Matt Bonner helped Concord High School to three state championships. However, once Jordan and the Bulls got past the Pistons, they went on to three-peat on two separate occasions, and Jordan cemented his legacy as the GOAT. Hes also one of just eight players in history to win league MVP honors at least three times. He was born in Tucson and eventually played college hoops at the University of Arizona, where he was twice named the Pac-10s player of the year and was named the best player in the nation in 1989. Of all the great ones to come from the Golden State including current icons like James Harden, Kawhi Leonard and Russell Westbrook its tough to top Gary Paytons legacy. High school: Wagner High School (San Antonio, Texas), Pros: Oklahoma City Thunder (2013-20), Brooklyn Nets (2021-present). He was drafted by the Timberwolves straight out of high school in 1995 and spent more than 13 seasons of his 21-year NBA tenure there. Cooper Flagg well may become the best basketball player ever from Maine. Its time for BritannicaOK, one editor at Britannicato jump into the perpetually unresolved greatest ever in [insert sport here] fray. 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. But do you know how he got to be so great? After that, Chalmers spent 10 seasons in the NBA, winning two titles with the Miami Heat and posting five seasons where he averaged at least 9.8 points per game. Harrison Barnes was born to ball. 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 was born in Spokane and stayed in his hometown through his college years, when he was a star player at Gonzaga. Garnett made the leap from high school to the pros, and became a star with the Minnesota Timberwolves. Russell was the ultimate winner in the history of the NBA. He went across the country to UCLA for college ball, where he was the best player on the 1964 national championship team that went 30-0. Bobby Knight who coached him in the 84 Olympics once made a statement saying he is the best player to ever play any team sport. While hes much more famous for his career as a coach, Phil Jackson had a great career as an NBA player before leading Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant to multiple championships. Bill Russell was an 11-time NBA champion in a 13-year Hall of Fame career. 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. Please subscribe or login first for digital access. His 14-season NBA career, all spent with the Lakers, included an All-Star selection every single year and 12 appearances on the All-NBA squad. We gave the nod to White because of his multiple rings and his starring role on some stacked Celtics teams in the 1970s. After getting to the NBA, he became one of the best players and best shooters in league history with the Boston Celtics and forever changed the game. The Best No. She also was a three-time MVP, three-time Defensive Player of the Year and four-time WNBA champion. But he didnt earn his place on this list though some sort of vague, ethereal winningness. Russell was one of the fiercest defenders of all time and he redefined the value of blocking shots, in addition to averaging an incredible 22.5 rebounds per game over his career. She then transferred to the University of Delaware, where she played volleyball as a walk-on in 2008. In his senior season at Florida State, he averaged 18.3 points, 4.9 assists and 4.3 rebounds and led the ACC in steals. West was the main go-to guy in crunch-time, called "Mr. 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. He helped his high school and Michigan State win championships. 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. This nickname occurred in a family where Charles was always called Charles, and the women had names like Mabel, Marion and Alice. Point guard Luke Ridnour is the only Idahoan to last more than five years in the NBA, according to Basketball Reference. 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. And, of course, hes since won two titles (and counting?) Adam Morrison became a star as a high school player in Spokane, despite an early diagnosis of Type 1 diabetes. [This list was originally published in April 2014. He was born and raised in the city of Mitchell, which is in the southeastern part of the state. All due respect to Mark Price and John Starks but Blake Griffin is the best Oklahoman to ever lace up in the NBA. 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. He's now known as "Larry Legend. Don't have a commenting profile? Dave Cowens starred at Florida State, averaging 19 points and 17.2 rebounds per game in his collegiate career. In 1995 they won again, beating the Orlando Magic. Basketball is one of the most popular games across the world. His Hall-of-Fame NBA career never included a stop with the New Jersey Nets but he played for six franchises, winning four titles with the Lakers and Heat. Basketball has been a popular sport throughout history since its invention in 1891 by a Canadian physical education teacher named James Naismith. 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. He became the all-time leading scorer for the Lakers franchise. The Mailman may not have won a ring but he ranks right near the top of many of the NBAs all-time records. As a shooting guard, he spent his entire 20-year career with the Los Angeles Lakers in the National Basketball Association (NBA). But lets take a look at the best basketball players to come from the United States. Thats what social media does. He then played for Florida and was a first-team All-SEC selection in his senior year and an honorable mention for an All-American. In Robinsons final two years at Navy, he earned the Naismith and Wooden awards, as well as becoming an All-American. He won five NBA championships with the Lakers. The leading scorer in National Basketball Association (NBA) history is just the 10th-best player ever? Bryant died in a helicopter crash in California in 2020. He was named to the All-Mountain West Conference second team in his senior year in 2014. The 6-foot-7 shooting guard/small forward honed his skills at the University of Colorado, finishing third in rebounding in the 2011-2012 season and second in 2012-2013. Already registered? A forward, Turner played 10 years in the With every ounce of defensive energy focused on stopping Mims, the Rams still couldnt do it. 1. Bullet Bob Boozer came from Omaha and remained a major part of that community until his death in 2012. Hes been bouncing around the league since 2009, when he was a first-round pick by the Bulls. 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. Hollins was an All-Star the next season and an All-Defensive team member in 1978 and 1979. As a Laker, he was a 10-time All-NBA First Team and 11-time All-Star selection. He won two championships with the Spurs before retiring in 2016. In high school, he broke a city record for points scored in one game. 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. Chris Paul starred in high school, averaging 25 points, 5.3 assists and 4.4 steals in his junior year. 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. When you've submitted your account email, we will send an email with a reset code. Diana Taurasi is the best offensive player in WNBA history (and No. In the NBA, Miller became a proficient three-point sniper with a career average of 40.7 percent from beyond the arc. 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. 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. While John Stocktons NBA career is forever linked to Utah, he learned his trade in his native Washington. Its played in over many countries with many variations of the game. Walt Frazier took the road less traveled to stardom. He was born in Abilene but spent his formative years in California and became an NBA icon with the Boston Celtics. Ceballos bounced around with five teams over his lengthy career, averaging 14.3 points and 5.3 rebounds per game as a small forward. Haywood was born in Silver City (population: 288) before eventually becoming an NBA champion with the Lakers in 1980. West averaged 32 points per game during the tournament and led his team in scoring and rebounding each game. While this list honors NBA greats from every state, Rhode Islands best player was more known for his brilliant-but-brief career in the ABA. When people knocked him for not winning championships early in his career, they overlooked that he almost single-handedly took an overmatched Cleveland Cavaliers squad to the 2007 NBA finals at just 22 years old. Combine that with the fact that Maine produces fewer NCAA Division I basketball players than most other states, so when a player of Flaggs caliber comes along, memory gets shorter and cloudy. Sam Cassell wasn't the biggest player in basketball history, but he had big game. Then, at Nebraska, she helped the Cornhuskers reach the NCAA tournament. 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. 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. After being born in Oakland, The Glove spent 17 seasons in the NBA, making the All-Star team, All-NBA first team and All-Defensive first team nine times each. Robinson had a Hall-of-Fame career with the San Antonio Spurs that lasted 14 seasons and included two championships. High school: Mount Anthony High School (Bennington, Vt.). White, seen on the right here with teammate John Havlicek, was an All-Star in seven consecutive seasons while playing there, winning two championships and being named NBA Finals MVP in 1976 after averaging nearly 22 points per game during the series. Pippen played college ball at Central Arkansas before an NBA career that would span 17 seasons and include six championships with the Chicago Bulls. The Hall of Famer averaged a career double double of 17.8 points and 10 rebounds per game. He graduated to Auburn, where he holds the school record for field goal percentage (62.6 percent), and went on to become one of the best rebounders in NBA history. But before the WNBA, Levesque helped her high school win two Division I state titles. He finished his senior year as first-team All-Met and was the area's best basketball player in 1954. But as a sophomore, trying out for the varsity team, he was deemed too small at only 5-foot-11. 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. Accolades keep coming for Cooper Flagg. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Already have a commenting profile? 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. The former All-Star has the distinction of being the shortest player ever inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, as he stands at just 5 feet 9 inches. Bryant entered the NBA directly from high school. Olajuwon retired in 2002 and got inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2008. A few dozen NBA players have come from Connecticut but theres only been one Hall of Famer so far. In his senior season, he averaged 27 points, 11 rebounds, 8 blocks and 8 assists leading his team to a 27-0 record and state title. He won a title with the Warriors in 2015 and has averaged 17.3 points per game since the 2016-17 season. Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf was a basketball prodigy at Gulfport High School, averaging 29.9 points and 5.7 assists in his senior season and getting an invitation to the McDonalds All-American game. Pros: Chicago Bulls (1987-98, 2003-04), Houston Rockets (1998-99), Portland Trail Blazers (1999-2003). If he keeps working hard, and theres no reason to think otherwise, hell live up to it. 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. Hall of Famers Bob Pettit, Elvin Hayes, Clyde Drexler and Bill Russell all came from the Bayou State but none of them could match Karl Malones superhuman production and longevity in the league. 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. A Celtics icon in the 1970s, the Newport native helped that franchise win two championships as one of the best defenders of his era. The race for the best NBA player from Iowa came down to a couple of guys whose careers overlapped in recent years: Kirk Hinrich and Harrison Barnes. He walked on to Central Arkansas as a 6-foot-1 guard, then sprouted to 6-foot-8 and became a lethal weapon. In the NBA, Stockton averaged a double-double of 13.1 points and 10.5 assists. He led Mead to the title game, scoring 37 points with hypoglycemia. WebInitially, in 1994, with Olajuwon as the teams best player, the Rockets won their first NBA title by defeating the New York Knicks. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was born on April 16, 1947, in New York City. Soon after his sophomore year, he declared for the NBA draft, going seventh to the Warriors in 2012. 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. Jaycee Carroll has gone from local hero to international star in the EuroLeague and FIBA. 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. This path has helped Roberson become a strong defensive player. I hope you find my blogs informative. He won a league title in all but two of his 13 seasons as a member of the Boston Celtics. This list is, naturally, incredibly subjective, and shouldnt be taken too seriously. Born: Aug. 14, 1959, in Lansing, Michigan, High school: Everett High School (Lansing, Michigan), Pros: Los Angeles Lakers (1979-1991, 1996). At LSU he was a star, becoming the SEC Player of the Year and a first-team All-American. Although Jordan abruptly retired from basketball in the 199394 NBA season and started a new career in Minor League Baseball, he rejoined the Bulls in 1995 and led them to three additional championships (19961998). Before he was internationally known by a single nickname, Shaquille ONeal was born in Newark and the Boys and Girls Club of America chapter there played a major part in his early life. 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. Johnsons otherworldly passing set the stage for the Showtime L.A. Lakers teams that captured five championships during his 13 years with the franchise. 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. Unlike the NFL, which is still almost entirely packed with American players, and the NHL and MLB, which see their foreign-born stars come from a handful of countries in specific areas, the NBAs stars come from all corners of the globe. 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. His free-throw shooting, on the other hand. Cedric Ceballos gets the nod over his fellow islander, Red Rocha, because he had a longer career and better stats. 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. 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). 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. B Cindy Blodgett Brett Marcus Camby was more than an elite shot blocker and defensive force at Hartford Public High School. And, frankly, its sort of fun tweaking all the Chicagoans who are surprisingly defensive about their sporting accomplishments. Holmes is climbing her way up Indianas all-time scoring list with 1,852 career points, which ranks sixth in school history, and 753 career rebounds.The Gorham, Maine native is also third all-time in blocked shots (185). Bryant made the leap from high school to the NBA but success was not instant, and he did not become an elite guard until the 1998-99 season, when the Lakers were swept by the Spurs in the Western Conference semifinals. Jordan Hooper was a member of the Tulsa Shock for the 2014 season and has bounced around in her WNBA career. 1 Overall NBA Draft Picks of All Time #47 of 80 The Best Point Guards Currently in the NBA #27 of 34 Magic helped turn the Lakers team into "Showtime" and led Los Angeles to five NBA championships in nine seasons, including back-to-back titles in 1987 and 1988, on his way to becoming the greatest showman the game has ever seen. Ohio is right up there among the most prolific states in terms of producing NBA talent but none have left the impact of LeBron James. High school: North Eugene High School (Eugene, Ore.), Pros: Boston Celtics (1981-89), Sacramento Kings (1989-90), Portland Trail Blazers (1990-92), Phoenix Suns (1992-95). While John Stocktons NBA career that would span 17 seasons and include six championships with the Los Angeles in. 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