Sentinels to Bay League championships in 1974 and '75, and averaged 28.5 points and 15.5 boards during his 1974-75 season, when Inglewood reached the semifinals of the 4A CIF state tournament. Murray earned McDonald's All-American honors and then went on to star at UCLA , where he was a two-time, first-team All-Pac-10 performer, before embarking on a 12-season NBA career. Kevin Johnson (Sacramento) 83 Right IconThis ranking is based on an algorithm that combines various factors, including the votes of our users and search trends on the internet. John Brodie was Bay Area through and through. 17. By Scott Watkins. Compare, contrast and feel free in the comments to list your own top 25. Explosive guard didnt play his last year for CIF program, but did enough in first three years to knock off Brandon Jennings (who went out of state two years). 2005-2023 CBS Interactive. Nathan Bittle Prolific Prep (Napa, CA) Top 25 Boys Hoops Players Weve Seen - Cal-Hi Sports The three-time Chronicle Metro Player of the Year led Mitty to Division II state titles in 2011 and 2012 and a Northern California crown in 2013. In addition, Mills was named California's Mr. Basketball, a two-time Parade All-American (first team in 1988) and a McDonald's All-American. In stark contrast to many playground legends, Lee was obsessed with playing in the NBA. DeMarcus Nelson (Sheldon, Sacramento) 04 Our experts predict every series, Liverpool rescue three points, chase top-four finish after surviving epic Spurs comeback, Jets' Aaron Rodgers expects a 'heaven' and 'hell' relationship with Zach Wilson, XFL semifinals: Defenders roll Sea Dragons, set up title showdown with Renegades, Song punishes Simon in one-sided TKO victory, Memphis wasn't 'fine in the West' -- getting there hinges on massive culture questions, Why the Lakers' real test begins now, after dispatching the No. Leaf (Foothill Christian, El Cajon) 16 One year later, Harden averaged 18.8 points and nearly eight rebounds while leading Artesia to a 33-1 record and state championship. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. Jordan Divens Apr 7, 2023 MaxPreps Freshman All-America Team Latrell Allmond, Kaden House, Jayden Moore and Tyran Stokes join California star on first team. Ernest Lee, Kennedy (Sacramento) '82 Some others that perhaps could have been on either list: Hassan Adams (Westchester, Los Angeles) 03` He also frequently appears in commercials for brands like Air Jordan. Chris Ford 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. Perhaps no four-year pro career is more memorable, as teammates recall things he did in warm-ups. The 10 Best High School Basketball Players of All Time. Big shift in weather is headed to California. 20. There were times the all-state guard got the best of pros, and he continued to flourish at Moorpark JC and New Mexico State, where he led the nation in assists as a senior. Four state titles in highest classification, he willed Monarchs to final one with skill and IQ. High school basketball nears the end of the 2023 season, with many states already crowning champions. Photos: Cal-Hi Sports archives & BallisLife.com. Who is the best California Golden Bear ever? At Compton High, DeRozan was a four-year varsity standout, hitting the ground running by averaging 26.1 points and 8.4 rebounds as a freshman. From there, Johnson was off to nearby UCLA, where he was part of the Bruins' 1975 national title team and the national player of the year in '77. 2005-2023 CBS INTERACTIVE ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. A two-time California Mr. Basketball (2000, '01), Chandler was also a McDonald's All-American and two-time ParadeAll-American. Kevin Beal Ivan Rabb has led Bishop O'Dowd to a second state Open Division title game. CBS Sports. Paul Pierce (Inglewood) 95 [1] Many have gone on to play in the NBA. His scoring averages were 34.1, 29.3, and 29.7 his final three years, leading the nation each season. Playing for local legend Willie West, Crenshaw went 32-0 during Johnson's final two seasons. Tracy Murray (Glendora) 89 The Greatest California Basketball Players of All Time Phil Chenier 1 for me from CIF Central Section, but this wouldnt count Jalen Greens year at Prolific Prep. Jeremy Lin (Palo Alto) 06 We've listed the sources for the state record in parenthesis for each state when applicable. 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. (Newport Beach, CA), Donda Academy Perhaps the least-known player on Cali's Elite 24 list, Works' basketball career is a bit of a mystery. 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. It was fun seeing DeMarcus break the state career scoring record that night at old Arco Arena. He was a one-man show, said Dave Newhouse, a longtime Oakland Tribune columnist and Bay Area sportswriter for 47 years. Stanley Johnson dominated Aaron Gordon in the State Final. NBA & ABA Players Who Attended High School in California Show/Hide Locations List. His sad story is well-known in Sacramento, but not many outside the city saw how explosive and how creative he was on the court. Allen Crabbe (Price, Los Angeles) 10 Complete package of talent, skill and the burning desire to win, with results. 20. Taylor King beat him out for Mr. Basketball (career achievement), but Harden was as good an offensive playmaker as anyone to come down pike. B5. John Wooden (Martinsville), Oscar Robertson (Indianapolis Crispus Attucks), Steve Alford (New Castle Chrysler) and Rick Mount (Lebanon) rank among Indiana's best prep players ever. Jason Works, Dorsey (Los Angeles) '78 Many of our panelists had a hard time deciding on 10 players, and several re-voted a time or two before the story went to press. Paul dont count. Ernest Killum (Lynwood) 90 Copyright 2023 YB Media, LLC. 19. Wun "The Shot" Versher Most likely candidates include three-time state Player of the Year Derrick Low of 'Iolani or Alika Smith of Kalaheo. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. Derrick Martin (St. Anthony, Long Beach) 88 (Modesto, CA), Rancho Christian One of the few players who was an all-star in the ABA and NBA, Caldwell led Fremont to back-to-back city titles and was the city player of the year in 1960, pumping in 24.8 ppg. 3. E-mail: vtafur@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @VicTafur. William Theodore Walton III, popularly known as Bill Walton, is a former basketball player. At the 2008 McDonald's All-American game, Holiday posted 14 points, five rebounds and five steals. 1 in the nation. 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Davey Fortson Arkansas School for the Deaf (Little Rock), Devils Lake/North Dakota School for the Deaf, Top 50 high school quarterbacks of all time, Top 50 high school football dynasties of all time, Top 50 high school running backs of all time, Top 50 high school football defensive players of all time, Five most dominant high school athletes in New Jersey history, Five most dominant high school athletes in Michigan history, Five most dominant high school athletes in California history, Five most dominant high school athletes in Utah history. 10 of 10. (Corona, CA), Sierra Canyon That same season, Vaughn dished out 13 assists to earn MVP honors at the McDonald's All-American game. Yes, but he also was only a part-time starter as a sophomore at Canyon Springs. Some of those guys on Westchester and Verbum Dei were on liaded teamshard to be singled out as superstars sharing shots. Find out how you can get access to more exclusive content, one-of-a-kind California high school sports content! This clearly was a list of guys weve seen play and not a list of great players. Kawhi Leonard (M.L. He lives in Maine with his wife and kids and lots of pets. The Best NBA Players From California - Ranker