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. 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. Kevin Garnett was one of the fiercest competitors in basketball. While John Stocktons NBA career is forever linked to Utah, he learned his trade in his native Washington. While his famously vanilla playing style and quiet demeanor kept him from having a cultural impact similar to the other greats, his four championships, 14 All-Star Games, and two NBA MVP awards are indisputable evidence of his fantastic ability. Ben McCanna/Staff Photographer. Johnson, who was born and raised in Cheyenne, had his best years with the Heat during the mid-2010s, when he was averaging more than 11 points a game. A former womans canoeing champion of the great state of Maine died last week. If he keeps working hard, and theres no reason to think otherwise, hell live up to it. Before retiring in 2015, he spent 12 seasons in the league, splitting his time with five different franchises but in Seattle for the majority of them. In the NBA, he helped lead the Cleveland Cavaliers become an Eastern Conference power with his shooting touch. 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. He led the Celtics to three championships in the 1980s, which is the same number of times he was named NBA MVP. Mario Chalmers always has been a winner. West averaged 32 points per game during the tournament and led his team in scoring and rebounding each game. 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). In the WNBA, Swoopes was the second player to win the MVP and All-Star game MVP in the same season. After bouncing around the NBA, his basketball career took him overseas to Israel and the Philippines. He played well in his rookie season, but a torn ACL in his sophomore season derailed any hopes of him becoming the player he once was. Milwaukee native Latrell Sprewell is remembered by some for one regrettable outburst that nearly derailed his NBA career but he was a great player for many years. 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. Whoever picked this list is not that knowledgeable about high school basketball history. New Mexicos all-time hoops hero, Bill Bridges, spent 13 seasons in the NBA during the 1960s and 70s. This season, Holmes has also earned recognition on the 2023 Lisa Leslie Award preseason watch list and the 2023 Jersey Murphy spent at 13 of his NBA seasons with the Rockets organization, rarely missing games and averaging 17.9 points per game. Already registered? 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. 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. The Hall of Famer was a 12-time All-Star in 14 seasons and won a championship with the Bucks in 1971. In the NBA, Porter went 24th overall to the Portland Trail Blazers in the 1985 draft and helped the team make it to the NBA Finals twice during his tenure. He was born in Abilene but spent his formative years in California and became an NBA icon with the Boston Celtics. Before Charles Barkley became "The Round Mound of Rebound," he was a stocky, 5-foot-10, 220-pound high schooler who failed to make his varsity squad as a junior. 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. He led the NBA in scoring for two seasons. ), Pros: Chicago Sky (2013-16), Washington Mystics (2017-present). 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. He typified the power forward position and was named to seven All-Star teams. 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. Scott led the Lakers in scoring at 21.7 points per game during the 1987-88 season, and helped them win a title that same year, one of his three NBA championships. 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. Haywood was born in Silver City (population: 288) before eventually becoming an NBA champion with the Lakers in 1980. He helped Golden State win a title in 2015 and became a solid contributor for the Dallas Mavericks after the 2016 season. High school: Gonzaga Prep High School (Spokane, Wash.). Hollins was an All-Star the next season and an All-Defensive team member in 1978 and 1979. 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). The Celtics had played for 10 seasons before Russell joined the team, never once reaching a championship series in that time. High school: Crispus Attucks High School (Indianapolis, Ind. (Or 20. He was a 9-time NBA All-Star and was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2013. He averaged 14.1 points and 7 rebounds per game during his time in the league. From Diana Taurasi at No. Before she became one of the best players in WNBA history, she helped the Texas Tech Lady Raiders to an NCAA womens Log in to join the discussion. Theres one player that always comes to mind when you think about excellence. Current star Domantas Sabonis could take the honor of Oregons best in years to come but for now it belongs to Brandon. 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. There, he was named an NAIA First-Team All-American as a junior and senior. That means that even far-flung countries like Estonia, Iran and Luxembourg have given the NBA more players than the Green Mountain State. Hi, to comment on stories you must create a commenting profile. Thats what social media does. No game would be more famous than Iversons 48-point outburst in Game 1 of the 2001 NBA Finals against the Lakers, stealing the game, but eventually succumbing to them in five games. Before Michael Jordan became the greatest basketball player to walk the earth, he played at Emsley A. Laney High School in North Carolina. 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. You can share 5 more gift articles this month. 1 pick in the draft. Michael Jordan: Jordan is widely considered the greatest NBA player of all time. James won two titles in Miami, and then in 2014, he left Miami to come back to Cleveland to fulfill a promise of winning a championship, which he did in 2016 by leading a comeback down 3-1 against the 73-win Warriors. Robinson, who was born in York, is currently in his third year as a pro and has spent it all in Miami, which is as far down the East Coast from his home state that he could possibly go. Olajuwon retired in 2002 and got inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2008. 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. Who are the 10 best point guards in the NBA right now 2023? Andre Roberson is a solid perimeter on-ball defender. And, of course, hes since won two titles (and counting?) He transferred to Farragut Academy in Chicago for his senior season, led his team to a 28-2 record and was so good he was named National Player of the Year again after averaging 25.2 points, 17.9 rebounds and 6.7 assists. Born: Jan. 15, 1951, in North Providence, R.I. High school: North Providence High School, Pros: Buffalo Braves (1973-77), Los Angeles Lakers (1977-78), Boston Celtics (1978). 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. We all know Michael Jordan as the greatest basketball player of all time. In college at North Carolina, Jordan made the game-winner in the 1982 NCAA championship game against Georgetown, which featured future NBA great Patrick Ewing. Paul then helped Wake Forest get into the NCAA tournament a couple of times, eventually falling to West Virginia in his sophomore season. 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. Sheryl Swoopes is a Texas legend. Ten Greatest Basketball Players Ever. 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. Position: Power forward and small forward, Pros: Philadelphia 76ers (1984-1992), Phoenix Suns (1992-96), Houston Rockets (1996-2000). This winning combination of talent and hard work is why Michael Jordan is still revered today as the greatest basketball player of all time. He helped the Spurs win a title that year and was re-signed. Ceballos led the Lakers in scoring in 1995 and was an All-Star. Then Ceballos went the junior college route and played at Ventura College, before catching the attention of NBA scouts at Cal State Fullerton. Cedric Ceballos didn't always light up scoreboards. Abdul-Jabbar played for UCLA from 1965 to 1969. He was also named the NCAAs Most Outstanding Player those three years and was twice named College Player of the Year by The Sporting News. The late Walt Hazzard started his route to basketball stardom in Wilmington, Delaware, which makes him pretty unique among NBA players. Most famous player ever? 25 Decade-Defining Events in U.S. History, Timeline of the American Civil Rights Movement, https://www.britannica.com/list/the-10-greatest-basketball-players-of-all-time. WebPages in category "Basketball players from Maine" The following 19 pages are in this category, out of 19 total. Dwyane Wade averaged 20.7 points and 7.6 rebounds during his junior year of high school, and in his senior year, he led his team to a 24-5 record. High school: Emsley A. Laney High School (Wilmington, N.C.), Pros: Chicago Bulls (1984-93, 1995-98), Washington Wizards (2001-03). 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. Lets wait to anoint Cooper Flagg as the best basketball player ever from Maine, Varsity Maine boys basketball Player of the Year, Flagg the third-best college basketball prospect nationwide in the Class of 2025. No other point guard has won the leagues defensive player of the year award and thats on top of his career average of 16.3 points per game. While Hinrich had the longer career, Barnes is still working on his and has produced slightly better numbers so far. 1. Required fields are marked *. He was born in the city of Ogden, Utah and stayed in his home state to play hoops at the University of Utah, where he was a first-team All-WAC selection. 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. Born: December 7, 1956, in West Baden Springs, Ind. Brandon, a sub-6-foot point guard, averaged solid numbers for his career, including 13.8 points and 6.1 assists per game. 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. Magic Johnson was destined for greatness. The products and services mentioned below were selected independent of sales and advertising. Alongside Kobe Bryant, Shaq helped the Lakers three-peat from 2000-2002. The Cowboy State isnt exactly known for cranking out ballers but Johnson has done a nice job representing his home state in the past decade. 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. 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. 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. 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. Before that, she helped lead Alliance High School to a state title as a freshman in 2007. 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. In high school, Pippen was the man, leading his team to the state playoffs as an all-conference star his senior year. 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 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. In college at North Carolina, he scored 40 points as a freshman in the ACC tournament, the most by any freshman in the tournament. There's one state that has never produced an NBA player. I hope you find my blogs informative. As a sophomore, Miller led the Florida Gators to the 2000 NCAA championship game, only to lose to Michigan State. In 1995 they won again, beating the Orlando Lucas McNelly Feb 25, 2023 3 comments Regional Final He finished his 21-year NBA career in 2015 as a 15-time All-Star. In more than 1,000 career NBA games, Billups averaged 15.2 points and was a five-time All-Star. He was drafted by the Seattle SuperSonics, traded to the Bulls, and the rest is history.

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