Basketball is fun. It provides jaw-dropping highlights and eye-popping plays. NBA and college hoops are full of them, but it is what happens on the high school hardwood that often goes unnoticed. While not every player “makes it” to superstardom, there are those who find unfathomable success before they are even legally allowed to drive cars.
In the countdown below, we honor the ten most exciting high school players we’ve ever seen.
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10. Kenny Anderson
Three-time Parade All-American Kenny Anderson began attracting attention as a sixth-grader. He continued to rise through the ranks and was named as the top sophomore in the country by Sports Illustrated in 1986. The 6-2 guard made passes on the fly, zipping them through the defense like no one else was capable of doing. Anderson was the first player to be named All-New York City for four years, and received high praise from those who were fortunate enough to watch him:
“He is, unequivocally, the greatest high school point guard I’ve ever seen,” swell-respected scout Tom Konchalski once said, who’s been covering high school basketball for over 50 years.
9. DeAndre Jordan
Have you ever swatted 20 shots in one game? Better question: Do you even know anyone who has accomplished this feat? Probably not. When DeAndre Jordan was in his senior year at Christian Life Center in Texas, the current Los Angeles Clippers starter dropped 37 points and added 20 blocked shots, on his way to becoming the No. 2 overall center in the country, according to Rivals.
Following high school, Jordan played one season at Texas A&M before declaring for the 2008 NBA Draft, where he was selected as the No. 35 overall pick by the Clippers. After his sixth regular season in the league, the 25-year-old averaged 2.5 blocks per game, good for third in the league. And no one is surprised.
8. Dajuan Wagner
Before LeBron James, there was Dajuan Wagner. The New Jersey native took the country by storm in high school, coming as close as one possibly can to a literal “scoring machine.” Aside from dropping 100 points in a single game, Wagner averaged 42.5 points his senior season on his way to becoming the all-time leading scorer in state history with 3,642.
His ferocious dunks and unmatchable shooting earned him a scholarship from the University of Memphis, but John Calipari revoked the offer after one year because he didn’t think his star guard should miss out on the money. Wagner declared for the NBA Draft and was chosen No. 6 overall by the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2002, but due to health complications and injuries, never re-created his success from his days at Camden High School.
7. Kevin Garnett
KG is special. The NBA all-timer was awarded Player of the Year honors in two different states during his high school career, winning the award in both South Carolina and Illinois. The “genetic freak” as Doug Collins once labeled him, averaged 26 points, 18 rebounds and six blocked shots throughout his senior season.
Due to low test scores, Garnett opted to forgo college and head directly to the NBA, where the Minnesota Timberwolves drafted him with the No. 5 overall pick in 1995. Now, the 37-year-old is a 15-time All-Star, NBA champion and will go down as one of the greatest forwards to ever play the game.
6. Vince Carter
Though he didn’t have the nickname yet, Vince Carter was all kinds of “Vinsanity” even on the high school level. He threw down monster dunks and was named as a McDonald’s All-American. In 2012, the McDonald’s All-American Games ranked him as one of the 35 best players who had ever played in the high school All-Star Game. Carter also earned the Mr. Florida Basketball award in 1995.
VC played three seasons at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill before declaring for the 1998 NBA Draft. Through 18 seasons, he has put together a borderline Hall of Fame career.
5. John Wall
John Wall’s off-the-chart athleticism and quickness allowed his rise to prominence in high school. Despite attitude issues and bouncing around to a couple of different high schools, Wall distinguished himself as one of the country’s elite. In his senior season at Word of God in North Carolina, he averaged 22.1 points, 5.5 assists, 5.2 rebounds and 2.0 steals, leading his team to runner-ups in the state tournament.
4. O.J. Mayo
The legend of O.J. Mayo began well before high school. As a seventh grader, he averaged 23.1 points per game for Rose Hill Christian High School and was named first-team all-state the following season. “The Next One” gained national prominence once he reached high school, forcing games to move to larger venues and attracting NBA stars such as LeBron and Carmelo Anthony to come see him play.
He then transferred to nationally-recognized Huntington High School in Huntington, Virginia, where he led his team to its third consecutive state championship. After spending one season at USC, Mayo entered himself into the 2008 NBA Draft and was selected No. 3 overall by the Timberwolves, before being traded one day later to the Memphis Grizzlies. Although he hasn’t reached the same success in the league, Mayo is a respectable career 15.2 points per game scorer.
3. Kobe Bryant
Kobe knew what Showtime was all about before his days in Los Angeles. As a high school freshman, he earned significant playing time on the Lower Merion High School squad in Philadelphia. Despite the team’s struggles, Bryant went on to lead the Aces to an impressive record of 77-13 over the following three seasons and won a state title. In his junior year, he averaged over 31 points, 10 rebounds and five assists per game, worthy of the Pennsylvania Player of the Year award. He also surpassed Wilt Chamberlain’s state high school scoring records. His biggest splash, though, may have come away from the court when he brought pop singer Brandy to his senior prom.
2. Aquille Carr
In terms of pure excitement, Aquille Carr deserves this ranking on the list. Though he has yet to find much professional success, he is one of the most electrifying high school hoopers we have ever seen. At only 5-6, Baltimore’s very own “Crime Stopper” used his quick feet and breathtaking ballhandling skills to break ankles and get buckets. In his first two seasons at Patterson High School, Carr had already reached the 1,000-point mark and had been named ESPN High School Player of the Week.
After short stints overseas and in the NBA Developmental League, Carr recently announced he will be entering the 2014 NBA Draft.
1. LeBron James
LeBron James isn’t just the most exciting NBA player to watch, but The King–before he claimed his throne–was The Chosen One. Given the nickname by Sports Illustrated, James dominated from the time he entered high school like no one did before him and no one has since.
James was more physically and athletically gifted than any of his opponents, making the game come to him and look simple. He rose up for dunks and shot the ball, too. Every game was a performance and he was the main act.
The Miami Heat megastar was placed on USA Today’s All-USA First Team three consecutive seasons, named Mr. Ohio three straight years and earned Gatorade National Player of the Year honors two seasons. He led his St. Vincent-St. Mary’s squad to one national championship and three state titles.
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