has been obsessively watching sports for nearly three decades and arguing about them with friends for nearly as long. 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. 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 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. Brandon, a sub-6-foot point guard, averaged solid numbers for his career, including 13.8 points and 6.1 assists per game. Ernie DiGregorio was a phenomenal passer before he made the NBA. The leading scorer in National Basketball Association (NBA) history is just the 10th-best player ever? But as a sophomore, trying out for the varsity team, he was deemed too small at only 5-foot-11. Hes accomplished more in the NBA than nearly any other player, including four championships with three different franchises, but his 2016 title with the Cavs further made him an icon in the Buckeye State. Others play overseas. He was the first overall pick in the 1959 draft, taken by the Cincinnati Royals (now the Sacramento Kings). 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. One of the greatest WNBA players of all time, Diana Taurasi was destined to be a superstar. Miller helped contribute to the Miami Heat winning back-to-back titles in 2012 and 2013 before calling it a 17-year career in 2017. Before Terry Porter became a solid contributor in the NBA, he was playing at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point. Ricky Davis helped Davenport North to the state tournament, but did not reach the championship game. That was the case with Charles Barkley, whose roots in Alabama run deep. Born: Feb. 13, 1981, in Coeur dAlene, Idaho, High school: Blaine High School (Blaine, Wash.), Pros: Seattle SuperSonics (2003-08), Milwaukee Bucks (2008-10, 2013-14), Minnesota Timberwolves (2010-13), Charlotte Bobcats (2014), Orlando Magic (2014-15). Mims scored 80 percent of his teams points and nearly outscored Bangor himself, and he didnt score a point in the first quarter. He eventually won three NBA championships and was a 13-time All-Star, all with the Miami Heat. Jordan won six NBA championships and was the NBA Finals MVP in each of those years. 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. ), Pros: Chicago Sky (2013-16), Washington Mystics (2017-present). 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. High school: Morningside High School (Inglewood, Calif.), Pros: Los Angeles Lakers (1983-93, 1996-97), Indiana Pacers (1993-95), Vancouver Grizzlies (1995-96), Panathinaikos (1997-98). Cooper Flagg is the player standing at the confluence of talent and time an extremely talented player in an era in which nothing goes unnoticed. But Bryants career and impact on the league were indelible and his signature toughness partly came from learning to play ball in his native Philadelphia. West was the main go-to guy in crunch-time, called "Mr. 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. At the University of Maine, she became the second woman in NCAA Division I history to lead the nation in scoring in four consecutive years and is one of only 13 women college basketball players who surpassed the 3,000-point mark in their collegiate careers. He was a four-time All-Star with the Warriors and Knicks and was a consistent 20-point scorer during five consecutive early years of his 13-season tenure. Lucas McNelly Feb 25, 2023 3 comments Regional Final Pete Maravich. Born: May 6, 1985, in Winston-Salem, N.C. High school: West Forsyth High School (Clemmons, N.C.), Pros: New Orleans Hornets (2005-11), Los Angeles Clippers (2011-17), Houston Rockets (2017-present). 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. 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). In the NBA, West helped the Lakers improve their win total by 11 and the Lakers made the playoffs in his rookie campaign. 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. Matt Bonner helped Concord High School to three state championships. His roots in the Tar Heel State obviously run deep but his long NBA career has unfortunately never included a stint in Charlotte. Days after the Nokomis Regional High freshman was named the Varsity Maine boys basketball Player of the Year, ESPN ranked Flagg the third-best college basketball prospect nationwide in the Class of 2025. In the NBA, Miller became a proficient three-point sniper with a career average of 40.7 percent from beyond the arc. In high school, Pippen was the man, leading his team to the state playoffs as an all-conference star his senior year. Soon after, Wade led Marquette in scoring on multiple occasions and helped them reach the Final Four in his junior season. He was named to the All-Mountain West Conference second team in his senior year in 2014. 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. Unless you agree with me, in which case this was the most meaningful thing Ive ever written. Payton is also Before she became one of the best players in WNBA history, she helped the Texas Tech Lady Raiders to an NCAA womens 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. Current Dallas Mavericks forward James Johnson is the only player born in Wyoming whos lasted more than three seasons in the NBA. In the WNBA, Swoopes was the second player to win the MVP and All-Star game MVP in the same season. In his senior year at Providence, DiGregorio helped the Friars reach the Final Four, where they lost to Memphis State. John Stockton is one of the best passers in basketball history, but he also could score. Fantasy Basketball. He led the league in free-throw shooting and assists during the 1976-77 season. High school: Paul Laurence Dunbar High School (Baltimore), College: San Jacinto (1989-91), Florida State (1991-93), Pros: Houston Rockets (1993-96), Phoenix Suns (1996), Dallas Mavericks (1996-97), New Jersey Nets (1997-99), Milwaukee Bucks (1999-2003), Minnesota Timberwolves (2003-05), Los Angeles Clippers (2005-08), Boston Celtics (2008-09). Why Michael Jordan Was The Best By Neil Paine Filed under NBA Michael Jordans reputation as the GOAT has withstood the tests of both time and science. After leading his team to back-to-back state championships, he also became Ohios Mr. Basketball as well as the USA Today High School Player of the Year twice (2002 and 2003). Bill Laimbeer was born in Boston, raised in Chicago and went to high school in Southern California. He was a player to watch in middle school and became a prodigy at St. Vincent-St. Marys High School in Akron, Ohio. This season, the 6-foot-7 Flagg averaged 20.5 points, 10 rebounds, 6.2 assists, 3.7 steals, and 3.7 blocks per game. Cindy Blodgett starred at Lawrence High School, leading the school to an 84-4 record in the four years she was there. John Havlicek. His shooting proficiency made him one of the more dangerous shooters in the league, leading the league in three-point percentage (45.7) in 2010-2011. WebPages in category "Basketball players from Maine" The following 19 pages are in this category, out of 19 total. Amazing how quickly people forget how good he was. Mark Price was more than a shooter. LeBron James learned how to be under the spotlight and shine early in life. 23 jersey is now honored by the program. He starred at Hibbing High School, leading his team to the AA Minnesota State Championship game as a senior. Adams was named rookie of the year in 1976 and eventually had his jersey number retired by the Suns after walking away in 1988. as a member of the Miami Heat. However, Simplemost may receive a small commission from the purchase of any products or services through an affiliate link to the retailer's website. The Boston Celtics drafted Ainge in the second round (31st overall) in 1981 draft, and he played 15 seasons in the NBA, developing a reputation as a hard-nosed, physical , fearless player. A forward, Turner played 10 years in the After tensions between Shaq and Kobe arose, Shaq was traded to the Miami Heat in 2004 and won his final title in 2006 with Dwyane Wade. In 10 seasons with that franchise, Sharman proved to be a deadly shooting guard and helped lead them to four championships from 1957-1961. Prior to that, Robertson starred at Crispus Attucks High School, leading his school to a 31-1 record and winning the 1955 state championship. According to Basketball Reference, only nine players in the league have ever come from that state. He was first-team All-Pac-12 and the conference Defensive Player of the Year during his junior season. Anyone can access the link you share with no account required. Marvin Bad News Barnes was born in Providence and stayed right in his hometown into early adulthood, earning consensus All-American honors as a senior at Providence College in 1974. Robinson had a Hall-of-Fame career with the San Antonio Spurs that lasted 14 seasons and included two championships. In 2004 Lebron became NBA Rookie of the Year. 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). High school: Mauldin High School (Mauldin, S.C.)/Farragut Academy (Chicago, Ill.), Pros: Minnesota Timberwolves (1995-07, 2015-16), Boston Celtics (2007-13), Brooklyn Nets (2013-15). Some states offered obvious answers while others are ripe for debate, but here are our picks for the best NBA player to come from every state. In 2007, he was traded to the Boston Celtics, and that next year, Garnett was an integral piece to Bostons championship run in 2008. He led the Celtics to three championships in the 1980s, which is the same number of times he was named NBA MVP. At UMass, Camby won the Naismith College Player of the Year award and the John R. Wooden award in the 1995-96 season. 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. Dave Cowens starred at Florida State, averaging 19 points and 17.2 rebounds per game in his collegiate career. The Miami Heat's all-time leading scorer has had game for a while. and fought Bruce Lee in Game of Death, so his cool quotient is easily the highest of anyone on this list. 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. Who are the 10 best point guards in the NBA right now 2023? Before he became forever linked to hoops in North Carolina and Chicago, Jordan was born in Brooklyn and lived there for a few years of his early childhood. He finished his 21-year NBA career in 2015 as a 15-time All-Star. 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. In Robinsons final two years at Navy, he earned the Naismith and Wooden awards, as well as becoming an All-American. 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. Absolutely. But before the WNBA, Levesque helped her high school win two Division I state titles. Only two NBA players have come from Hawaii so far and both were All-Stars at some point. WebHe averaged a stellar 22.6 points and 9.1 rebounds per game for his career, easily landing him in the Hall of Fame and on this list of the greatest NBA players ever. 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. That means that even far-flung countries like Estonia, Iran and Luxembourg have given the NBA more players than the Green Mountain State. Byron Scott helped the Lakers win three championships as a player. Scottie Pippen wasn't always the best supporting player helping Michael Jordan capture the worlds imagination with the Chicago Bulls in the 1990s. During his career as a center, Abdul-Jabbar was a six-time NBA Most Valuable Player, a 19-time NBA All-Star, and an 11-time NBA All-Defensive Team member. When he got to the NBA, some thought the 6-foot-9 player was too small to play center, but he proved the doubters wrong, averaging 17 points and 15 rebounds per game in his rookie campaign. His tenacity made him one of the best defenders in the game's history. In 2007 he also led the Cleveland Cavaliers to their first-ever NBA finals appearance against the San Antonio Spurs. 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. The Pistol played in only 4 All-Star games but still managed to average 24.2 points per game over his career and is considered one of the best pure scorers in NBA history.. Pete Maravich 14. LeBron James overtook Kareem Abdul-Jabbar as the NBAs leading scorer in February 2023.]. Its about time another great NBA player came out of Nebraska because we had to go all the way back to the late 1950s for the states best. Before he left his mark on the NBA, he starred at Bethel High School, where he led both the football and basketball programs to state championships. 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. Jordan Hooper was a member of the Tulsa Shock for the 2014 season and has bounced around in her WNBA career. Before he became synonymous with South Florida hoops, Wade was a star high school player in the suburb of Oak Lawn. The Sycamores lost the championship game to Magic Johnson and Michigan State, but the final was the beginning of a new era in hoops. Just in the last generation, 20 years or so, weve seen players from Maine enjoy not only successful college careers, but professional careers, too. He finished his 17-year career with averages of 12.2 points, 5.6 assists and 3.0 rebounds. Born: February 19, 1980, in Mitchell, S.D. Big Shot had his jersey number retired by that franchise for his starring role on the 2004 championship team, he was born and raised in Denver. Discussions between basketball fans have been raging over who are the greatest basketball players of all time to take part in the history of this great game. Log in to join the discussion. Cedric Ceballos didn't always light up scoreboards. The big man was born in Lawrence before spending his college career in Oklahoma and his entire NBA tenure with the Phoenix Suns. Named Henrietta at birth, she was always called Thomie, a name that sprang from her position as the family tomboy. 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. 20 and to Val Whiting at No. Marcus Camby was more than an elite shot blocker and defensive force at Hartford Public High School. Your email address will not be published. His free-throw shooting, on the other hand. We gave the nod to White because of his multiple rings and his starring role on some stacked Celtics teams in the 1970s. Here's where and how basketball stars, generational talents and legends were born. Learn more and register He became the all-time leading scorer for the Lakers franchise. A member of six NBA championship teams as a player and two as an assistant coach, Abdul-Jabbar was also voted NBA Finals MVP twice. Bryant averaged 30.8 points, 12 rebounds, 6.5 assists, 4 steals and 3.8 blocks, while leading Lower Merion to a 31-3 record. Delle Donne received a scholarship to play for UConn, but dropped out of the summer school program because she wanted to be close to family. In his prime, Duncan, nicknamed The Big Fundamental by no less a nickname authority than Shaquille ONeal, was one of the most sound players of all time. Later that year, Elliott was drafted third overall by the San Antonio Spurs, the team hed win a championship with in 1999. He helped his high school and Michigan State win championships. Point guard Luke Ridnour is the only Idahoan to last more than five years in the NBA, according to Basketball Reference. 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