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. But to give him that label now is at best premature, and at worst willfully ignorant His 13-year-old daughter Gianna also passed away in the crash. The late big man was born in Petersburg and was one of the first truly great NBA stars to come to the pros straight out of high school. At his peak, from 2004-2014, Wade was scoring 25.1 points per game to go with 6.1 assists and 5.1 rebounds, making him one of the most valuable players of his generation. According to the exhaustive database of player birthplaces compiled at Basketball Reference, Mario Chalmers is the only player in NBA history to come from Alaska. Marcus Camby was more than an elite shot blocker and defensive force at Hartford Public High School. Moreover, he not only faced the incredible pressure of being anointed The Chosen One by Sports Illustrated as a teenager, but hes actually exceeded the lofty expectations set for him. The Atlanta native was a seven-time All-Star in 13 NBA seasons, as well as a seven-time member of the first-team All-Defensive squad. He was a big part of the Bulls winning six championships in eight years, the NBA Finals MVP on all six occasions with two three-peats. One of the greatest defenders in history, he was named to the leagues prestigious All-Defensive first team eight times. Moreover, his rivalry with Magic Johnsonwho, spoiler alert, youll see a bit later in this listduring the 1980s launched basketball into an unprecedented level of national popularity that the sport has never fallen from. He was a four-time All-Star and two-time champion and he missed just nine games from 1980-1993, which is remarkable when you consider how many guys he hammered to the floor during his career. Born: December 7, 1956, in West Baden Springs, Ind. Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. #39 Paul Arizin (1951-1962) Amazon The products and services mentioned below were selected independent of sales and advertising. 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. 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. She then transferred to the University of Delaware, where she played volleyball as a walk-on in 2008. If the page does not reload within 5 seconds, please refresh the page. Furthermore, in 1996, he was honored as one of the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History. He won a title with the Warriors in 2015 and has averaged 17.3 points per game since the 2016-17 season. Before that, she helped lead Alliance High School to a state title as a freshman in 2007. One of the best NBA players to never be elected to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, Tom Chambers racked up more than 20,000 points in his career as a power forward. In his last NBA game on April 13, 2016, Bryant scored 60 points. It was a toss-up between a pair of legendary Hall of Famers but Moses Malone edged out Allen Iverson for the crown of Virginias best baller. Griffin was the first overall pick in the 2009 draft and, after sitting out his first season with an injury, made an impact right away with the Los Angeles Clippers, being named rookie of the year in 2011. Lucas McNelly Feb 25, 2023 3 comments Regional Final Yes, they played the kind of slow-paced ball that put most fans to sleep by the third quarter, but there was often a thing of pure beauty hidden among the tire-fire of a 7871 final score: Tim Duncans bank shot. His tenacity made him one of the best defenders in the game's history. Like Alabamas Charles Barkley, Arizonas Sean Elliott stayed close to home for college and wound up having his jersey number retired by both his school and an NBA team. Naismith Prep Player of the Year Award Morgan Wootten High School Player of the Year Award Gatorade National Player of the Year McDonalds National 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. High school: East Bank High School (East Bank, W.Va.). He helped Golden State win a title in 2015 and became a solid contributor for the Dallas Mavericks after the 2016 season. 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. Mamba came to the NBA straight out of high school there and spent his entire Hall-of-Fame career with the Lakers, winning five titles and making 18 All-Star Game appearances, which is one off of the all-time record. Along with teammate Larry Bird, McHale helped lead the Celtics to three NBA championships in his 13 seasons there, averaging 17.9 points and 7.3 rebounds per game for his career. 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. In college at Utah State, Carroll improved his shot each year and eventually won the WAC Player of the Year award in 2008. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is the NBAs all-time leading scorer and a Basketball Hall of Famer. Maine vs. Binghamton Women's Basketball Predictions & Picks - February 25. Russell was the ultimate winner in the history of the NBA. Cedric Ceballos didn't always light up scoreboards. In the NBA, Stockton averaged a double-double of 13.1 points and 10.5 assists. SportsLine Projection Model simulates every NBA game 10,000 times and has returned well over $10,000 in profit for $100 players Lillard becoming one of best scorers ever. Named Henrietta at birth, she was always called Thomie, a name that sprang from her position as the family tomboy. Ten Greatest Basketball Players Ever. Michael Jordan was a player who had it all. He went on to win an MVP in 1995 and was named one of the 50 Greatest NBA Players of All Time in 1996. He was a two-time All-American and four-time All-ACC basketball player at Georgia Tech, helping the Yellow Jackets win an ACC championship in his junior season. The late Walt Hazzard started his route to basketball stardom in Wilmington, Delaware, which makes him pretty unique among NBA players. Read Kareem Abdul-Jabbars Britannica essay on the New York Rens. He racked up three championship rings and 12 All-Star appearances in his injury-shortened 13-year career. Anyone can access the link you share with no account required. 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 The Hall of Famer was a 12-time All-Star in 14 seasons and won a championship with the Bucks in 1971. Born: Sept. 16, 1934, in Washington, D.C. Died: March 22, 2021, in Los Angeles, California (age 86), High School: Phelps Vocational School, Spingarn High School (Washington, D.C.), College: College of Idaho (1954-55), Seattle (1956-58), Pros: Minneapolis Lakers (1958-60), Los Angeles Lakers (1960-72). Please wait for the page to reload. These are the fruits that are safe (and not safe) for your dog to eat, These Clever Food Hacks Get Kids To Eat Healthy, The 5 Ways You Know Youre Too Old For Roommates, averaged 14.1 points and 7 rebounds per game, average 14.8 points and 8.1 rebounds per game, apparently the only player in NBA history, four times in assists and six times in steals, remembered by some for one regrettable outburst. Three-time All-America at Maine; led NL in ERA (2.08) with Giants in 1992, won 21 games in '93. During his historic high school career, he was named Ohios Mr. Basketball a remarkable three times before skipping college and being drafted by the Cleveland Cavaliers first overall in 2003. Oh, and the 12-time All-Star also helped initiate true free agency into the NBA through a landmark antitrust suit, an accomplishment just as impressive as his jaw-dropping on-court exploits. The 65 guy could hit his elbow on the rim when he was a freshman. 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 the 1992 Slam Dunk Contest with a blindfolded dunk, led the league in field goal percentage (57.6) in 1993 and helped them reach the NBA Finals. High school: Osbourn Park High School (Manassas, Va.). In his junior year, he led the nation in scoring at 28.1 points per game and helped Gonzaga get a berth in the NCAA tournament, making it to the Sweet 16 before succumbing to UCLA. He helped the Rockets win back-to-back championships in his first two season and was part of the Celtic' title team in 2008, his final NBA season. West was the main go-to guy in crunch-time, called "Mr. Ridnour became a star at Oregon, helping lead the Ducks to an Elite Eight appearance in 2002 and another NCAA tournament appearance. Hes bigger than a good portion of the players in the NFL and yet he still moves as gracefully as the most nimble guards in basketball. Robertson was the first player in league history to average a triple double for an entire season, which he did in 1962 with the Cincinnati Royals, and his career averages ended up being 25.7 points, 9.5 assists and 7.5 rebounds per game. Before he became synonymous with South Florida hoops, Wade was a star high school player in the suburb of Oak Lawn. Pros: Denver Nuggets (1990-96), Sacramento Kings (1996-98), Fenerbahce (1998-99), Vancouver Grizzlies (2000-01), Ural Great (2003-04), Sedima Roseto (2004-05), Aris BC (2006-07), Al-Ittihad (2007-08), Kyoto Hannaryz (2009-11). Pretty much all you can ask for from the best ever, no? He was born in Abilene but spent his formative years in California and became an NBA icon with the Boston Celtics. Sam Cassell wasn't the biggest player in basketball history, but he had big game. He led the Celtics to three championships in the 1980s, which is the same number of times he was named NBA MVP. But in his rookie year, Russell completely changed the franchises course and established the Celtics as the winningest team in the NBA. We all know Michael Jordan as the greatest basketball player of all time. Hello, I am a passionate and dedicated writer with a deep love for Basketball. The 15-year old Flagg is charging ahead into an undoubtedly bright basketball future. He was a military brat because of his own fathers military service, which led to frequent moving and likely made the nomadic life of a professional athlete easier on him. He never won a ring, but he was inducted into in the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2016 and remains one of the most popular players in NBA history. Success. [This list was originally published in April 2014. ( Click here for our 5-on-5 debate.) He was born in Greenville and spent most of his high school career there before finishing it in Illinois. Heres why. 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. New Mexicos all-time hoops hero, Bill Bridges, spent 13 seasons in the NBA during the 1960s and 70s. In college at Georgetown, he led the Hoyas to the Sweet 16 in his freshman year, and in his sophomore and final season, he led the team to a Big East Championship and an Elite Eight appearance. The Greatest UConn Basketball Players of All Time #20 of 76 Every Athlete Signed To Jay-Z's Roc Nation Sports, Ranked 6 Markelle Fultz Point guard from Upper Marlboro, Maryland 155 votes Teams: Orlando Magic #48 of 58 The Best No. John Havlicek. A former womans canoeing champion of the great state of Maine died last week. Boozer was a workhorse who rarely missed a game during his 11-season career, which saw him average 14.8 points and 8.1 rebounds per game. Bill Russell was an 11-time NBA champion in a 13-year Hall of Fame career. 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. Only subscribers are eligible to post comments. In 1969, Abdul-Jabbar signed with the Milwaukee Bucks and began his storied professional career. LeBron James overtook Kareem Abdul-Jabbar as the NBAs leading scorer in February 2023.]. WebMAINE ANTONIO CAMACHO-BUCKS MARYLAND SAM BURGESS MASSACHUSETTS HUNTER JONES MICHIGAN NOAH BREKER MINNESOTA SIDNEY STEGALL MISSISSIPPI CONNOR BURNS MISSOURI WESTON BROWN MONTANA CARSON NOECKER NEBRASKA LOGAN SCOTT NEVADA BYRON GREVIOUS NEW Born: Oct. 19, 1953, in Arkansas City, Kan. 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