His Hall-of-Fame NBA career took him from Philadelphia to Phoenix to Houston but Barkley still loves his home state, even considering a run for governor in years past. Nevertheless, he was an awesome force who dominated the sport for two decades and perfected the sky hook, one of the most gorgeous shots the game has ever seen. Not only does he routinely pull off feats that Ive never before seen, he has consistently evolved his game to fix the relative weak spots he was previously criticized for. Basketball is one of the most popular games across the world. Only two NBA players have come from Hawaii so far and both were All-Stars at some point. Then, she helped lead UConn to a couple of NCAA championships in 2009 and 2010. Sign up and get high school sports news and scores in your inbox from preseason through the championships. There, he was named an NAIA First-Team All-American as a junior and senior. He was a late bloomer who didn't even start for his high school team until a player went down with an injury. He was named the 4A State Player of the Year three consecutive times in high school, in addition to leading his school to back-to-back championships in 2002 and 2003. He won five NBA championships with the Lakers. COMMENTARY: Such a label is unfair to the 15-year-old phenom, and short-sighted given the professional basketball success of others before him. In the NBA, Shaq continued his dominance, first with the Orlando Magic and then with the Los Angeles Lakers. His best year was in 1973, as he averaged 20.5 points and 16.2 rebounds per game, helping lead the Celtics to a league-best 68-14 record. But before the WNBA, Levesque helped her high school win two Division I state titles. Furthermore, in 1996, he was honored as one of the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History. Long before Larry Bird became an NBA Hall of Famer, he was "The Hick From French Lick" a basketball prodigy from Indiana who set the all-time scoring record at Springs Valley High School, averaging 31 points, 21 rebounds and four assists his senior year. Matt Bonner helped Concord High School to three state championships. Admittedly, Chamberlain played at a time when post players were significantly smaller and basketball wasnt drawing the types of athletic marvels we see today, but the man was so incredibly dominant that he deserves a spot in the top five regardless of context. Nokomis freshman Cooper Flagg takes a jump shot against Falmouth during the Class A state final on March 5 in Portland. Its time for BritannicaOK, one editor at Britannicato jump into the perpetually unresolved greatest ever in [insert sport here] fray. There have only been two players from Maine to suit up in the NBA and while his legacy is still being built, we gave the nod to Duncan Robinson over Jeff Turner. He turned down a scholarship from Bobby Knight to play at Indiana University because he thought the campus in Bloomington was too big, so he went to Indiana State, averaged 30.3 points, 13.3 rebounds and 4.6 assists per game, and helped Indiana State reach the NCAA tournament for the first time with a 33-0 record in 1979. She was an All-American as a freshman and sophomore in high school and led her team o four consecutive state championship appearances. He was born in Greenville and spent most of his high school career there before finishing it in Illinois. Messalonskees Nick Mayo, a self-admitted basketball late bloomer, set scoring records at Eastern Kentucky and is now enjoying success as a pro player in Japan. In total, Abdul-Jabbar spent 20 seasons in the NBA with Milwaukee and Los Angeles. And, frankly, its sort of fun tweaking all the Chicagoans who are surprisingly defensive about their sporting accomplishments. Bryant made the leap from high school to the NBA but success was not instant, and he did not become an elite guard until the 1998-99 season, when the Lakers were swept by the Spurs in the Western Conference semifinals. With every ounce of defensive energy focused on stopping Mims, the Rams still couldnt do it. He racked up three championship rings and 12 All-Star appearances in his injury-shortened 13-year career. Once there, he would finish with an emphatic dunk, a foolproof strategy that helped ONeal lead the NBA in field-goal percentage 10 times in his career. Cooper Flagg well may become the best basketball player ever from Maine. The information for this article is taken from Wikipedia. Pros: Pallacanestro Messina (2003-04), Toronto Raptors (2004-06), San Antonio Spurs (2006-16). Position: Shooting guard and small forward, High school: Davenport North High School (Davenport, Iowa), Pros: Charlotte Hornets (1998-2000), Miami Heat (2000-01, 2007-08), Cleveland Cavaliers (2001-03), Boston Celtics (2003-06), Minnesota Timberwolves (2006-07), Los Angeles Clippers (2008-10), Turk Telekom (2010), Jiangsu Dragons (2010), Chorale Roanne (2011), Maine Red Claws (2011-12), Piratas de Quebradillas (2012), Erie BayHawks (2013-14). He was drafted by the Timberwolves straight out of high school in 1995 and spent more than 13 seasons of his 21-year NBA tenure there. You can share 5 more gift articles this month. High school: Dominguez High School (Compton, Calif.), College: Ventura (1986-88), Cal State Fullerton (1988-90), Pros: Phoenix Suns (1990-94, 1997-98), Los Angeles Lakers (1994-97), Dallas Mavericks (1998-2000), Detroit Pistons (2000), Miami Heat (2000-01), Las Vegas Slam (2002), Harlem Globetrotters (2002), Hapoel Tel Aviv (2002), Lokomotiv Mineralnye Vody (2002-03), Sioux Falls Skyforce (2003), San Miguel Beermen (2003-04), Los Angeles Stars (2004-05), Orange County/Maywood Buzz (2005-07, 2008-11), Phoenix Flame (2007). After being born and raised in St. Louis, he crossed the border to play college hoops at Kansas before being taken in the first round in 1969 by Boston. High school: Harold L. Richards High School, Pros: Miami Heat (2003-16, 2018-present), Chicago Bulls (2016-17), Cleveland Cavaliers (2017-18). He was born in Tucson and eventually played college hoops at the University of Arizona, where he was twice named the Pac-10s player of the year and was named the best player in the nation in 1989. Initially, in 1994, with Olajuwon as the teams best player, the Rockets won their first NBA title by defeating the New York Knicks. Plus his 30.1 points per game is the NBAs highest career scoring average. DiGregorio also had a game in which he dished out 25 assists during his rookie campaign. Kevin McHale became a legend early. Pros: Orlando Magic (2000-03), Memphis Grizzlies (2003-08, 2013-14), Minnesota Timberwolves (2008-09), Washington Wizards (2009-10), Miami Heat (2010-13), Cleveland Cavaliers (2014-15), Denver Nuggets (2015-17). Perhaps more than any of the other mainstream American sports, basketball has embraced its standing as an international game. Stevie Franchise was a three-time All-Star with the Houston Rockets in the early 2000s, where he was a consistent 20-point scorer from the point guard position. The products and services mentioned below were selected independent of sales and advertising. High school: Bartlett High School (Anchorage), Pros: Miami Heat (2008-15), Memphis Grizzlies (2015-16). Point guard Luke Ridnour is the only Idahoan to last more than five years in the NBA, according to Basketball Reference. Marcus Camby was more than an elite shot blocker and defensive force at Hartford Public High School. Hes averaged better than 13 points per game over the past two seasons and was a key starter during the Heats trip to the NBA Finals in 2020. As a senior, he averaged a triple-double with 29.2 points, 11.6 rebounds and 10.1 assists, and made the McDonalds All-American team. Please note the display name will appear on screen when you participate. LeBron James is an American basketball player who currently plays for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Since 2002, Laimbeer has been coaching in the WNBA. And, of course, hes since won two titles (and counting?) Combine that with the fact that Maine produces fewer NCAA Division I basketball players than most other states, so when a player of Flaggs caliber comes along, memory gets shorter and cloudy. Bryant, along with center Shaquille ONeal, led the Lakers to three consecutive NBA titles from 2000 to 2002. With a Press Herald subscription, you can gift 5 articles each month. Michael Jordan was a player who had it all. Diana Taurasi is the best offensive player in WNBA history (and No. While Chauncey Billups spent a couple of seasons with his hometown Nuggets during his long NBA career, his best years were spent with the Detroit Pistons. His story still unfolding. Jordan Hooper was a member of the Tulsa Shock for the 2014 season and has bounced around in her WNBA career. Hes been a six-time All-Star and has put up some massive figures in his career so far, averaging 21.4 points and 8.7 rebounds per game. Olajuwon retired in 2002 and got inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2008. High school: Gonzaga Prep High School (Spokane, Wash.). The uber-confident Bird had arguably the quickest release of anyone to ever play basketball and hed often let his defender know that the shot was going in soon after it left his hands. There's one state that has never produced an NBA player. Before the two leagues merged in 1976, Haywood was a star with the ABAs Denver Rockets and Seattle SuperSonics, winning MVP honors as a rookie in 1970. Hakeem Olajuwon played center for the Houston Rockets from 1984 until 2001. He's now known as "Larry Legend. When people knocked him for not winning championships early in his career, they overlooked that he almost single-handedly took an overmatched Cleveland Cavaliers squad to the 2007 NBA finals at just 22 years old. Create a commenting profile by providing an email address, password and display name. After several NBA summer league stops, Carroll went to Real Madrid, where he helped them win the EuroLeague championship in 2014-2015 and in May 2018. The one time in his 14-year career that he was not an All-Star was in 1970, a season in which an injured Chamberlain was limited to just 12 regular-season games and yet he still managed to will his team to the NBA finals upon his return. While Im too young to have ever seen him play, his statistics are so mind-blowing that I wish I had a time machine for the express purpose of going back and seeing him in action. Scottie Pippen wasn't always the best supporting player helping Michael Jordan capture the worlds imagination with the Chicago Bulls in the 1990s. Akrons most beloved son has gone out of his way to remain an integral part of that citys fabric even long after becoming the most famous basketball player on the planet. He graduated to Auburn, where he holds the school record for field goal percentage (62.6 percent), and went on to become one of the best rebounders in NBA history. Ainge was so good at baseball he was drafted by the Toronto Blue Jays in 1977 and made it to the major leagues in 1979 as an infielder (second baseman) and outfielder while in college at BYU. The Sycamores lost the championship game to Magic Johnson and Michigan State, but the final was the beginning of a new era in hoops. Finally, after graduating from high school early, he got selected by his hometown Cavaliers in the 2003 NBA Draft. NBA MVP five times, 14 times NBA All-Star, ten times All-NBA First Team, nine times All-Defensive First Team, Defensive Player of the Year in 1988, etc. 1 Overall NBA Draft Picks of All Time 2 Chris Webber Power forward and Center from Detroit, Michigan 391 votes Teams: Washington Wizards, Sacramento Kings, Philadelphia 76ers, Golden State Warriors, Detroit Pistons #30 of 142 The Best Philadelphia 76ers of All Time #2 of 49 The Greatest Michigan Basketball In college at Utah State, Carroll improved his shot each year and eventually won the WAC Player of the Year award in 2008. Alongside Kobe Bryant, Shaq helped the Lakers three-peat from 2000-2002. Fantasy Basketball. He went on to win an MVP in 1995 and was named one of the 50 Greatest NBA Players of All Time in 1996. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. After that, he bounced around to the Minnesota Timberwolves, Miami Heat and San Antonio Spurs. Danny Ainge starred at North Eugene High School in football, basketball and baseball. He helped the Lakers win their first NBA title in Los Angeles in 1972. Cooper Flagg well may become the best basketball player ever from Maine. Hello, I am a passionate and dedicated writer with a deep love for Basketball. In 2007 he also led the Cleveland Cavaliers to their first-ever NBA finals appearance against the San Antonio Spurs. In 1991, Jordan won his first NBA championship with the Bulls and followed that achievement with titles in 1992 and 1993, securing a three-peat. The game is played across America, but these are the best of the best. In high school, he broke a city record for points scored in one game. The 10 Greatest Basketball Players of All Time | Britannica Cheesebro kicked it out to freshman guard Kaelyn Zuber for an open 3-pointer as Dartmouth imposed its biggest lead up to that point, 49-31, with 4:41 to play. Stockton is a 10-time all-star, six-time NBA All-Defensive Second Team, nine-time NBA assists leader and two-time NBA steals leader, among many other accolades. Please subscribe or login first for digital access. Soon after his sophomore year, he declared for the NBA draft, going seventh to the Warriors in 2012. The result: Horton-Tucker had 16 It wasnt just his God-given talent but his work ethic and determination to be the best that made him great. High school: Collins Hill High School (Suwanee, Ga.). Hes also one of just eight players in history to win league MVP honors at least three times. 1-ranked recruit and a McDonalds All-American coming out of high school. He led his high school to a 68-1 record over two years and helped them win a state championship in his senior season. At UMass, Camby won the Naismith College Player of the Year award and the John R. Wooden award in the 1995-96 season. She just didnt do it on Instagram. Then, Robertson starred at Cincinnati, leading the Bearcats to two NCAA Final Four appearances and a 79-9 record when he was there. He was drafted by the Seattle SuperSonics, traded to the Bulls, and the rest is history. Its recklessly bad form to compare a high school athlete, even one as unquestionably talented as Flagg, to one of the best players in basketball history. Paul then helped Wake Forest get into the NCAA tournament a couple of times, eventually falling to West Virginia in his sophomore season. Hes led the league four times in assists and six times in steals, making him undoubtedly one of the best pure point guards to ever play the position. Allen Iverson is one of the greatest pound-for-pound players in NBA history. Before that, Scott played three years of college basketball at Arizona State. Adam Augustyn is Managing Editor, Reference Content at Encyclopdia Britannica. Andre Roberson is a solid perimeter on-ball defender. Adams was named rookie of the year in 1976 and eventually had his jersey number retired by the Suns after walking away in 1988. High school: Conard (West Hartford, Conn.), Hartford Public, Pros: Toronto Raptors (1996-98), New York Knicks (1998-2002, 2012-13), Denver Nuggets (2002-08), Los Angeles Clippers (2008-10), Portland Trail Blazers (2010-12), Houston Rockets (2012). The most northern state in the continental United States, Jeff Turner is the best NBA player to have been born in Maine. Plus, he was hilarious in Airplane! Even though he is in his 18th NBA season, the 36-year-old is playing at an MVP level and has said he wants to keep playing until his son, who is in the 10th grade now, is in the league. Already have a commenting profile? Learn more and register He is the all-time UMass leader in blocks (336) and was only the fourth college player ever to reject 300-plus shot. While Kareem put up a whopping 38,387 points during his playing days, I cant look past the fact that he spent a good chunk of his career receiving passes from Oscar Robertson and Magic Johnson, the two greatest point guards of all time. Born: March 25, 1971, in Brownfield, Texas, College: South Plains (1989-91), Texas Tech (1991-93), Pros: Houston Comets (1997-2007), Seattle Storm (2008), Tulsa Shock (2011). While at UCLA, he led the Bruins to three consecutive NCAA championships from 1967 to 1969. To get one, go to the subscriptions page. After that, Chalmers spent 10 seasons in the NBA, winning two titles with the Miami Heat and posting five seasons where he averaged at least 9.8 points per game. While Hall of Famer Bob McAdoo makes a very strong case as the best player to ever come out of North Carolina, we had to give the crown to future Hall of Famer Chris Paul. The Phoenix Suns selected Ceballos in the second round of the 1990 NBA draft with the 48th overall pick. 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