Cooper Flagg may end up the best basketball player to come from Maine. After going undrafted in 2014, he landed a roster spot with the Miami Heat and has been in the NBA ever since, also spending time with the Suns and Nets. This list is, naturally, incredibly subjective, and shouldnt be taken too seriously. Related: did you know that the 2013 Seattle Seahawks had the best defense in NFL history? WebHigh School Sports - Schedules, Scores, Rankings - MaxPreps Holmes is climbing her way up Indianas all-time scoring list with 1,852 career points, which ranks sixth in school history, and 753 career rebounds.The Gorham, Maine native is also third all-time in blocked shots (185). Position: Power forward and small forward, Pros: Philadelphia 76ers (1984-1992), Phoenix Suns (1992-96), Houston Rockets (1996-2000). 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. 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. ( Click here for our 5-on-5 debate.) And it forgets. He was born in Hobbs and eventually played high school basketball there before going to college at Kansas. The native of Anchorage eventually played high school ball there before departing for a warmer climate at the University of Kansas, where hed lead the Jayhawks to an NCAA championship in 2008. Our computer prediction projects a one-sided 65-55 victory as our model heavily favors Maine. Sheryl Swoopes is a Texas legend. Kevin Garnett was one of the fiercest competitors in basketball. He helped his high school and Michigan State win championships. High school: Bethel High School (Hampton, Va.), Pros: Philadelphia 76ers (1996-2006, 2009-10), Denver Nuggets (2006-08), Detroit Pistons (2008-09), Memphis Grizzlies (2009), Besiktas (2010-11). Fantasy Basketball. Thats what social media does. During his third year in the league, Bryant started playing in the All-Star Game, and he would continue to be selected to start that game for a record 18 consecutive appearances until his retirement. 52, we rank the best all-time women's players by jersey number. At UMass, Camby won the Naismith College Player of the Year award and the John R. Wooden award in the 1995-96 season. Perhaps more than any of the other mainstream American sports, basketball has embraced its standing as an international game. Adam Morrison became a star as a high school player in Spokane, despite an early diagnosis of Type 1 diabetes. Brandon, a sub-6-foot point guard, averaged solid numbers for his career, including 13.8 points and 6.1 assists per game. 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. He was a two-time All-Star and averaged 14.2 points per game for his 12-season NBA career. Most important player ever? His 13-year-old daughter Gianna also passed away in the crash. 1-ranked recruit and a McDonalds All-American coming out of high school. After getting to the NBA, he became one of the best players and best shooters in league history with the Boston Celtics and forever changed the game. The most notable of his scoring feats came on March 2, 1962, when he put up an astounding 100 points in a game, an NBA record that will likely never be broken. Before she became one of the best players in WNBA history, she helped the Texas Tech Lady Raiders to an NCAA womens Only two NBA players have come from Hawaii so far and both were All-Stars at some point. Create a commenting profile by providing an email address, password and display name. The NBAs most valuable player for the 1993 season and 11-time All-Star was born in Leeds and stayed in Alabama to play college basketball at Auburn, where he was named SEC player of the year in 1984. Nevada has not exactly been a hotbed for basketball talent over the years, so the pickings here were pretty slim, but Ricky Davis enjoyed a long career in the NBA as a journeyman shooting guard and small forward. Learn more and register Olajuwon led his college squad to three straight National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) championships and also earned a reputation as a dominating defensive player with an agile ability to hit shots from all over the court. Hall of Famer Chet The Jet Walker, who came from Bethlehem, made this a tough choice but we had to give Mississippis crown to fellow inductee Spencer Haywood. But basketball was his true love, and he became a household name by hitting a game-winning buzzer-beater against Notre Dame in the 1981 NCAA tournment. She just didnt do it on Instagram. Before Mr. The former league MVPs list of on-court accomplishments is exhausting to behold, including 10 All-Star Games, 10 first-team All-NBA selections and eight first-team All-Defensive selections. Allen Iverson is one of the greatest pound-for-pound players in NBA history. 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. Web1 Michael Jordan Michael Jeffrey Jordan, also known by his initials, MJ, is an American retired professional basketball player. We are here to give the best tips on it. Then, Robertson starred at Cincinnati, leading the Bearcats to two NCAA Final Four appearances and a 79-9 record when he was there. Garnett made the leap from high school to the pros, and became a star with the Minnesota Timberwolves. This season, Holmes has also earned recognition on the 2023 Lisa Leslie Award preseason watch list and the 2023 Jersey He won five NBA championships with the Lakers. He had 63 points in a game against his old high school, Phelps. Along the way of his 15-year career, Cassell played on eight different teams and was a solid contributor, averaging over 17 points with four different clubs (Nets, Bucks, Timberwolves and Clippers) and finishing his career with 15.7 points per game, 6.0 assists and 3.2 rebounds. The Hall of Famer was a 12-time All-Star in 14 seasons and won a championship with the Bucks in 1971. To get one, go to the subscriptions page. He was born in Oklahoma City and delighted the basketball fans in his home state when he stayed home to play college ball at the University of Oklahoma. In his senior year at Providence, DiGregorio helped the Friars reach the Final Four, where they lost to Memphis State. High school: Crispus Attucks High School (Indianapolis, Ind. The 10 Greatest Basketball Players of All Time | Britannica Before Elgin Baylor became one of the greatest players in NBA history, he starred at Spingarn High School and was named first team All-Met. Can you believe that no player from Vermont has ever played a game in the NBA? There's one state that has never produced an NBA player. His entire Hall-of-Fame NBA career was spent with the Boston Celtics and hes now regarded as something close to a saint in that city. WebFeaturing Hall of Fame greats, superstars, and active players, this list of basketball players who were born in Maine includes Duncan Robinson, Jeff Turner, and Skip Chappelle. Pretty much all you can ask for from the best ever, no? High school: Robert G. Cole High School (San Antonio, Texas), Pros: Orlando Magic (1992-96), Los Angeles Lakers (1996-2004), Miami Heat (2004-08), Phoenix Suns (2008-09), Cleveland Cavaliers (2009-10), Boston Celtics (2010-11). LeBron James overtook Kareem Abdul-Jabbar as the NBAs leading scorer in February 2023.]. He spent most of his career with the Hawks, spanning time between the franchises eras in St. Louis and Atlanta. 1 overall pick Cade Cunningham. The big man was born in Lawrence before spending his college career in Oklahoma and his entire NBA tenure with the Phoenix Suns. He went across the country to UCLA for college ball, where he was the best player on the 1964 national championship team that went 30-0. After that, Hazzard spent 10 seasons playing guard in the NBA, averaging 12.6 points per game and making the All-Star Game with the Seattle SuperSonics during the 1967-68 season. Who else could represent Indiana but The Hick from French Lick? Larry Bird was born in West Baden Springs (population: 475), in Indianas French Lick Township and would make his home state proud by taking Indiana State to the NCAA championship game in 1979. Famously, he played center in place of the injured Abdul-Jabbar in the title-clinching game six of the 1980 NBA finals as a 20-year-old rookie. He was born in Lansing and had an outstanding high school hoops career there before staying very close to home and playing at Michigan State, a program that he led to a national championship in 1979. Create one. ), Pros: Chicago Sky (2013-16), Washington Mystics (2017-present). He finished his 11-year career with two rings and was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame. And, frankly, its sort of fun tweaking all the Chicagoans who are surprisingly defensive about their sporting accomplishments. She was an All-American as a freshman and sophomore in high school and led her team o four consecutive state championship appearances. Were not technically a sports website, but this editor (hi!) Basketball has been a popular sport throughout history since its invention in 1891 by a Canadian physical education teacher named James Naismith. In the NBA, Robinson made his mark immediately, helping the team turn around a dismal record of 21-61 to 56-26. This one was a total toss-up between two St. Louis natives in Hall of Famers Jo Jo White and Ed Macauley, whose careers and stats were remarkably similar. While his entire pro career was spent in Los Angeles, Johnsons brilliant career started up north. Unlike the NFL, which is still almost entirely packed with American players, and the NHL and MLB, which see their foreign-born stars come from a handful of countries in specific areas, the NBAs stars come from all corners of the globe. Before he became synonymous with South Florida hoops, Wade was a star high school player in the suburb of Oak Lawn. High school: David Tobias Howard High School, Pros: New York Knicks (1967-77), Cleveland Cavaliers (1977-80). Chris Paul starred in high school, averaging 25 points, 5.3 assists and 4.4 steals in his junior year. However, Simplemost may receive a small commission from the purchase of any products or services through an affiliate link to the retailer's website. A battle between two dominant defenders made Georgia a tough call but we ultimately sided with Walt Clyde Frazier over Dwight Howard for the honor of being the states best baller. After high school, he did not attend an elite basketball program, but instead became one of the premier college basketball players in Division II for Southern Illinois University. Before he became perhaps the all-time icon of hoops in the city of Cincinnati, Ohio, Oscar Robertson was born in the small town of Charlotte, Tennessee. Hes the NBAs all-time leader in both assists and steals and is unlikely to be passed in either category any time soon. While the late Kobe Bryant would seem like the obvious choice to represent his home state, there was a lot of great competition representing Pennsylvania. Alvan Adams, Scott Wedman and Lionel Hollins all hailed from the Sunflower State but it was Adams who had the best individual career. He is the all-time UMass leader in blocks (336) and was only the fourth college player ever to reject 300-plus shot. In his two seasons in the ABA, Barnes averaged more than 24 points per game, which landed on the leagues All-Time Team in 1997. Already registered? The Houston Rockets selected him as the first overall pick of the 1984 NBA draft, and he made an immediate splash in his rookie season by winning that years NBA Defensive Player of the Year award. He helped his high school win its first championship in 53 years in his senior season. You will receive an email to complete the registration. In this article, we have listed the 5 greatest basketball players ever. High school: Don Antonio Lugo High School (Chino, Calif.). ), Pros: Teramo Basket (2008-09), Gran Canaria (2009-11), Real Madrid (2011-present). High school: Springs Valley High School (French Lick, Ind.). 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. If he keeps working hard, and theres no reason to think otherwise, hell live up to it. the best power forwards in the NBA right now, NBA Teams With Championships And Titles In The World, Who Has The Most Steals In An NBA Game? In one season of high school ball, hes well on his way. He led his high school to a 68-1 record over two years and helped them win a state championship in his senior season. Before she became one of the best players in WNBA history, she helped the Texas Tech Lady Raiders to an NCAA womens basketball championship in her senior year. Required fields are marked *. 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