McHale was born in Hibbing the same town that gave us Bob Dylan and was named Minnesotas Mr. Basketball as a high school senior in 1976 before playing at the University of Minnesota. Before Luke Ridnour became a solid NBA player, he was an All-American (McDonalds and Parade) in 2000, his senior year in high school. 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. 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. At LSU he was a star, becoming the SEC Player of the Year and a first-team All-American. Morrison started to make an impact on Gonzaga in his sophomore year when he averaged 19 points per game. The native of Ames was named Iowas Mr. Basketball in 2010 before becoming a first-round pick for the Golden State Warriors in 2012 and would be on the NBAs All-Rookie first team after his first season. 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. For most of his childhood, he dreamed of becoming a soccer player like his father. After graduating from high school in Nevada, he played two seasons at Dixie State College (in St. George, Utah) and two years at Arizona State before going pro. In 1961-1962, Robertson became the first player in league history to average a triple-double for a season, with 30.8 points, 12.5 rebounds and 11.4 assists. He was born in Takoma Park before eventually playing college ball at Maryland, where his No. The 10 Greatest Basketball Players of All Time | Britannica Initially, in 1994, with Olajuwon as the teams best player, the Rockets won their first NBA title by defeating the New York Knicks. We all know Michael Jordan as the greatest basketball player of all time. 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. Alvan Adams, Scott Wedman and Lionel Hollins all hailed from the Sunflower State but it was Adams who had the best individual career. The Best No. High school: Mead High School (Spokane, Wash.), Pros: Charlotte Bobcats (2006-09), Los Angeles Lakers (2009-10), Red Star Belgrade (2011), Besiktas (2012). While at UCLA, he led the Bruins to three consecutive NCAA championships from 1967 to 1969. In the 1960s and 70s, The Zen Master spent 12 seasons with the New York Knicks and New Jersey Nets, far from the quaint town of Deer Lodge, Montana that he came from. He helped the Lakers win their first NBA title in Los Angeles in 1972. He spent 12 seasons in the league, also playing with the Heat, Cavaliers, Celtics, Timberwolves and Clippers. ), Pros: Chicago Sky (2013-16), Washington Mystics (2017-present). In the WNBA, she spent one season with the Cleveland Rockers before being traded to the Sacramento Monarchs and playing three more seasons. Shaq then found great success at LSU, becoming a two-time All-American and SEC Player of the Year. High school: Emsley A. Laney High School (Wilmington, N.C.), Pros: Chicago Bulls (1984-93, 1995-98), Washington Wizards (2001-03). 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 helped his high school win its first championship in 53 years in his senior season. WebInitially, in 1994, with Olajuwon as the teams best player, the Rockets won their first NBA title by defeating the New York Knicks. Mario Chalmers always has been a winner. Sign up and get high school sports news and scores in your inbox from preseason through the championships. Bryant entered the NBA directly from high school. He was drafted by the Seattle SuperSonics, traded to the Bulls, and the rest is history. 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. 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. High school: Wagner High School (San Antonio, Texas), Pros: Oklahoma City Thunder (2013-20), Brooklyn Nets (2021-present). All due respect to Mark Price and John Starks but Blake Griffin is the best Oklahoman to ever lace up in the NBA. It looks like you do not have any active subscriptions. One of the greatest defenders in history, he was named to the leagues prestigious All-Defensive first team eight times. Cedric Ceballos didn't always light up scoreboards. The Hall of Famer was born in Hamburg, Arkansas, which has a population of about 2,600, before becoming one of the central figures in the greatest dynasty in NBA history. ESPN ranks Cooper Flagg the nations No. He would win two more titles in 2009 and 2010. 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. 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. Calvin Murphy was born and raised in Norwalk, which is in the New York City metro area. Have a nice time ahead, Thank you! Please subscribe or login first for digital access. Ernie DiGregorio was a phenomenal passer before he made the NBA. Before that, Scott played three years of college basketball at Arizona State. ", Pros: Golden State Warriors (2012-16), Dallas Mavericks (2016-present). Garnett was a 15-time All-Star, 12-time member of the All-Defensive squad and was named league MVP in 2004. Sheryl Swoopes is a Texas legend. But in his rookie year, Russell completely changed the franchises course and established the Celtics as the winningest team in the NBA. 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. Harrison Barnes was born to ball. Please note the display name will appear on screen when you participate. While Hinrich had the longer career, Barnes is still working on his and has produced slightly better numbers so far. 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. 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. High school: Evanston High School (Evanston, Wyo. Learn more. He was a Division II All-American in 1964 and 1965. WebList of all the NBA and ABA Players Born in Maine | Basketball-Reference.com Join us for a March Madness Webinar on Tuesday, March 7 at 8pm ET. His story still unfolding. 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. The state is behind only California, New York and Illinois in terms of producing NBA players, and has given us all-time legends like Wilt Chamberlain and Pistol Pete Maravich. However, multiple playoff failures made him choose to leave Cleveland to go to Miami to play with Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh, a move that was heavily criticized. High school: Don Antonio Lugo High School (Chino, Calif.). Before Michael Jordan became the greatest basketball player to walk the earth, he played at Emsley A. Laney High School in North Carolina. The 69 Johnson (making him the NBAs tallest point guard) not only posted the best assists-per-game mark in league history (11.2) but had a tremendous all-around game, as well. 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. West was the main go-to guy in crunch-time, called "Mr. Oh my, yes. High school: Bartlett High School (Anchorage), Pros: Miami Heat (2008-15), Memphis Grizzlies (2015-16). Ceballos led the Lakers in scoring in 1995 and was an All-Star. John Stockton is one of the best passers in basketball history, but he also could score. 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). Baylor continued his success at Seattle, leading his team to the 1958 NCAA tournament title game, eventually falling to the Kentucky Wildcats. He only lived there as an infant but no other player born in the Volunteer State has demonstrated the kind of all-around skill he did during his years in the NBA. Yes, the NBA consisted of just 8 to 14 teams during this period, so capturing championships was a statistically easier feat for a single franchise, but even that fact doesnt minimize Russells historic accomplishments. 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. Diana Taurasi is the best offensive player in WNBA history (and No. Bill Laimbeer was born in Boston and the toughness associated with that town would follow him to Detroit, where he became one of the most feared defenders in the NBA for his rough style of play in the 1980s. Adam Morrison became a star as a high school player in Spokane, despite an early diagnosis of Type 1 diabetes. Starting alongside Magic Johnson, James Worthy, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and A.C. Green. 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. Speaking of guards who are still in the league as of this writing, Tyler Johnson represents his home state of North Dakota, which hasnt exactly cranked out the ballers so far. The most northern state in the continental United States, Jeff Turner is the best NBA player to have been born in Maine. Born: Oct. 19, 1953, in Arkansas City, Kan. High school: Rancho High School (North Las Vegas, Nev.), College: Dixie State (1971-73), Arizona State (1973-75), Pros: Portland Trail Blazers (1975-80), Philadelphia 76ers (1980-82), San Diego Clippers (1982-83), Detroit Pistons (1983-84), Houston Rockets (1984-85). Before she became one of the best players in WNBA history, she helped the Texas Tech Lady Raiders to an NCAA womens 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. Its time for BritannicaOK, one editor at Britannicato jump into the perpetually unresolved greatest ever in [insert sport here] fray. He helped the Spurs win a title that year and was re-signed. His free-throw shooting, on the other hand. 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. Plus upsets! 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. He went on to play college hoops at the University of Oregon, where he was named the Pac-10s player of the year in 1991. We are here to give the best tips on it. 1. 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. Pete Maravich. At UMass, Camby won the Naismith College Player of the Year award and the John R. Wooden award in the 1995-96 season. 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. Mike Miller may have grown up in a small town, but he was big time. One of the greatest WNBA players of all time, Diana Taurasi was destined to be a superstar. Mark Price was more than a shooter. Oh, and while this has nothing to do with his ranking on this list, its still incredibly awesome and noteworthy that he has successfully fought off HIV for over two decades, helped de-stigmatize AIDS through his high-profile advocacy, and launched a second career as an entrepreneur who opens businesses predominantly in poverty-stricken areas in efforts to spur urban revitalization. He finished his 21-year NBA career in 2015 as a 15-time All-Star. 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. However, during the summer, Barkley shot up to 6-foot-4 and made the varsity team, leading them to a 26-3 record and the state semifinals in his senior year. In 2000, she was a recipient of the Cheryl Miller Award that goes to the best player in Southern California, the Naismith and Parade High National High School Player of the Year. He averaged 14.1 points and 7 rebounds per game during his time in the league. The Hall of Famer was a 12-time All-Star in 14 seasons and won a championship with the Bucks in 1971. Whether it's diving into a new genre or tackling a complex subject matter, I am always eager to push myself to the limit and produce work that is meaningful and impactful. If he keeps working hard, and theres no reason to think otherwise, hell live up to it. However, Simplemost may receive a small commission from the purchase of any products or services through an affiliate link to the retailer's website. On Tuesday, he highlighted Jazz guard Talen Horton-Tucker as one of his top NBA DFS picks on DraftKings and FanDuel. Pros: Tulsa Shock/Dallas Wings (2014-16), Besiktas (2014-15), South East Queensland Stars (2015-16), Connecticut Sun (2017), Atlanta Dream (2017), Chicago Sky (2017). -> Developed & Maintained By WD Bangalore.in, Furthermore, in 2011 he won his first championship with. The result: Horton-Tucker had 16 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. 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. Nobody garnered the national attention he has attracted in such a short time. The man whose image is immortalized as the NBAs logo came from West Virginia to eke out a brilliant career in Los Angeles. He helped Golden State win a title in 2015 and became a solid contributor for the Dallas Mavericks after the 2016 season. Sam Cassell wasn't the biggest player in basketball history, but he had big game. Ten Greatest Basketball Players Ever. High school: East Bank High School (East Bank, W.Va.). His unique blend of power and speed raised eyebrows, and he was drafted No. 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. In his senior year at Providence, DiGregorio helped the Friars reach the Final Four, where they lost to Memphis State. Don't have a commenting profile? While Trenton native Dennis Rodman might exemplify the kind of no-nonsense attitude thats associated with New Jersey, the power of Diesel cant be denied. 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. Most famous player ever? In addition to his unprecedented prowess at putting up points, Chamberlain was also the only person to grab more rebounds per game than Bill Russell (22.9), all while averaging more minutes played per game than any player in league history (45.8). The Flaggs should sprint toward this opportunity. He was born in Spokane and stayed in his hometown through his college years, when he was a star player at Gonzaga. Where Timmy would work his way around an opponent in the post with his superb footwork, Shaq would often use his extraordinary bulk (71 and 315 pounds) to bully his way to the basket. Unless you agree with me, in which case this was the most meaningful thing Ive ever written. He led the league in rebounding six times and was a 13-time All-Star who spent time with nine different franchises across the ABA and NBA, winning a championship with the Philadelphia 76ers in 1983. [This list was originally published in April 2014. 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. Stockton was a 10-time All-Star and 11-time All-NBA selection and is possibly the best pure point guard in history. But before the WNBA, Levesque helped her high school win two Division I state titles. Required fields are marked *. 1-ranked recruit and a McDonalds All-American coming out of high school. Scottie Pippen wasn't always the best supporting player helping Michael Jordan capture the worlds imagination with the Chicago Bulls in the 1990s. In 10 seasons with that franchise, Sharman proved to be a deadly shooting guard and helped lead them to four championships from 1957-1961. Jordan won six NBA championships and was the NBA Finals MVP in each of those years. Accolades keep coming for Cooper Flagg. Fantasy Basketball. B Cindy Blodgett Brett 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. Kobe Bean Bryant is an American former basketball player. In 1969, Abdul-Jabbar signed with the Milwaukee Bucks and began his storied professional career. Before he became synonymous with South Florida hoops, Wade was a star high school player in the suburb of Oak Lawn. Before that, she helped lead Alliance High School to a state title as a freshman in 2007. After coming from tiny Summerfield, Malone played college ball at Louisiana Tech before spending all but one season of his career with the Utah Jazz and finishing second in career points and minutes played in NBA history. Hes also one of just eight players in history to win league MVP honors at least three times. As a shooting guard, he spent his entire 20-year career with the Los Angeles Lakers in the National Basketball Association (NBA). He finished his 14-year NBA career averaging 14.1 points, 2.8 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game. West averaged 32 points per game during the tournament and led his team in scoring and rebounding each game. 1 overall to his hometown Cleveland Cavaliers. 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). She was an All-American as a freshman and sophomore in high school and led her team o four consecutive state championship appearances. But as a sophomore, trying out for the varsity team, he was deemed too small at only 5-foot-11. Seven former Montverde players were selected in the 2021 NBA draft, including No. 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. He stayed home and played college ball at Colorado, where his number has also since been put in the rafters. Current Dallas Mavericks forward James Johnson is the only player born in Wyoming whos lasted more than three seasons in the NBA. After that, he declared for the NBA draft and was selected third overall by the Charlotte Bobcats. For his career, Spree averaged 18.3 points per game, which is easily the best mark for any player born in Wisconsin. Adam Augustyn is Managing Editor, Reference Content at Encyclopdia Britannica. Dave Cowens starred at Florida State, averaging 19 points and 17.2 rebounds per game in his collegiate career. With a Press Herald subscription, you can gift 5 articles each month. Before Tyler Johnson developed his all-around game at Fresno State, averaging 10.6 points, 4.8 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 1.1 steals. Then Ceballos went the junior college route and played at Ventura College, before catching the attention of NBA scouts at Cal State Fullerton. They were going to a travel basketball game with 9 others when the accident occurred. Then thirty years later, in 1921, Dr. Naismath wrote the official basketball rules. 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. In this article, we have listed the 5 greatest basketball players ever. Michael also earned the nicknames Air Jordan and His Airness. With every ounce of defensive energy focused on stopping Mims, the Rams still couldnt do it. 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. 1 overall pick Cade Cunningham. New Mexicos all-time hoops hero, Bill Bridges, spent 13 seasons in the NBA during the 1960s and 70s. The Phoenix Suns selected Ceballos in the second round of the 1990 NBA draft with the 48th overall pick. Born: Feb. 15, 1964, in Bartlesville, Okla. High school: Enid High School (Enid, Okla.), Pros: Cleveland Cavaliers (1986-95), Washington Bullets (1995-96), Golden State Warriors (1996-97), Orlando Magic (1997-98). At the University of Colorado, Billups helped end a 28-year NCAA tournament drought in the 1996-97 campaign, upsetting the Indiana Hoosiers before losing to North Carolina. Absolutely. I have a confession to make: even though Im a lifelong devotee to all Seattle sports team, I had a fan-fling with the San Antonio Spurs teams of the late 90s and early 2000s. And, frankly, its sort of fun tweaking all the Chicagoans who are surprisingly defensive about their sporting accomplishments. Alvan Adams, Scott Wedman and Lionel Hollins all hailed from the Sunflower State but was... Averaged 14.1 points, 4.8 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 1.1 steals, Furthermore, in case. At Britannicato jump into the perpetually unresolved greatest ever in [ insert here! 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