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. Only two NBA players have come from Hawaii so far and both were All-Stars at some point. 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. 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. Jordan won six NBA championships and was the NBA Finals MVP in each of those years. Levesque played with the Charlotte Sting in the WNBA, averaging 4.0 points and 2.8 assists in 27 games. 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. 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. Griffin was the first overall pick in the 2009 draft and, after sitting out his first season with an injury, made an impact right away with the Los Angeles Clippers, being named rookie of the year in 2011. 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. 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). He helped the Lakers win their first NBA title in Los Angeles in 1972. Initially, in 1994, with Olajuwon as the teams best player, the Rockets won their first NBA title by defeating the New York Knicks. 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. After playing college ball at Florida, Miller was a first-round pick by the Orlando Magic in 2000 and would spend time with seven different franchises during his 17-season career. Michael Jordan. Adam Augustyn is Managing Editor, Reference Content at Encyclopdia Britannica. LeBron James feels he is the best basketball player that ever played the game James is 36 points away from becoming the NBA's all-time leading scorer By Joe But to give him that label now is at best premature, and at worst willfully ignorant Just in the last generation, 20 years or so, weve seen players from Maine enjoy not only successful college careers, but professional careers, too. 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. He led his high school to a 68-1 record over two years and helped them win a state championship in his senior season. Sam Cassell wasn't the biggest player in basketball history, but he had big game. Enter your email and password to access comments. One of the greatest defenders in history, he was named to the leagues prestigious All-Defensive first team eight times. Please note the display name will appear on screen when you participate. 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. 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. He was born in Abilene but spent his formative years in California and became an NBA icon with the Boston Celtics. He was a late bloomer who didn't even start for his high school team until a player went down with an injury. 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. Olajuwon retired in 2002 and got inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2008. In the NBA, Shaq continued his dominance, first with the Orlando Magic and then with the Los Angeles Lakers. What? Furthermore, our website (beginbasketball.com) makes no guarantee for the accuracy of the information as the topic is subject to change. Its bad form to compare any high school athlete to a professional. Bill Russell was an 11-time NBA champion in a 13-year Hall of Fame career. But to give him that label now is at best premature, and at worst willfully ignorant of history. Billups was an All-State first-team pick four times in high school and was the Colorado Player of the Year as a sophomore and junior. He was amazing, but he had a lot of help, at least more than the last guy on this list. High school: Don Antonio Lugo High School (Chino, Calif.). 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. Hooper last played for the Atlanta Dream and the Chicago Sky in 2017. 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. He became the all-time leading scorer for the Lakers franchise. Learn more. 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. 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. 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. Already registered? Related: did you know that the 2013 Seattle Seahawks had the best defense in NFL history? Were not technically a sports website, but this editor (hi!) Kobe Bryant developed his closing skills in his youth on the way to greatness. You can share 5 more gift articles this month. He led the Celtics to three championships in the 1980s, which is the same number of times he was named NBA MVP. For most of his childhood, he dreamed of becoming a soccer player like his father. He earned All-Rookie first-team honors in 1975 and was a key component of the Portland Trail Blazers lone championship in 1977. If he keeps working hard, and theres no reason to think otherwise, hell live up to it. 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. Andre Roberson is a solid perimeter on-ball defender. As a shooting guard, he spent his entire 20-year career with the Los Angeles Lakers in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Current star Domantas Sabonis could take the honor of Oregons best in years to come but for now it belongs to Brandon. Marcus Camby was more than an elite shot blocker and defensive force at Hartford Public High School. 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. That would mean LeBron plays another three or four years. He starred at Evanston High School in Wyoming, averaging 27.4 points, 3.3 steals and 2.8 assists per game as a junior. Maine Basketball Rankings Latest Fight Club More drama than you could hope for in AA. After a standout career at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where he led the Tar Heels to a National Championship in 1982, Jordan joined the NBAs Chicago Bulls in 1984. At 34 years and 104 days of age, Kobe became the youngest player in NBA history to reach 30,000 career points. But Catchings is the most complete basketball player I have ever seen. While some great athletes use their skill to immediately catapult to the nations most exciting states, some stay close to home as long as they can. But before he was the engine of a Celtics dynasty, he became a star center at the University of San Francisco, helping the school become a superpower in college basketball. In more than 1,000 career NBA games, Billups averaged 15.2 points and was a five-time All-Star. 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. In the WNBA, she helped the Lynx win a WNBA championship in her rookie campaign in 2011 and added three more titles after that in 2013, 2015 and 2017. and fought Bruce Lee in Game of Death, so his cool quotient is easily the highest of anyone on this list. While LaMarcus Aldridge has deeper ties to Texas basketball in general, Hall of Famer Bill Sharman had the best career of anyone from the Lone Star State so far. 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. The gold standard for Maine high school hoops is still Cindy Blodgett, who did things at Lawrence that no girls or boys basketball player in Maine had done before or since. Before that, she helped lead Alliance High School to a state title as a freshman in 2007. Abdul-Jabbar played for UCLA from 1965 to 1969. High school: Wagner High School (San Antonio, Texas), Pros: Oklahoma City Thunder (2013-20), Brooklyn Nets (2021-present). Thats what social media does. Indeedy. 1. Messalonskees Nick Mayo, a self-admitted basketball late bloomer, set scoring records at Eastern Kentucky and is now enjoying success as a pro player in Japan. The mans desire to be the best is legendary and propelled him to six championships, five MVP awards, All-Star appearances in every full season he played, and the status as possibly the best defender ever. As magnificent as earlier players were, they never had to deal with the 24/7 stresses of 21st century media, which James has with aplomb. Prior to that, Robertson starred at Crispus Attucks High School, leading his school to a 31-1 record and winning the 1955 state championship. ), Pros: Teramo Basket (2008-09), Gran Canaria (2009-11), Real Madrid (2011-present). We all know Michael Jordan as the greatest basketball player of all time. Naismith Prep Player of the Year Award Morgan Wootten High School Player of the Year Award Gatorade National Player of the Year McDonalds National In college at North Carolina, he scored 40 points as a freshman in the ACC tournament, the most by any freshman in the tournament. Know Double Dribble Rules. 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. ( Click here for our 5-on-5 debate.) This path has helped Roberson become a strong defensive player. With a Press Herald subscription, you can gift 5 articles each month. Stockton was a 10-time All-Star and 11-time All-NBA selection and is possibly the best pure point guard in history. Payton is also The big man was born in Lawrence before spending his college career in Oklahoma and his entire NBA tenure with the Phoenix Suns. 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. Shaquille ONeal is the definition of dominance. Position: Power forward and small forward, Pros: Philadelphia 76ers (1984-1992), Phoenix Suns (1992-96), Houston Rockets (1996-2000). 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). Moreover, he not only faced the incredible pressure of being anointed The Chosen One by Sports Illustrated as a teenager, but hes actually exceeded the lofty expectations set for him. High school: Mead High School (Spokane, Wash.), Pros: Charlotte Bobcats (2006-09), Los Angeles Lakers (2009-10), Red Star Belgrade (2011), Besiktas (2012). 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. She He was named to the All-Mountain West Conference second team in his senior year in 2014. Then, the small forward helped the Spurs win the franchises first NBA championship in 1999. But, well, he played alongside another top-25 talent in Scottie Pippen and was coached by the strategic genius Phil Jackson during his most productive years. What Is Double Dribble In Basketball? 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. 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. Accolades keep coming for Cooper Flagg. He averaged 14.1 points and 7 rebounds per game during his time in the league. Oh my, yes. Bryant entered the NBA directly from high school. Yes, they played the kind of slow-paced ball that put most fans to sleep by the third quarter, but there was often a thing of pure beauty hidden among the tire-fire of a 7871 final score: Tim Duncans bank shot. While John Stocktons NBA career is forever linked to Utah, he learned his trade in his native Washington. Absolutely. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was born on April 16, 1947, in New York City. 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. There have only been two players from Maine to suit up in the NBA and while his legacy is still being built, we gave the nod to Duncan Robinson over Jeff Turner. 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. During the 196162 season, The Big O averaged a triple-double with 30.8 points, 12.5 rebounds, and 11.4 assists per game. He was born with great genes, and he worked hard to realize his incredible potential. He turned down a scholarship from Bobby Knight to play at Indiana University because he thought the campus in Bloomington was too big, so he went to Indiana State, averaged 30.3 points, 13.3 rebounds and 4.6 assists per game, and helped Indiana State reach the NCAA tournament for the first time with a 33-0 record in 1979. In the NBA, Davis bounced around in his career, but had his most productive seasons in Boston, where he averaged 19.7 points per game in 2005 and 19.1 points per game in 2006. This winning combination of talent and hard work is why Michael Jordan is still revered today as the greatest basketball player of all time. The most northern state in the continental United States, Jeff Turner is the best NBA player to have been born in Maine. According to Basketball Reference, California has produced more NBA players than any state, with 416 so far. Stockton is a 10-time all-star, six-time NBA All-Defensive Second Team, nine-time NBA assists leader and two-time NBA steals leader, among many other accolades. 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. He was 41. Soon after, Wade led Marquette in scoring on multiple occasions and helped them reach the Final Four in his junior season. 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. Dave Cowens starred at Florida State, averaging 19 points and 17.2 rebounds per game in his collegiate career. Nobody garnered the national attention he has attracted in such a short time. Cooper Flagg well may become the best basketball player ever from Maine. You will receive an email to complete the registration. Perhaps more than any of the other mainstream American sports, basketball has embraced its standing as an international game. Maya Moore got an early start on winning and stardom. High school: Springs Valley High School (French Lick, Ind.). The Miami Heat's all-time leading scorer has had game for a while. 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. Born: December 7, 1956, in West Baden Springs, Ind. Before he had a solid college career at Florida State and a pro career in Europe, Ralph Mims scored 41 points, including 35 in a row, for Brunswick in a 51-42 win over Bangor in the 2004 Eastern Class A championship game. Prior to becoming "The Logo," Jerry West was a star at West Virginia, helping the Mountaineers grab a Final Four appearance in his junior season. Before Elgin Baylor became one of the greatest players in NBA history, he starred at Spingarn High School and was named first team All-Met. The man whose image is immortalized as the NBAs logo came from West Virginia to eke out a brilliant career in Los Angeles. His story still unfolding. Chauncey Billups became "Mr. Big Shot" long before he became one of the best clutch performers in the NBA. : Don Antonio Lugo high school team until a player went down with an injury Camby was known. He had Big game this list honors NBA greats from every state, with 416 so far and were. To Utah, he was amazing, but this Editor ( hi!: Teramo Basket ( 2008-09 ) Gran. 11-Time NBA champion in a 13-year Hall of Fame in best maine basketball player ever shot blocker and force! 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