Today, we take a look at five selections over the years we’d love to have back and five we are proud of.

The high school industry has changed plenty over the years. In the 1970s and 1980s, getting your name in the local paper was the IT thing. In the 1980s, USA Today helped mainstream national team rankings and All-American teams, but the national daily newspaper cut its high school editorial department in Dec. 2019. In the 1990s and 2000s, national magazines were all the rage. Getting on a national cover was hot and something many athletes aspired for such as the cover story of Student Sports Magazine. LeBron James and De La Salle (Calif.) football helped high school sports become something worthy of regular national telecasts, but All-American teams have been constant throughout going back to the 1950s.

Most of the ones produced in recent decades have been recruiting-oriented and many we’ve seen even had players on them that barely played half of their team’s game that season. We’re proud of the fact we take some time to research the players and what they actually accomplished and take some local consensus into consideration. We’re not perfect by any means, and today we decided to take a look back at the five best choices we made with our All-American Elite teams we’ve produced over the years, starting in Student Sports Magazine for the 1994-95 season. Those teams have also been published under the title sponsor of EA SPORTS and under the umbrella of ESPN and Ballislife as well.

Here’s a look at 10 defining moments of choosing our annual All-American Elite Teams.

5 All-American Choices We’d Love To Take Back

1. Mike Bibby Over Kobe Bryant For ’96 Mr. Basketball USA
There is no doubt Mike Bibby is the best high school player from Arizona (in terms of his career) and is probably still the state’s only "rock star" player, but he wasn’t a better talent that Kobe Bryant. Mike Bibby was a Student Sports Magazine cover subject and we had a compelling story to go along with the selection. Still, Bryant had a monster senior season after a terrific summer in 1995, when a plan was hatched to send him straight to the NBA. Sometimes, you have to just pick the best player. It should be noted that the Mr. Basketball USA Tracker began for the 2007-08 season and the voting results may have been different had a 10-man panel voted on it, instead of a group of journalists choosing.

2. Kawhi Leonard On ’09 Third Five
Now we’re cheating a bit here because having Kawhi Leonard on any All-American team in 2009 was a good call. It’s a somewhat famous snub that he didn’t play in the 2009 McDonald’s All-American Game. However, taking a deeper look at that team, Leonard should have been somewhere on the second five. The fact he was behind sophomore Michael Gilchrist of St. Patrick (Elizabeth, N.J.) or seniors John Henson of Sickles (Tampa, Fla.) is not awful, but is certainly not great, either. The 2009 Cal-Hi Sports Mr. Basketball out of King (Riverside, Calif.) averaged 22.6 points, 13.1 rebounds, and 3.9 assists per game and led King to its second consecutive CIF Div. I SoCal regional final.

3. Blake Griffin On '07 Third Five
The class of 2007 was star-studded and one of the best of all-time. It certainly wasn’t easy to make All-American that season, but looking back Griffin should have been on second five. He was excellent in the McDonald’s All-American practices and game and it was easy to see he was more explosive and a better player than a few guys with more national notoriety or higher in national player rankings. Was Griffin a better high school player than either second five pick Corey Stokes of St. Benedict's (Newark, N. J.) or Gani Lawal of Norcross (Ga.)? Probably so.

4. Kemba Walker On ’08 Second Five
Willie Warren of North Crowley (Fort Worth, Texas) was a clutch player and state champion in Texas, but it was a close call to put him on first five. Now, we wish we would have went with the two point guard offense on first five with Walker and player of the year Brandon Jennings. At the McDonald's All-American game, Walker didn't take a backseat to any guard, finishing with 13 points, six rebounds and three assists. He didn’t begin playing basketball until 12, but Walker developed into one of the many decorated floor generals to attend now defunct Rice (New York) and went on to an excellent college and NBA career.

5. Jalen Suggs On ’20 Second Five
He moved up from second team All-American (30 players) to the second of four fives (our first team has had a 20-player format since 2004-05). After a career that rivaled any Minnesota player ever, Suggs probably would have been the better first five choice than sophomore Emoni Bates, who had tons of hype that season and was even named Gatorade National Player of the Year. We didn’t think that highly of Bates, but he did have a terrific season, but Suggs was probably better and we should have employed a three guard offense with Mr. Basketball USA Cade Cunningham of Montverde Academy (Fla.) and Jalen Green of Prolific Prep (Napa, Calif.). At the time, Suggs was the highest-rated recruit ever to commit to Gonzaga and was also the nation’s top Grid-Hoop Player who was named the 2019 Minnesota Mr. Football as a signal-caller on the gridiron.

5 All-American Choices We’re Most Proud Of

1. Onyeka Okongwu On Fourth Five As A Junior In ‘18
The Chino Hills (Calif.) big man was terrific as a junior and we’re glad to honor him as a two-time All-American. He really deserved it and it’s still incredible to think he was a major omission from the 2019 McDonald’s All-American Game. He showed how good he was in high school when one year later the two-time California Mr. Basketball was the No. 6 pick in the 2020 NBA Draft.

2. Jalen Brunson On Second Five As A Senior In ’15
There is this narrative the Stevenson (Lincolnshire, Ill.) was overlooked in the NBA Draft or that he’s been “slept on” until joining the New York Knicks, but that narrative is from from the truth. This pick actually can fall in both categories, as we wish we placed him on first five. Brunson was that good for his high school team and on the grassroots circuit. Some just don’t know what they are looking at when evaluating if players don’t have the typical quickness or athleticism that stands out.

3. Draymond Green On Fourth Five As A Senior In ’08
This Saginaw (Mich.) big man wasn’t rated anywhere near the Top 20 on the 2008 class. In fact, he was rated No. 122 in the country by Rivals.com, but we could see he was a talented player and more importantly, a winner. Green led the Trojans to a second straight state Class A championship while posting a 27-1 record. He was named Michigan’s Mr. Basketball for his all-around play.

4. Anthony Davis On First Five As A Senior In ‘11
Well, it wasn’t a big evaluation coupe to have A.D. on first five. After all, he was probably the most talented player in the country after being a virtual unknown as a junior. He completely blew up on the travel ball circuit, but the problem was he didn’t have any momentum from previous seasons, Perspectives Charter (Chicago) was a small school playing against relatively meager competition and the team finished 6-18. The Mr. Basketball USA Tracker knew his talent was too much to ignore, as he appeared on eight of 10 ballots, including three second-place votes. His future Kentucky teammate Michael Gilchrist was the Mr. Basketball USA that season.

5. Jalen Duren On First Five As A Junior In ‘21
Montverde Academy (Fla.) lost four starters off its terrific 2020 team, but was still able to repeat as FAB 50 champs mainly behind the play of the nation’s most physically dominant interior player. He opened up the season as the eighth highest vote-getter in the preseason Mr. Basketball USA Tracker, but ended up third behind Chet Holmgren and Jabari Smith in the final analysis. After being named national junior of the year, he re-classed up a year and left to Memphis.

Ronnie Flores is the national Grassroots editor of www.ebooksnet.com. He can be reached at?[email protected]. Don't forget to follow him on Twitter:?@RonMFlores

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Related: 2023-24 All-American Elite Team | 2023-24 Mr. Basketball USA: Cooper Flagg ?| 2023-24 Underclass Players of the Year | Ballislife Podcast Network?|

Ten juniors named to the 30th Annual All-American Elite Team headline a group of 75 elite players selected to the 2023-24 Underclass All-American team powered by www.ebooksnet.com.

Power forward Cameron Boozer of Columbus (Miami, Fla.) and dynamic junior wing A.J. Dybansta lead the way among underclass players who stood out among the nation’s best players. In fact, Boozer and Dybansta were two of the four leading voter getters in the final 2023-24 Mr. Basketball USA Tracker with both appearing on all 10 ballots. Boozer finished in third place with 78 points, including two second place votes and six third place votes. Dybansta finished with 55 points (out of 100 possible), including one second place vote and two fourth place votes.

Boozer’s and Dybansta’s production and notoriety shouldn’t come as a surprise, as the son of former 1999 All-American Elite Team member and NBA player Carlos Boozer was the first tenth-grader ever to earn Mr. Basketball USA honors in 2022-23. Boozer has a chance to earn class Player of the Year honors in each of his four high school seasons. Dybansta was the top honoree on a team with three McDonald’s All-American choices after re-classifying up in the off-season. Dybansta was on the freshman All-American honor roll in 2022-23 and is considered one of the best prospects in the world outside the NBA.

While Boozer was the nation’s best player in 2022-23 as a sophomore, there were three other highly-regarded tenth-graders that are repeat honorees on this year’s All-American Elite Team. Cooper Flagg of FAB 50 champ Montverde Academy of Florida re-classed up to the 2024 class and was named this year’s Mr. Basketball USA. Repeat third five selection Koa Peat of Perry (Gilbert, Ariz.) and repeat fourth five selection Meleek Thomas of Lincoln Park (Midland, Pa.) have won five state titles between them with one season to go.

Five more juniors were selected to the 30-man second team. No sophomore made this year’s All-American Elite team, but the 2026 class is developing into a special one. There were 30 standout tenth-graders selected as Underclass All-Americans, led by player of the year Jalen Montonati of Owasso (Okla.), and at least a dozen other worthy players who were deserving to make this year’s underclass honor roll.

Each season, players classifying up in order to speed up the recruiting process or transfer in hopes the move will be more advantageous to their development and this off-season is no different. There will also be some who seek a transfer to put themselves in better position to secure Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) endorsement deals. In most states, it is not illegal or against state association rules to sign an endorsement deal, provided that endorsement is not facilitated with the athlete wearing or promoting garments or items trademarked by the state association or the NCAA.

Already it’s been announced that junior wing Hudson Greer will transfer to defending FAB 50 champion Montverde Academy and sophomore guard Kaden House (along with his highly-regarded brother Kalek House) will transfer from their public high school in Arizona to join AZ Compass Prep (Chandler, Ariz.), which is part of the same EYBL Scholastic League that Montverde Academy competes in.

Expect more player movement as the travel ball season and summer rolls on.

National Grassroots Editor Ronnie Flores selects this performance-based squad with input from Mr. Basketball USA panelists. It is chosen after the conclusion of the season, which makes the Underclass All-American Team more reflective of players who made state championship runs.

Our national coach of the year is Jim Baker of Central Cabarrus (Concord, N.C.).

Juniors to Watch (2025)

G — Darius Acuff, IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.) 6-2
F — Kenyon Aguino, Volcano Vista (Albuquerque, N.M.) 6-7
F — Cameron Boozer, Columbus (Miami, Fla.) 6-9
C — DeWayne Brown, Hoover (Ala.) 6-10
G — Brayden Burries, Roosevelt (Eastvale, Calif.) 6-5
F — A.J. Dybantsa, Prolific Prep (Napa, Calif.) 6-7
G — Jerry Easter, La Lumiere (La Porte, Ind.) 6-5
G — Jeremiah Fears, AZ Compass Prep (Chandler, Ariz.) 6-3
G — Kingston Flemmings, Brennan (San Antonio, Texas) 6-4
F — Hudson Greer, Lake Travis (Austin, Texas) 6-6
F — D.J. Hall, Plano East (Plano, Texas) 6-7
F — Davion Hannah, Nicolet (Glendale, Wis.) 6-5
G — Jalen Haralson, La Lumiere (La Porte, Ind.) 6-7
F — Bryce Heard, Homewood-Flossmoor (Flossmoor, Fla.) 6-5
F — Jamier Jones, Oak Ridge (Orlando, Fla.) 6-6
G — Acaden Lewis, Sidwell Friends (Washington, D.C.) 6-2
G — Nyk Lewis, Gonzaga (Washington, D.C.) 6-0
G — Chance Mallory, St. Anne’s-Bellfield (Charlottesville, Va.) 5-9
G — Trey McKenney, St. Mary’s Prep (Orchard Lake, Mich.) 6-3
G — Kayden Mingo, Long Island Lutheran (Glen Head, N.Y.) 6-1
C — Malachi Moreno, Great Crossing (Georgetown, Ky.) 7-0
F — Koa Peat, Perry (Gilbert, Ariz.) 6-7
G — Darryn Peterson, Huntington Prep (Huntington, W. Va.) 6-5
C — Xavion Staton, Sierra Vista (Las Vegas, Nev.) 6-11
C — Moustapha Thiam, DME Academy (Daytona Beach, Fla.) 7-1
G — Meleek Thomas, Lincoln Park Performing Arts (Midland, Pa.) 6-3
F — Cameron Ward, Largo (Upper Marlboro, Md.) 6-7
F — Jacob Wilkins, Grayson (Loganville, Ga.) 6-7
F — Caleb Wilson, Holy Innocents (Atlanta, Ga.) 6-9
F — Tounde Yessoufou, St. Joseph (Santa Maria, Calif.) 6-5

2024 National Junior of the Year: Cameron Boozer

Sophomores to Watch (2026)
F — Latrell Almond, John Marshall (Richmond, Va.) 6-8
G — Ikenna Alozie, Dream City Christian (Glendale, Ariz.) 6-3
F — J.J. Andrews, Little Rock Christian Academy (Little Rock, Ark.) 6-5
G — Alijah Arenas, Chatsworth (Calif.) 6-6
F — Cole Cloer, Orange (Hillsborough, N.C.) 6-6
G — Korie Corbett, Ridge View (Columbia, S.C.) 6-4
F — Alexander Costanza, Westminster Christian (Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.) 6-8
G — Jason Crowe Jr., Lynwood (Calif.) 6-2
C — Moustapha Diop, Walker (Marietta, Ga.) 6-10
C — Sam Funches, Germantown (Madison, Miss.) 6-10
F — Kendre Harrison, Reidsville (N.C.) 6-8
G — Jayden Hodge, St. Rose (Belmar, N.J.) 6-6
G — Cam Holmes, Millennium (Goodyear, Ariz.) 6-5
G — Caleb Holt, Buckhorn (New Market, Ala.) 6-5
G — Kaden House, Desert Mountain (Scottsdale, Ariz.) 6-3
G — Jacob Lanier, Maumelle (Ark.) 6-5
G — Taylen Kinney, Newport (Ky.) 6-0
F — Brannon Martinsen, Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.) 6-8
G — Brandon McCoy Jr., St. John Bosco (Bellflower, Calif.) 6-4
G — Mason Magee, Basha (Chandler, Ariz.) 6-0
F — Jalen Montonati, Owasso (Okla.) 6-7
G — Jayden Moore, Hopkins (Minnetonka, Minn.) 6-0
G— Dionte Neal, Reidsville (N.C.) 5-9
G — Trent Perry, Lone Star (Frisco, Texas) 6-3
G — Nas Price, Seven Lakes (Katy, Texas) 6-3
F — Dean Rueckert, Timpview (Provo, Utah) 6-6
G — Jordan Smith Jr., Paul VI (Fairfax, Va.) 6-4
F — Tyran Stokes, Prolific Prep (Napa. Calif.) 6-7
F — Abdou Toure, Notre Dame (West Haven, Conn.) 6-6
F — Sebastian Wilkins, Brewster Academy (Wolfeboro, N.H.) 6-8

2024 National Sophomore of the Year: Jalen Montonati

Freshmen to Watch (2027)
G — Javon Bardwell, Desert Mountain (Scottsdale, Ariz.) 6-4
G — Jacob Canton, Rutgers Prep (Somerset, N.J.) 6-2
G — Jaxson Davis, Warren Township (Gurnee, Ill.) 6-1
G — Cayden Daughtry, Calvary Christian (Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.) 5-11
G — Silas Graham, Haverford School (Haverford, Pa.) 6-4
F — Ahmad Hudson, Ruston (La.) 6-6
F — Dooney Johnson, Juneau (Milwaukee, Wis.) 6-5
G — Tre Keith, Tri-Cities (East Point, Ga.) 6-3
F — Josh Leonard, Wilson (Florence, S.C.) 6-6
F — Jaylan Mitchell, Reitz Memorial (Evansville, Ind.) 6-7
G — Jordan Page, Broughton Magnet (Raleigh, N.C.) 6-5
F — Jeremiah Profit Jr., Temecula Valley (Temecula, Calif.) 6-5
F — Gene Roebuck, La Mirada (Calif.) 6-5
F — Taj Saragba, Woodstock (Ga.) 6-7
G — Davion Thompson, Bolingbrook (Ill.) 6-2

2024 National Freshman of the Year: Jaylan Mitchell

2023-24 Mr. Basketball USA: Cooper Flagg, Montverde Academy (Montverde, Fla.) 6-9 Sr.

National Coach of the Year: Jim Baker, Central Cabarrus (Concord, N.C.).

Note: ESPN selections 2010-2012; EA SPORTS selections 2003-2009; Student Sports selections prior to 2003; Selections are based on high school accomplishment, not future college/pro potential, and are reflective of those that lead their teams to state championships. The editors of www.ebooksnet.com do not knowingly select fifth-year players, and those ineligible due to age or academics, Mr. Basketball USA or to its various All-American teams.

Ronnie Flores is the national Grassroots editor of www.ebooksnet.com. He can be reached at?[email protected]. Don't forget to follow him on Twitter:?@RonMFlores

The post 2023-24 Underclass All-American Elite Team appeared first on www.ebooksnet.com.

2023-24 Mr. Basketball USA: Cooper Flagg, Montverde Academy (Montve?rde, Fla.) 6-8 F
Flagg was the Gatorade State Player of the Year as a freshman at Nokomis Regional (Newport, Maine) before spending the last two seasons at Montverde Academy. He was one of the best players in the country last season as a sophomore when he came in No. 10 in the final 2022-23 Mr. Basketball USA Tracker and earned second five Elite Team All-American honors. Flagg is one of the best shot-blocking small forwards to come down the pike in many years and his shooting is better than advertised. He shot 54.7 percent from the field and 35.2 percent from 3-point range as a senior and has a vast array of shots from the elbow in.

Flagg is the third consecutive Mr. Basketball USA honoree from Florida and the second in three years from Montverde Academy that is headed to Duke, joining 2022 honoree Dariq Whitehead, who has played two games in the NBA so far. To view the full Mr. Basketball USA release, the Mr. Basketball Tracker voting results, and comments from Flagg's coach, CLICK HERE.

For all-time Mr. Basketball USA honorees dating back to 1954-55, CLICK HERE

2024 National Junior of the Year: Cameron Boozer, Columbus (Miami, Fla.) 6-9 F
When it comes to this year's choice among juniors, it goes to show how expectations work and how each season is slightly different from the previous ones. Boozer, the son of 1999 second five Elite Team All-American Carlos Boozer of Juneau-Douglas (Juneau, Alaska), was only the fourth non-senior national player of the year last season and the first sophomore, but this season did not receive a first place vote in the final Mr. Basketball USA Tracker despite putting up similar numbers to his sophomore campaign. He was one of only four players to appear on all ten ballots after leading Columbus to its third consecutive FHSAA Class 7A state by posting averages of 22.2 ppg while shooting 62 percent from the field (234-378), 41 percent from the 3-point line (43-105) and 82 percent from the free throw line (155-188), 11.4 rpg, 2.7 apg and 2.1 bpg for the No. 2 team in the FAB 50. He also averaged 24.5 ppg in two losses against FAB 50 No. 1 Montverde Academy of Florida. Boozer has been the class player of the year in each of his three seasons of high school and has a chance to be the first three time first five All-American since LeBron James in 2001. He's the first honoree in the junior class from Florida since Jalen Duren of Montverde Academy in 2021. Duren subsequently re-classified after that season to enroll at Memphis.

For all-time Junior Player of the Year honorees dating back to 1954-55, CLICK HERE

2024 National Sophomore of the Year: Jalen Montonati, Owasso (Okla.) 6-7 F

Last season it was easy to peg in Cameron Boozer as the chose among tenth-graders after earning national player of the year honors, but this year the race was closer among a strong group of candidates. Guards Brandon McCoy of St. John Bosco (Bellflower, Calif.) and Caleb Holt of Buckhorn (New Market, Ala.) both did enough to deserve this honor, but the choice is Montonati, one of the most honor-laden talents so far in what is shaping out to be a terrific class. McCoy and Holt helped their team win state titles below the top division, but it was Montonati who helped his team win an Oklahoma state crown in the top division (Class 6A) by scoring 34 points in a 57-53 overtime victory over Edmond North.

For the season, the talented forward averaged 23.6 ppg, 5.0 rpg and 2.0 apg for a 26-4 team that finished No. 7 in the Southwest Regional Top 20 rankings. His all-around skill level is terrific at his size and despite being the focus of defenses, Montonati shot 54 percent from the field and 44 percent from the 3-point line. Montonati was also honored on the prestigious Oklahoman's Super 5 and was named Gatorade State Player of the Year, the first ever sophomore choice from Oklahoma. He also won a gold medal with Team USA at the 2023 FIBA 16U AmeriCup and hopes to be part of another gold-medal wining team this summer at the 2024 FIBA World Cup in Turkey. Montonati is the first ever player from Oklahoma chosen in this class.

For all-time Sophomore Player of the Year honorees dating back to 1967-68, CLICK HERE

2024 National Freshman of the Year: Jaylan Mitchell, Reitz (Evansville, Ind.) 6-8 SF
The ninth-grade national class is showing great promise and its pecking order is still being established, but there are already a handful who've made a big impact on quality teams. In terms of combining best all-around talent with production, Reitz is our choice. The 15-year old helped make Reitz a competitive team in the Southern Indiana Athletic Conference (SIAC) by averaging 15.6 ppg, 8.2 rpg. 3.9 apg, 2.2 spg. He earned All-SIAC first team honors and is already considered one of the best players nationally in the class. The 15-year old stood out at the recent USA Basketball Mini-Camp, as he displayed a nice shooting touch with the ability to score in a variety of ways. In addition to his obvious physical talents, Mitchell makes the right reads and excels on the defensive end. He's the third ever freshman choice from the Hoosier State, joining North Central's Eron Gordon in 2013 and Indiana legend Damon Bailey from North Lawrence, who was already nationally known as a ninth-grader in 1987.

For all-time Freshman Player of the Year honorees dating back to 1967-68, CLICK HERE

2024 National Coach of the Year: Jim Baker, Central Cabarrus (Concord, N.C.).
The Vikings own the nation's longest winning streak at 65 games and the architect of the program is its veteran coach with 36 years of college coaching experience. Baker was a D1 assistant for 12 years and the head coach at Catawba College for 20 years. For the last seven seasons, he's been the head coach at Central Cabarrus and the program has qualified for the state playoffs the past five seasons. For the past three seasons the Vikings have been dynamite, winning three consecutive South Piedmont Conference Tournament titles and losing only one game.

With its 90-62 victory over 71st of Fayetteville, the Vikings captured their second consecutive North Carolina High School Athletic Association (NCHSAA) Class 3A title, as D.J. Kent was named the game’s most valuable player with 20 points, nine rebounds, five steals, two assists and two blocks. With the victory, Central Cabarrus finished 33-0 and No. 12 in the FAB 50 National Team Rankings. The Vikings went 32-0 in 2022-23, finished No. 7 in the FAB 50 and have now won 95 of their last 96 games heading into the 2024-25 season under Baker's leadership.

Baker's teams are known for their terrific defensive concepts and fast-paced offense. In this year's state title game victory over 71st, Central Cabarrus scored 24 points off 24 turnovers and were credited with 15 steals. In his first season at the high school level in 2017-18, Central Cabarrus went 4-21, but the program got better each season to the point it reached a national level of success the past two years.

Baker is the first honoree from a NCHSAA program and the second ever from North Carolina, joining legendary Greensboro Day mentor Freddy Johnson, who was honored in 2016-17 and has nearly 1,200 coaching victories at the high school level.

For all-time National Coach of the Year honorees dating back to 1969-70, CLICK HERE

Ronnie Flores is the national Grassroots editor of www.ebooksnet.com. He can be reached at?[email protected]. Don't forget to follow him on Twitter:?@RonMFlores???

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RELATED:? 2023-24 Underclass POYs | Preseason Mr. Basketball USA Tracker | All-Time Honorees?| Ballislife Podcast Network?|

For Cooper Flagg of Montverde Academy (Fla.), his unique talents coincide with his unique situation on the nation's best team. He starred with a group of players who were All-Americans in their own right, the Eagles started off No. 1 in the FAB 50 and were expected to dominate the 2023-24 high school scene. The team didn't skip a beat, finishing 33-0 and their individual talents were recognized by the 10-man Mr. Basketball USA Tracker panel.

It could be easy to overlook individual brilliance on a team as talented as Montverde Academy, or to dismiss the success as simply stock-piling talent, but no less than four MVA players received recognition as national player of the year candidates. On a team with plenty of stars and in a year with plenty of viable candidates, Flagg stood out, topping the voting in the final tracker, and today is honored with the title of 2023-24 Mr. Basketball USA.

"Cooper is not just a great player, he's an infectious leader with a work ethic and an approach that separates him from all players in his class," said Montverde Academy coach Kevin Boyle. "Cooper doesn't play basketball to score points or be popular; this kid plays the game to win and be a champion. There's no one like Cooper Flagg."

Flagg did have an abundance of talent around him and that is reflected in the final voting. Maryland-bound teammate Derik Queen finished sixth in the voting while appearing on eight of 10 ballots. UConn-bound wing Liam McNeeley and point guard Curtis Givens also were among 31 candidates who received recognition for the production-based national player of the year honor selected by Ballislife's 10-man panel of national scouts. Flagg was one of four candidates to appear on all ten ballots, an unusually high number at the end of the season.

Montverde Academy only had three games decided by single-digits, yet defeated 24 teams that were FAB 50 ranked at some point during the season, as individually Flagg met every challenge and performed well on the big stage. For the season, the Duke commit averaged 16.1 ppg, 7.6 rpg, 3.9 apg, 2.7 bpg and 1.6 spg, while shooting 54.7 percent from the field and 35.2 percent from 3-point range. At Chipotle Nationals, Flagg averaged 20.0 ppg and 7.0 rpg in three victories and blocked six shots in the title game win over No. 3 Paul VI (Va.).

"Flagg is the best 'player/prospect' out of the U.S. high school ranks in many years, perhaps since Anthony Davis," said panel member and U.S. Basketball Writers Association Hall of Famer Frank Burlison. "He has the ability to be a dominant college player in every aspect of the game in what will be his only college season."

Flagg is the fourth Duke-bound Mr. Basketball USA, joining 1985 honoree Danny Ferry, 2018 choice RJ Barrett and Dariq Whitehead for the 2021-22 season. He is the fifth honoree from Montverde Academy in the past 10 seasons, joining Ben Simmons in 2015, Barrett, Cade Cunningham in 2020 and Whitehead. Boyle has now coached six national players of the year, as Michael Kidd-Gilchrist was the choice in Boyle's final season at St. Patrick (Elizabeth, N.J.) in 2010-11.

"Cooper understands the expectations that have been built around him and in his two years at Montverde, his skillset has developed to an advanced level," Boyle said. "Most of all the kid's success stems from his ability to compartmentalize and mentally prepare for the biggest moments, better than anyone."

Not only was Cooper able to separate himself from a crowded pack, what made this year's Mr. Basketball USA race so unique is that Flagg re-classified up during the off-season and last season's honoree, Cameron Boozer of Columbus (Miami, Fla.) was returning for his junior campaign after becoming the first tenth-grader ever to earn Mr. Basketball USA honors.

Flagg was a second five All-American Elite team selection as a tenth-grader, while Boozer earned top honors. Despite Boozer having another terrific campaign, Flagg's combination of talent and team success was the difference. Boozer was one of the four players to appear on all ten ballots, tallying 78 total points, but zero first place votes. He did receive two second-place and six third-place votes after averaging 22.2 ppg, 11.4 rpg, 2.7 apg, 2.1 bpg while shooting 62 percent from the field (234-378), 41 percent from the 3-point line (43-105) and 82 percent from the free throw line (155-188) for a team that won its third consecutive FHSAA Class 7A state title and finished No. 2 in the FAB 50.

"The gap between Boozer and Flagg as a 'prospect/player' is much slimmer than that between he and anyone below Boozer on my list, with each of 3-thru-10 almost interchangeable, depending on the time of day," Burlison said. "Almost “underrated” now – as crazy as that sounds – because of the elevation of the national perspective over the past year or so of Flagg and A.J. Dybansta."

Flagg tallied eight first place votes (10 points each), one second and one fourth place vote for his 96 total points. Only one other candidate received a first place vote, as Rutgers-bound point guard Dylan Harper received the other two that Flagg didn't receive after leading Don Bosco Prep (Ramsey, N.J.) to the New Jersey Non-Public A state title and No. 19 FAB 50 ranking with a 29-3 record. Harper closed strong, as he was named co-MVP of the McDonald's All American Game with 22 points and five assists and made the game-winning shot at the Jordan Brand Classic, finishing with a game-high 30 points.

The other prospect to appear in all 10 final ballots was another elite player who re-classed up in the off-season. A.J. Dybansta of Prolific Prep (Napa, Calif.) is another super junior who could challenge Boozer for the most prestigious production-based honor in high school basketball in 2024-25. As this year clearly proved, each season is its own entity and the process will start all over again with a clean slate for each player once the 2024-25 season commences.

As far as 2023-24 goes, it's impossible to deny Flagg's talent and the impact it had on his team not tasting defeat from start to finish.

Editor's Note: Click on the "+" sign next to each player's number to view how many first, second, third or fourth place votes he got and his overall point total. Previous tracker results are also listed ("Prev.").

2022-24 Mr. Basketball USA Tracker Panel

Paul Biancardi, ESPN National Director of Basketball Recruiting
Frank Burlison, BurlisonOnBasketball.com Publisher
Van Coleman, Nothing But Net Magazine
Jordan Divens, Maxpreps.com National Basketball Editor
Ronnie Flores, www.ebooksnet.com National Grassroots Editor
Chris Lawlor, Blue Star Media National Analyst
Horace Neysmith, AllMetroHoops.com
Patrick Stanwood, Patrick Stanwood Basketball
Dinos Trigonis, Fullcourt Press Editor & Publisher
Ani Umana, 5StateHoopReport.com

About Basketball USA Tracker Panel
www.ebooksnet.com's panel of 10 experts, which includes six McDonald’s All-American selection committee members, casts its vote for the top national player of the year candidates. Each panelist lists his top seven candidates regardless of class. The votes are then tabulated on a 10-point scoring system with a first-place vote equaling 10 points, a second-place vote earning nine points and down to four points for a seventh-place vote. The number in parenthesis refers to the numbers of ballots on which a player appeared and previous rankings refers to position in the previous tracker.

For the all-time list of Mr. Basketball USA honorees, CLICK HERE.

Ronnie Flores is the national Grassroots editor of www.ebooksnet.com. He can be reached at?[email protected]. Don't forget to follow him on Twitter:?@RonMFlores

The post Cooper Flagg Named Mr. Basketball USA! appeared first on www.ebooksnet.com.

RIP GEORGE MCGINNIS
The Pacers & ABA legend was known for his combination of strength and quickness along with his signature 1-hand jumpshot.

Dr. J: "Until LeBron came along, I never saw a guy with George's physical abilities on the basketball court." pic.twitter.com/KdemV86qvp

— www.ebooksnet.com (@Ballislife) December 14, 2023

NBA Hall of Famer George McGinnis is one of the best athletes of all-time. He rates as one of the very best Grid-Hoop athletes in U.S. high school history.?

Editor's Note: George McGinnis passed away on Dec. 14, 2023.?

Earlier this week there was some Internet chatter and reports that all-time ABA great, former All-NBA performer, Indiana University All-America and 1969 Mr. Basketball USA George McGinnis had passed. The former six-time all-star and Naismith Hall of Famer is reportedly gravely ill, but is still alive. With his name in the news, we'd thought it would be a great time to share some of the unique high school exploits of the "Baby Bull" since he is truly an under appreciated all-time great athlete.

By the time the Indiana state tournament rolled around McGinnis' senior year at Washington (Indianapolis) in 1968-69, he was already well-known throughout the state. What transpired at Hinkle Fieldhouse, however, turned him into a Hoosier legend. Over 50 years later, it's still considered the IHSAA's best Final Four by a long shot and still talked about.

Washington, led by the powerful McGinnis, center Steve Downing and guard Wayne Pack (the latter two who later had cups of coffee in the NBA) came in at 29-0. There was two other teams who came in unbeaten at 27-0, Marion (Ind.) and Vincennes (Ind.), with Tolleston (Gary, Ind.) at 27-1, its lone loss coming against Farragut (Chicago) when three starters were nursing a flu.

McGinnis set a state tourney record by scoring 148 points, as the Continentals survived Marion in the semis, 61-60, with its star big man going for 27 points and grabbing the key rebound to seal the win after Downing got a piece of the potential game-winning field goal. In the title game, Washington downed Tolleston, 79-76, with McGinnis going for 35 points.

The Continentals finished 31-0 and are regarded as one of the nation's best teams ever, while the Baby Bull became the first IHSSA player ever to score 1,000 points in a season. Before going on to IU, his legend went into another sphere because of his 53-point, 31-rebounds performance in the annual Kentucky vs. Indiana All-Star Game. McGinnis was considered the nation's best player and it wasn't difficult to retroactively name him Mr. Basketball USA.

What many don't know is McGinnis was also a terrific football talent; all-state in both sports. McGinnis was highly sought out of Washington as a 6-foot-7, 230-pound defensive end. His high school football coach, Bob Springer, called him the best player he'd ever seen and colleges all over the country courted him. Michigan State pitched him as the "next Bubba Smith". Springer eventually had to tell over 250 colleges that McGinnis was going to focus on basketball.

That didn't stop the Dallas Cowboys from calling.

Indiana football coach John Pont and the school's athletic director wanted Big George on the football team. He didn't budge, but that didn't stop legendary Cowboys GM Gil Brandt from checking in and pithing McGinnis one last time. Brandt turned Olympic champion sprinter Bob Hayes into a NFL Hall of Fame wide receiver and turned high school All-America guard Cornell Green of El Cerrito (Calif.) into a fine defensive back even though he never played college football at Utah State.

McGinnis, however, was destined for hardwood immortality.

Big George was good enough at both sports to be our football-basketball combo Grid-Hoop National Player of the Year for both his junior and senior year. It wasn't until 50 years later that another athlete was good enough to be selected twice. Joe Girard III (now at Clemson) averaged 50.0 ppg as a junior and passed for 1,911 yards and 24 touchdowns. As a senior, he came back to pass for 3,078 yards and 36 touchdowns and post a 48.6 ppg average while finishing with 4,763 career points.

Perhaps Allen Iverson was good enough to be the nation's best Grid-Hooper two straight years, but unfortunately he missed his senior year at Bethel (Hampton, Va.) after a now-infamous 1993 bowling alley brawl where his felony conviction was eventually overturned by the Virginia Court of Appeals and granted clemency by Virginia Governor Douglas Wilder.

Looking at the all-time national Grid-Hoop Player of the Year list, only McGinnis and three years later guard Quinn Buckner, who also played on an all-time high school hoops team at Thornridge (Dolton, Ill.), were Mr. Basketball USA choices good enough at football to be named Grid-Hoop Player of the Year. Interestingly enough, Buckner did play football at Indiana before going on to the NBA.

Some of the names on the all-time list are instantly recognizable and many are all-time greats in football. John Havlicek, McGinnis and The Answer are the NBA Hall of Famers on the list. Some years the pool of Grid-Hoopers are undoubtedly better than others, but all are legendary athletes.

Who came closest to being national player of the year in both sports? Ron Curry of Hampton (Va.) was actually the national player of the year in football for a Crabbers team ranked No. 1 in the nation two straight years, and named the Morgan Wootten National Player of the Year in conjunction with the McDonald's All-American Game, but our 1997-98 Mr. Basketball USA choice was forward Rashard Lewis of Elsik (Houston). He went on to the NBA, while Curry, a high school quarterback, played wide receiver in the NFL after playing QB in college at North Carolina.

McGinnis would be on the short list with Curry as the best Grid-Hoopers of all-time, along with names such as Stan Rome, Terry Kirby, Tony Gonzalez, Greg Paulus, Terrelle Pryor and Jalen Suggs. All were first team All-American types in football and legitimate Top 50 type prospects in basketball.

So who was the best of them all?

It's hard to say or name just one but there is little doubt McGinnis is right up there.

McGinnis was that great of an athlete.

Ballislife National
Grid-Hoop Players of the Year

(Selections retroactive from 1979 back based on research by editor Ronnie Flores with input from Mark Tennis of Cal-Hi Sports, Kevin Askeland of Maxpreps.com and retired National High School Hall of Fame journalist Doug Huff; Selections are based on high school accomplishment, not future college/pro potential and are reflective of those that lead their teams to state championships in both football and basketball.)

2022-23 -- Lincoln Kienholz, Riggs (Pierre, S.D.) 6-2 QB/G
2021-22 -- Sonny Styles, Pickerington Central (Pickerington, Ohio) 6-4 DB/F
2020-21 -- Travis Hunter, Collins Hill (Suwanee, Ga.) 6-1 DB/WR/G
2019-20 -- Jalen Suggs, Minnehaha Academy (Minneapolis) 6-4 QB/G
2018-19 -- Joe Girard III, Glens Falls (N.Y.) 6-2 QB/G
2017-18 -- Joe Girard III, Glens Falls (N.Y.) 6-2 QB/G (Jr.)
2016-17 -- Sage Surratt, Lincolnton (N.C.), 6-3, WR/G
2015-16 -- Chazz Surratt, East Lincoln (Denver, N.C.) 6-4 QB/G
2014-15 -- Joe Burrow, Athens (Ohio) 6-4 QB/F
2013-14 -- Patrick Mahomes, Whitehouse (Texas) 6-3 QB/F
2012-13 -- Cornelius Elder, Ensworth (Nashville, Tenn.) 5-10 RB/G
2011-12 -- Dorial Green-Beckham, Hillcrest (Springfield, Mo.) 6-6 WR/F
2010-11 -- Jacoby Brissett, Dwyer (Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.) 6-2 QB/G
2009-10 -- Jackson Jeffcoat, Plano West (Plano, Texas) 6-3 DE/F
2008-09 -- Marlon Brown, Harding Academy (Memphis, Tenn.) 6-5 WR/F
2007-08 -- Terrelle Pryor, Jeannette (Pa.) 6-6 QB/F
2006-07 -- Tray Allen, South Grand Prairie (Grand Prairie, Texas) 6-4 OL/F
2005-06 -- Percy Harvin, Landstown (Virginia Beach, Va.) 6-1 WR/G
2004-05 -- Greg Paulus, Christian Brother’s Academy (Syracuse, N.Y.) 6-2 QB/G
2003-04 -- Dwayne Jarrett, New Brunswick (N.J.) 6-5 WR/F
2002-03 -- Matt Bush, Male (Louisville, Ky.) 6-3 QB/G
2001-02 -- Matt Trannon, Northern (Flint, Mich.) 6-7 WR/F
2000-01 -- Marcus Spears, Southern Lab (Baton Rouge, La.) 6-5 TE/F
1999-00 -- Dominique Sims, De La Salle (Minneapolis) 6-2 QB/G
1998-99 -- Derek Smith, Highlands (Fort Thomas, Ky.) 6-4 TE/F
1997-98 -- Ronald Curry, Hampton (Va.) 6-2 QB/G
1996-97 -- LaVarr Arrington, North Hills (Pittsburgh) 6-4 LB/F
1995-96 -- Tim Couch, Leslie County (Hyden, Ky.) 6-5 QB/F
1994-95 -- Randy Moss, DuPont (Belle, W.Va.) 6-4 WR/F
1993-94 -- Tony Gonzalez, Huntington Beach (Calif.) 6-4 TE/F
1992-93 -- Allen Iverson, Bethel (Hampton, Va.) 6-0 QB/G (Jr.)
1991-92 -- Steve Taneyhill, Altoona (Pa.) 6-3 QB/G
1990-91 -- Marvin Harrison, Roman Catholic (Philadelphia) 6-0 WR/G
1989-90 -- Lawrence Moten, Archbishop Carroll (Washington, D.C.) 6-4 TE/G
1988-89 -- Terry Kirby, Tabb (Va.) 6-2 RB/G
1987-88 -- Carl Pickens, Murphy (N.C.) 6-3 WR/F
1986-87 -- Greg Skrepenak, G.A.R. (Wilkes-Barre, Pa.) 6-8 OL/C
1985-86 -- Ed McCaffrey, Central Catholic (Allentown, Pa.) 6-5 TE/F
1984-85 -- Andre Rison, Northwestern (Flint, Mich.) 6-0 DB/G
1983-84 -- Chris Carter, Middletown (Ohio) 6-2 WR/G
1982-83 -- John Paye, Menlo (Atherton, Calif.) 6-3 QB/G
1981-82 -- Paul Jokisch, Brother Rice (Birmingham, Mich.) 6-7 WR/F
1980-81 -- Mark Rypien, Shadle Park (Spokane, Wash) 6-4 QB/G
1979-80 -- Reginald White, Howard (Chattanooga, Tenn.) 6-6 DL/C
1978-79 -- Tony Hunter, Moeller (Cincinnati) 6-5 TE/F
1977-78 -- Ken McAlister, Oakland (Calif.) 6-5 LB/F
1976-77 -- Danny Ainge, North Eugene (Eugene, Ore.) 6-4 WR/G
1975-76 -- Butch Carter, Middletown (Ohio) 6-5 WR/G
1974-75 -- Tony Nathan, Woodlawn (Birmingham, Ala.) 6-2 ATH/G
1973-74 -- Stan Rome, Valdosta (Ga.) 6-5 WR/F
1972-73 -- Lester Hayes, Wheatley (Houston) 6-1 LB/G
1971-72 -- Quinn Buckner, Thornridge (Dolton, Ill.) 6-2 DB/G
1970-71 -- Charles Cleveland, Bibb County (Centerville, Ala.) 6-5 WR/F
1969-70 -- Joel Parker, Clearwater (Fla.), 6-5 WR/F
1968-69 -- George McGinnis, Washington (Indianapolis) 6-7 TE/F
1967-68 -- George McGinnis, Washington (Indianapolis) 6-7 TE/F (Jr.)
1966-67 -- Dan Fife, Clarkston (Mich.) 6-2 ATH/G
1965-66 -- Jim Mandich, Solon (Ohio) 6-2 TE/F
1964-65 -- Norm Van Lier, Lincoln (Midland, Pa.) 6-0 QB/G
1963-64 -- Ken Stabler, Foley (Ala.) 6-3 QB/F
1962-63 -- Randy Mahaffey, LaGrane (Ga.) 6-6 DE/F
1961-62 -- Myron Erickson, Orland (Calif.) 6-5 WR/C
1960-61 -- Lance Rentzel, Casady (Oklahoma City, Okla.) 6-2 RB/G
1959-60 -- Archie Roberts, Holyoke (Mass.) 6-0 QB/G
1958-59 -- Terry Baker, Jefferson (Portland, Ore.) 6-2 QB/G
1957-58 -- John Havlicek, Bridgeport (Ohio) 6-5 QB/F
1956-57 -- Glynn Gregory, Abilene (Texas) 6-2 RB/G
1955-56 -- George Greathouse, Phoenix Union (Phoenix, Ariz.) 5-9 RB/G
1954-55 -- Randy Duncan, Roosevelt (Des Moines, Iowa) 6-0 QB/G

Ronnie Flores is the national Grassroots editor of www.ebooksnet.com. He can be reached at?[email protected]. Don't forget to follow him on Twitter:?@RonMFlores

The post George McGinnis & All-Time Grid-Hoopers! appeared first on www.ebooksnet.com.

Related: 2022-23 Underclass All-American Elite Team | 2022-23 Mr. Basketball USA: Cameron Boozer | 2022-23 Class Players of the Year | Ballislife Podcast Network?|

The 2022-23 All-American Elite Team, now published for the 29th consecutive season and on the www.ebooksnet.com platform for the ninth year, includes 40 of the nation’s best seniors and four terrific sophomores led by Mr. Basketball USA Cameron Boozer of FAB 50 No. 6 Columbus (Miami, Fla.).

Four sophomores from the talented 2025 class and two juniors, including class player of the year Tre Johnson of FAB 50 No. 8 Lake Highlands (Dallas) headline the 20-player overall first team. ??Two repeaters of last year’s team are seniors D.J. Wagner and Ronald Holland, both second five selections as juniors. Wagner was the class player of the year at Camden (N.J.) his first three seasons of high school. Holland was the top honors candidate off last year’s FAB 50 championship team at Duncanville (Texas) and led this year’s club to a 28-1 record and No. 3 final FAB 50 ranking.

Last year’s 30-player second team included one lone junior: Simeon Wilcher of Roselle Catholic (Roselle, N.J.), who moved up to the first team as a senior (fourth five) after winning his third New Jersey Non-Public state crown. This year’s 30-player second team includes four juniors, including Dylan Harper of Don Bosco Prep (Ramsey, N.J.), who is having a terrific spring grassroots season and joined Wilcher as a first team all-state selection in New Jersey.

All underclassmen are eligible for All-American Elite Team selection. No sophomore was selected for second team and in 29 seasons of publishing annual All-American teams (and on the retroactive teams dating back to the 1954-55 season), no freshman has ever made the first team.

Our national coach of the year is Pat Clatchey of Mt. St. Joseph (Baltimore, Md.). The Gaels finished No. 27 in the FAB 50 after winning a second consecutive Baltimore Catholic League (BCL) title and tying a league mark with 38 victories.

National Grassroots Editor Ronnie Flores selects this performance-based All-American team with input from Mr. Basketball USA panelists. It is chosen after the conclusion of the season, which makes the All-American Elite team more reflective of players who made state championship runs.

This honors squad has been chosen in its current format since the 1994-95 season and is powered by www.ebooksnet.com for the eighth consecutive season. This team is chosen regardless of class and is not exclusive or preferential for seniors named to the Ballislife All-American Game.

2022-23 All-American First Team

First Five

G — Isaiah Collier, Wheeler (Marietta, Ga.) 6-2 Sr.
The top guard in the country, Collier was named National Senior Player of the Year after finishing No. 2 in the Mr. Basketball USA Tracker (76 points, 9 ballots) behind sophomore forward Cameron Boozer. Collier closed out his career strong, netting 22 points and seven assists in the GHSA Class AAAAAAA state title game as Wheeler easily downed Cherokee of Canton, 78-58. In leading the Wildcats to a 27-7 mark and No. 20 FAB 50 National Ranking, Collier averaged 19.6 ppg, 5.1 rpg. 6.8 apg, and 2.3 spg, while shooting 58.7 percent from the field, 33.3 percent from 3-point line and 79 percent from the foul line. Collier helped Wheeler win three state titles and the program went 102-23 in his time. This USC recruit scored a game-high 25 points in the McDonald’s All-American Game.

G — D.J. Wagner, Camden (Camden, N.J.) 6-3 Sr.
Joined his grandfather (1981 third five All-American Milt Wagner) and his father (2001 Mr. Basketball USA Dajuan Wagner) as the first three-generation McDonald’s All-Americans. Although he didn’t sweep class player of the year honors all four years, Wagner was one of the nation’s finest players over the last two seasons and as a senior finished fourth (56 points) in the Mr. Basketball USA Tracker. As a junior, Wagner averaged 19.8 ppg, 4.7 rpg, 3.5 spg, and 3.3 apg and as a senior sported norms of 22.5 ppg, 3.3 rpg and 3.0 apg. The Kentucky signee led Camden to a 23-2 on-court record and No. 12 FAB 50 ranking with losses to No. 6 Columbus (FL) and No. 23 Centennial (CA). He had 32 points vs. Columbus and 27 points vs. Centennial and was one of the nation’s best scorers since his freshman season. The 2021-22 NJ.com Player of the Year, he was also named Gatorade State POY three times and led The High to a 94-5 career record while scoring 2,040 career points (20.6 ppg) against quality local and national competition. Wagner had a team-high 19 points, including three 3-pointers, in his team’s come-from-behind win at the McDonald’s All-American Game.

F — Ronald Holland, Duncanville (Duncanville, Texas) 6-8 Sr.
Similar to D.J. Wagner, Holland moves up for the second five as a junior and was a serious candidate for Mr. Basketball honors, finishing No. 3 in the balloting behind Isaiah Collier and honoree Cam Boozer. Coaches and scouts raved about his work ethic and court presence at the McDonald’s All-American Game and Duncanville was always in the game as long as this dynamic forward was on the court. In his four seasons, the Panthers were FAB 50 ranked each season and finished an incredible 123-6. As a junior, Holland averaged 15 ppg (60 percent FG), 8 rpg, 2 spg on the No. 1 team in the country and this season sported norms of 20.3 ppg, 10.1 rpg, 2.4 apg and 2.0 spg while shooting 54.4 percent from the field and 79.3 percent from the free throw line for a 28-1 team that finished No. 3 in the FAB 50. He took over the game down the stretch in a win over No. 23 Centennial (Corona, Calif.), finishing with 24 points, and the next night had 25 points and 8 rebounds in a win over Boozer and No. 6 Columbus (Miami, Fla.). A two-time District 11-6A Player of the Year, Holland was committed to Texas but recently re-opened his recruitment.

F — Cameron Boozer, Columbus (Miami, Fla.) 6-9 Soph.
Only three underclassmen other than Boozer have been named Mr. Basketball USA: Jerry Lucas in 1957 (retroactively), Lew Alcindor in 1964 (retroactively) and LeBron James in 2002. Sure, every class is different and 2023 is not considered one of the stronger in recent seasons, but the fact only three players have done it before Boozer and all of them will be in the NBA Hall of Fame speak volumes. In fact, James beat out senior Carmelo Anthony, Alcindor beat out senior Wes Unseld and Lucas beat out senior Tony Jackson, and all three of those runner-ups also made the NBA. Boozer, whose father Carlos Boozer was a second five Elite All-American in 1999, led the Explorers to a second consecutive FHSAA Class 7A crown and FAB 50 ranking by averaging 21.1 ppg, 11.2 rpg, 4.2 apg and 2.0 bpg, while shooting 62.1 percent from the field, 41.6 percent from the 3-point line and 89.1 percent from the charity stripe. The class of 2025 is considered a terrific one, as three other tenth-graders made the 20-man first team all-American squad this season. Before this season, only Emoni Bates (in 2020) and James (in 2001) were first five choices as sophomores and only three others have been second five All-Americans.

F — Justin Edwards, Imhotep Charter (Philadelphia, Pa.) 6-7 Sr.
Arguably the most versatile elite offensive talent in the country, Edwards is the first player from the Philadelphia Public League to being named a McDonald’s All-American since 1993 Mr. Basketball USA choice Rasheed Wallace (Simon Gratz). Edwards came up big in key contests for a team that finished 30-3 and No. 13 in the FAB 50. Edwards had 16 points, six rebounds and three blocks to lead his team to the prestigious City of Palms title over Cameron Boozer and Columbus (Miami, Fla.), 25 points, 12 rebounds, four assists and six steals in a big win at the Spalding Hoophall Classic over Cardinal Hayes (Bronx, N.Y.) and 16 points and 10 rebounds in a loss to D.J. Wagner and Camden (N.J.) He also did well locally, leading Imhotep to three consecutive Philadelphia Public League titles 23 years after his mom (Ebony Twiggs) led University City to two city titles. The PIAA Class 5A Player of of the Year, this Kentucky recruit went for 16 points in the state title game and for the season averaged 17.9 ppg and 7.5 rpg. Edwards went for 10 and 11 points, respectively, at the McDonald’s All-American Game and Nike Hoop Summit and closed his career with a 27-point, MVP performance at the Ballislife All-American Game.

Second Five

G — Jeremy Fears, Joilet West (Joliet, Ill.) 6-2 Sr.
A natural leader that plays to win, Fears defensive effort and intensity were on full display at the Ballilsife All-American Game, where he led his team to a come-from-behind overtime win with 11 points, nine assists and hellacious defense in crunch time. Fears was also named a McDonald’s All-American after a season in which he led the Tigers to a 28-6 mark and a Class 4A sectional final appearance. Playing alongside his brother and Underclass All-American Jeremiah Fears, Jeremy averaged 18.8 ppg, 5.6 rpg, 5.3 apg and 2.0 spg while earning praise for his efficiency. He shot 59 percent from the field, 41 percent from 3-point range and 88 percent from the charity stripe. Fears spent two seasons at NIBC program La Lumiere (La Porte, Ind.) after starting his career Joliet West where as a freshman he helped the Tigers to a 29-4 mark before COVID-19 shut down the season before the sectional final. He ended his career as the The News-Gazette’s All-State Player of the Year and as the leading vote-getter on the A.P. Class 4A All-State team.

G — Jackson Shelstad, West Linn (Ore.) 6-0 Sr.
No player in the country used his senior season campaign to boost his All-American candidacy as much as this Oregon-bound point guard. A four-year starter and two-time Gatorade State POY, Shelstad saved his best for last, leading the Lions to the Class 6A state title game and No. 30 FAB 50 National Ranking. He led West Linn to the Les Schwab Invitational title, the first for an Oregon team since 2012, by handing FAB 50 No. 3 Duncanville (Texas) its only loss of the season. Shelstad went for 30 points in the signature title game win and averaged 33 ppg over four tourney games. On the season, the future Duck averaged 28.3 ppg, 5.4 rpg, 3.6 apg and 2.0 spg for a 28-2 team. He also shot 59 percent from the field, 41 percent from 3-point range and 84 percent from the free throw line. He concluded one of the most honor-filled careers in Oregon history by earning Three Rivers League Player of the Year three times after earning second team all-league honors as a freshman. He was rewarded for his stellar play with a selection to represent Team USA at the Nike Hoop Summit.

G — Tre Johnson, Lake Highlands (Garland, Texas) 6-5 Jr.
The first player ever from Texas to earn National Junior Player of the Year honors, Johnson was recently named the state’s Mr. Basketball by the Texas Association of Basketball Coaches (TABC). He was able to early these lofty honors by averaging 21.8 ppg, 6.4 rpg, 2.7 apg, and 1.7 spg while shooting 53 percent (272-513) from the field, 42 percent (84-201) from 3-point range and 91 percent (177-194) from the line. He closed out his impressive campaign with a 29-point, 8-rebound performance in a victory over FAB 50 ranked Beaumont United that gave Lake Highlands the UIL Class 6A state title. A gifted wing guard, the Dallas Morning News Player of the Year is considered by many the No. 1 prospect in the national 2024 class.

F — Cooper Flagg, Montverde Academy (Montverde, Fla.) 6-8 Soph.
On a talented team that finished No. 2 in the FAB 50, this tenth-grader was the Eagles’ most talented player. He helped MVA win the National Interscholastic Basketball Conference (NIBC) regular season title (11-1) and led the Eagles to their 11th consecutive appearance at GEICO Nationals while officially being named second team all-NIBC. Flagg is known for his versatility, big play-ability and defensive prowess and on a team where four players averaged between 9-14 points, he averaged 9.8 points, 5.2 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 2.2 blocked shots per game. He was the first freshman to earn Gatorade State POY honors in Maine at Nokomis Regional in Newport (20,5 ppg, 10.0 rpg, 6.2 apg, 3.7 spg, 3.7 bpg) and was the leader of Team USA’s club that captured the 2022 FIBA U17 World Cup. For his performances he was named 2022 USA Basketball Male Athlete of the Year. He’s only the third sophomore to earn first or second five All-American honors in the last ten years, joining Emoni Bates in 2020 (first) and DeAndre Ayton in 2015 (second).

C — Aaron Bradshaw, Camden (Camden, N.J.) 7-0 Sr.
It was a terrific year for talent in the Garden State and some feel Bradshaw could be its most talented prospect. He’s a consensus top five national prospect and will join high school teammate and first five selection D.J. Wagner at Kentucky. Bradshaw helped The High capture its twelfth NJSIAA state title as a junior when he averaged 8.9 ppg, 7.4 rpg and 3.2 bpg but was more polished and productive as a senior. He sported norms of 12.0 ppg, 9.4 rpg and 2.4 bpg for a team that finished No. 12 in the FAB 50 with a 23-2 mark, but wasn’t able to defend its title because of a brawl in the county title game. A first team all-state selection by NJ.com, Bradshaw was selected for the McDonald’s All-American Game, where he displayed the ability that makes him the nation’s top pivot player. He finished with a team-high 18 points and eight rebounds.

Third Five

G — Jared McCain, Centennial (Corona, Calif.) 6-3 Sr.
Last season the Huskies had a third five selection in Donovan Dent (New Mexico) and this year the Duke-bound point guard matches his former teammate. McCain, a social media sensation who took advantage of NIL opportunities afforded student-athletes in California, captured many of the same honors this season Dent did in 2021-22: Inland Player of the Year by the Riverside Press Enterprise, Southland Player of the Year by the L.A. Times and State Mr. Basketball by Cal-Hi Sports. McCain earned Gatorade State POY honors in 2021-22 when he led the Huskies to a 33-1 record, No. 5 FAB 50 Rankings and the program’s first ever CIF Open Division title by leading the team in scoring (16.8 ppg) to go along with 4.6 rpg and 2.1 apg. He repeated that honor this season by averaging 18.0 ppg, 7.1 rpg, and 4.0 apg while shooting 36 percent from 3-point range and 83 percent from the line. Centennial, the No. 23 team in the FAB 50, advanced to the SoCal open final. In all, McCain helped Centennial capture three CIF Southern Section open titles and is one of the most highly-decorated players in Riverside County history.

G — Caleb Foster, Notre Dame (Sherman Oaks, Calif.) 6-4 Sr.
If second five selection Jackson Shelstad is not the biggest McDonald’s All-American snub, then this explosive North Carolina native is. Foster's strength, skill level and explosiveness was just too much for nearly any guard in the country to he wasted no time making an impact at Notre Dame after two terrific seasons at powerhouse Oak Hill Academy in Virginia. Foster followed up on an All-American Underclass season by leading the Knights to a CIF D1 state crown and a No. 46 FAB 50 Ranking. Foster came through in the big games, going for 28 points in the D1 regional final victory over Mission League foe Sierra Canyon and 33 points in the state final vs. Granada of Livermore, the latter a CIF championship game D1 record. In four victories over Sierra Canyon, Foster averaged 20.5 ppg and for the season averaged 21.4 ppg, 6.8 rpg, 3.9 apg and 1.2 spg. On top of that, he kept defenders honest by shooting 38 percent from 3-point range. He’s considered the state Mr. Basketball runner-up to fellow third five selection Jared McCain, who will join Foster in Durham.

G — Ja’Kobe Walter, Link Academy (Branson, Mo.) 6-5 Sr.
After earning underclass All-American honors at McKinney (Texas), Walter moved over to the independent program and immediately helped the Lions emerge as a FAB 50 title contender. After entering GEICO Nationals as the No. 2 team in the FAB 50, Walter led the program to its first national title in the program’s second year by averaging 21.3 ppg in three victories. This top-flight shooting guard netted 37 points against Paul VI (Fairfax, Va.) in the quarterfinals and went for 21 points, on 6-of-8 shooting from the field, including 3-of-4 3-point shots, in the championship game victory over AZ Compass Prep (Chandler, Ariz.). On a well-balanced 27-1 unit, Walter averaged 14.4 ppg (37.8 percent from 3-point range) 4.0 rpg and 1.7 spg. Selected for both the McDonald’s All-American and Nike Hoop Summit, Walter is headed to Baylor.

F — Koa Peat, Perry (Gilbert, Ariz.) 6-8 Soph.
This strong-bodied forward already has won two state titles and has scored over 1,000 points with two high school seasons to go. He followed up a freshman season in which he averaged 15.0 ppg and 6.1 rpg while helping Perry to its first Class 6A state crown by leading the Pumas to the first ever AIA open division state crown. In the title game, Peat finished with 35 points in a 74-58 victory over Sunnyslope of Pheonix. For the season, the talented tenth grader averaged 19.7 ppg, 9.4 rpg, 3.0 apg, 1.7 bpg and 1.3 spg for the No. 22 team in the FAB 50. Peat is considered one of the best overall prospects in high school basketball and is the first sophomore ever from Arizona to make the Elite All-American first team.

C — Flory Bidunga, Kokomo (Ind.) 6-10 Jr.
Led the Wildkats to their first state title game appearance since 1989 with a series of dominant performances after emerging as one of the nations’ dominant post players at the Pangos All-American Festival in August. Bidunga is not only a terrific post defender, he can move out and guard the perimeter and never takes a bad shot. In leading basketball-crazed Kokomo to a 24-5 mark, Bidunga averaged 20.2 ppg, 13.8 rpg and 4.5 bpg while making 81 percent (207-263) of his shots from the floor. He recorded 27 double-doubles in 29 outings and was the second-leading vote-getter on the Indiana A.P. All-State team behind second teamer Markus Burton.

Fourth Five

G — Simeon Wilcher, Roselle Catholic (Roselle, N.J.) 6-4 Sr.
Moves up from the second team after another stellar season that saw this strong and athletic guard win his third state title. On a talented team that finished No. 21 in the FAB 50, Wilcher averaged 15.4 ppg, 4.7 rpg and 5.7 apg while posting a 22-6 record. That record is a bit deceiving because the Lions did not lose in-state against tough competition and Wilcher played on teams that went 17-0 in the NJSIAA state tournament during his career. A two-time NJ.com first team all-state choice, Wilcher averaged 16.9 ppg, 5.1 rpg, 5.1 apg and 2.0 spg as a junior when Roselle Catholic defeat Camden (N.J.) to capture the final New Jersey Tournament of Champions. Wilcher is headed to North Carolina.

G — Meleek Thomas, Lincoln Park Performing Arts (Midland, Pa.) 6-3 Soph.
The fourth tenth-grader to earn first team honors, Thomas has the ability to be the WPIAL’s finest player since its hoops heyday in the 1960s and early 1970s. Thomas is that talented and is known for his relentless motor and intensity. After averaging 18.9 ppg as a freshman, he teamed with junior Brandin Cummings (23.1 ppg) to lead the Leopards to the WPIAL title and PIAA Class 4A state title. Thomas scored 25 points in the WPIAL title game and 22 points, including the game winner bucket, in the state title win over Philly power Neumann-Goretti. The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review Player of the Year Thomas averaged 24.9 ppg as the Leopards finished 30-1 and No. 50 in the FAB 50.

F — DeShawn Harris-Smith, Paul VI (Fairfax, Va.) 6-6 Sr.
Highly-honored forward capped his career by leading the Panthers to their first ever berth in GEICO Nationals. Harris-Smith netted a team-high 18 points in a close 68-65 loss to eventual tourney champ and FAB 50 No. 1 Link Academy of Missouri. He was consistently productive for a team that played stellar competition, spent some time in the regular season at No. 1 in the FAB 50 and finished 31-4 and No. 18, averaging 17.8 ppg, 7.4 rpg, 6.3 apg and 2.6 spg. The Panthers won the VISAA D1 state title and Harris-Smith was named MVP of the prestigious Washington Catholic Athletic Conference. He’s headed to Maryland.

C — Brandon Garrison, Del City (Del City, Okla.) 6-9 Sr.
Capped off an honors-filled career by scoring 17 points, including the game-winning lay-up with 35 seconds remaining in overtime, to lift the Eagles to the Class 5A state title over district rival Carl Albert. Garrison played a big role in Del City winning two state titles and making three state title game appearances. He had 18 points and six rebounds in the semifinals to avenge last year’s loss in the state title game to Tulsa Memorial. For the season, Garrison averaged 15.9 ppg, 9.0 rpg and 2.3 apg and was showered with post-season accolades. The Oklahoman Super 5 Player of the Year was also named Suburban Conference Player of the Year, state player of the year by Gatorade and was chosen a McDonald’s All-American. He’s headed to Oklahoma St.

C — Xavier Booker, Cathedral (Indianapolis, Ind.) 6-9 Sr.
Followed up a terrific summer in which he was named MVP of the Pangos All-American Camp with a fine senior campaign in which he was honored as a McDonald’s All-American. Booker averaged 15.2 ppg, 8.3 rpg, 1.8 apg and 1.9 bpg for a 19-6 Fightin’ Irish club. As a junior, he averaged 12.5 ppg, 6.7 rpg, 2.3 bpg as Cathedral captured the coveted Class 4A state crown and finished No. 42 in the FAB 50. Booker will join a star-studded Michigan St. recruiting class that includes second five selection Jeremy Fears and second teamer Coen Carr.

2022-23 All-American Second Team

F — Omaha Biliew, Waukee Senior (Waukee, Iowa) 6-7 Sr.
C — Blake Buchanan, Coeur D’Alene (Idaho) 6-11 Sr.
G — Markus Burton, Penn (Mishawaka, Ind.) 5-10 Sr.
F — Matas Buzelis, Sunrise Christian Academy (Bel Aire, Kan.) 6-9 Sr.
G — Elliot Cadeau, Link Academy (Branson, Mo.) 6-2 Jr.
G — Blue Cain, IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.) 6-4 Sr.
F — Coen Carr, Legacy Early College (Greenville, S.C.) Sr.
G — Stephon Castle, Newton (Covington, Ga.) 6-6 Sr.
G — Mookie Cook, AZ Compass Prep (Chandler, Ariz.) 6-6 Sr.
G — Gabe Cupps, Centerville (Centerville, Ohio) 6-2 Sr.
G — Josh Dotzler, Bellevue West (Bellevue, Neb.) 6-3 Sr.
C — Baye Fall, Denver Prep (Denver, Col.) 6-10 Sr.
F — Amani Hansberry, Mt. St. Joseph (Baltimore, Md.) 6-7 Sr.
G — Dylan Harper, Don Bosco Tech (Ramsey, N.J.) 6-4 Jr.
G — Aden Holloway, Prolific Prep (Napa, Calif.) 6-0 Sr.
G — Josh Hubbard, Ridgeland Academy (Madison Miss.) 5-10 Sr.
G — Jizzle James, Olympia (Orlando, Fla.) 6-1 Sr.
G — Malik Mack, St. John’s (Washington, D.C.) 6-1 Sr.
F — Liam McNeeley, Montverde Academy (Montverde, Fla.) 6-7 Jr.
F — Mackenzie Mgbako, Roselle Catholic (Roselle, N.J.) 6-7 Sr.
F — Milan Momcilovic, Pewaukee (Wis.) 6-9 Sr.
F — Dennis Parker, John Marshall (Richmond, Va.) 6-6 Sr.
G — Kris Parker, Crossroad Academy (Quincy, Fla.) 6-6 Sr.
G — Ruben Rodriguez, Reading (Pa.) 6-1 Sr.
F — Devin Royal, Pickerington Central (Pickerington, Ohio) 6-7 Sr.
G — Reed Sheppard, North Laurel (London, Ky.) 6-3 Sr.
G — R.J. Taylor, Grand Blanc (Mich.) 5-11 Sr.
F — Cody Williams, Perry (Gilbert, Ariz.) 6-7 Sr.
G — Robert Wright II, Neumann-Goretti (Philadelphia, Pa.) 6-0 Jr.
G — Wesley Yates III, Beaumont United (Beaumont, Texas) 6-4 Sr.

Related: 2022-23 Underclass All-American Elite Team | 2022-23 Mr. Basketball USA: Cameron Boozer | 2022-23 Class Players of the Year | Ballislife Podcast Network?|

Ronnie Flores is the national Grassroots editor of www.ebooksnet.com. He can be reached at?[email protected]. Don't forget to follow him on Twitter:?@RonMFlores

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Related: 2022-23 All-American Elite Team | 2022-23 Mr. Basketball USA: Cameron Boozer | 2022-23 Class Players of the Year | Ballislife Podcast Network?|

Four fantastic sophomores and two juniors named to the 29th Annual All-American Elite Team headline a group of 80 elite players selected to the 2022-23 Underclass All-American team powered by www.ebooksnet.com.

In the 29 seasons of publishing annual All-American teams (and on the retroactive teams dating back to the 1954-55 season), we’ve never had four sophomores named to the All-American Elite Team or named Mr. Basketball USA.

Until now.

Power forward Cameron Boozer?of Columbus (Miami, Fla.) is not only this year’s National Sophomore of the Year, he was the leading vote-getter in the final Mr. Basketball USA Tracker by eight points (84 to 76) over senior guard Isaiah Collier?of Wheeler (Marietta, Ga.). Thus he was the first tenth-grader ever to earn the nation’s highest individual honor. Not even future NBA Hall of Famers who were National Player of the Year selections as juniors (Jerry Lucas in 1957, Lew Alcindor in 1964 and LeBron James in 2002) were as highly-honored tenth-graders as Boozer was for the 2022-23 season.

There was another tenth-grader on each of the four fives that compromised the 20-man first team: second five selection Cooper Flagg of FAB 50 No. 2 Montverde Academy (Montverde, Fla.), third five selection Koa Peat of FAB 50 No. 22 Perry (Gilbert, Ariz.) and fourth five selection Meleek Thomas of FAB 50 No. 50 Lincoln Park (Midland, Pa.). Boozer and that trio is considered the top four recruits in the national 2025 class.

Two juniors were named to the first team and four more were named to the 30-man second team. Included on the second team was point guard Elliot Cadeau of FAB 50 No. 1 Link Academy (Branson, Mo.). Cadeau has already committed to North Carolina. He set two GEICO Nationals records by racking up 29 assists in three tournament games and by recording 14 in a hard-fought quarterfinal win over Paul VI (Fairfax, Va.).

Each season, players classifying up in order to speed up the recruiting process or transfer in hopes the move will be more advantageous to their development and this off-season is no different.

Zoom Diallo, who led Curtis (University Place, Wash.) to a WIAA Class 4A state crown in 2022-23, has announced he will spend his senior season at Prolific Prep (Napa, Calif.). Sophomore Jeremiah Fears, the younger brother of second five All-American Elite Team selection Jeremy Fears Jr., will leave Joilet West (Joliet, Ill.) for NIBC member club Sunrise Christian Academy (Bel Aire, Kan.). Defending NIBC champion Montverde Academy has picked up point guard Robert Wright II of Neumann-Goretti (Philadelphia, Pa.) for his 2023-24 senior campaign.

There will undoubtedly be some who seek a transfer to explore Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) endorsement deals. Some state laws prohibit or restrict NIL deals for high school athletes, but in most states it is not illegal or against state association rules to sign an endorsement deal, provided that endorsement is not facilitated with the athlete wearing or promoting garments or items trademarked by the state association or the NCAA.

Regardless of how much true NIL value talented high school All-Americans hold, expect more player movement as the summer rolls on.

National Grassroots Editor Ronnie Flores selects this performance-based squad with input from Mr. Basketball USA panelists. It is chosen after the conclusion of the season, which makes the Underclass All-American Team more reflective of players who made state championship runs.

Our national coach of the year is Pat Clatchey of Mt. St. Joseph (Baltimore, Md.).

Juniors to Watch (2024)

F — Airious "Ace" Bailey, McEachern (Powder Springs, Ga.) 6-9
G — Jalil Bethea, Archbishop Wood (Warminster, Pa.) 6-4
C — Flory Bidunga, Kokomo (Ind.) 6-10
F — K. Annor Boateng, Central (Little Rock, Ark.) 6-5
G — Elliot Cadeau, Link Academy (Branson, Mo.) 6-2
G — Zoom Diallo, Curtis (University Place, Wash.) 6-3
G — V.J. Edgecombe, Long Island Lutheran (Glen Head, N.Y.) 6-5
F — Isaiah Evans, North Mecklenburg (Huntersville, N.C.) 6-6
G — Johnuel “Boogie” Fland, Archbishop Stepinac (White Plains, N.Y.) 6-3
G — Riley Fox, Conrad (West Hartford, Conn.) 6-5
F — Donnie Freeman, St. John’s (Washington, D.C.) 6-8
G — Dylan Harper, Don Bosco Tech (Ramsey, N.J.) 6-5
F — Darren Harris, Paul VI (Fairfax, Va.) 6-5
G — Ian Jackson, Cardinal Hayes (Bronx, N.Y.) 6-5
F — Morez Johnson, St. Rita (Chicago, Ill.) 6-9
G — Tre Johnson, Lake Highlands (Dallas, Texas) 6-5
F — Ryan Jones Jr., The Rock (Gainesville, Fla.) 6-8
F — Karter Knox, Tampa Catholic (Tampa, Fla.) 6-5
F — Kon Knueppel, Wisconsin Lutheran (Milwaukee, Wis.) 6-5
C — Peyton Marshall, Kell (Marietta, Ga.) 6-10
F — Sir Mohammed, Myers Park (Charlotte, N.C. ) 6-6
G — Ahmad Nowell, Imhotep Charter (Philadelphia, Pa.) 6-0
G — Dink Pate, Pinkston (Dallas, Texas) 6-7
G — Travis Perry, Lyon County (Eddyville, Ky.) 6-2
G —Trent Perry, Harvard-Westlake (North Hollywood, Calif.) 6-4
G — Tahaad Pettiford, Hudson Catholic (Jersey City, N.J.) 5-11
G — Labaron Philon, Baker (Mobile, Ala.) 6-4
G — Drake Powell, Northwood (Pittsboro, N.C.) 6-5
F — Derik Queen, Montverde Academy (Montverde, Fla.) 6-8
F — Cameron Scott, Lexington (S.C.) 6-6
C — Thomas Sorber, Archbishop Ryan (Philadelphia, Pa.) 6-9
F — Jarin Stevenson, Seaforth (Pittsboro, N.C.) 6-9
G — Dedan Thomas, Liberty (Henderson, Nev.) 6-1
F — Dylan Warlick, Edmond North (Edmond, Okla.) 6-6
G —Robert Wright II, Neumann-Goretti (Philadelphia, Pa.) 6-0

2023 National Junior of the Year: Tre Johnson

Sophomores to Watch (2025)

G — Darius Acuff, Cass Tech (Detroit, Mich.) 6-1
G — Dante Allen, Riviera Prep (Miami, Fla.) 6-4
F — Kenyon Aguino, Volcano Vista (Albuquerque, N.M.) 6-7
F — Cameron Boozer, Columbus (Miami, Fla.) 6-8
C — DeWayne Brown, Hoover (Ala.) 6-10
C — Badara Diakite, Northwest Catholic (Hartford, Conn.) 6-9
G — Jerry Easter, Emmanuel Christian (Toledo, Ohio) 6-5
G — Jeremiah Fears, Joilet West (Joliet, Ill.) 6-3
F — Cooper Flagg, Montverde Academy (Montverde, Fla.) 6-8
G —Akai Fleming, Osborne (Marietta, Ga.) 6-4
G — Kingston Flemmings, Brennan (San Antonio, Texas) 6-4
G — Jalen Haralson, Fishers (Ind.) 6-7
G — Elzie Harrington, St. John Bosco (Bellflower, Calif.) 6-5
G — Tyler Jackson, St. Frances Academy (Baltimore, Md.) 6-1
G — Dorian Jones, Richmond Heights (Richmond Heights, Ohio) 6-3
G — Nyk Lewis, Gonzaga (Washington, D.C.) 6-0
G — Chance Mallory, St. Anne’s-Bellfield (Charlottesville, Va.) 5-9
G — Trey McKenney, St, Mary’s Prep (Orchard Lake, Mich.) 6-3
G — Jaron McKie, St. Joseph Prep (Philadelphia, Pa.) 6-2
F — Koa Peat, Perry (Gilbert, Ariz.) 6-7
G — Darryn Peterson, Cuyahoga Valley Christian Academy (Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio) 6-5
F — Pupu Sepulona, St. Louis (Honululu, Hawaii) 6-7
G — C.J. Shaw, Mojave (North Las Vegas, Nev.) 6-4
F — Trent Sisley, Heritage Hills (Lincoln City, Ind.) 6-8
F — Brandon Stores Jr., St. Raymond (Bronx, N.Y.) 6-4
G — Meleek Thomas, Lincoln Park Performing Arts (Midland, Pa.) 6-3
G — Cameron Ward, Largo (Upper Marlboro, Md.) 6-5
F — Zymicah Wilkins, R.S. Central (Rutherfordton, N.C.) 6-8
F — Sadiq White, Myers Park (Charlotte, N.C.) 6-9
F — Toundre Yessoufou, St. Joseph (Santa Maria, Calif.) 6-5

2023 National Sophomore of the Year: Cameron Boozer

Freshmen to Watch (2026)

F — Latrell Almond, John Marshall (Richmond, Va.) 6-8
F — Alexander Costanza, Westminster Christian (Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.) 6-8
G — Jason Crowe Jr., Lynwood (Calif.) 6-2
F — A.J. Dybantsa, St. Sebastian (Needham, Mass.) 6-7
C — Sam Funches, Germantown (Madison, Miss.) 6-10
F — Caleb Gaskins, Holy Trinity Episcopal (Melbourne, Fla.) 6-7
G — Emmanuel Green, Cedar Grove (Ellenwood, Ga.) 6-5
G — Caleb Holt, Buckhorn (New Market, Ala.) 6-5
G — Kaden House, Desert Mountain (Scottsdale, Ariz.) 6-3
F — Brannon Martinsen, Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.) 6-8
F — Jalen Montonati, Owasso (Okla.) 6-7
G — Jayden Moore, Hopkins (Minnetonka, Minn.) 6-0
G — Trent Perry, Lone Star (Frisco, Texas) 6-3
F — Tyran Stokes, Prolific Prep (Napa. Calif.) 6-7
G — Quincy Wadley, Bishop O’Connell (Arlington, Va.) 6-4

2023 National Freshman of the Year: Caleb Gaskins

National Coach of the Year: Pat Clatchey of Mt. St. Joseph (Baltimore, Md.)

Related: 2022-23 All-American Elite Team | 2022-23 Mr. Basketball USA: Cameron Boozer | 2022-23 Class Players of the Year | Ballislife Podcast Network?|

Ronnie Flores is the national Grassroots editor of www.ebooksnet.com. He can be reached at?[email protected]. Don't forget to follow him on Twitter:?@RonMFlores

The post 2022-23 Underclass All-American Elite Team appeared first on www.ebooksnet.com.

RELATED:? 2022-23 Underclass POYs | Preseason Mr. Basketball USA Tracker | Updated Tracker: Wide-Open Race | ?All-Time Honorees?| Ballislife Podcast Network?|

Boozer, the terrific power forward who led Columbus (Miami, Fla.) to the FHSAA Class 7A crown and No. 6 final FAB 50 ranking, topped the voting in this season's final tracker and today is honored with the title of 2022-23 Mr. Basketball USA.

"Wow, Mr. Basketball USA Player of the Year is an incredible honor," Boozer told Ballislife. "I feel lucky to be selected among so many outstanding players this year. I feel like any time you are recognized for an award such as this it takes you back for a minute and just makes you very thankful for everything it took to accomplish this goal. I am extremely appreciative of the honor and hope to be a great representative of Mr. Basketball USA Player of the Year."

Boozer is appreciative of earning the nation's most prestigious individual honor and the scouts, media and fans alike are appreciative of his tremendous skill level and dominance as a mere tenth-grader. Boozer teamed up with his twin brother Cayden to lead the Explorers to a 26-4 record against national competition and it was actually Cayden who had a big game in the state final with 21 points. Throughout the season, it was Cameron who consistently dominated foes to the tune of 21.1 ppg, 11.2 rpg, 4..2 apg and 2.0 bpg, while shooting 62.1 percent from the field, 41.6 from 3-point line and 89.1 percent from the free throw line.

Despite having only one high school season under his belt, Boozer started out No. 4 in the preseason Mr. Basketball USA Tracker balloting, but moved to No. 1 in late February by one point over USC-bound senior Isaiah Collier of FAB 50 No. 20 Wheeler (Marietta, Ga.), who ended up being his stiffest challenger for player of the year honors and is the Senior Player of the Year honoree. Boozer led a group of five candidates that appeared on nine of 10 ballots (among a record group of 34 players nominated for player of the year honors) with 84 points, including six of the 10 first-place votes (no other player had more than one first-place vote). The others to appear on nine ballots: Collier with 76 points (five second place votes), Texas-bound forward Ronald Holland of Duncanville (Texas) with 71 points (five third place votes), Kentucky-bound guard D.J. Wagner of Camden (N.J.) with 56 points (one second place and one third place vote) and Kentucky-bound forward Justin Edwards of Imhotep Charter (Philadelphia, Pa.) with 50 points (one first place vote). Edwards was a recent MVP at the 2023 Ballislife All-American Game in Norwalk, Calif. ?? ? ? ? ? ????

All of the four candidates to seriously challenge Boozer were all seniors. To get a better perspective of just how dominant Boozer was this season and how the panel feels about his ability, one only needs to look at how a rare it has been for a sophomore to be considered for first or second five All-American honors over the years on the annual All-American Elite Team,?which will be published for the 29th time in the next week.?

In the 16 years of Mr. Basketball USA balloting, only Emoni Bates (a sophomore at Eastern Michigan who recently declared for the 2023 NBA Draft) has come close to the top of the balloting as a sophomore. ?In 2020 he finished in fourth place behind Mr. Basketball USA Cade Cunningham (Pistons), Evan Mobley (Cavs) and Jalen Green (Rockets) with 48 points while appearing on eight ballots. Before the balloting era, a high school sensation named Lew Alcindor was considered the unofficial runner-up to Edgar Lacey of Jefferson (Los Angeles, Calif.) in 1963 and was a two-time honoree over the next two seasons. Lucas, one of high school basketball's first stars known nationwide, was the first sophomore to be first five All-American and was also a two-time honoree (1957-58). As a sophomore in 2000-01, LeBron James probably should have received more serious consideration among Dajuan Wagner (the choice and D.J. Wagner's father) and future NBA big men Tyson Chandler and Eddie Curry. Only three sophomores have been second five All-Americans over the years: DeAndre Ayton in 2015, Michael Gilchrist in 2009 and O.J. Mayo in 2005 and among that trio only Ayton didn't go on to be named Mr. Basketball USA. ?

The senior class of 2023 is considered one of the weaker classes overall in recent memory, despite some individual brilliance, and the 2024 class, led by class player of the year Tre Johnson, is considered a mild group as well with one season to go. 2025 is a different story and is off to a roaring start, as the three before-mentioned tenth-graders appeared on the ballots and are considered among the best players in the country, regardless of class. ?

D.J. Wagner, who played at Camden as his father did over 20 years ago when he was the nation's top player, was the class player of the year in each season as an underclassmen before Boozer moved to the front of the pack this past season. Each season is its own entity, so what will Boozer do for an encore? How will next season play out? What does his development curve look like with two more seasons of high school basketball? ? ?

"Who in the junior class is going to keep them (the sophomores) off the top of the list next year?" lamented panel member Van Coleman of Nothing But Net Magazine. "Tre Johnson, Ian Jackson and Dylan Harper, those guys have to step it up because, right now, Boozer is at the top of the list, followed very closely by Flagg in his own class. There’s not much difference between the juniors and those sophomores. I don’t know if the voters will put Flagg as high as he really needs to be. As far as the seniors go, Wagner had the best career, Collier had the best season and Holland came on late."

Next season the process will start all over again with a clean slate, but based on production, Boozer is considered the best for 2022-23. ?

Editor's Note: Click on the "+" sign next to each player's number to view how many first, second, third or fourth place votes he got and his overall point total. Previous tracker results are also listed ("Prev.").

2022-23 Mr. Basketball USA Tracker Panel

Paul Biancardi, ESPN National Director of Basketball Recruiting
Frank Burlison, BurlisonOnBasketball.com Publisher
Van Coleman, Nothing But Net Magazine
Jordan Divens, Maxpreps.com National Basketball Editor
Ronnie Flores, www.ebooksnet.com National Grassroots Editor
Chris Lawlor, Blue Star Media National Analyst
Jerry Meyer, McDonald's All-American Voter
Horace Neysmith, AllMetroHoops.com
Patrick Stanwood, Patrick Stanwood Basketball
Dinos Trigonis, Fullcourt Press Editor & Publisher

About Basketball USA Tracker Panel
www.ebooksnet.com's panel of 10 experts, which includes six McDonald’s All-American selection committee members, casts its vote for the top national player of the year candidates. Each panelist lists his top seven candidates regardless of class. The votes are then tabulated on a 10-point scoring system with a first-place vote equaling 10 points, a second-place vote earning nine points and down to four points for a seventh-place vote. The number in parenthesis refers to the numbers of ballots on which a player appeared and previous rankings refers to position in the previous tracker.

For the all-time list of Mr. Basketball USA honorees, CLICK HERE.

Ronnie Flores is the national Grassroots editor of www.ebooksnet.com. He can be reached at?[email protected]. Don't forget to follow him on Twitter:?@RonMFlores

The post Cameron Boozer Named Mr. Basketball USA! appeared first on www.ebooksnet.com.

2022-23 Mr. Basketball USA: Cameron Boozer, Columbus (Miami,Fla.) 6-9 F Soph.
The son of 1999 second five Elite Team All-American Carlos Boozer of Juneau-Douglas (Juneau, Alaska), he's the fourth non-senior national player of the year and the first ever tenth-grader. In two high school seasons, Boozer has led Columbus to back-to-back FHSAA Class 7A state titles and two a pair of final FAB 50 national rankings. To view the full Mr. Basketball USA release, the Mr. Basketball Tracker voting results, and comments from Boozer, CLICK HERE.

For all-time Mr. Basketball USA honorees dating back to 1954-55, CLICK HERE

2023 National Junior of the Year: Tre Johnson, Lake Highlands (Dallas, Texas) 6-5 G
This highly-regarded wing had lofty individual and team expectations in the preseason and he more than lived up to them, leading the Wildcats to the UIL Class 6A state crown with a game-high 29 points and eight rebounds in a 55-44 victory over FAB 50 ranked Beaumont United. For the season, Johnson led Lake Highlands to a 34-3 record and No. 8 FAB 50 ranking with only one in-state loss by averaging 21.8 ppg, 6.4 rpg, 2.7 apg, and 1.7 spg. Johnson shot 53 percent (272-513) from the field, 42 percent (84-201) from 3-point range and 91 percent (177-194) from the line.

The Dallas Morning News Player of the Year is the top-ranked 2024 player by many recruiting services and received the most votes of any junior in the Mr. Basketball Player of the Year Tracker with 24 points on five ballots. He is Texas’ first honoree in this class ever (going back to 1966-67) and only the second underclass pick from the Lone Star State in any class, joining Charles Bassey?(St. Anthony, San Antonio, Texas) for freshman in 2016.

For all-time Junior Player of the Year honorees dating back to 1966-67, CLICK HERE

2022 National Sophomore of the Year: Cameron Boozer, Columbus (Miami, Fla.) 6-9 F

Obviously with Boozer earning Mr. Basketball USA Honors, he's also the choice among tenth-graders. Cameron’s twin brother Cayden, a 6-foot-5 guard, also had a terrific season for the No. 6 team in the FAB 50, averaging 15.1 ppg, 5.0 rpg, 4.3 apg and 2.0 apg. Boozer has a chance to be the first-ever three-time National Player of the Year selection. Only three players have ever been two-time honorees (in both their junior and senior seasons): Jerry Lucas?of Middletown, Ohio (1957-58), Lew Alcindor of Power Memorial of New York (1964-65) and LeBron James?of St.-Vincent-St. Mary of Akron, Ohio (2002-03). All three of those players were first five All-Americans as sophomores.

Boozer is the first honoree from Florida for this honor since RJ Barrett of Montverde Academy in 2016-17. The next season, Barrett re-classified up and earned Mr. Basketball USA Honors as a senior when he led the Eagles to the 2017-18 FAB 50 national title. The 2025 class is considered the best since the 2020 class and there's a handful of candidates that would have been excellent choices among this year's tenth-grade crop, including forward Cooper Flagg of FAB 50 No. 2 Montverde Academy, forward Koa Peat of FAB 50 No. 22 Perry (Gilbert, Ariz.) and Meleek Thomas?of FAB 50 No. 50 Lincoln Park (Midland, Pa.). In many years, any of that trio would have been cinch choices.

For all-time Sophomore Player of the Year honorees dating back to 1967-68, CLICK HERE

2023 National Freshman of the Year: Caleb Gaskins, Holy Trinity Episcopal (Melbourne, Fla.) 6-7 F

There were plenty of top candidates to consider, as this class already has a tremendous reputation and a group of players that were productive at a high level during the 2022-23 season. We decided to go with one of the best all-around talents with plenty of experience. While age can be wide-ranging with elite freshmen, this 14-year old already has experience at USA Basketball events and played varsity basketball for the Tigers as an eighth-grader. After averaging 10.8 ppg in his first varsity season, Gaskins stepped up to average 17.9 ppg and 9.6 rpg while shooting 61 percent from the field.

The All Space Coast Player of the Year by Florida Today, Gaskins scored in double figures 26 of 28 games and finished the season with 17 double-doubles. On top of his numbers, Gaskins draws raves reviews for his terrific frame, patience, IQ and feel. Gaskins is the second consecutive honoree in this class, following Cameron Boozer and is the third honoree from the Sunshine State, the first being Brandon Knight of Pine Crest (Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.) in 2007.

For all-time Freshman Player of the Year honorees dating back to 1969-70, CLICK HERE

2023 National Senior of the Year: Isaiah Collier, Wheeler (Marietta, Ga.) 6-2 PG

This is a special category whenever the Mr. Basketball USA selection is a non-senior and needless to say it doesn't happen often. Collier was the second leading vote-getter in the final Mr. Basketball USA Tracker with 76 points overall (Boozer had 84 points), including five second-place votes.

Collier closed out his senior season strong, netting 22 points and seven assists in the GHSA Class AAAAAAA title game, as Wheeler won a third title in four seasons. Against national level competition, the Wildcats finished 27-7 and No. 20 in the FAB 50 while this powerful and explosive guard averaged 19.6 ppg (58.7% FG, 33.3% 3FG, 79% FT), 5.1 rpg. 6.8 apg and 2.3 spg.

Collier was part of all three state title-winning teams and Wheeler went 102-23 in his four years on the varsity team. Collier, who is part of a USC recruiting class that includes LeBron James Jr., had a game-high 25 points in the McDonald’s All-American Game.

The previous Senior Player of the Year honorees were Carmelo Anthony of Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, Va.) in 2002, powerful center Wes Unseld of Seneca (Louisville, Ky.) in 1964 and talented Tony Jackson of Thomas Jefferson (Brooklyn, N.Y.) in 1957.

2023 National Coach of the Year: Pat Clatchey, Mt. St. Joseph (Baltimore, Md.)

This Maryland power won its eleventh Baltimore Catholic League (BCL) regular season title under the direction of this coaching veteran who just completed his 31st season at his alma mater. Before the 1980 graduate arrived, Mt. St. Joseph had never won the BCL tournament tile dating back to 1972. He was 20 when hired as the school's freshman coach, was a college assistant (UMBC) for three seasons and in private scouting for a year before taking over the program in 1992 at age 29.

This season, the Gaels went 38-4 and advanced to the MIAA Conference A title game, losing to cross-town BCL rival St. Francis Academy of Baltimore. The win total tied a school and BCL single-season record and it could have been broken had Mt. St. Joseph played in the Alhambra Catholic Invitational. The Gaels did capture their second consecutive BCL tourney title with a 59-50 win over St. Maria Goretti, as Amani Hansberry (17 points, 21 rebounds) captured BCL tournament MVP honors for the second consecutive season.

Mt. St. Joseph finished No. 27 in the FAB 50, as Clatchey has now led the program to nine BCL tourney titles, all since 2003. He is now 792-245 in his career and has logged 29 consecutive winning seasons. To give an idea of the strength of the teams the Gaels play on a nightly basis, the eight BCL programs were 105-40 against non-BCL programs.

Clatchey is now the fourth honoree from Maryland, joining legendary coaches Morgan Wootten of DeMatha Catholic (Hyattsville, Md.) in 1998, Bob Wade of Dunbar (Baltimore, Md.) in 1983 and Mark Amatucci of Calvert Hall (Baltimore, Md.) in 1982.

For all-time National Coach of the Year honorees dating back to 1969-70, CLICK HERE

Ronnie Flores is the national Grassroots editor of www.ebooksnet.com. He can be reached at?[email protected]. Don't forget to follow him on Twitter:?@RonMFlores

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RELATED: All-Time Mr. Basketball USA Winners?| Preseason?2022-23 Mr. Basketball USA Tracker?| How To Make A HS Version Of March Madness?

Just as there is no dominant team in this season's FAB 50 National Team Rankings powered by www.ebooksnet.com, there is no one dominant player in the country who outshines the rest as the latest Mr. Basketball USA Tracker powered by www.ebooksnet.com shows. The nation's elite individual talent has been identified, as far as having the most productive 2022-23 season is concerned, but among the 19 top national player of the year candidates there is no consensus as to whom is the best or most dominant.

Of the 19 candidates who appeared on the ballots of the 10-man Mr. Basketball USA Panel, eight received a first place (10 points) or second place vote (nine points). Six players earned at least one first place vote, with sophomore forward Cameron Boozer of FAB 50 No. 6 Columbus (Miami, Fla.) the top vote-getter with 70 overall points, besting USC-point senior point guard Isaiah Collier of FAB 50 No. 36 Wheeler (Marietta, Ga.) by two points and Kentucky-bound shooting guard D.J. Wagner of FAB 50 No. 10 Camden (N.J.) by eight points. Wagner was the leading vote-getter in the preseason (with 71 points) when garnered four of the 10 first place votes. He earned two in the latest voting, two second place votes and 62 total points.

The other candidates to receive first place are Texas-bound forward Ronald Holland of FAB 50 No. 4 Duncanville (Duncanville, Texas), Kentucky-bound Justin Edwards of Imhotep Charter (Philadelphia, Pa.) and Michigan State-bound forward Xavier Booker of Cathedral (Indianapolis, Ind.). Holland came in fourth place over all with 54 points, Edwards in fifth with 52 votes overall, while Booker appeared on two overall ballots, finishing first on one and third on the other for 18 total points.

Three things stand out with the voting results. One, Boozer is a sophomore and no tenth-grader has ever been named Mr. Basketball USA or a consensus national player of the year. Not Lew Alcindor, not LeBron James, no one, so the company Boozer is keeping is worth nothing. Two, Boozer's point total would represent a number significantly lower than the average total of the eventual annual honoree, who is often above 90 points overall. Not one single candidate, not even Boozer or Collier, appeared on all ten ballots. Three, the senior class still hasn't established a true pecking order and the ones who are most popular on social media, particularly Bronny James of Sierra Canyon (Chatsworth, Calif.) and Mikey Williams of San Ysidro (Calif.), did not receive any votes. James was named a McDonald's All-American, to the 13-man USA Team for the Nike Hoop Summit and is being pegged by ESPN as a 2024 NBA lottery pick.

One player who is certainly being rewarded for his senior season of high school is Oregon-bound point guard Jackson Shelstad of FAB 50 No. 20 West Linn (West Linn, Ore.). He did not appear on any preseason ballots, but appeared on four ballots this time around, including a second-place vote, for 25 overall points. Shelstad has been selected for the Nike Hoop Summit.

"With the obvious conclusion that this 2023 class has not met expectations, it is apparent that the creme of the current high school talent rests with several talented underclassmen with Cameron Boozer being exhibit A," said panel member Dinos Trigonis, Nothing But Net Magazine publisher and Pangos All-American Camp director. "While Boozer does not give max effort 100 percent of the time, his displays of dominance signals the arrival of a special player to track.

"What's also apparent here, as the voting results show, is the obvious disconnect between the day-to-day regional and local scouts and some of the national media, particularly ESPN. They have anointed players to "can't miss" status based on celebrity rather than accomplishment."

It's no secret that the 2023 class has been considered one of the weakest ones nationally in recent memory, in terms of NBA Draft prospects and projected collegiate impact. That is reflected in the voting totals of the latest Mr. Basketball USA Tracker. What is also apparent is the end-of-season playoff games and the national all-star circuit will hold as much importance as it has had in many seasons, in terms of individual accomplishment and honors and deciding whom are the best bets to standout at the next levels of the game.

This wide open Mr. Basketball USA race will be fun to track over the next month and a half.

Stay logged in to www.ebooksnet.com?to track the progress of the nation's top individual players and the nation’s Top teams.

Editor's Note: Click on the "+" sign next to each player's number to view how many first, second, third or fourth place votes he got and his overall point total.

Rank	Prev.	Name	High School	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	Total
1	4	Cam Boozer (9)	Columbus (FL)	2	1	2	1	70
2	2	Isaiah Collier (9)	Wheeler (GA)	3	1	1	1	68
3	1	D.J. Wagner (8)	Cathedral (IN)	2	2	1	0	62
4	5T	Ronald Holland (7)	Duncanville (TX)	1	2	2	0	54
5	5T	Justin Edwards (7)	Imhotep Charter (PA)	1	2	0	2	52
6	8T	Cooper Flagg (5)	Montverde Academy (FL)	0	0	1	1	28
7	NR	Jackson Shelstad (4)	West Linn (OR)	0	1	0	0	25
8	10	Tre Johnson (4)	Lake Highlands (TX)	0	0	0	1	20
9	3	Xavier Booker (2)	Cathedral (IN)	1	0	1	0	18
10	11	Flory Budunga (2)	Kokomo (IN)	0	1	0	1	16
11T	11T	Jeremy Fears (2)	Joliet West (IL)	0	0	0	0	11
11T	NR	DeShawn Harris-Smith (1)	Paul VI (VA)	0	0	0	1	11
11T	21	Jared McCain (2)	Centennial (CA)	0	0	0	0	11
11T	19	Matas Buzelis (2)	Sunrise Christian (KS)	0	0	0	0	11
15	NR	Dylan Harper (1)	Don Bosco Prep (NJ)	0	0	1	0	8
16T	14	Aaron Bradshaw (1)	Camden (NJ)	0	0	0	1	7
16T	12T	Baye Fall (1)	Accelerated Schools (CO)	0	0	0	1	7
18	16T	Isaiah Elohim (1)	Sierra Canyon (CA)	0	0	0	0	6
19	8T	Mackenzie Mgbako (1)	Roselle Catholic (NJ)	0	0	0	0	5

About Mr. Basketball USA Tracker Panel
www.ebooksnet.com's panel of 10 experts, which includes five McDonald’s All-American selection committee members, casts its vote for the top national player of the year candidates. Each panelist lists his top seven candidates regardless of class. The votes are then tabulated on a 10-point scoring system with a first-place vote equaling 10 points, a second-place vote earning nine points and down to four points for a seventh-place vote. The number in parenthesis refers to the numbers of ballots on which a player appeared and previous rankings refers to position in last season's final tracker.

The post POY Tracker: Wide Open Race! appeared first on www.ebooksnet.com.

RELATED: All-Time Mr. Basketball USA Winners?| Final 2021-22 Mr. Basketball USA Tracker?

When putting together the 2022-23 preseason FAB 50 National Team Rankings, it was evident this was going to be a wide-open season. There was no dominant high school team over the other elite ones. On that note, it wasn't difficult to peg FAB 50 power and six-time national champion Montverde Academy (Fla.) as preseason No. 1. It was the safe pick. ?

On November 22, preseason No. 4 AZ Compass Prep (Chandler, Ariz.), playing in its first-ever National Interscholastic Basketball Conference (NIBC) game, downed Montverde Academy, 65-54. If this early-season game is any indication, the race for the FAB 50 national title will be wide open. ?

The same can be said about the nation's most prestigious individual honor: Mr. Basketball USA. If the preseason voting results by the 10-man tracker panel is any indication, a number of worthy candidates can emerge as the nation's best player for the 2022-23 season. In a season in which 21 players received recognition as a national player of the year candidate, five different candidates received at least one first-place vote (worth 10 points) and four more received at least one second-place vote (worth nine points).?

The top vote-getter in the?Mr. Basketball USA Tracker powered by www.ebooksnet.com with 71 total points was Kentucky-bound guard D.J. Wagner of preseason FAB 50 No. 7 Camden (N.J.). Wagner was the returning top vote-getter in last season's final balloting (coming in fifth place behind Mr. Basketball USA honoree Dariq Whitehead?of Montverde Academy in Florida) and led the way to begin this season by garnering four first place votes, two second place votes, a third place vote and one sixth place vote. Wagner appeared on eight ballots and no player among the?21 candidates appeared on all ten ballots. So for now Wagner leads the way, but based on the 16-year history of the tracker, where the eventual honoree usually appears on all 10 ballots and receives over 90 points, he's not a slam dunk choice. At least not yet, as Camden opens up its season in early December. ?

Similar to Montverde Academy on the team side, it would seem Wagner is a solid and the safe?choice in a year where there is no sure-fire future No. 1 NBA Draft choice.?

"No one in the senior class has established himself over the class, so D.J. (Wagner) holds up, because no one wanted it enough," said said panel member Van Coleman of Global Sports Television and Nothing But Net Magazine. "The most improved player of the summer was Cameron Boozer. If he has a season like he played at the NBPA Top 100 Camp, he could be the one. He's on course to be a special player."

Boozer, a sophomore (2025 class) at FAB 50 No. 18 Columbus (Miami, Fla.), received one first place vote and came in fourth place overall with 40 points while appearing on six ballots. Kentucky-bound Justin Edwards of No. 10 Imhotep Charter (Philadelphia, Pa.) received one first place vote and finished tied for fifth place with returning All-American Ronald Holland of No. 7 Duncanville (Texas), who did not garner a first place vote, but did receive two second place votes and appeared on five ballots. Both Edwards and Holland finished with 36 overall points.

Michigan St.-bound big man Xavier Booker of No. 13 Cathedral (Indianapolis, Ind.) also garnered a single first place vote, in addition to two second place votes, and came in No. 3 overall in total points with 43. Coming in No. 2 overall behind Wagner with 57 overall points was USC-bound power guard Isaiah Collier of No. 12 Wheeler (Marietta, Ga.). Collier garnered three first place votes, but no second place votes. His point total also consisted of two third place votes, one fourth place vote and one seventh place vote.

While we've known for a while the 2023 class has some work to do to match the accomplishments of the elites of recent classes, the sophomore class looks like it could develop into the best one since the 2020 class that included second year NBA players Cade Cunningham (Pistons), Evan Mobley (Cavs), Jalen Green (Rockets) and Scottie Barnes (Raptors). Not only is Boozer, the son of former NBA player Carlos Boozer, a legit national player of the year candidate, Montverde Academy's Cooper Flagg and guard Meleek Thomas of Lincoln Park Performing Arts (Midland, Pa.) were two other sophomores that also received recognition from the tracker panel.

Only two sophomores have been first five All-Americans in the last 25 years: NBA star?LeBron James of St. Vincent-St. Mary (Akron, Ohio) in 2000-01 and Eastern Michigan wing?Emoni Bates of Lincoln (Ypsilanti, Mich.) in 2019-20. By the middle of his sophomore year when he had a spectacular outing against eventual FAB 50 champ Oak Hill Academy (Va.) in a one-point loss, there were whispers James was the best player in the country over any seniors. That 2001 class, ironically, included Wagner's father and eventual Mr. Basketball USA honoree Dajuan Wagner, who was a teammate for a time in the NBA with James.

D.J. Wagner, Dajuan and grandfather Milt (a 1981 All-American at Camden) are likely to be the first ever third generation McDonald's All-Americans next March. Should D.J. earn Mr. Basketball USA honors, he and his father would become the first father-son national player of the year combo.?

Bates finished fourth in the 2010-20 season's Mr. Basketball USA voting behind honoree Cunningham, Mobley and Green. Bates was the first sophomore ever to earn a credible national player of the year honor (Gatorade). Is what transpired to Bates over the past two years keeping Boozer from being the top candidate this season? Will the tracker panel have some reservations about placing a sophomore on too high of a pedestal? ? ? ? ?

LISTEN and WATCH (23:39) what the hosts of Ballislife's podcast have to say about the Boozer-Bates dynamic and their breakdown of the preseason Mr. Basketball USA voting.?

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RELATED: ??| Ballislife Podcast Network (YouTube)?| ITP Episode 131 (Spotify) | ?ITP Episode 131 (YouTube)?| Ballislife Player Profiles?

The first national scouting service was created in 1957 by the late Dave Bones and called the Cage Scope. The late Bill Cronauer (who passed in August of 2021) started his B/C Scouting Service in 1968 (on the recommendation and encouragement of college coach and tireless recruiting savant George Raveling)?and was the first scout credited with traveling the country to evaluate prospects. The modern 5-star recruiting system was introduced by New York-based Howie Garfinkel, who began in 1963-64 and created his 5-Star Camp in August of 1966. Because of his work in scouting and his contributions to the game through his 5-Star Camps, "Garf" was inducted into the Naismith Hall of Fame in 2021, five years after his death in May 2016 at 86.

Cronauer released player rankings throughout the 1970s and in 1979, Bob Gibbons of Lenoir, N.C., put a number next to each prospect. Clark Francis of the Hoop Scoop first put player rankings out in 1983 and he and Gibbons' All-Star Sports rankings were well publicized and widely distributed throughout the 1980s and 1990s. Gibbons was the chairman for the selection committee for the NIKE Camp for 10 years (1985-1995) and for the NBPA Top 100 Camp when it started in 1994. If a player came out of Nike Camp as the top player, many considered him the No. 1 player in the country, which leads us to 2022 and Nick Smith of North Little Rock (Ark.).

The motivation for this week's episode of the on player rankings was spawned by Richard Davenport of the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. Davenport inquired about which credible rankings service regarded future NBA power forward Corliss Williamson of Russellville (Ark.) as the No. 1 prospect for the 1991-92 season. It became a hot topic in and around The Natural State after Smith finished 2021-22 as the nation's No. 1 ranked prospect by 247Sports.com.

We recall Williamson in the conversation for No. 1, so we dug deeper on the Smith-Williamson topic.

Scout Van Coleman of Future Stars and Gibbons both rated Williamson as the top player at the 1991 Nike Camp. That's where "The Big Nasty" is remembered 30 years later as the nation's top player. At the time, Coleman told the Chicago Tribune?he rated Williamson No. 1 based on his July showings but that by the end of the season point guard Jason Kidd of St. Joseph (Alameda, Calif.) could be the national player of the year and acknowledged No. 1 prospect.

Gibbons rated Williamson No. 2 in his final All-Star Sports rankings behind big man Othella Harrington of Murrah (Jackson, Miss.), while Francis had the future Arkansas Razorback No. 2 behind Kidd in his final Hoop Scoop rankings. Kidd was named Mr. Basketball USA and also earned Naismith Player of the Year honors. Williamson was named Gatorade National Player of the Year.

The ITP crew welcomed Francis on Episode 131 to talk player rankings in those early years and during its heyday in the 1990s when the competition on the camp circuit was at its peak. Francis also gives his take on the 1992 final rankings, offers his perspective on what the rankings mean and why they are important.

Biancardi, ESPN's National Director of Basketball Recruiting, jumped on this week's show to discuss the final 2022 class rankings and his rationale for ESPN's final pecking order with Duke recruit Dereck Lively leading the way. Biancardi also talks about the rankings from the perspective of a former college coach and how his experience in that aspect of the game helps him create ESPN's widely distributed rankings.

So in retrospect, is Williamson a player who can be looked at as the No. 1 prospect 30 years after he finished at Russellville? Or is it revisionist history?

"Yes, that player can be considered No. 1, but it's the final analysis that counts," Francis said. "You can be the best player at a Nike, Adidas, or Reebok camp, or in December at a big tournament, but what everyone remembers is based upon where you were ranked at the end."

"The Razorback fans have been excited about Nick for the past few seasons, but to see him elevated to top 10 status nationally this year, the excitement grew," Davenport said. "Then the final rankings came out and seeing him at number two (Rivals.com) and number three (ESPN.com) in the country took it to another level and it went beyond that when he was announced number one (247Sports)."

And it's not just Smith that University of Arkansas fans are going giddy over. It's coach Eric Musselman bringing in what many consider the second best recruiting class in the nation behind Duke. It has the state clamoring for a return to the glory years under coach Nolan Richardson when the Hogs went to three final fours in six years and won the 1994 NCAA title in Williamson's sophomore season.

"Seeing the Hogs have three 5-star signees and the No. 1 player nationally, the expectations for Arkansas basketball is back to the level of the Nolan Richardson glory days," Davenport said. "I think at the end of the day, most fans see the final rankings being the most important. That considers the full body of work of the prospects in each class. Being great at anything requires consistency and Nick showed that."

Speaking of consistency, Jackson, the 2022 Ballislife National Sophomore of the Year from Cardinal Hayes (Bronx, N.Y.), comes on the ITP Show to talk about his consistently spectacular 2021-22 high school season after COVID-19 took away his freshman campaign. Jackson also talks development, who he patterns his game after and his experiences with USA Basketball. Jackson is currently ranked No. 3 by both ESPN and Rivals and No. 2 by 247Sports.

Editor's Note: The final All-Star Sports and Hoop Scoop ranking for players through the years can be viewed on individual Ballislife profiles. CLICK HERE or click on the PROFILES tab on the www.ebooksnet.com main navigation menu.

RELATED: ??| Ballislife Podcast Network (YouTube)?| ITP Episode 131 (Spotify) | ?ITP Episode 131 (YouTube)?| Ballislife Player Profiles?

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Related: 2021-22 Underclass All-American Elite Team | 2021-22 Mr. Basketball USA: Dariq Whitehead?| 2021-22 Class Players of the Year

The 2021-22 All-American Elite Team, now published for the 28th consecutive season and on the www.ebooksnet.com platform for the eighth time, includes twenty-seven of the nation’s best seniors, led by Mr. Basketball USA Dariq Whitehead of FAB 50 No. 2 Montverde Academy (Montverde, Fla.).

Eighteen seniors and two juniors, including class player of the year DJ Wagner of FAB 50 No. 12 Camden (N.J.) and Ron Holland, the top honors candidate off the No. 1 ranked team in the FAB 50, Duncanville (Texas), headline the 20-player overall first team. The lone repeater off last year’s team is senior Amari Bailey, a third five selection as a junior. Bailey battled injuries put played well enough down the stretch to earn fourth five honors for FAB 50 No. 32 Sierra Canyon (Chatsworth, Calif.). ??Jalen Duren, last season’s national junior of the year and a first five selection, re-classified up to the 2021 class and enrolled at Memphis. This comes on the heels of Patrick Baldwin Jr., the national junior of the year in 2019-20, sitting out the majority of his senior year with injury. In addition to Duren, Emoni Bates also re-classed up and played at Memphis in 2021-22. Bates was the first sophomore since LeBron James in 2000-01 to earn five five All-American honors. In 2020-21, Bates joined Bailey as a third five honoree.

With Scoot Henderson of Kell (Marietta, Ga.), a fourth five selection last season, graduated early from high school to sign with the NBA G League Ignite and with Duren and Bates moving on, this year’s All-American Elite team was sure to have some few faces rewarded for their season-long production. The early departures does change the high school game and alter NBA Draft boards for 2022 and 2023, but there are always hungry and talented players ready to step up and take the place of those that likely would have been returning All-Americans. ??This year’s All-American Elite team is dominated by players from the eight-team National Interscholastic Basketball Conference?(NIBC), which enjoyed its first full conference slate in 2021-22. In addition to Whitehead, six other talented NIBC players made the 20-man first team.

A 30-player second team includes 29 additional seniors. All underclassmen are eligible for All-American Elite team selection and this year’s second team includes Simeon Wilcher of Roselle Catholic (Roselle, N.J.), the lone junior. No sophomore was selected for first or second team and in 28 seasons of publishing annual All-American teams (and on the retroactive teams dating back to the 1954-55 season), no freshman has ever made the first team.

Our national coach of the year is Joe Auer of Wichita Heights (Wichita, Kan.). He guided the Falcons to their sixth KSHAA state title since 2008-09. The Falcons finished 23-2 and ranked No. 19 in the final Southwest Region Top 20 Rankings.

National Grassroots Editor Ronnie Flores selects this performance-based All-American team with input from Mr. Basketball USA panelists. It is chosen after the conclusion of the season, which makes the All-American Elite team more reflective of players who made state championship runs.

This honors squad has been chosen in its current format since the 1994-95 season and is powered by www.ebooksnet.com for the eighth consecutive season. This team is chosen regardless of class and is not exclusive or preferential for seniors named to the Ballislife All-American Game. To view archived All-American teams published under this format, please visit GrassrootsHoops.net.

2021-22 All-American First Team

First Five

G — Cason Wallace, Richardson (Texas) 6-3 Sr.
Although the Eagles were stunned in the UIL Class 6A regional quarterfinals when they were No. 7 in the FAB 50, Wallace was able to lead Richardson to a win over No. 1 Duncanville and to a 32-2 mark. Wallace went for 23 points vs. Duncanville and was named Whataburger Tournament MVP. The two-time District 7-6A Co-MVP averaged 19.9 ppg, 7.4 rpg and 6.1 apg after recording junior season averages of 19.4 ppg, 8.4 rpg and 4.3 apg when Richardson reached the UIL Class 6A semifinals. The Dallas Morning News Player of the Year, Wallace is a two-time all-state honoree and was noted as the team’s best scorer, rebounder and defender by coach Kevin Lawson. He had 7 points and 6 assists in the McDonald’s All-American Game and 15 points in the Jordan Brand Classic.

G — Keyonte George, IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.) 6-3 Sr.
Arguably the best scoring guard in the country, George had a terrific senior season in leading IMG Academy to a GEICO Nationals semifinal spot and 21-5 record against tough competition. With point guard Jaden Bradley out, George averaged 21.5 ppg and 5.5 rpg in IMG’s two games at GEICO Nationals. For the season, the Baylor recruit averaged 17 ppg, 4.7 rpg and 3.1 apg, including a 40-point outing in a double-overtime loss to fellow NIBC club La Lumiere (Ind.). He was named to the McDonald’s and Jordan Brand games and also appeared in the Nike Hoop Summit. George was also the third leading vote-getter in the final Mr. Basketball USA Tracker (64 points) and joined Dariq Whitehead as the only two players to appear on all 10 ballots.

G — Dariq Whitehead, Montverde Academy (Montverde, Fla.) 6-5 Sr.
This Newark, New Jersey native spent five seasons at the famous Florida program and developed into the nation’s top player as a senior when he led the Eagles to a 22-4 mark and No. 2 final FAB 50 ranking. He contributed heavily to four teams that finished 93-8 against the finest competition in the nation. As a sophomore, he came off the bench and averaged 8.3 ppg and 2.7 rpg for one of the best teams in high school history. As a junior, he helped MVA win its second consecutive FAB 50 title by netting 10.4 ppg on another balanced team. This season Whitehead stepped up his game after 2021 junior player of the year Jalen Duren (Memphis) re-classed up. Whitehead hit the big jumpshot in the GEICO Nationals title game win over Link Academy and averaged 15.7 ppg, 5.7 apg, and 3.0 rpg in three games at the event. For the season, the 2022 Mr. Basketball USA averaged 17.1 ppg, 5.1 rpg and 3.8 apg. He was named MVP at the McDonald’s All-American Game (13 pts, 7 rbs, 7 asts) and also shined for Team USA at the Nike Hoop Summit with a team high 17 points, including 5-of-7 3-pointers.

F — Gradey Dick, Sunrise Christian Academy (Bel Aire, Kan.) 6-6 Sr.
This Kansas-bound wing had a terrific senior campaign for a team that spent plenty of the regular season at No. 1 in the FAB 50. Although the Buffaloes were upset in the first round of GEICO Nationals and Dick didn’t finish his season as he would have liked, it doesn’t take away from his overall production and the step up in his game after a junior season in which he averaged 10.3 ppg and 3.9 rpg. In the first full season for the National Interscholastic Basketball Conference (NIBC), which is comprised of many of the top independent academies in the country, Dick was its Player of the Year after averaging 18 ppg, 5.2 rpg, 2 apg and 2 spg. The Gatorade National POY was selected for the Nike Hoop Summit and McDonald’s Game.

C — Dereck Lively II, Westtown School (West Chester, Pa.) 7-1 Sr.
No player in the 2022 national class kept improving as Lively did over the course of his career. He produced enough to finish as the No. 2 vote-getter in the final Mr. Basketball USA Tracker after not receiving any votes as a junior. He started high school backing up Jalen Duren (Memphis) on Team Final’s 15U team, but developed enough to led the 2021 EYBL in blocked shots (3.7 bpg) and added 8.4 ppg and 6.7 rpg in 15 outings. Lively then led Peach Jam in blocked shots, as Team Final captured the prestigious event title for the first time in program history. Lively followed up that terrific summer run with an outstanding senior campaign. He averaged 14 ppg, 15 rpg, and 4.5 bpg for a 31-7 team that won the Pennsylvania Independent Schools Athletic Association (PISAA) state title.

Second Five

G — Nick Smith Jr., North Little Rock (Ark.) 6-4 Sr.
Teaming up with fellow McDonald’s All-American and second team selection Kel’el Ware (Oregon), this dynamic guard had a monster senior season for a 27-3 team that played a national schedule and finished No. 17 in the FAB 50. Smith averaged 26.5 ppg, 8 rpg, and 7.3 apg after pumping in 25 ppg during his junior season at Sylvan Hills (Sherwood, Ark.). A two-time State Player of the Year by the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, Smith finished his season strong at the national all-star games. He was named MVP at the Jordan Brand Classic (27 points, 5-7 3-point FG) and had 10 points and three assists for Team USA at the Nike Hoop summit. At least one national recruiting service feels he’s the No. 1 prospect in the class and he’s the state’s highest rated recruit since 1992 first five selection Corliss Williamson (Russellville, Ark.). That season, Williamson finished ranked No. 2 by both All-Star Sports (behind Othella Harrington) and the Hoop Scoop (behind Mr. Basketball USA Jason Kidd). Similar to Williamson, Smith will play his college ball at Arkansas.

G — DJ Wagner, Camden (Camden, N.J.) 6-3 Jr.
This year’s national junior of the year has been much publicized since entering a school where his father (Dajuan Wagner) and grandfather (Milt Wagner) had All-American careers. D.J. has been named all-state twice and also earned national freshman of the year honors in 2019-20 and the national sophomore of the year in 2020-21, the latter when he averaged 22 ppg and led his team to a 13-0 mark. This season Wagner finally got a full campaign against a national schedule after COVID-19 protocols slowed Jersey teams in his first two years, and he was equally spectacular. Wagner led The High to a 31-3 mark and its first appearance in the NJ TOC title game since 1999-2000. Along the way, he averaged 19.8 ppg, 4.7 rpg, 3.5 spg, and 3.3 apg and was named NJ.com Player of the Year. A two-time Gatorade State POY with his senior season left to go, Wagner has led Camden to a 73-4 mark in his three varsity seasons.

G — Chris Livingston, Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, Va) 6-6 Sr.
This talented wing has been one of the best players in his class since he averaged 23.7 ppg as a freshman at Butchel (Akron, Ohio). He would be in similar position, honors-wise, if he stayed in Ohio, but Livingston wanted to challenge himself against better players more similar in size to the defenders he’ll see in college. This competitive big guard was the Warriors’ top offensive threat and also played hard on the defensive end. For the season, Livingston averaged 18.1 ppg, 9.11 rbg and 3.2 apg in leading Oak Hill to a 33-8 mark and No. 8 FAB 50 ranking in Steve Smith’s final season as coach. Smith’s 34th and final McDonald’s All-American, Livingston had 13 points and five assists in the East’s victory over the West and also had a 21-point, 3-steal outing at the Jordan Brand Classic.

F — Ron Holland, Duncanville (Duncanville, Texas) 6-8 Jr.
Was edged by D.J. Wagner for national junior player of the year, but he would have been a fine selection nonetheless as one of the two big guns on the No. 1 team in the FAB 50. Despite playing on a talented and balanced team that had four players average over 9 ppg, Holland’s individual talent shined on both ends of the floor. As a freshman, Holland came off the bench (4.5 ppg, 3.5 rpg) for a club that was denied a chance at the UIL Class 6A state title because of COVID-19 and last year averaged 13.8 ppg and 10.1 rpg for a 29-1 club that finished No. 10 in the FAB 50. One of the better rebounders in the country, Holland developed into the leading scorer for the Panthers playing alongside McDonald’s All-American and second team All-American selection Anthony Black. Black was named District 11-6A Offensive Player of the Year, but it was Holland who was its overall POY after averaging 15 ppg while shooting 60 percent from the field while adding 8 rpg and 2 spg.

C — Braden Huff, Glenbard West (Glen Ellyn, Ill.) 6-11 Sr.
?One of the best and most versatile pivots in the country, Huff beat opponents with an array of offensive moves, defensive smarts and team play. After averaging 17.5 ppg, 6.5 rpg and 2.8 apg for a 13-1 team whose 2020-21 season was cut short by COVID-19, big things were expected of Huff and the Hilltoppers in 2021-22. They more than delivered, finishing No. 13 in the FAB 50 with a 37-1 record after starting out at No. 29. Huff was the catalyst, as he averaged 16.8 ppg, 6 rpg, 3 apg, 1.5 spg and 1.5 bpg for a team that lost its only game to a nationally-ranked foe at the buzzer. The Chicago Sun-Times Player of the Year, Huff was also the top vote-getter on the A.P Class 4A All-State Team. He was focused to have a big season, delivered and is now headed to Gonzaga.

Third Five

G — Donovan Dent, Centennial (Corona, Calif.) 6-2 Sr.
Perhaps no player in the country elevated his All-American candidacy based on his senior year as much as this New Mexico-bound point guard. He was the catalyst for the No. 5 team in the FAB 50 that finished with a 33-1 record and won the program’s first ever CIF Open Division title. Even quality defensive players can’t stay in front of Dent because of his first-step quickness and instincts. Dent averaged 16.4 ppg, 4.5 rpg, 6.7 apg and 1.9 spg after leading the team in scoring (15.4 ppg) and assists (4.3 apg) as a junior when the Huskies went 21-2 and won their first of two consecutive CIFSS open division titles. The Player of the Year by the Riverside Press Enterprise and L.A. Times, he’s also been named State Player of the Year by Cal-Hi Sports.

G — Cameron Whitmore, Archbishop Spalding (Severn, Md.) 6-7 Sr.
Had an honors-filled career for the Cavaliers and closed his high school career strong on the national all-star circuit. He had 16 points, nine rebounds and four assists at the Jordan Brand Classic and a team-high 19 points, eight rebounds, five assists and two steals at the McDonald’s All-American Game. A model of consistency at Archbishop Spalding, Whitmore averaged 21.4 ppg, 10.6 rpg, 2.3 apg and 1.6 spg as a senior after putting up 22.0 ppg and 11.7 rpg game as a junior. The two-time Baltimore Catholic League Player of the Year is headed to Villanova.

F — Dillon Mitchell, Montverde Academy (Montverde, Fla.) 6-7 Sr.
Similar to Dent, Mitchell was another who elevated his game as a senior after playing at two different Florida programs as an underclassman. The Mr. Basketball panel took notice of his improved play after helping the Eagles finish No. 2 in the FAB 50, as he appeared on five final ballots, including two fourth-place votes. After averaging 12.4 ppg, 9.5 rpg and 4.4 apg at Sickles (Fla.) as a sophomore, Mitchell helped Bishop McLaughlin (Spring Hill, Fla.) to the Class 3 state final last season by averaging 17.6 ppg and 10.6 rpg. His numbers at MVA were modest, but it was an honors-filled season for one of the most athletic and versatile players in the nation. Mitchell was named MVP of the City of Palms Classic and played well at GEICO Nationals (11.9 ppg, 6.6 rpg, 1.4 bpg). He also had nine points, four rebounds and two steals at the McDonald’s All-American game, and led his team to the win and copped MVP honors at the Jordan Brand Classic with 18 points.

F — Jarace Walker, IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.) 6-6 Sr. ?
This physical forward has been on the national scene since middle school and we recall him providing a spark off the bench (7.1 ppg, 4.0 rpg, 2.3 apg) on the Ascenders’ FAB 50 title team as a freshman. He was a terrific defender who did a bit of everything as a sophomore (8.8 ppg, 6.6 rpg, 5.3 apg, 1.5 spg, 1.5 bpg), but battled injuries as a junior when he averaged 10.1 ppg, 6.5 rpg and 3.5 apg. Walker improved his all-around offensive repertoire as a senior while still being physically dominant on both ends of the floor. It resulted in 16.7 ppg (68 percent from the field), 8.2 rpg, 4.0 apg, and 2.2 bpg for a GEICO Nationals semifinalist. He’s headed to Houston.

F — Brandon Miller, Cane Ridge (Nashville, Tenn.) 6-8 Sr.
Draws positive raves for his long-term potential, but backs it up with terrific production for the Ravens. As a junior, Miller led Cane Ridge to the Division I Class AAA state finals by averaging 23.3 ppg, 8.4 rpg and 2.6 bpg. Individually he was even better in 2021-22, even though the Ravens fell in the state quarterfinals and finished 25-7. Miller averaged 26.9 ppg, 7.9 rpg, 2.4 apg and 2.1 spg and was named TSAA Class AAAA Mr. Basketball. He finished with over 2,100 career points.

Fourth Five

G — Collin Chandler, Farmington (Utah) 6-5 Sr.
Arguably the biggest snub in the national all-star game selections, Chandler is a high-level athlete, a terrific scorer and fearless competitor. He led Farmington to the second round of the Class 6A state tourney after averaging 21.7 ppg. 4.3 rpg, 2.8 apg and 1.7 spg. For his efforts, the three-time all-state honoree was chosen Gatorade State Player of the Year. He’s headed to BYU and will take a two-year Mormon Mission before enrolling in college in 2024.

G — Amari Bailey, Sierra Canyon (Chatsworth, Calif.) 6-5 Sr.
One of the most explosive players in the country, Bailey is the only repeat first team selection after earning California Mr. Basketball honors as a junior when he averaged 29.2 ppg, 9.1 rpg and 6.5 apg. He is a talented scorer, but also a capable defender and spark plug on that end of the floor. He drops to fourth five in 2021-22 because he played a fragmented season, averaging 18.5 ppg, 5.6 rpg and 2.9 apg in 15 games as Sierra Canyon juggled multiple lineups throughout the season. Bailey closed strong, however, netting 15 points in the Jordan Brand Classic and 10 points apiece in the McDonald’s Game and Nike Hoop Summit.

G — Fletcher Loyer, Homestead (Ft. Wayne, Ind.) 6-4 Sr.
Capped an honors-filled career by earning Gatorade State Player of the Year honors and winning a national 3-point contest during Final Four weekend in Louisiana. The younger brother of Foster Loyer, he joins his older brother as a first team selection, as the Michigan State guard was a first five selection at Clarkston (Mich.) in 2018. Fletcher also started his career at Clarkston, where he started as a freshman and averaged 21.8 ppg as a sophomore. As a junior in his first season at Homestead, Loyer shot at a 50-40-90 clip and finished the season averaging 24.4 ppg, 4.9 rpg and 4.5 apg. His big senior season saw him average 26.9 ppg, 5.3 rpg, 3.6 apg and 2.2 spg for a team that reached the regional semifinals. The Purdue recruit finished with 2,163 career points.

F — Mark Mitchell, Sunrise Christian Academy (Bel Aire, Kan.) 6-8 Sr.
After earning underclass All-American honors in each of his three seasons at Bishop Miege (Shawnee Mission, Kan.), this talented left-handed slashing scorer joined a Buffaloes program that competed for the NIBC title. He helped the program spend a majority of the regular season at No. 1 in the FAB 50 by averaging 16.1 ppg, 6.0 rpg and 2.7 apg. He joins teammate Gradey Dick on first team, as two other NIBC clubs (Montverde Academy, IMG Academy) also had two players honored on first team. Mitchell netted a team-high 19 points in the McDonald’s All-American Game.

C — Donovan Clingan, Bristol Central (Bristol, Conn.) 6-10 Sr.
One of the best players in state history, Clingan capped a stellar four-year career by averaging 30.1 ppg, 18.4 rpg and 6.2 bpg for the Connecticut Interscholastic Athletic Conference (CIAC) Division II champs. Clingan’s in-state dominance included shooting 73 percent on two-point field goals and 33 percent from outside the arc for a 28-0 team. In 2020-21, he led his team to a 15-0 mark and its first Central Connecticut Conference title since 2002-03 by averaging 27.3 ppg, 17.2 rpg and 5.8 bpg. A four-time All-CCC selection, Clingan was a three-time all-state choice and two-time GameTimeCT State Player of the Year. The Connecticut recruit finished with 2,268 career points (No. 7 all-time in CIAC) and set school career marks with 1,518 rebounds and 540 career blocks.

2021-22 All-American Second Team

G — Dylan Andrews, AZ Compass Prep (Chandler, Ariz.) 6-4 Sr.
F — Terrance Arceneaux, Beaumont United (Beaumont, Texas) 6-7 Sr.
G — Mark Armstrong, St. Peter’s Prep (South Orange, N.J.) 6-2 Sr.
F — Tobe Awaka, Cardinal Hayes (Bronx, N.Y.) 6-8 Sr.
G — Anthony Black, Duncanville (Duncanville, Texas) 6-7 Sr.
C — Adem Bona, Prolific Prep (Napa, Calif.) 6-9 Sr.
F — Darren Buchanan, Wilson (Washington, D.C.) 6-7 Sr.
F — Barry Dunning, McGill-Toolen (Mobile, Ala.) 6-7 Sr.
F — Derrian Ford, Magnolia (Ark.) 6-4 Sr.
F — Taylor Hendricks, Calvary Christian (Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.) 6-9 Sr.
C — Joe Hurlburt, Enderlin Area (Enderlin, N.D.) 6-11 Sr.
F — Jasen Green, Millard North (Omaha, Neb.) 6-8 Sr.
G — Rylan Griffen, Richardson (Texas) 6-4 Sr.
G — Ja’Kwon Hill, Volcano Vista (Albuquerque, N.M.) 6-2 Sr.
G — Trejuan Holloman, Cretin-Derham Hall (St. Paul, Minn.) 6-2 Sr.
G — Joseph “JoJo” Hunter, San Joaquin Memorial (Fresno, Calif.) 6-4 Sr.
G — Ricky “Pop Pop” Isaacs Jr., Coronado (Henderson, Nev.) 6-2 Sr.
G — Aidan Mahaney, Campolindo (Moraga, Calif.) 6-2 Sr.
G — Arterio Morris, Kimball (Dallas, Texas) 6-3 Sr.
F — Tarris Reed, Link Academy (Branson, Mo.) 6-9 Sr.
G — Brice Sensebaugh, Lake Highland Prep (Orlando, Fla.) 6-6 Sr.
G — Braden Smith, Westfield (Ind.) 6-1 Sr.
G — J.J. Starling, La Lumiere (La Porte, Ind.) 6-4 Sr.
G — Bruce Thornton, Milton (Ga.) 6-2 Sr.
G — Seth Trimble, Menomonee Falls (Wis.) 6-3 Sr.
F — Jordan Walsh, Link Academy (Branson, Mo.) 6-7 Sr.
C — Kel’el Ware, North Little Rock (Ark.) 7-0 Sr.
G —Tre White, Prolific Prep (Napa, Calif.) 6-5 Sr.
G — Simeon Wilcher, Roselle Catholic (Roselle, N.J.) 6-4 Jr.
F — Darrion Williams, Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas, Nev.) 6-6 Sr.

Related: 2021-22 Underclass All-American Elite Team | 2021-22 Mr. Basketball USA: Dariq Whitehead?| 2021-22 Class Players of the Year

Note: ESPN selections 2010-2012; EA SPORTS selections 2003-2009; Student Sports selections prior to 2003; Selections are based on high school accomplishment, not future college/pro potential, and are reflective of those that lead their teams to state championships. The editors of www.ebooksnet.com do not knowingly select fifth-year players, and those ineligible due to age or academics, Mr. Basketball USA or to its various All-American teams.

Ronnie Flores is the national Grassroots editor of www.ebooksnet.com. He can be reached at?[email protected]. Don't forget to follow him on Twitter:?@RonMFlores

The post 2021-22 High School All-American Elite Team appeared first on www.ebooksnet.com.

Related: 2021-22 All-American Elite Team | 2021-22 Mr. Basketball USA: Dariq Whitehead?| 2021-22 Class Players of the Year

Three juniors named to the 28th Annual All-American Elite Team headline a group of 80 elite players selected to the 2021-22 Underclass All-American team powered by www.ebooksnet.com.

Shooting guard DJ Wagner of Camden (Camden, N.J.), this year’s National Junior of the Year, was named to the overall All-American Elite second five and came in fifth place in the final Mr. Basketball USA Tracker. Wagner has been named class player of the year in each of his first three seasons.?Ron Holland, the ringleader for the No. 1 team in the FAB 50 at Duncanville (Texas), was also a second five selection. ??A third junior, Simeon Wilcher of Roselle Catholic (Roselle, N.J.), was the lone underclassman to make the 30-man second team. Wilcher led his team to the final New Jersey Tournament of Champions title over Wagner’s Camden club. Wilcher averaged 17.5 ppg, 6.5 rpg and 7.1 apg for the No. 9 team in the FAB 50 and went for 22 points, seven rebounds and five assists in the TOC title game.

Each season, players classifying up in order to speed up the recruiting process or transfer in hopes the move will be more advantageous to their development and this off-season is no different.

Marvel Allen, a terrific guard from Calvary Christian Academy (Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.), has already announced he will spend his senior season at Montverde Academy (Montverde, Fla.). Forward Naasir Cunningham of Gill St. Bernard’s (Gladstone, N.J.), one of the top sophomores in the country, has announced he will forgo his final two seasons of traditional high school eligibility to sign with Overtime Elite. ??OTE was created as an alternative route to professional basketball outside the path the majority of prospects take, which is NCAA college basketball. Normally signing with OTE signals the end of amateur stats, as the fledging league has been promoted as one that offers a salary to young basketball players. It’s been reported Cunningham will forgo an OTE salary, which is designed to preserve his eligibly to play NCAA basketball should he choose that route after his time with OTE.

OTE will explore Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) endorsement deals for Cunningham. Some state laws prohibit or restrict NIL deals for high school athletes, but in most states it is not illegal or against state association rules to sign an endorsement deal, provided that endorsement is not facilitated with the athlete wearing or promoting garments or items trademarked and/or licensed by the state association or the NCAA.

Despite some of these underclass All-Americans being perceived with NIL valuations up to seven figures by recruiting networks, not many details for the few NIL deals that do exist for high school athletes have been made public.

Will NIL eventually have a major impact at the high school level in light of the various laws and policies around the country? NIL will eventually be regulated to some extent at the NCAA level since all the programs fall under the jurisdiction of the NCAA. That uniform regulation won’t exist at the high school level.

Regardless of where NIL is headed at the collegiate and high school level, expect more player movement as the summer rolls on.

National Grassroots Editor Ronnie Flores selects this performance-based squad with input from Mr. Basketball USA panelists. It is chosen after the conclusion of the season, which makes the Underclass All-American Team more reflective of players who made state championship runs.

Our national coach of the year is Joe Auer of Wichita Heights (Wichita, Kan.).

Juniors to Watch (2023)

G — Marvel Allen, Calvary Christian (Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.) 6-4
F — Matas Buzelis, Brewster Academy (Wolfeboro, N.H.) 6-9
G — Layden Blocker, Sunrise Christian Academy (Bel Aire, Kan.) 6-2
G — Kylan Boswell, AZ Compass Prep (Chandler, Ariz.) 6-1
G — Stephon Castle, Newton (Covington, Ga.) 6-6
G — Isaiah Collier, Wheeler (Marietta, Ga.) 6-2
G — Gabe Cupps, Centerville (Centerville, Ohio) 6-2
G — Freddie Dilione, Word of God (Raleigh, N.C.) 6-5
G — Robert Dillingham, Donda Academy (Simi Valley, Calif.) 6-2
F — Justin Edwards, Imhotep Charter (Philadelphia, Pa.) 6-7
C — Baye Fall, Denver Prep (Denver, Col.) 6-10
G — Caleb Foster, Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, Va.) 6-2
C — Brandon Garrison, Del City (Del City, Okla.) 6-9
F — Greg Jones, Hayfield (Alexandria, Va.) 6-6
F — Rayvon Griffith, Taft (Cincinnati, Ohio) 6-6
F — Amani Hansberry, Mt. St. Joseph (Baltimore, Md.) 6-7
F — Ronald Holland, Duncanville (Duncanville, Texas) 6-8
G — Josh Hubbard, Ridgeland Academy (Madison Miss.) 5-10
F — G.G. Jackson, Ridge View (Columbia, S.C.) 6-9
G — London Johnson, Norcross (Ga.) 6-4
G — Ty-Laur Johnson, St. Benedict’s Prep (Newark, N.J.) 6-0
G — K.J. Lewis, Chapin (El Paso, Texas) 6-4
G — Jared McCain, Centennial (Corona, Calif.) 6-2
F — Mackenzie Mgbako, Gill St. Bernard (Gladstone, N.J.) 6-7
G — Ruben Rodriguez, Reading (Reading, Pa.) 6-1
G — Jackson Shelstad, West Linn (Ore.) 6-0
G — Reed Sheppard, North Laurel (London, Ky.) 6-3
F — Sean Stewart, Windmere (Fla.) 6-8
F — Dusty Stromer, Notre Dame (Sherman Oaks, Calif.) 6-7
F — Daily Swain, Africentric Early College (Columbus, Ohio) 6-6
G — R.J. Taylor, Grand Blanc (Mich.) 5-11
G — D.J. Wagner, Camden (N.J.) 6-2
F — Ja’Kobe Walter, McKinney (McKinney, Texas) 6-5
G — Simeon Wilcher, Roselle Catholic (Roselle, N.J.) 6-4
G — Wesley Yates III, Beaumont United (Beaumont, Texas) 6-4

2022 National Junior of the Year: D.J. Wagner

Sophomores to Watch (2024)

G — Marcus Allen, Norland (Miami, Fla.) 6-6
F — Jason Asemota, Hillcrest Prep (Phoenix, Ariz.) 6-7
F — Airious Bailey, McEachern (Powder Springs, Ga.) 6-7
C — Flory Bidunga, Kokomo (Ind.) 6-10
G — Tayshawn Bridges, Milwaukee Academy of Science (Milwaukee, Wis.) 6-1
G — David Castillo, Bartlesville (Bartlesville, Okla.) 6-2
F — Naasir Cunningham, Gill St. Bernard’s (Gladstone, N.J.) 6-7
C — Ayden Davis, Onsted (Mich.) 6-9
G — Zoom Diallo, Curtis (University Place, Wash.) 6-3
G — Isaiah Elohim, Sierra Canyon (Chatsworth, Calif.) 6-4
F — Donnie Freeman, St. John’s (Washington, D.C.) 6-8
G — Johnuel “Boogie” Fland, Archbishop Stepinac (White Plains, N.Y.) 6-3
G — Ian Jackson, Cardinal Hayes (Bronx, N.Y.) 6-6
F — Morez Johnson, St. Rita (Chicago, Ill.) 6-9
G — Tre Johnson, Lake Highlands (Garland, Texas) 6-5
F — Karter Knox, Tampa Catholic (Tampa, Fla.) 6-5
F — Liam McNeeley, John Paul II (Plano, Texas) 6-7
G — Vyctorius Miller, Crean Lutheran (Irvine, Calif.) 6-4
G — Juni Mobley, Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas, Nev.) 6-0
G — Sir Mohammed, Myers Park (Charlotte, N.C. ) 6-5
G — Ahmad Nowell, Imhotep Charter (Philadelphia, Pa.) 6-0
G — Paul McNeil, Richmond Senior (Rockingham, N.C.) 6-5
G —Travis Perry, Lyon County (Eddyville, Ky.) 6-2
G — Tahaad Pettiford, Hudson Catholic (Jersey City, N.J.) 5-11
G — Jamari Phillips, Modesto Christian (Modesto, Calif.) 6-4
F — Jarin Stevenson, Seaforth (Pittsboro, N.C.) 6-9
F — Bryson Tucker, Mt. St. Joseph (Baltimore, Md.) 6-6
F — Dylan Warlick, Edmond North (Edmond, Okla.) 6-6
G — Robert Wright II, Neumann-Goretti (Philadelphia, Pa.) 6-0
F — Sammie Yeahay, The Rock (Gainesville, Fla.) 6-8

2022 National Sophomore of the Year: Ian Jackson

Freshmen to Watch (2025)

F — Cameron Boozer, Columbus (Miami, Fla.) 6-8
F — Brayden Burries, Poly (Riverside, Calif.) 6-5
G — Josh Dixon, North Cobb Christian (Kennesaw, Ga.) 6-0
G — Jerry Easter, Emmanuel Christian (Toledo, Ohio) 6-5
F — Cooper Flagg, Nokomis Regional (Newport, Maine) 6-8
G — Isiah Harwell, Century (Boise, Idaho) 6-5
F — Bryce Heard, Kenwood Academy (Chicago, Ill.) 6-5
C — Parker Jefferson, Waxahachie (Texas) 6-10
F — Jamier Jones, Riverview (Sarasota, Fla.) 6-5
G — Trey McKenney, St, Mary’s Prep (Orchard Lake, Mich.) 6-3
F — Koa Peat, Perry (Gilbert, Ariz.) 6-7
G — Darryn Peterson, Cuyahoga Valley Christian Academy (Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio) 6-5
G — Jovani Ruff, Poly (Long Beach, Calif.) 6-4
G —Cameron Ward, Largo (Upper Marlboro, Md.) 6-5
F — Tounde Yessoufou, St. Joseph (Santa Maria, Calif.) 6-5

2022 National Freshman of the Year: Cameron Boozer

National Coach of the Year: Joe Auer of Wichita Heights (Wichita, Kan.)

Related: 2021-22 All-American Elite Team | 2021-22 Mr. Basketball USA: Dariq Whitehead?| 2021-22 Class Players of the Year

Note: ESPN selections 2010-2012; EA SPORTS selections 2003-2009; Student Sports selections prior to 2003; Selections are based on high school accomplishment, not future college/pro potential, and are reflective of those that lead their teams to state championships. The editors of www.ebooksnet.com do not knowingly select fifth-year players, and those ineligible due to age or academics, Mr. Basketball USA or to its various All-American teams.

Ronnie Flores is the national Grassroots editor of www.ebooksnet.com. He can be reached at?[email protected]. Don't forget to follow him on Twitter:?@RonMFlores

The post 2021-22 Underclass All-American Elite Team appeared first on www.ebooksnet.com.

RELATED:  Preseason Mr. Basketball USA Tracker | All-Time Honorees | Ballislife Podcast Network |

In the race for national player of the year honors, the post-season and national all-star games are traditionally a big factor in deciding who earns the title Mr. Basketball USA, the production-based national player of the year honor selected by Ballislife's 10-man panel of national scouts. This year's national player of the year race was wide-open from the start and the results of the final Mr. Basketball USA Tracker reveal some surprising results.

Dariq Whitehead, the Duke-bound wingman who contributed to four excellent Montverde Academy (Montverde, Fla.) teams over his career, capped off his four-year run by topping the voting tally in this season's final tracker. Today, Whitehead is honored with the title of 2021-22 Mr. Basketball USA.

In his career, Whitehead helped the Eagles win back-to-back FAB 50 national titles in 2020 and 2021. In 2020, Whitehead was a reserve on one of the greatest teams of all-time and one of seven players to average between 8.3 ppg and 13.9 ppg. The team's ringleaders were leading scorer and 2020 Mr. Basketball USA Cade Cunningham and third leading scorer Scottie Barnes (11.6 ppg), who was also second in rebounding (6.5), second in assists (4.6 apg) first in deflections (1.7 dpg), and first in steals (1.9 spg). Just this week, Barnes was named NBA Rookie of the Year for the Toronto Raptors, while Cunningham came in third in the voting behind 2020 Mr. Basketball USA runner-up Evan Mobley (Barnes was No. 5 in the final voting).

Last season, Whitehead averaged 10.4 ppg on a balanced team that won its second consecutive mythical national title. That team was led by national junior of the year Jalen Duren, who finished third in the final 2021 Mr. Basketball USA voting with 66 total points behind unanimous honoree Chet Holmgren of Gonzaga (100 points out of a possible 100) and runner-up Jabari Smith of Auburn (79 points). Duren, along with highly-regarded prospect Emoni Bates (the 2020 National Sophomore of the Year) both re-classed up and played for Memphis in 2021-22. The void they left helped create the wide-open race heading into 2021-22.

Whitehead came in No. 5 in the preseason balloting (40 points while appearing on six of 10 ballots). The leader in the clubhouse was 7-foot-1 center Dereck Lively of Westtown School (West Chester, Pa.), who appeared on all ten ballots, received seven first place votes and finished with 84 points.

Whitehead stepped up big-time after Duren left for Memphis and the Mr. Basketball USA panel took notice. Whitehead led Montverde Academy to a 22-4 season, including a GEICO Nationals title and final No. 2 FAB 50 ranking. Whitehead hit the big jump shot in the GEICO Nationals title game win over Link Academy (Branson, Mo.) and averaged 15.7 ppg, 5.7 apg, and 3.0 rpg in three games at the end-of-season event. For the season, Whitehead averaged 17.1 ppg, 5.1 rpg and 3.8 apg for the nation's No. 2 team in the FAB 50.

Whitehead cemented his status as 2021-22's top performer at the national all-star games, which allowed him to over take preseason front-runner Lively, his future Duke teammate as part of new coach John Scheyer's top-rated recruiting class. Whitehead was named MVP at the McDonald’s All-American Game (13 pts, 7 rbs, 7 asts) and also shined for Team USA at the Nike Hoop Summit with a team-high 17 points, including 5-of-7 3-pointers.

Whitehead and Lively received all 10 first place votes, with Whitehead receiving seven, one second place vote (9 points), one fifth place vote (six points) and one sixth place vote (five points) for 90 total points. Lively didn't appear at all on one ballot and, in addition to his three first place votes, received two second places votes, one third place vote, one fourth, one sixth and one 10th place vote for a total of 69 points.

"I'm so happy and proud of Dariq," said Montverde Academy coach Kevin Boyle. "He started at Montverde Academy in the eighth grade and has matured to incredible heights as a person, player and student."

Only one other player appeared on all ten ballots alongside Whitehead among 24 candidates: shooting guard Keyonte George of IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.). He garnered one second place vote and three third place votes and finished five points behind Lively with 64 points. Two of Whitehead's teammates at Montverde Academy (Texas bound Dillon Mitchell and junior Kwame Evans) and two of George's teammates at IMG Academy (Houston bound Jarace Walker and Alabama bound Jaden Bradley) also received player of the year votes. It speaks to the wide open nature of the balloting and the consensus opinion of the panel that there are no sure-fire top NBA Draft pick types at the level Holmgren and Smith were graded at the top of the 2021 class, which made the voting this season as difficult as any in the 15-year history of the Mr. Basketball USA Tracker.

"I believe there is very little separation between No. 1 and No. 10 and no clear cut best combination of player talent and season production," said panel member Van Coleman of Nothing But Net Magazine. This was the toughest voting in years, likely due to class hopping and pro opportunities."

"This was perhaps the toughest selections ever; not just one (or even two or three) clear cut candidates for No. 1," said panel member Frank Burlison of BurlisonOnBasketball.com. "I gave Whitehead the nod because Montverde 'won it all' on the prep school level, plus he was very good in all of his team’s key games, as well as during the all-star game circuit."

The 10-man Mr. Basketball USA panel feels there is still time and room for this class to grow, which is exactly what Whitehead did during his five years at Montverde Academy. It will be interesting to see how the majority of these fine high school players develop and perform at the college level next season.

For now, Whitehead exhibited all the qualities and met the criteria to be named the nation's best high school player. If history is any indication, Whitehead is one the path to a successful career at the next levels of the game.

Editor's Note: Click on the "+" sign next to each player's number to view how many first, second, third or fourth place votes he got and his overall point total. Previous tracker results are also listed ("Prev.").

Rank	Prev.	Name	High School	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	Total
1	5	Dariq Whitehead (10)	Montverde Academy (FL)	7	1	0	0	90
2	1	Dereck Lively (9)	Westtown School (PA)	3	2	1	1	69
3	4	Keyontae George (10)	IMG Academy (FL)	0	1	3	1	64
4	8	Nick Smith (7)	North Little Rock (AR)	0	2	1	1	45
5	3	D.J. Wagner (8)	Camden (NJ)	0	0	3	0	36
6	7	Cason Wallace (6)	Richardson (TX)	0	0	2	0	31
7	2	Amari Bailey (5)	Sierra Canyon (CA)	0	1	0	0	26
8T	NR	Gradey Dick (5)	Sunrise Christian Academy (KS)	0	0	0	1	24
8T	NR	Dillon Mitchell (5)	Montverde Academy (FL)	0	0	0	2	24
10	NR	Jarace Walker (4)	IMG Academy (FL)	0	2	0	0	23
11	7	Jaden Bradley (4)	IMG Academy (FL)	0	0	0	1	21
12	NR	Cam Whitmore (3)	Archbishop Spalding (MD)	0	0	0	1	18
13	9	Chris Livingston (6)	Oak Hill Academy (VA)	0	0	0	0	16
14	20T	Mark Mitchell (3)	Sunrise Christian Academy (KS)	0	0	0	1	12
15	20T	Kwame Evans (2)	Montverde Academy (FL)	0	1	0	0	11
16T	10	Collin Chandler (3)	Farmington (UT)	0	0	0	0	7
16T	NR	Kel’el Ware (1)	North Little Rock (AR)	0	0	0	1	7
18	11	Baye Fall (1)	Denver Prep (CO)	0	0	0	0	6
19	NR	Donovan Dent (2)	Centennial (CA)	0	0	0	0	5
20T	15T	Adem Bona (1)	Prolific Prep (CA)	0	0	0	0	4
20T	NR	Ronald Holland (2)	Duncanville (TX)	0	0	0	0	4
22	NR	Josh Phillips (1)	Link Academy (MO)	0	0	0	0	3
23T	NR	Anthony Black (1)	Duncanville (TX)	0	0	0	0	2
23T	NR	Brandon Miller (1)	Cane Ridge (TN)	0	0	0	0	2

2021-22 Mr. Basketball USA Tracker Panel

Paul Biancardi, ESPN National Director of Basketball Recruiting
Frank Burlison, BurlisonOnBasketball.com Publisher
Van Coleman, Nothing But Net Magazine
Jordan Divens, Maxpreps.com National Basketball Editor
Ronnie Flores, www.ebooksnet.com National Grassroots Editor
Chris Lawlor, Blue Star Media National Analyst
Jerry Meyer, McDonald's All-American Voter
Horace Neysmith, AllMetroHoops.com
Patrick Stanwood, Patrick Stanwood Basketball
Dinos Trigonis, Fullcourt Press Editor & Publisher

About Basketball USA Tracker Panel
www.ebooksnet.com's panel of 10 experts, which includes six McDonald’s All-American selection committee members, casts its vote for the top national player of the year candidates. Each panelist lists his top seven candidates regardless of class. The votes are then tabulated on a 10-point scoring system with a first-place vote equaling 10 points, a second-place vote earning nine points and down to four points for a seventh-place vote. The number in parenthesis refers to the numbers of ballots on which a player appeared and previous rankings refers to position in the previous tracker.

For the all-time list of Mr. Basketball USA honorees, CLICK HERE.

Ronnie Flores is the national Grassroots editor of www.ebooksnet.com. He can be reached at [email protected]. Don't forget to follow him on Twitter: @RonMFlores

The post Dariq Whitehead Named Mr. Basketball USA! appeared first on www.ebooksnet.com.

.927 - Smith's career winning percentage at Oak Hill Academy. He finished with a won-loss mark of 1,232-97.
1 - Number of head coaching jobs. Smith started as an assistant at Oak Hill for the 1983-84 season before taking over for the 1985-86 season.
1 - Number of times the Warriors began the season unranked in the FAB 50/National Prep Poll, which began for the 1987-88 season. That came in 1988-89, when Oak Hill finished 22-2 and ranked No. 12.
1 - Number of GEICO National championships Oak Hill won. The Warriors captured the 2015-16 title when they finished No. 2 in the FAB 50 behind Chino Hills (Calif.).
2 - Home losses. In 39 seasons under Smith, the Warriors lost twice at home. In 1997 to Lamar Odom and Redemption Christian Academy (Troy, N.Y.) and again in 2018 to West Oaks Academy (Orlando, Fla.).
2 - National players of the year from Oak Hill Academy. Ron Mercer in 1995 (Naismith) and Brandon Jennings in 2008 (Mr. Basketball USA, Naismith, MaxPreps). No Oak Hill player has ever been named Gatorade National POY, USA Today National POY or honored as the Morgan Wooten National POY.
4 - The amount of college coaching assistant jobs Smith formally turned down. He probably would have fielded tons more if he didn't turn down those overtures in his early coaching career.
7 - National Prep Poll/FAB 50 National Championships (1993, 1994, 1999, 2001, 2004, 2012).
8 - Number of times Oak Hill Academy finished No. 2 in the FAB 50 (1990, 1992, 2000, 2002, 2005, 2009, 2015, 2016).
8 - National coach of the year honors (3 Naismith, 4 USA Today, 1992-1993 National Prep Poll/FAB 50).
8 - Number of 40-win seasons. Oak Hill finished 40-1 in 2005-06, 40-1 in 2006-07, 40-1 in 2008-09, 44-0 in 2011-12, 41-4 in 2013-14, 46-2 in 2014-15, 45-1 in 2015-16 and 44-2 in 2018-19.
9 - Mythical National Championships (1993, 1994, 1999, 2001, 2004, 2005, 2007 2012, 2016).
9 - The highest number of losses in a single season. That came in 2020-21 when the Warriors finished 21-9 and No. 23 in the FAB 50.
14 - Number of wins for Oak Hill at GEICO Nationals, which began in 2008-09. The Warriors are 14-11 all-time at the event (.560)
21 - Number of times Oak Hill Academy finished in the Top 5 in the FAB 50.
23 - The lowest final FAB 50 ranking during Smith's tenure, besides the 1987-88 season when the Warriors finished unranked in the first National Prep Poll (FAB 50 precursor). Oak Hill finished in this spot in 2012-13 (33-6) and in 2020-21 (21-9).
27 - Number of times Oak Hill Academy finished in the Top 10 in the FAB 50.
34 - Number of times Oak Hill Academy finished in the Top 25 in the FAB 50. The National Prep Poll (FAB 50 precursor) began in 1987-88 and only in that first season did the Warriors not finish in the Top 25.
34 - The number of McDonald's All-Americans Smith coached. The first one was New York native Chris Brooks (West Virginia) in 1986 and the last one was Chris Livingston (Kentucky) this season.
35 - Number of players taken in the NBA Draft who played at Oak Hill.
37 - The number of seasons he was the head coach.
39 - The number of season Smith was on the coaching staff.
46 - Program record for wins in a season. Oak Hill finished 46-2 in 2014-15 and fell to Montverde Academy (Fla.), 70-61, in the GEICO Nationals title game to finish No. 2 in the FAB 50. The 2015-16 team went 45-1 even though it lost All-American Harry Giles to a season-ending injury in the first minutes of the first game and also finished No. 2.
97 - Number of career losses. Smith finished his career with a won-loss record of 1,232-97. 17 of those losses (18%) came in his final two seasons.
225 - Number of D1 players who suited up for Steve Smith.
1,232 - Number of career wins. Smith finished his career with a won-loss record of 1,232-97. The national record for career wins is 1,333 by Robert Hughes, Sr. (1,333-265) at segregated I.M. Terrell and Dunbar, both in Ft. Worth, Texas. Morgan Wootten is second on the all-time wins list with 1,274 at DeMatha Catholic (Hyattsville, Md). Hughes and Wootten (1,274-192) are both in the Naismith Hall of Fame.

Ronnie Flores is the national Grassroots editor of www.ebooksnet.com. He can be reached at?[email protected]. Don't forget to follow him on Twitter:?@RonMFlores

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We just give a high-line reason why each player slots into the position he does, but also factor in ABA success. After all, ABA stats and honors count, unlike the USFL for football. We also give a rundown of what the player was like in high school and group all of them into six categories: All-Time Great, HS All-American, All-Stater, Run Of The Mill, Did Not Play, International.

We rank the best high school players of the group into a Top 25, based on performance.

The most interesting part is we insert our snubs where we think they belong on the list, because the 76 players who were honored by the NBA are not the 76 best NBA players of all-time!

Two things really stand out in ranking these all-time NBA greats. Many of them won't be around when the NBA has its 100th anniversary celebration and quite a few were not high school basketball All-Americans. In fact, some were bench-warmers or didn't even play.

Goes to show how remarkably different people's paths are to greatness and immortality.

Editor's Note: Accomplishments in the ABA are considered here because the statistics count and some of the league's best players ever did compete in the upstart league. The list of 76 players (there was a tie during the NBA's voting for its 75th Anniversary Team) are listed by high school, high school size and year of graduation and we insert deserving snubs where they belong. Those players are noted by italics.

1) Michael Jordan, Laney (Wilmington, N.C) 6-4 G '81
He was a second team All-NBA choice as a rookie and got exponentially better in subsequent seasons with regards to his shooting, ball-handing and offensive attack. It's not a stretch of the imagination to say MJ is both the most talented offensive and defensive perimeter player of all-time. He also kept the motivation and drive to meet his goals despite becoming one of the most recognizable people on the plant by the time his championship run began with the Bulls in 1991. He also never took plays -- or games -- off.
HS Status (All-American): After being cut from the varsity team as a sophomore, talent scout Brick Oettinger called him the best "two guard" prospect he'd ever seen the first time seeing MJ play as a junior. The next perceived slight that motivated Jordan was not being listed as a preseason All-American by Street and Smith's Magazine or even a top 500 player. The late Dave Krider placed Jordan on his post-season first five All-American team for Basketball Weekley, but that "make good" choice didn't phase Jordan because he still wasn't named State Player of the Year in North Carolina.

2) Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Power Memorial (New York) 7-1 C '65
Six titles, six MVPs, and all-NBA 15 times only tells half the story. Jabbar was expected to dominate the game and he did. He also understood taking care of his body well before most of his peers and the "Showtime Lakers" rejuvenated his career enough to the point he was still capable of a 24-point, 13-rebound performance like the one he put forth in his second-to-last game in the 1989 NBA Finals.
HS Status (All-Time Great): It's not a stretch to say Jabbar (then known as Lew Alcindor) was the best player at each level of the game, college included (UCLA). By the time he enrolled at UCLA, he was considered one of the ten best players in the World and was a two-time National Player of the Year.

3) Earvin Johnson, Everett (Lansing, Mich.) 6-8 G '77
Nobody else as an ALPHA went toe-to-toe with four other legit dynasties and he came out of those highly-anticipated battles with a 5-4 NBA Finals record. He is the most unique player of all-time, possessing ?Bill Russell's size with the ball-handling wizardry of a man six inches shorter and 40 pounds lighter. Had two NBA titles and two NBA Finals MVPs by 22 and the Lakers were still favored to win the West in 1991-92 before he shocked the world by retiring at 32.
HS Status (All-Time Great): A well known commodity even in middle school, his high school coach George Fox gave him his nickname in tenth grade. As a senior, he averaged 31 ppg, 17 rpg with 121 assists and 73 steals. If the Detroit Pistons had their way, he would have come out after his freshman year at MSU and been the No. 1 pick.

4) LeBron James, St. Vincent-St. Mary (Akron, Ohio) 6-8 F '03
The most scrutinized player of all-time, James' peers at the top of this list layed the groundwork for the league to survive and make it thrive, but he transformed himself from a player to an active stakeholder in the league's multi-billion dollar business. Some feel that detracts from playing the game, but there is no denying his all-around ability and sustained excellence. If he becomes the league's all-time leading scorer, it should put things in perspective as he's known for being a pass-first point forward.
HS Status (All-Time Great): A once-in-a-generation talent, he lived up to tremendous media expectations and produced three state championships and an unbeaten FAB 50 national title as a senior. His lasting legacy is making high school basketball a nationally televised sport and showing the tremendous monetary value top tier high school athletes possess.

5) Wilt Chamberlain, Overbrook (Philadelphia, Pa.) 7-1 C '55
If Jordan is not the greatest athlete to ever play the game, Wilt certainly is. The term "ahead of his time" is tossed around way too loosely but Wilt is really one of the few players who really was, along with Pete Maravich. He was just so big, strong and athletic that his mind-boggling numbers are taken for granted.
HS Status (All-Time Great): Wilt didn't play in college for free and Dipper had already made a nice chunk of money working as a bellhop at Kutsher's Country Club, a Jewish resort in the Catskill Mountains of New York. He was coached there by Red Auerbach and it's not a stretch to say by his senior season at Overbrook, he was already the best player in the World.

6) Bill Russell, McClymonds (Oakland, Calif.) 6-9 C '52
Russell had a knack for timing, whether it showing up in Boston as a perfect piece to a budding dynasty, or retiring on top with his eleventh championship. In between, Russell revolutionized defensive basketball and the NBA fast break. Individually, he won five NBA MVPs and his impact can't be measured in stats alone.
HS Status (Run of the Mill): Played with talented athletes in high school and backed up future MLB HOFer Frank Robinson at Mack. A lot of credit goes to USF coaches who saw the potential and how to utilize his budding quickness and instincts around the basket.

7) Larry Bird, Springs Valley (French Lick, Ind.) 6-8 F '74
Take it from people that watched him live and in real time, he was quick and had some of the game's best defensive instincts before his back began to act up. The only 20-10-5 player ever; one of one. And he was way over 5 assists (6.3 apg) despite sometimes rarely handling the ball. All it took was a quick flick, or tap, and Bird could find the open man without needlessly pounding the rock.
HS Status (All-Stater): Averaged 31 ppg, 21 rpg and 4 apg as a senior, but amazingly wasn't first team all-state. Indiana coach Bob Knight took him because of his size as an in-state recruit, but expectations for Bird at IU were not high. Perhaps if Knight had taken a bit more interest, he stays, but in reality the Hoosiers were good without him.

8) Kobe Bryant, Lower Merion (Ardmore, Pa.) 6-6 G '96
Revered by peers and fans alike, a tireless work ethic and self belief drove him to capture five NBA titles. There is some nostalgia when it comes to his career, as his defensive accolades were a bit reputational and he was never quite the same after tearing his achilles in 2013. The polarizing place on lists like this one are only heightened by his untimely passing.
HS Status (All-American): He wasn't considered the best in his class right away, but vowed to ABCD Camp director Sonny Vaccaro he would be the best player at his event in his second appearance in 1995. What separated him from Tim Thomas in his class? The same thing that separated him from his NBA peers -- drive and ethic.

9) Tim Duncan, St. Dunstan's Episcopal (Saint Croix, V.I.) 6-11 C '93
Boy it's hard to separate Duncan and Bryant; but if you seen both play consistently there is just something dynamic about Bryant that makes you think the Lakers could win any game. That's the beauty of Duncan, however, as his won five titles with less fanfare. He was first team all-NBA as a rookie and the Spurs made the playoffs in each of his 18 seasons, a couple of things Bryant was not close to matching.
HS Status (International): He picked up basketball after having dreams of being an Olympic swimmer and was a quick learner. After averaging 25 ppg as a senior, he fielded D1 offers and got better under the tutelage of Dave Odom at Wake Forest.

10) Oscar Robertson, Crispus Attucks (Indianpolis, Ind.) 6-5 G '56
Interestingly enough, when the 50th anniversary team dropped 25 years ago, the Big O was consistently in the top 3 or 4 discussion. Consistently. Respect for older players has waned and perhaps the novelty of the triple-double has worn off as well. Even simpler, there was not much flash to Robertson's game; he'd just back his man down and shoot right over the top. Time and time again.
HS Status (All-Time Great): As a junior, he starred on the first team with an all-Black starting five to win a de-segregated state championship and was the best player in the country as a senior. How good was he? John Wooden said on tape he was good enough to go from high school to the pros. Go look it up!

11) Shaquille O'Neal, Cole (San Antonio, Texas) 6-11 C '89
He would have been the No. 1 pick in any of the four drafts after one year of college and made an immediate impact, earning player of the week honors in his first week in the NBA. With regards to the Shaq-Kobe relationship-feud: Shaq had the Heat in a Game 7 of the conference finals the very next year after he was traded and brought the franchise a title in his second season, while the Lakers went through some tough times before getting back on top in 2009-10.
HS Status (All-Time Great): An army brat, Shaq moved around in his youth before his family settled in San Antonio, where he led Cole to a 68-1 mark his last two seasons. He blew up as a national recruit at the BCI Tournament the summer before his monster senior campaign.

12) Jerry West, East Bank (W.V.) 6-3 G '56
We're talking about the second greatest playoff performer behind Jordan, whose outputs were clearly affected by not having a 3-point goal during his career. In addition to his trademark pull-up jumper, West won a scoring title, an assist title when he moved to the point, and was an accomplished defender.
HS Status (All-Time Great): A folk hero in West Virginia, West was considered on par with Oscar Robertson in his class. Interestingly enough, the duo teamed up on the 1960 Olympic team and there were a plethora of prep standouts in the 1960s and 1970s dubbed the "Next West" and "Next Oscar" who could never live up to those lofty expectations.

13) Moses Malone, Petersburg (Va.) 6-11 C '74
For a period in the late 1970s and 80s, he was easily the best player in the World. He just pounded other talented big men and should get more credit as arguably the best rebounder ever. There are three statistical outliers in the NBA: Wilt's single-season scoring outputs, Steph Curry's 3-point shooting and Big Mo's offensive rebounding numbers.
HS Status (All-Time Great): He was courted by over 300 colleges and signed a Grant-In-Aid with Maryland as the best recruit since Jabbar in '65. Perhaps Lefty could have made the Terrapins "UCLA of the East", considering Malone was a ABA All-Star at 19 years old, had he actually enrolled.?

14) Hakeem Olajuwon, Muslim Teachers College (Lagos, Nigeria) '81
Everyone knows about Dream's stellar offensive footwork, but some don't know he used it on the defensive side of the ball with the same devastating affects. Dream was a nine-time all-defensive selection, and if you saw him play, you know he could pick a guard's pocket and go the length of the floor as easily as he could block a shot inside.
HS Status (International): He was the first non-American to do hit these individual marks: All-Star, NBA MVP, NBA Defensive Player of the Year. But he worked hard to get better after not picking up the game until 15 and got exponentially better by playing pick-up with Moses Malone once at U of H.

15) Stephen Curry, Charlotte Christian (N.C.) 6-1 G '06
He's the greatest range shooter ever and his volume and percentage of makes from 3-point range is still breath-taking, even after all the accolades (2-time MVP, 3-time NBA Champ, etc.). People relate to him because his size and unassuming demeanor, but it's a complete misnomer that he's not one of the best athletes in the world. His balance and strength are incredible.
HS Status (Run of the Mill): It's embarrassing the colleges that overlooked him and didn't offer a scholarship, considering the access he had as the son of a NBA player. Same thing can be said about NBA brass on draft night.

16) Isiah Thomas, St. Joseph (Westchester, Ill.) 6-1 G '79
The ringleader of the Bad Boy Pistons, that terrific group are the greatest "party crashers" in NBA history, keeping the Lakers and Celtics from total dominance and suppressing Jordan's Bulls as long as it could. The only thing keeping Thomas higher is the abrupt decline to his career because of wear and tear to his small frame.
HS Status (All-Time Great): Entered high school with plenty of fanfare, but some felt Bloom's Raymond McCoy was going to be the greater guard. That began to change by the end of the junior season and by the end of his high school career it was evident Thomas was a future NBA All-Star.

17) Kevin Durant, Montrose Christian (Rockville, Md.) 6-9 F '06
Some feel KD is the greatest scorer in the history of the game, and he's already a nine-time all-NBA choice at age 33. The four-time scoring champ is excellent percentage wise from the field and the line, while his assist numbers have steadily increased over the latter part of his career.
HS Status (All-Time Great): He was the No. 2 prospect in his class behind Greg Oden and it's so easy to say Portland screwed up the No. 1 pick in the 2007 NBA Draft. It wasn't bad scouting, as Oden was a once-in-a-decade center talent, but one thing scout Clark Francis noted was that KD has one of the best work ethics he'd ever seen in a young player with that much talent.

18) Julius Erving, Roosvelt (N.Y.) 6-7 F '68
Most people under the age of 45 have seen the Good Doctor's NBA highlights, but most of those are against the Lakers in the NBA Finals as an aging Superstar. His work is the ABA is simply stellar, as Erving was a tireless rebounder, terrific defender and more than solid 3-point shooter considering the league-wide average. Want proof? Go check how many times he blocked over 100 shots in his career and how many times LeBron has done it.
HS Status (All-Stater): He earned all-county and all-Long Island honors and was actually seen by legendary grassroots scout Howie Garfinkel in high school. He he played in New York City's PSAL or Catholic League, he likely would have received tons more acclaim. Either way, he was a terrific long-term prospect and made an immediate impact at UMASS.

19) Karl Malone, Summerfield (La.) 6-9 F '81
How much higher would be on this list if the Jazz won a NBA title? Not much, honestly. What you see is what you get, a physical specimen who kept improving to the point of where he won MVPs at 33 and 35 years old.
HS Status (All-Stater): A small-school terror who led his school to three consecutive Class C state titles, the Mailman got a glimpse of what modern, big-time travel ball is today. He played on the New Orleans-based First Progressive club financed by a wealthy banker that also featured NBA Top 75 snub Joe Dumars.

20) John Stockton, Gonzaga Prep (Spokane, Wash.) 6-0 G '80
The all-time leader is assists and steals (by a sizable margin), Stockton was tough and had a nasty streak that only made him that much more appealing to Jazz fans. Stockton only missed 22 games in 19 seasons.
HS Status (All-Stater): He had offers to Idaho and Montana after breaking local scoring records, but chose to stay home and play for Gonzaga.

21) Rick Barry, Roselle Park (N.J.) 6-7 F '62
The ABA's all-time regular season and post-season scoring leader, Barry also averaged 40.8 ppg in the '67 NBA Finals and 36.3 ppg in all NBA Finals games. He's also won a title in both leagues as an ALPHA player and is the only player to go for 50 plus points in a Game 7 playoff contest.
HS Status (All-Stater): Was a fine high school player, but it wasn't until he arrived at Miami that he began to show the makings of a future NBA standout. Going to play for the Hurricanes was a terrific fit for the fast-rising prospect.

22) Kevin Garnett, Farragut (Chicago) 6-11 F '95
The Kid developed into the Big Ticket and for a couple seasons in the early 2000s, he was as good as any player in the game in helping the Timberwolves gain respectability. A NBA champ with the Celtics, Garnett made 12 all-defensive teams and averaged double-digits in rebounds for 10 seasons.
HS Status (All-Time Great): Ranks with LeBron as the most talented player of the past quarter century. KG did show glimpses it was possible he could successfully make the leap from high to the pros as a rising junior. If NBA front offices could have measured his determination and work ethic, he would have been the No. 1 pick instead of arising skepticism when he declared for the draft.

23) Dirk Nowitzki, Rontgen Gymnasium (Wurzburg, Germany) 7'0 F '98
From 1998-2019, the Mavs only had six All-Star selections outside of their sweet-shooting German and when they won the NBA title in 2011, he was their only all-star. Just as impressive, the Mavs won 50 games for 11 straight seasons (2000-11) without attracting a lot of high-profile free agent talent.
HS Status (International): The first Euro player to win NBA MVP, Dirk showed glimpses of that talent with his 33-point, 14-rebound performance at the '98 Nike Hoop Summit. Had he played in the states in the American grassroots system, there is little doubt he would have been the No. 1 player in an otherwise pedestrian class.

24) David Robinson, Osbourn Park (Manassas, Va.) 7-1 C '83
One of the greatest physical specimens ever to lace them up, Robinson dominated immediately after serving two years in the Navy and closed out his career with a NBA title in 2003. As late as 2001, he was still playing at an all-NBA level (third team).
HS Status (Run of the Mill): The Admiral shot up from 5-foot-9 to 6-foot-6 as a senior, but didn't receive any scholarship offers after an all-district season. He didn't stop growing until his second year in the Navy, when he was too tall to every serve on a U.S. naval ship.

25) Bob Pettit, Baton Rouge (La.) 6'9 F '50
Watch film of Big Blue, and it's easy to see how he'd still be terrific in the modern NBA, working the baseline and scoring from all angles. He also gets credit for ending Boston's stronghold on the title with a memorable performance in the '58 Finals, en route to first team all-NBA accolades in each of this first 10 seasons.
HS Status (All-Stater): A two-time all-city performer after not making the team as a sophomore, Pettit kept working on his craft until he led Baton Rouge to a state title and accepted a scholarship from nearby LSU.

26) Charles Barkley, Leeds (Ala.) 6-4 F '81
When today's players and scouts describe a "Unicorn", it evokes images of Sir Charles, one of the most uniquely gifted players of all-time. In his prime, he did things NBA fans are hoping a healthy Zion Williamson can do in terms of running the court, finishing with authority and blocking shots.
HS Status (All-Stater): Short (5-10) and heavy (220 lbs.) as an underclassmen, Barkley blossomed as a senior (19.1 ppg, 17.9 rpg) and get noticed by Auburn's coaching staff after he went up against Huntsville Butler's Bobby Lee Hurt, a first team All-American forward.

27) John Havlicek, Bridgeport (Ohio) 6'5 F '58
Hondo would still be an all-timer if he just stayed in his sixth man/secondary role, but after Russell retired he took the role of an ALPHA and led the Celtics to championships in '74 and '76. Not only the Celtics' all-time scoring leader, he also was an eight-time all-defensive choice.
HS Status (All-Stater): Hondo was known more as a terrific athlete than an all-world basketball player in high school. He had the ability to play in the NFL and was actually in the Cleveland Browns' mini-camp before he decided to concentrate on basketball.

28) Jason Kidd, St. Joseph (Alameda, Calif.) 6-4 G '92
No guard has been in the same breath as Magic since he came onto the scene 40 years ago, but from the standpoint of pushing the rock and setting up, Kidd comes in No. 2. He also was a hellacious defender and all-NBA first team five teams.
HS Status (All-Time Great): Known for his strength and stamina from the lead guard position, he was four-time all-NorCal, three-time all-state and generally considered NorCal's best prep ever.

29) Dwyane Wade, Richards (Oak Lawn, Ill.) 6'3 G '00
D-Wade plays big and came up big as a cornerstone of three NBA title teams in "Wade County". He was named first or second team All-NBA five times and blocked more shots than any guard in history.
HS Status (Run of the Mill): Famously came off the bench for his loaded travel team and was ranked No. 51 in the country by talent scout Bob Gibbons.

30) Walt Frazier, Howard (Atlanta, Ga.) 6-4 G '64
A flashy backcourt performer, he doesn't get enough credit for being an ace defender and for his scoring ability. Put together the best ever NBA Finals Game 7 performance (36 points, 19 rebounds) to lead to Knicks to the first of two titles.
HS Status (All-American): A terrific all-around athlete with dreams on being a NFL quarterback, Frazier is considered one of The Peach State's best guards ever, even though his career exploits are a bit buried playing at an all-Black school during segregation.

31) Elvin Hayes, Britton (Rayville, La.) 6-9 C '64
The "Big E" was durable and dominant, leading the Bullets to a NBA title and making 12 all-star teams.
HS Status (All-American): A great recruit for legendary U of H coach Guy Lewis who always dreamed of playing MLB, just like many other black youth after Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier in 1947.

32) Patrick Ewing, Ringe & Latin (Cambridge, N.Y.) 7-0 C '81
He was billed as the next Bill Russell with way more offense coming out of Georgetown, but even though he never was that great, Big Pat was still damn good. He endeared to fans because of how hard be played and because of his effort in trying to bring the Knicks a championship against rugged 90s competition.
HS Status (All-Time Great): One of the most decorated big men of all-time, his was a three time All-American, the nation's top recruit and his college commitment to Georgetown was national news.

33) Giannis Antetokounmpo, Filathlitikos (Athens, Greece) 6-10 PF '12
There is little doubt when the final chapter is written, The Greek Freak will be quite high on this list, perhaps near the range of the top dozen. He's already a two-time NBA MVP and had a 50-point, 14-rebound, 5-block performance to help the Bucks clinch their first title in 50 years.
HS Status (International): He played in the semi-pro Greek B Basket League, and a number of major Euro clubs had interest in the Nigerian who grew up in Athens. His rise is why international high school aged scouting is such a major part of the recruiting landscape and NBA mock drafts now.

34) James Harden, Artesia (Lakewood, Calif.) 6-5 G '07
Unless you've seen him up close or studied his numbers, you don't realize how talented he really is at the offensive end. Despite being so polarizing, he's accomplished things only the game's very best have.
HS Status (All-American): A two-time divisional state player of the year, Harden averaged 19 ppg on California's best team and was significantly younger than many of his peers in a great class.

35) Scottie Pippen, Hamburg (Ark.) 6-7 F '83
A terrific all-around talent who kept getting better early in his NBA career, this seven-time All-NBA performer gets dinged for not leading a team to a NBA title as an ALPHA performer. He certainly had a couple of golden opportunities.
HS Status (Run of the Mill): Young Pip had some talent, but not a lot of refinement and not enough exposure for a scholarship offer.

36) Elgin Baylor, Spingarn (Washington, D.C.) 6'5 F '54
A 10-time all-NBA First Team selection, Baylor was one of the pioneers of above-the-rim play and making moves while suspended in mid-air. A gifted scorer, he also averaged 13.5 rpg, including a high of 19.8 rpg.
HS Status (All-Time Great): Dropped out of high school for a year to work, but came back as a senior to average 36.1 ppg, including a D.C. single-game record of 63 points. Had he played even just a few years after Brown vs. Board of Education instead of at an all-Black program, his accolades would have been much more national in scope.

37) Chris Paul, West Forsyth (Clemmons, N.C.) 6'0 G '03
The first player in history with 20,000 career points and 10,000 career assists. Gets credit for his sustained excellence, but at his peak there are guys ranked lower who were better and Paul doesn't own one monster playoff run one can't point to in order to justify a higher spot.
HS Status (All-American): Averaged 31 ppg, eight apg and six spg to earn state Mr. Basketball honors. Like everyone in his class, his exploits were over-shadowed by Lebron James' larger-than-life persona.

38) Allen Iverson, Bethel (Hampton, Va.) 6-1 G '94
Some people love him for his style and cultural influence, but he's one of the fastest, quickest and toughest athletes in history. A four-time scoring champ and '01 MVP, AI was also a volume shooter who connected on less than 43 percent of his field goal attempts.
HS Status (All-American): The nation's top two-sport athlete as a junior, he didn't get to play his senior season after a now infamous bowling alley brawl. The late John Thompson deserves plenty of credit for offering him a scholarship after the negative press. Felipe Lopez was the nation's top player in his class, but would Iverson have pressed him for Mr. Basketball USA honors if not for the unfortunate incident?

39) Steve Nash, St. Michaels University School (Victoria, B.C.) '92
At his peak, he was playing the position as well as anyone since Magic, but the Run 'N Gun Suns never got over the hump in the NBA Playoffs. The two-time MVP led the league in assists five times and shot 42.8 percent from 3-point range.
HS Status (International): A budding prospect in British Columbia, Nash averaged 21.3 ppg, 9.1 rpg, and 11.2 apg as a senior, but wasn't recruited by any American college until Santa Clara's Dick Davey took a look at his film.

40) Kawhi Leonard, Martin Luther King (Riverside, Calif.) 6-7 F '09
The only player to earn NBA Finals MVP with a team from each conference in a full season, Leonard is dominant on both sides of the ball. In the era of stars switching teams, should Leonard one day lead a third franchise to a NBA title, he'll continue to climb rapidly on this list.
HS Status (All-American): A somewhat late bloomer who was a part-time starter as a sophomore at Canyon Springs of nearby Moreno Valley, 'Whi was definitely looked at as a big-time prospect and impact Pac-12 recruit. However, those programs got on board much too late and he stayed loyal to SDSU's recruiting efforts.

41) George Gervin, Martin Luther King (Detroit) 6-8 G '71
At his peak, the Ice Man made first or second team all-NBA seven consecutive years (1977-83) and was the best scorer in the league four times.
HS Status (All-Stater): He had a late growth spurt that allowed him to put up monster numbers (31 ppg, 20 rpg) as a senior. Jerry Tarkanian at Long Beach St. saw his potential, but he was homesick and wanted to get back to Michigan as soon as he could.

42) Russell Westbrook, Leuzinger (Lawndale, Calif.) '06
One of the most explosive guards of all-time, he is also one of the most polarizing NBA MVPs of all-time.
HS Status (All-Stater): He was literally one of the final selections on the Cal-Hi Sports All-State team, after averaging 25.1 ppg. A growth spurt helped his game on the boards (8.7 rpg) while he honed his perimeter skill.

43) Paul Pierce, Inglewood (Calif.) 6-7 F '95
There is no denying what he did in the big moments, outplaying Kobe Bryant and LeBron James in key playoff series, and his career marks.
HS Status (All-American): Started off his career slow, but took off his junior year and was considered the best player on the West Coast as a senior. One of the very best in a terrific class.

44) Dwight Howard, Southwest Atlanta Christian Academy (Atlanta, Ga.) 6-10 C '04
Our highest-rated snub, it's mind-boggling to look at his accolades and think he's not a Top 50 choice, much less Top 75. It's almost as egregious as the 'Nique snub 25 year ago. He's been All-NBA First Team five times, an eight-time all-star and 3-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year. He also was the ALPHA on a NBA Finals team.
HS Status (All-American): The Georgia Player of the Year led his team to a state Class A title while averaging 25.5 ppg, 18.3 rpg and 8.0 bpg. A first five All-American choice and the top-ranked prospect in his class.?

45) Willis Reed, West Side (Lillie, La.) 6'9 C '60
A rugged defensive player, he also earned every individual accolade a player can get. A two-time NBA finals MVP.
HS Status (All-Stater): A terrific all-around athlete who excelled in hoops, football, baseball and track, Reed was recruited to play football at Grambling for legendary coach Eddie Robinson. He smartly chose basketball as a career path.

46) Carmelo Anthony, Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, Va.) 6-7 F '02
A top ten all-time scorer, Anthony gets knocked here because has never been the difference maker in a big playoff series.
HS Status (All-American): Would have been Mr. Basketball USA as a senior if not for a junior named LeBron, whom entered the league with him amid much fanfare.

47) Bob McAdoo, Smith (Greensboro, N.C.) 6-9 C '69
By the end of his fourth season, he had ROY, three scoring titles and a MVP is his pocket. A scoring machine in the 70s, he adjusted his game to help the Lakers win two of their five "Showtime" titles.
HS Status (All-Stater): Led his team to the state semifinals and was also an excellent all-around athlete, winning a state title in the high jump.

48) Dominique Wilkins, Washington (N.C.) 6-7 F '79
It was embarrassing when Wilkins didn't make the NBA Top 50 team 25 years ago. Until Trae Young came along, he WAS the Atlanta Hawks for his high-flying style of play. He produced and played hard even after he came back from a potentially devastating Achilles injury on the back nine of his career.
HS Status (All-American): Two-time All-American was one of the very best players in the most legendary class of all-time that helped shaped the popularity of the NBA in the 1980s. 'Nique played in every camp and all-star game he could get to, with his famous "Human Highlight Film" nicknamed coined by Naismith HOF grassroots camp mogul Howie Garfinkel.

49) Gary Payton, Skyline (Oakland, Calif.) 6-4 G '86
The Glove is one of the best practical and reputation defenders ever, earning first team all-defense nine consecutive seasons. Payton was also durable, underrated offensively and a noted clubhouse presence for teams looking to get over the hump.
HS Status (All-Stater): A third five all-state selection as a senior, the first team all-East Bay choice led Skyline to back-to-back OAL titles alongside future NBA player Greg Foster. As a a senior, he averaged 20.6 ppg, 6.9 rpg and 10.5 apg.?

50) Nate Thurmond, Central (Akron, Ohio) 6-11 C '59
Anyone that averaged 15 rpg for his career is a bad dude, and Thurmond epitomized toughness during an era defined by inside play.
HS Status (All-Stater): Was a teammate of high-flying future NBA player Gus Johnson at Central and chose not to go to Ohio St., so he could see the court right away instead of battling NBA 75 member Jerry Lucas for playing time.

51) Artis Gilmore, Carver (Dothan, Ala.) 7-2 C '67
After a distinguished run in the ABA, where he earned MVP honors in '72 and was playoff MVP in '75, he put forth together a nice run through the NBA, too. Gilmore was a five-time All-Star, including his last selection in his 15th pro season in '86.
HS Status (All-American): Gilmore was a high-jumping, dominant big man who attended Carver after de-segregation in his hometown of Chipley, Fla. He was a third five All-American and considered a terrific prospect.

52) Anthony Davis, Perspetives Charter (Chicago) 6-9 F '12
Some were surprised to see AD make the cut, but we're even more surprised to see him make it in front of Dwight Howard. AD has never carried a team deep in the playoffs as an ALPA like Howard did in Orlando.
HS Status (All-American): Rates with Bill Walton and Tracy McGrady as the players who skyrocketed the quickest to the elite status in their respective class after their junior year of high school. A growth spurt allowed AD to average 32 ppg, 22 rpg and 7 bpg, even though his team went 6-18 against Class 3A competition.

53) Wes Unseld, Seneca (Louisville, Ky.) 6-7 C '64
In many respects, he's still the face of the Washington Wizards (then known as the Bullets) franchise. The '78 NBA Finals MVP, never made all-NBA after his rookie season when he was also named MVP.
HS Status (All-Time Great): Would have been the national player in the year as a senior if it wasn't for a junior named Lew Alcindor. Considered one of the all-time greats in the Bluegrass State and expected to be a future NBA player.

54) Dave Cowens, Central Catholic (Newport, Ky.) 6-9 C '66
There is this misnomer the Celtics fell off after Russell retired in '69. In reality, Cowens led them to a 68-14 record in '73, when he won MVP, and to two NBA titles.
HS Status (All-Stater): He wasn't recruited by UK, but made an excellent choice in Florida St. because he would get playing time and further develop his game and aggressive style.

55) Clyde Drexler, Sterling (Houston) 6-7 G '80
One of the best all-around big guards in NBA history, Drexler came at a time when he was over-shadowed by Michael Jordan and bigger, more marketable personalities. Go look at his numbers.
HS Status (Run of the Mill): After growing six or seven inches the summer after his freshman season, he kept getting better and people could see the potential. Although not a prime-time recruit, U of H's Michael Young recommended him to the Cougars' coaching staff and someone tipped off talent scout Bob Gibbons, who ranked him No. 4 in the class.

56) Dennis Rodman, South Oak Cliff (Dallas, Texas) 6-7 F '79
The greatest rebounder ever who did not play the traditional pivot, Rodman was a winner and consummate team player.
HS Status (Did Not Play): He was listed at 5-foot-6 as a freshman and not considered a talent in basketball or football, the latter which he loved like most Texas schoolboys.

57) Robert Parish, Woodlawn (Shreveport, La.) 7-0 C '72
In his 14 seasons with the Celtics, he averaged a double-double and shot over 55 percent from the field. He did his job and did it well.
HS Status (All-Time Great): His first high school was closed due to de-segregation, but he was the Mr. Basketball USA choice as a senior and finished his prep career with 3,562 points.

58) Nate Archibald, DeWitt Clinton (Bronx, N.Y.) 6-1 G '66
Everybody knows he's the only cat to lead the league in scoring and assists in the same season, but he also adjusted his game to fit on a World Championship team in Boston.
HS Status (Run of the Mill): Cut from the varsity as a sophomore, but mainly because Clinton was loaded beyond belief. There was three future NBA players on the team he got cut from and his senior year he wasn't the star, but helped Clinton win the mythical national title.

59) Bill Cunningham, Erasmus Hall (Brooklyn, N.Y.) 6-6 F '61
For three years running, the Kangaroo Kid was first team all-NBA and is one of the greats in the ABA as well.
HS Status (All-American): A top five player in his class, Cunningham is one of the greatest Caucasian playground legends of all-time, known for his jumping ability.

60) James Worthy, Ashbrook (Gastonia, N.C.) 6'8 F '79
Similar to Boston's Sam Jones, "Big Game James" was statistically better across the board in the post-season. The Lakers has a chance to draft Dominique Wilkins, but have no regrets selecting one of the best "No. 3 option" of all-time.
HS Status (All-American): A two-time All-American, Worthy averaged 21.2 ppg, 12.2 rpg, 5.0 apg and shot .594 from the field as a senior. Believe it or not, he drew some comparisons to his future NBA teammate Magic Johnson.

61) Earl Monroe, Bartram (Philadelphia, Pa.) 6-3 G '63
An iconic player, "Black Jesus" would have been a Mixtape sensation as a modern player. It's hard to believe he only made all-NBA only once.
HS Status (All-Stater): Averaged 21.4 ppg as a senior and often played in the front court as a youth. He attended prep school and was later recruited to play for legendary coach Clarence "Big House" Gaines at Winston-Salem State.

62) Dolph Schayes, De Witt Clinton (Bronx, N.Y.) 6-9 F '44
12-time all-star was a pioneer and reliable, but for a big guy inside his shooting percentages were not up to snuff.
HS Status (All-Stater): He was one of the early stars of New York's Public School Athletic League and led his famous school to a borough title as a senior. He entered college at 16.

63) Hal Greer, Douglass (Huntington, W.Va.) 6'2 G '54
A model of consistency, Greer was a 7-time second team All-NBA choice and didn't have any weaknesses.
HS Status (All-Stater): Went to an all-Negro school and was the first African-American to play for a public college in his home state (Marshall).

64) Dennis Johnson, Dominguez (Compton, Calif.) 6-3 G '72
Perhaps D.J. was snubbed from this team because three members of the 1980s Celtics already are on, but he can't be judged just by what he did in Boston. A trusted, clutch performer and one of the best defensive guards ever, Johnson has to get credit for being a first team all-NBA performer in '81 and second team in '80. On top of that, he was the '79 NBA Finals MVP for the Sonics.
HS Status (Run of the Mill): He hardly ever played at Domingues, toiling deep on the Dons' bench. Jim White, the coach at L.A. Harbor College, saw him play and encouraged him to enroll. In three years, he developed into a second round draft choice.

65) Jerry Lucas, Middletown (Ohio), 6-8 F '58
Can't ignore 15.6 rpg for his career. Plus he made first or second team all-NBA five times and later adjusted his game to play a role on a championship NY Knicks club.
HS Status (All-Time Great): His games were on radio all across Ohio and he's one of the biggest high school stars ever. The first two-time national player of the year (only Lew Alcindor and LeBron matched that feat).

66) Bernard King, Fort Hamilton (Brooklyn, N.Y.) 6-7 F '74
One of the first players to come back from a devastating ACL injury, King averaged 28.4 ppg and 4.6 apg in 1991 on his re-constructed knee. He was looking like an MVP candidate before the injury and quickly established himself in the NBA, averaging 24.2 ppg as a rookie for the Nets. You'd have to have seen him in real time to realize his explosive scoring ability and rightful place on this list.
HS Status (All-Stater): King was considered a talented prospect, but he got even better at Tennessee, and was more suited for the pros than his college running mate Ernie Grumfield. King's younger brother Albert is one of the biggest high school legends of all-time, but was a pedestrian pro.

67) Pete Maravich, Broughton (Raleigh, N.C.) 6-5 G '65
Arguably the greatest showman of all-time, this basketball wizard was four-time all-NBA. He led the league in scoring once and made 10-of-15 3-pointers in his final season, the same year the NBA 3-pointer was instituted.
HS Status (All-American): Like everyone else in his class, he was overshadowed by the exploits of Lew Alcindor (later Kareem Abdul-Jabbar). He did a year of prep school be enrolling at LSU to play for father Press Maravich.

68) Ray Allen, Hillcrest (Dalzell, S.C.) 6-5 G '93
Very good at what he does, but similar to Reggie Miller, he was never considered among the league's very best. Made All-NBA Second Team and Third Team once. A very good player on solid teams and a specialist on championship teams.
HS Status (All-American): Part of one of the all-time great classes, Allen was just a notch below McDonald's All-American status. He did play in the Nike US vs. Illinois game that featured many of 93's top talent.

69) Kevin McHale Hibbing (Minn.) 6-10 F '76
One of the most efficient and dangerous low-post players ever, McHale thrived off the bench and became an all-NBA performer once he moved into a starting lineup. Although injuries eventually slowed him down, McHale played through pain and was beloved for it.
HS Status (All-Stater): He led his team to the Class AA state final and even though he was named Mr. Basketball in the state of Minnesota, he was known as a team-first player.

70) Dave Bing, Spingarn (Washington, D.C.) 6-3 G '62
Was one of the best players in the league in his prime and a fan favorite.
HS Status (All-American): Bing was one of the very best guards in the nation after having dreams of playing MLB as a youth.

71) George Mikan, Joliet Catholic (Joliet, Ill.) 6-10 C '42
Much of his dominance came off the offensive glass, as Big Mike proclaimed in countless interviews later in his life. Sure, his dominance might have waned had he played in future decades playing at the level he did in the early 50's, but he must get credit for being the league's first star attraction and capturing five titles with the Minneapolis Lakers.
HS Status (Did Not Play): The big fella was a bit awkward and reserved during his high school days, but legendary college coach Ray Meyer of DePaul harnessed his potential.

72) Bob Cousy, Jackson (Queens, N.Y.) 6-1 G '46
The "Cooz" admitted well after his playing days were over that 12-year old kids on the playgrounds could do some of his NBA moves. The game progressed, but that's not the point. He was called "Mr. Basketball" because he deserves plenty of credit for helping make the NBA worth-while entertainment and worth the price of a stand-alone ticket.
HS Status (All-American): He was a NYC standout as a senior, but that was after he was cut the first two years and missed the beginning of his junior season because of a failed citizenship course.

73) Paul Arizin, La Salle College (Philadelphia, Pa.) 6-4 F '46
The jump shot pioneer was still a terrific player in his last NBA season (21.9 ppg)
HS Status (Did not play): Cut from tryouts as a senior.

74) Bill Walton, Helix (La Mesa, Calif.) 6-11 C '70
At his peak, Walton was one of the very best players in the league. Defeating the '77 76ers in the finals is one of the best individual accomplishments for a ALPHA leading a non-dynasty club. Outplayed Kareem in the conference finals the same season and had the Blazers rolling the next season until injury changed the projection of his career. If peak performance is a criteria of focus, the Big Red Head more than deserves his spot on this list.
HS Status (All-Time Great): After a nondescript junior season, Walton wasn't considered the front-runner for state player of the year even though he was a good college prospect. That all changed when Helix ventured to the San Dimas Tournament of Champions. After his performances, scouts and college coaches knew Walton was probably a better prospect that SI cover boy and three time All-American Tom McMillen.

75) Tony Parker, INSEP (Paris, France) 6-2 G '00
A four-time NBA champion, Parker was also named NBA Finals MVP in 2007 when the Spurs steamrolled to the title. Parker was a six-time NBA All-Star and three-time all-NBA second team; his importance and impact in big games cannot be understated and that's why he'd make our final cut.
HS Status (International): After excelling at the 2000 Nike Hoop Summit, many American colleges wanted him to enroll but he decided to remain in the French League before declaring for the 2001 NBA Draft.

76) Tracy McGrady, Mt. Zion Christian Academy (Durham, N.C.) 6-8 F '97
Injuries robbed him of a career in the NBA after 30, but in his prime there were few scorers better than T-Mac. He won two scoring titles and was a seven-time NBA All-Star.
HS Status (All-Time Great): Wasn't considered a Top 500 prospect entering his senior year, but all that changed when he was recommended for the ABCD Camp. He quickly showed explosive talent and left the camp on par with Lamar Odom, the No. 1 player in the country. No player in the history of grassroots basketball had his fortunes change as quickly as McGrady, who was drafted into the league out of high school less than a year later.

77) Lenny Wilkens, Boys (Brooklyn, N.Y.) 6-1 G '56
He just got better as he got older, and it's probably a foreshadow to his lengthy coaching career.
HS Status (All-Stater): One of the great players from The High, a breeding ground for talented players in the 50s and 60s.

78) Sam Jones, Lauringburg Institute (Lauringburg, N.C.) 6-4 G '51
As the Celtic dynasty aged, Jones had to score more and made his first all-star team at 28 years old. Mr. Clutch won 10 NBA titles and is one of the league's greatest playoff performers.
HS Status (Run of the Mill): Played at a D2 college (HBCU North Carolina Central) and was recommended to Red Auerbach by the Wake Forest coach.

79) Joe Dumars, Natchitoches Central, Natchitoches, La.) 6-3 G '81
Very few accolades missed Dumars, as he was the unsung cog on the Bad Boys dynasty and teamed with Isiah Thomas to form of the best backcourts in history. He was a but more durable, too, playing in his sixth and final all-star game in 1997 well after Zeke retired. A five-time all-defensive choice, Michael Jordan felt Dumars was his toughest check.
HS Status (Run of the Mill): Known more for his football ability at an early age, Joe-D eventually gravitated for hoops and became a prolific scorer at McNeese State University.

80) Chauncey Billups, Washington (Denver, Col.) 6-3 G '95
The 2004 Detroit Pistons are the only NBA champ without a Top 75 member, but Mr. Big Shot should be included above a few who made it, with his teammate Ben Wallace also deserving. A clutch player in the mold of John Havlicek or Sam Jones, Billups was the 2004 NBA Finals MVP, averaging 21 ppg, 5.2 apg and 3.2 rpg against the favored Lakers. He was a five-time NBA All-Star.
HS Status (All-American): Billups was known in the region as a terrific prospect in ninth-grade and was expected to be one of the best players Colorado ever produced. He always looked forward to summer camps to prove he was one of the best players in the country.

81) Dikembe Mutombo, Institute Boboto (Kinshasa, Congo) 7-1 C '84
In the early days, blocked shots weren't an official statistic but by the time Mutombo retired, he had the second most in history behind Hakeem Olajuwon. An eight-time All-Star, Deke also averaged double-digit rebounds his first 13 seasons and was a four-time Defensive Player of the Year honoree.
HS Status (International): Mutombo was a gifted student and picked up basketball in his late teens. He decided to come to the states at age 21 and he chose the perfect mentor in John Thompson to teach him the defensive fundamentals of the game.

82) Bill Sharman, Porterville (Calif.) 6-1 G '44
Four-time champ and a great shooter, if Sharman is on so should the No. 2 or No. 3 options from more recent great dynasties.
HS Status (All-Stater): Sherman was an accomplished athlete during WW2.

83) Ben Wallace, Central (Hayneville, Ala.) 6-9 F '92
Earned NBA Defensive Player of the Year honor four times, a record he shares with Dekembe Mutombo. He also led the league in blocked shots once, rebounding twice and made All-NBA Second Team three times.
HS Status (All-Stater): A terrific all-around athlete, Wallce played football, basketball and baseball and was recommended to Virginia Union but another player from the D2 school built in his mold: Charles Oakley.

84) Walt Bellamy, Barber (New Bern, N.C.) 6-11 C '57
Although his scoring tailed off at the end of his career, Bellamy averaged 20.1 ppg and 13.7 rpg in a 14-year career. He was over-shadowed by some of his contemporaries, but his overall numbers can't be ignored.
HS Status (All-American): Bellamy was one of the state's top recruits, but couldn't go to an ACC school. Instead of going to a HBCU, he went to Indiana, where he developed into of the storied program's best players.

85) Dave DeBusschere, Austin Catholic (Detroit, Mich.) 6-6 F '58
A rugged and great team-oriented defensive player, there are definitely better, more accomplished talents who didn't make the cut.
HS Status (All-American): Helped his school defeat Chet Walker's team in the state Class A final and was a terrific all-around athlete. In fact, one of the best on the NBA 75 team.

86) Alex English, Dreher (Columbia, S.C.) 6-7 F '72
He averaged 21.3 ppg or more for every season of the 1980s and won a scoring title in 1983 (28.4 ppg). English made All-NBA Second Team three times and most important, the Nuggets made the playoffs nine consecutive times in his prime.
HS Status (All-Stater): Before he retired from the NBA as its seventh leading scorer, he was all-region and all-state at Dreher. His jersey number No. 22 was retired by his high school in 2020.

87) Reggie Miller, Poly (Riverside, Calif.) 6-6 G '83
Pacers all-time great never made higher than third team All-NBA. His longevity makes him better than guys like Klay Thompson, Vince Carter, Sidney Moncrief or Marques Johnson, guys who were better at their peak but either haven't played as long or didn't last as long.
HS Status (All-Stater): Was a first five choice as a senior, but Miller and the other seniors in California were overshadowed by a terrific crop of juniors.

88) Damian Lillard, Oakland (Calif.) 6-2 G '08
A clutch shooter, Lillard will move up on this list one day, but he was more suited for the 100th anniversary team.
HS Status (All-Stater): Averaged averaged 22.4 ppg, 5.2 rpg and 2.3 apg as a senior, just never got to play in the big showcase game or tournament to show he was on par with California's very best players.

NBA TOP 75: Top 25 GREATEST AS HIGH SCHOOL PLAYERS

1. Lew Alcindor 2. Wilt Chamberlain 3. Moses Malone 4. LeBron James 5. Kevin Garnett 6. Oscar Robertson 7. Jason Kidd 8. Jerry Lucas 9. Magic Johnson 10. Jerry West 11. Patrick Ewing 12. Isiah Thomas 13. Wes Unseld 14. Elgin Baylor?15. Shaquille O'Neal 16. Kevin Durant 17. Robert Parish 18. Bill Walton 19. Kobe Bryant 20. James Worthy 21. Dominique Wilkins 22. Tracy McGrady 23. Carmelo Anthony 24. Billy Cunningham 25. Michael Jordan.

Ronnie Flores is the national Grassroots editor of www.ebooksnet.com. He can be reached at?[email protected]. Don't forget to follow him on Twitter:?@RonMFlores

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Editor's Note: This story was originally published in January 2014 and has been edited to include what has transpired recently.

As the dream of becoming a McDonald's All-American has grown over the years, so has the scrutiny of the annual roster selections. Twenty five years ago, the picks were announced and few people had the knowledge or insight to argue them. Before the Internet, YouTube and social media, information on great high school players traveled slower around the country than it does now. Only a handful of national scouts truthfully saw a majority of the nation's best players.

"Sonny Vaccaro began his game nine years before me (1965) when I started the Capital Classic in 1974," McDonald's All-American Game founder Bob Geoghan said in 2014. "I was always honest with people and told them for the Capital Classic, I did what was in the best interests of the game. The McDonald's Game was different because you had to be voted on, and I decided I would not have a vote. As the founder and executive director, I would never have a vote. It's not a perfect system, but I hand-picked a number of people who were legitimate talent evaluators.

"In some of the early years, we only picked 20 players," Geoghan said. "I always felt we picked the best we could. It's always hard to project late-bloomers and some of the guys who were can't miss, didn't make it anywhere."

The McDonald's Selection Committee came under scrutiny in the late 1990s and 2000s for some of the selections, including a grey area of allowing some fifth-year players to participate and others not to. To its credit, the game's organizers realized the selection committee needed to be expanded to include younger, more mobile, talent evaluators so a new crop of credible talent scouts were brought into the fold. This infusion of scouts, who are regulars on the recruiting trail, helped curtail a majority of that scrutiny in recent years.

"I started with about 12, but the voting committee slowly expanded because I wanted to make it as democratic as possible," Geoghan said. "I always lamented one of the voters picking a player because he saw them once -- and saw him play his best game -- and said 'he has to be a McDonald's All-American.'"

Not everyone is happy with the annnual selections. With a task as enormous and important as nailing down the nation's 24 best high school players, it comes with the territory that the end result will produce a deserving player or two being left off.

And we're not talking about great talents without a high school resume, or who were injured or fifth-year players ineligible for the game. We're talking about players who enjoyed some success in grassroots basketball and monster success with their high school team.

Over the years, there's been some All-American-level players overlooked and today we decided to give them their proper acclaim.

Top 12 Players Who Should Have Been McDonald's All-Americans
(List does not include those ineligible for the game because of age, academics, injury or because they were post-graduate players. Players who fall in one of these categories include Anfernee Hardaway, Schea Cotton and John Wall; All-Star Sports rankings began in 1979 and the Hoop Scoop in 1984)

1. Glen Rice, Northwestern (Flint, Mich.) 6-7 F (1985)
Ranking: No. 8 (Hoop Scoop), No. 13 (All-Star Sports)
Whenever the term McDonald's snub is used, it conjures up an image of this sweet-shooting forward. Michigan's Mr. Basketball for 1985, Rice averaged 20.8 ppg on a 27-1 team as a junior and was even better his senior season. Northwestern finished 28-0 and ranked No. 4 nationally by USA Today. "The committee didn't choose him, but we knew of him because, back then, coaches called to make sure we knew about a kid. Quite frankly, they didn't know how the team was picked," Geoghan said.

2. Rod Strickland, Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, Va.) 6-2 G (1985)
Ranking: No. 16 (Hoop Scoop), No. 4 (All-Star Sports)
Led Harry Truman (Bronx, N.Y.) to a state federation title as a junior and was a consensus Top 20 ranked prospect, but transferred to Oak Hill for his senior season. Oak Hill didn't have the sterling reputation it does now and current Oak Hill coach Steve Smith told us Strickland was "a handful." As an assistant coach on that team, one of Smith's job was keeping Strickland in line. "I don't remember him particularly, but character counts to a certain degree," Geoghan said. Strickland was arguably the nation's best point guard and at Sonny Vaccaro's Roundball Classic, he was the U.S. team MVP with 20 points, six steals and three assists.

3. Onyeka Okongwu, Chino Hills (Calif.) 6-8 C (2019)
Ranking: No. 8 (Hoop Scoop), No. 22 (All-Star Sports)
Okongwu is known best for helping an already legendary Huskies club go 35-0 to capture the 2016 FAB 50 national championship when the Big O was a 14-year old freshman. After Melo Ball (another 14-year old starter on that team) left school, Okongwu became more of a focal point of the offense and simply dominated California ball because his impeccable defensive instincts and timing never wavered. He finished his career with three CIF state titles and is a two-time Cal-Hi Sports Mr. Basketball. He also helped his Compton Magic travel club capture a mythical grassroots national title in 2018 with 16 points, 12 rebounds and five blocked shots in a 81-79 overtime victory over Team Takeover.

4. Marc Wilson, Calvert Hall (Towson, Md.) 6-1 G (1982)
Ranking: Third Team Top 33 (B/C Scouting), No. 35 (All-Star Sports)
The point guard on the No. 1 ranked team in the country by the National Sports News Service (precursor to FAB 50), Wilson was a clutch player and a demon on the fast break, according to coach Mark Amatucci. Wilson got off to a great start his senior season and nowadays, that likely would have created a spot for him on the team in the mold of Tyler Lewis (2012) or Nigel Williams-Goss (2013). Calvert Hall finished 34-0, winning the Las Vegas Holiday Prep Classic, the Pepsi Cola Challenge and the Alhambra Tournament along the way. On one of the first teams to truly play a national schedule, Money was better the bigger the game was.

5. Trevor Ariza, Westchester (Los Angeles) 6-8 F (2003)
Ranking: No. 18 (Hoop Scoop), No. 16 (All-Star Sports)
Ariza might not have had the greatest summer heading into his senior season and was a bit of a position-less monster, but his talent was immense. A consensus Top 20 prospect, Ariza averaged averaged 22 points and eight rebounds per game on a deep and talented team. Westchester finished 33-3 and ranked No. 4 in the FAB 50. It's not hard to find a guy in the 2003 game that Ariza should have replaced (whereas some years it's difficult to do that).

6. Cameron Thomas, Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, Va.) 6-3 G (2020)
Ranking: No. 25 (Hoop Scoop), No. 25 (247 Composite)
Steve Smith has coached 33 McDonald’s All-Americans up to this point at the famous Southwest Virginia boarding school and was a bit perplexed his sweet-shooting guard was not No. 34. The normally mild Smith had something to say about it on social media. Thomas left the storied program as its all-time leading scorer and had a spectacular senior season. Thomas scored 1,258 points, just shy of the single-season school record of 1,312 points held by 2008 Mr. Basketball USA Brandon Jennings. He averaged 31.4 ppg for a 37-3 team that finished No. 9 in the FAB 50. In the summer pro, he was the Nike EYBL's leading scorer (29 ppg) and took Boo Williams to the Peach Jam title game.

7. Tyrone Bogues, Dunbar (Baltimore, Md.) 5-3 G (1983)
Ranking: No. 24 (All-Star Sports)
Teammate Reggie Williams (No. 4 All-Star Sports) was the Mr. Basketball USA choice on a team some observers feel is the best high school team, ever. With a dozen other players on the roster who could play at the D1 level, it's easy to see how Bouges was a bit overlooked. He shouldn't have been, however, because he was Dunbar's team MVP, averaging eight points, 10 assists and eights steals per game. Bouges dominated games with his determination, ball-hawking defense and stamina. "He got the MVP of the Capital Classic," Geoghan said. "I think because of his height, they said he was a water bug, and because Reggie Williams was projected to be a star, Bouges got overlooked. Nobody I knew at the time projected him to be a great college player. To be honest with you, we took Muggsy because we couldn't get Reggie."

8. DeAndre Jordan, Christian Life (Humble, Texas) 6-11 C (2007)
Ranking: No. 24 (Hoop Scoop), No. 22 (All-Star Sports)
The Class of 2007 was a special group, one of the greatest classes of all-time. Looking at the big men in the class, however, it's easy to see that Jordan belonged. He played outstanding ball at the 2006 ABCD Camp, ranking as the No. 12 performer in camp by the Hoop Scoop. As a senior averaged 19 points, 14 rebounds and five blocked shots per game. Jordan did play in the final Roundball Classic, scoring six points and blocking six shots.

9. Sergio McClain, Manual (Peoria, Ill.) 6-4 F (1997)
Ranking: No. 32 (Hoop Scoop), No. 35 (All-Star Sports)
Sure, McClain's game didn't translate into superstardom on the next levels, but that shouldn't have kept him from being recognized as a McDonald's All-American. The leading scorer on the nation’s top-ranked team (18.5 points, 5.8 rebounds and 3.3 assists), his value in fourth quarter, pressure situations simply can’t be measured by any stat. McClain was one of high school basketball's ultimate winners, helping Manual win four straight Class AA state championships. He was chosen Mr. Basketball in Illinois, even over teammate and McDonald's All-American Marcus Griffin.

10. Kawhi Leonard, M.L. King (Riverside, Calif.) 6-7 F (2009)
Ranking: No. 16 (Hoop Scoop), No. 50 (All-Star Sports)
A classic example of a later bloomer and a player who didn't get the proper exposure on the grassroots circuit, Leonard was a part-time starter as a high school sophomore. He kept working on his game and after transferring to King helped the Wolves to two consecutive CIF Div. I SoCal regional finals. Whenever a majority of the selection committee got to see him play, however, he was overshadowed by McDonald's All-American Renardo Sidney on the L.A. Dream Team, a grassroots travel team created for Sidney. Halfway through his senior season (in which he averaged 22.6 points, 13.1 rebounds, and 3.9 assists) it was evident to many Leonard should have been on the team. He was on his way to a cinch Cal-Hi Sports Mr. Basketball selection.

11. Jamal Mashburn, Cardinal Hayes (Bronx, N.Y.) 6-8 F (1990)
Ranking: No. 4 (Hoop Scoop), No. 8 (All-Star Sports)
Perhaps the voters didn't want to make the game too New York City heavy. Perhaps he came on a bit late. Mashburn, however, got plenty of exposure playing for the legendary New York Gauchos travel team and in the most competitive high school basketball league in the country at the time (C.H.S.A.A.). The four other players from the CHSAA he made first team all-state with (Tolentine's Adrian Autry and Brian Reese and Christ the King's Khalid Reeves and Derrick Phelps) were McDonald's All-Americans, but it was Mashburn who was named New York's Mr. Basketball. He led Hayes to its first CHSAA title since 1944 by scoring 18 points, grabbing seven rebounds and dishing four assists in the 52-46 championship game win over All Hallows. If you include Oak Hill Academy's Anthony Cade, New York City produced five McDonald's All-Americans that season, but Mash wasn't one of them. From a national rankings perspective, Mash could easily be No. 3 or No. 4 on this list.

12. Leon Wood, St. Monica’s (Santa Monica, Calif.) 6-3 G (1979)
Ranking: First Team Top 33 (B/C Scouting), No. 25 (All-Star Sports)?
Similar to DeAndre Jordan, Wood played in a loaded class, so it was likely a numbers' game. Wood, however, was arguably the best shooter in the class. He stood out at the '78 Superstar Camp, according to noted skills trainer Ruben Luna. "I saw Leon beat Paul Westphal in H-O-R-S-E with the whole camp yelling, 'Take him outside Leon.' He was raining from deep." As a senior, he averaged 41.5 ppg and was his team's MVP in two games at the Roundball Classic.

13. Imari Sawyer, M.L. King (Chicago) 6-2 G (2000)
Ranking: No. 19 (Hoop Scoop), No. 23 (All-Star Sports)
A consensus Top 25 player, Sawyer was a scoring guard who could also pass the rock with flash. As a senior, he averaged 31 points and 12 assists per game. Even if he had a slow start to his senior year or a couple of bad outings in the summer, it's not as if voters didn't know who he was coming from a program that previously produced numerous All-Americans. Sawyer finished his high school career with 3,005 points.

Others Whom Should Be Prominently Mentioned:
(Listed by graduating class and national class ranking)

TyTy Washington, AZ Compass Prep (Chandler, Ariz.) 6-4 G (2021)
Ranking: No. 25 (Hoop Scoop), No. 15 (247 Composite)

E.J. Liddell, Belleville West (Belleville, Ill.) 6-7 F (2019)
Ranking: No. 15 (Hoop Scoop), No. 37 (All-Star Sports)

Javonte Smart, Scotlandville Magnet (Baton Rouge, La.) 6-4 G (2018)
Ranking: No. 21 (Hoop Scoop), No. 33 (All-Star Sports)

Emmitt Williams, Oak Ridge (Orlando, Fla.) 6-7 F (2018)
Ranking: No. 10 (Hoop Scoop), No. 16 (All-Star Sports)

Chris Lykes, Gonzaga College (Washington, D.C.) 5-8 G (2017)
Ranking: No. 21 (Hoop Scoop), No. 44 (All-Star Sports)

Mustapha Heron, Sacred Heart (Waterbury, Conn.) 6-6 F (2016)
Ranking: No. 6 (Hoop Scoop), No. 19 (All-Star Sports)

Cassius Winston, U-D Jesuit (Detroit) 6-0 G (2016)
Ranking: No. 26 (Hoop Scoop), No. 31 (All-Star Sports)

Tyler Dorsey, Maranatha (Pasadena, Calif.) 6-5 G (2015)
Ranking: No. 12 (Hoop Scoop), No. 27 (All-Star Sports)

Nick Emery, Lone Peak (Highland, Utah) 6-1 G (2013)
Ranking: No. 56 (Hoop Scoop), No. 61 (All-Star Sports)

Sam Dekker, Sheboygan Lutheran (Sheboygan, Wis.) 6-7 F (2012)
Ranking: No. 17 (Hoop Scoop), No. 21 (All-Star Sports)

Dorian Finney-Smith, Norcom (Portsmouth, Va.) 6-7 F (2011)
Ranking: No. 43 (Hoop Scoop), No. 25 (All-Star Sports)

B.J. Young, McCluer North (Florissant, Mo.) 6-4 G (2011)
Ranking: No. 16 (Hoop Scoop), No. 37 (All-Star Sports)

Damion James, Nacogdoches (Texas) 6-8 F (2006)
Ranking: No. 23 (Hoop Scoop), No. 16 (All-Star Sports)

Kevin Bookout, Stroud (Okla.) 6-8 C (2002)
Ranking: No. 10 (Hoop Scoop), No. 16 (All-Star Sports)

Doug Wrenn, O’Dea (Seattle) 6-7 F (1998)
Ranking: No. 14 (Hoop Scoop), No. 47 (All-Star Sports)

Kenny Brunner, Dominguez (Compton, Calif.) 5-9 G (1997)
Ranking: No. 9 (Hoop Scoop), No. 41 (All-Star Sports)

Ricky Davis, North (Davenport, Iowa) 6-5 G (1997)
Ranking: No. 13 (Hoop Scoop), No. 11 (All-Star Sports)

Jason Hart, Inglewood (Calif.) 6-3 G (1996)
Ranking: No. 31 (Hoop Scoop), No. 21 (All-Star Sports)

Kenny Thomas, Albuquerque (N.M.) 6-8 C (1995)
Ranking: No. 31 (Hoop Scoop), No. 12 (All-Star Sports)

Tremaine Fowlkes, Crenshaw (Los Angeles) 6-7 F (1994)
Ranking: No. 27 (Hoop Scoop), No. 18 (All-Star Sports)

Michael Spruell, Albany (Ga.) 6-1 G (1994)
Ranking: No. 10 (Hoop Scoop), No. 41 (All-Star Sports)

Andre Woolridge, Benson (Omaha, Neb.) 6-2 G (1992)
Ranking: No. 23 (Hoop Scoop), No. 16 (All-Star Sports)

Harold Miner, Inglewood (Calif.) 6-5 G (1989)
Ranking: No. 22 (Hoop Scoop), No. 29 (All-Star Sports)

Curt "Trouble" Smith,?Coolidge (Washington, D.C.) 5-10 G (1989)
Ranking: No. 33 (Hoop Scoop), No. 54 (All-Star Sports)

Richard Dumas, Washington (Tulsa, Ok.) 6-6 F (1987)
Ranking: No. 22 (Hoop Scoop), No. 35 (All-Star Sports)

Stacy Augmon, Muir (Pasadena, Calif.) 6-8 F (1986)
Ranking: No. 31 (Hoop Scoop), No. 8 (All-Star Sports)

Len Bias, Northwestern (Hyattsville, Md.) 6-8 F (1982)
Ranking: First Team Top 33 (B/C Scouting); No. 8 (All-Star Sports)

Ronnie Flores is the national Grassroots editor of www.ebooksnet.com. He can be reached at?[email protected]. Don't forget to follow him on Twitter:?@RonMFlores

The post McDonald's: 13 Overlooked All-Americans appeared first on www.ebooksnet.com.

The guys also discuss the preseason Mr. Basketball USA voting. Dereck Lively II of Westtown School sits atop the first ballots for the Player of the Year award, but which players are on his heels? How is this race shaping up compared to past years? Is there a surefire wire-to-wire winner for the 2021-22 award?

Ron and Dev then break down the high school basketball games they watched to begin the season. FAB 50 No. 9 Sierra Canyon went undefeated at the Montgomery Tip-Off in San Diego and No. 14 Corona Centennial won two games against quality opponents in the Battlezone Showcase. Which teams have Ron and Dev seen that could make their way into the regional or national rankings? Which players had standout performances to begin the season? Hit the play button above to listen to In The Paint 109!

The post ITP 109: Gonzaga vs. UCLA Reaction and HSBB Updates! appeared first on www.ebooksnet.com.

RELATED: All-Time Mr. Basketball USA Winners | Final 2020-21 Mr. Basketball USA Tracker 

As a young player on the Team Final travel ball club, Dereck Lively II of Westtown School (West Chester, Pa.) once backed up Jalen Duren. Duren was physically advanced and it was evident he was going to be an elite player. Not only did Lively begin on his travel ball club as a back-up, his development was further slowed by a broken foot during his freshman campaign. Just as any developing big man, it took some time for him to grow into his body and show signs of becoming one of the nation's most sought-after recruits.

So after backing up his good friend, it's ironic Lively is now replacing him as the top vote-getter for the nation's most prestigious individual honor: Mr. Basketball USA. After leading Montverde Academy (Montverde, Fla.) to the 2020-21 FAB 50 national title and teaming up with Lively to lead Team Final to the 2021 Nike EYBL Peach Jam title, Duren decided to re-classify up and join Memphis for the 2021-22 season.

Duren's decision came after finishing last season as the No. 3 vote-getter in the final 2020-21 Mr. Basketball USA Tracker behind Jabari Smith (Auburn) and 2020-21 honoree Chet Holmgren (Gonzaga). Duren decided to team up with Emoni Bates, who finished tied for No. 7 in last year's final Mr. Basketball USA voting and briefly played for Team Final, at Memphis. It's a foregone conclusion without the nationwide Name, Image, Likeness (NIL) policy the NCAA approved on July 1, 2021, Duren and Bates would not be playing for Memphis right now The duo still might be in the high school ranks or pursuing professional opportunities.

NCAA NIL reform, along with emerging professional opportunities for elite high school players (G League Ignite, Overtime Elite, NBL Next Star program), has undoubtedly changed the high school and grassroots landscape. This change is reflected in the preseason voting for national player of the year. With Duren, Bates and a few other underclass elites gone from the high school game, Lively was the top vote-getter among the 10-man tracker panel that make up the Mr. Basketball USA Tracker powered by www.ebooksnet.com. Lively was the only player among 22 candidates to appear on all ten ballots.

Lively tallied seven first place votes and finished with 84 out of a possible 100 points to easily best second place vote-getter Amari Bailey of preseason FAB 50 No. 9 Sierra Canyon (Chatsworth, Calif.) with 69 points. The explosive shooting guard headed to UCLA received five second place votes and three third place ones, but didn't appear on two ballots.

Lively's point total perhaps is a bit surprising only because he is the first leading preseason vote-getter in 15 years whom did not appear on a single ballot in the final tally from the previous season. Not only did Lively have to recover from his foot injury, the COVID-19 pandemic was another hurdle he had to overcome. When it broke out in winter of 2020, he was a nondescript prospect from a national perspective. College scouts were unable to see him live in the summer of 2020 and Westtown School only played three games during his junior season.

He was regarded as a Top 50 national prospect until last spring, when he began displaying his ability on a national scale as a big-time defensive game-changer and rim protector. Lively led the EYBL in blocked shots (3.7 big) and added 8.4 ppg and 6.7 rpg in 15 outings. He then led Peach Jam in blocked shots as Team Final captured the prestigious event title for the first time in program history.

He was also rated as our No. 2 performer at the 2021 Pangos All-American Camp behind, you guess it, his friend and teammate Duren. That was, of course, before Duren decided to take advantage of new NIL legislation and jump early to the college ranks. Of the 22 preseason vote-getters, only Bailey and No. 3 vote getter DJ Wagner of FAB 50 No. 4 Camden (N.J.) were significant candidates during the 2020-21 season and Bailey is the only returning Elite All-American still in high school basketball. Duren, Bates and Scoot Henderson of Kell (Marietta, Ga.), who signed a two-year with the NBA G League Ignite team, were high school All-Americans that left the high school ranks early.

"The biggest thing I see is this is the first year affected by high school players going to pro leagues and it's an anomaly year," said said panel member Van Coleman of Global Sports Television and Nothing But Net Magazine. "The top two prospects in high school basketball going into this year (Duren and Bates), didn't really challenge Chet Holmgren last year, but at that point it didn't seem like they knew what they were going to do in the off-season. NIL options for college, plus Overtime Elite and the NBA G League taking high school players with eligibility, all affects how this year's voting will go."

The race to challenge Lively for the only production-based national high school basketball national player of the year honor is wide open, especially with last year's top underclass candidates no longer part of the equation. Twelve candidates appeared on only one ballot, which indicates a host of prospects can challenge the top core group as the season rolls along based on their individual play and team success. This year should also see a return of the plethora of national level holiday tournaments and showcases where many of the top candidates will have the opportunity to play in head-to-head matchups. Last season those were limited in scope and some regions did not have official seasons at all.

Bailey was the only other candidate besides Lively to appear on eight ballots, with Wagner nabbing two first place votes despite his absence on three ballots. The third candidate to receive a first place vote was point guard Jaden Bradley of preseason FAB 50 No. 2 IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.). He also had a No. 2 vote, and a No. 3, while finishing in sixth place with 33 overall points. His new IMG Academy teammate Keyonte George, had two second place, third place and fourth place votes apiece to finish at No. 4 in the balloting with one less overall point than Wagner (49 points), the only junior among the top 10 candidates.

"The jury is still out how these new pro leagues are going to affect the first couple of classes with these options," Coleman said. "Things may settle down after a couple of years, but it's still too early to tell if these changes are positive or negative for the best players."

Stay logged in to www.ebooksnet.com to track the progress of the nation's top individual players and the nation’s Top teams.

Editor's Note: Click on the "+" sign next to each player's number to view how many first, second, third or fourth place votes he got and his overall point total.

Rank	Prev.	Name	High School	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	Total
1	NR	Dereck Lively (10)	Westtown School (PA)	7	0	0	0	84
2	17T	Amari Bailey (8)	Sierra Canyon (CA)	0	5	3	0	69
3	12T	D.J. Wagner (7)	Camden (NJ)	2	0	1	1	49
4	NR	Keyontae George (6)	IMG Academy (FL)	0	2	2	2	48
5	NR	Dariq Whitehead (6)	Montverde Academy (FL)	0	1	1	1	40
6	NR	Jaden Bradley (4)	IMG Academy (FL)	1	1	1	0	33
7	NR	Cason Wallace (4)	Richardson (TX)	0	0	0	2	25
8	NR	Nick Smith (4)	North Little Rock (AR)	0	0	1	1	24
9	NR	Chris Livingston (4)	Oak Hill Academy (VA)	0	0	0	0	20
10	NR	Collin Chandler (3)	Farmington (UT)	0	0	0	1	16
11	NR	Baye Fall (2)	Denver Prep (CO)	0	1	0	0	14
12	NR	Arterio Morris (2)	Kimball (TX)	0	0	0	1	13
13	23T	J.J. Taylor (1)	Donda Academy (CA)	0	0	1	0	8
14	NR	Tre White (1)	Prolific Prep (CA)	0	0	0	1	7
15T	NR	Adem Bona (1)	Prolific Prep (CA)	0	0	0	0	6
15T	NR	Rob Dillingham (1)	Donda Academy (CA)	0	0	0	0	6
15T	NR	Mackenzie Mgbako (1)	Gill St. Bernard (NJ)	0	0	0	0	6
18T	NR	Kylan Boswell (1)	AZ Compass Prep (AZ)	0	0	0	0	5
18T	NR	Naasir Cunningham (1)	Gill St. Bernard (NJ)	0	0	0	0	5
20T	NR	Isaiah Elohim (1)	Sierra Canyon (CA)	0	0	0	0	4
20T	NR	Kwame Evans (1)	Montverde Academy (FL)	0	0	0	0	4
20T	NR	Mark Mitchell (1)	Sunrise Christian Academy (KS)	0	0	0	0	4

About Mr. Basketball USA Tracker Panel
www.ebooksnet.com's panel of 10 experts, which includes six McDonald’s All-American selection committee members, casts its vote for the top national player of the year candidates. Each panelist lists his top seven candidates regardless of class. The votes are then tabulated on a 10-point scoring system with a first-place vote equaling 10 points, a second-place vote earning nine points and down to four points for a seventh-place vote. The number in parenthesis refers to the numbers of ballots on which a player appeared and previous rankings refers to position in last season's final tracker.

The post Preseason POY Tracker: Change Brings Uncertainty appeared first on www.ebooksnet.com.

RELATED: 3 or More NBA Pros on a HS Team | Who's the Greatest HS Team Ever? 

There is a definite difference on how great a high school player is while in high school and how good of a NBA prospect he is and how good of a player he can be down the line.

The same ideology holds true for great high school teams.

Obviously, its record and position in the FAB 50 National Team Rankings powered by www.ebooksnet.com is a good indication of how good a team is, but sometimes it's not until many years later that one can look back at a high school team and realize just how great it was. When a player goes on to success at the highest levels of a game, that can obviously enhance the perception of just how good his high school team was. That especially holds true if a team has more than one great player or future pro.

Once in a blue moon a team comes along that you know is special right away in real time as you're watching it. It's evident in its makeup, skill level, size, pedigree and results of its games. In that situation, even the players on the team know it.

That was clearly the case with the high school team most long-time followers, prep editors, and national rankings compilers feel was the best overall during the last 40 years: 1982-83 Dunbar (Baltimore, Md.). That outfit went 31-0 and defeated a strong schedule of foes (for its era) by an average margin of 36.5 ppg. The players on that roster and coach Bob Wade knew how special the group was right then and played accordingly.

It's the same feeling the players off the 2019-20 Montverde Academy (Montverde, Fla.) felt in 2020 as the Eagles rolled to a 25-0 record and beat every foe on a true national schedule by an average margin of 38.9 ppg.

Wade's '83 unit cemented its status four years later in the 1987 NBA Draft when three of its players were drafted in the first round. Reggie Williams, the 1983 Mr. Basketball USA went No. 4 overall, spark plug guard and team MVP Muggsy Bouges went No. 12 and reserve Reggie Lewis went No. 22 overall. It blew many people's minds when Lewis, who was Dunbar's sixth or seventh man and averaged 5.5 ppg, became the third player off a single high school team taken in the same draft when the Boston Celtics selected him.

There has been 46 documented high school teams with at least three NBA players on its roster, but that '83 Dunbar team set the standard for other high school teams to follow by having three players taken in the first round of the same draft.

That was the standard until the 2019-20 Montverde Academy team came around.

The Eagles also produced the best player in the country (Mr. Basketball USA pick Cade Cunningham) and rolled to a No. 1 mythical national title as Dunbar did. The players on the Eagles' roster didn't have to wait four years to make history, as the core of the group all declared for the NBA Draft after one year of college (a record-low seven seniors were drafted in 2021). Not only did three players off that Eagles team go in the first round, the team produced the No. 1 overall pick (Cunningham), the No. 4 pick (team glue guy Scottie Barnes) and a third lottery pick in Moses Moody.

Not only did its top three get drafted higher than Dunbar's trio, MVA's 2019-20 team added a fourth first round pick in power forward Day'Ron Sharpe.

2021 NBA Draft Picks From Montverde Academy (Fla).
No. 1 Cade Cunningham (Oklahoma State) - Detroit Pistons
No. 4 Scottie Barnes (Florida State) - Toronto Raptors
No. 14 Moses Moody (Arkansas) - Golden State Warriors
No. 29 Day’Ron Sharpe (North Carolina) - Pheonix Suns (traded)
No. 50 Filip Petrusev (Gonzaga/Serbia) - Philadelphia 76ers
No. 54 Sandro Mamukelashsvili (Seton Hall) - Indiana Pacers (traded)
No. 57 Balsa Koprivica (Florida State) - Charlotte Hornets (traded)

As if having four players off the same high school team taken in the same draft isn't enough, the program produced seven of the 60 overall players drafted in 2021.

"This is a special day for all our players their families and the whole Montverde Academy community," said Boyle. "I'm very happy to see all the sacrifice and dedication pay off for all our players. To have seven drafted, four in the first round, and three in the lottery has truly exceeded our expectations. All of these guys are a special part of the Montverde family."

Petrusev was a starter on the 2017-18 team led by Mr. Basketball USA RJ Barrett (the No. 3 pick in the 2019 NBA Draft) that went 36-0 and wire-to-wire No. 1 in the FAB 50. Mamukelashsvili was a senior on the 2016-17 team that finished 26-5 and No. 5 in the FAB 50. Koprivica, who played with Barnes at FSU, was the starting center on the 2018-19 team that featured juniors Cunningham and Moody that lost in the GEICO Nationals semifinals to eventual FAB 50 National champion IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.) and finished No. 4 in the FAB 50 with a 22-3 mark.

Cunningham (13.9 ppg, 4.2 rpg, 6.4 apg in 2019-20 for MVA) is the third No. 1 overall pick for Boyle, with the first two being Ben Simmons in 2016 (one year after graduating from MVA as the Mr. Basketball USA) and Kyrie Irving, who played at St. Patrick (Elizabeth, N.J.), in 2011. It surprised some when Barnes (11.6 ppg, 6.5 rpg, 4.6 apg for MVA) went ahead of Gonzaga's Jalen Suggs at No. 4 and Moody (10.9 ppg, 3.3 rpg) was drafted alot higher than projected coming out of high school. Sharpe (12.1 ppg, 7.3 rpg) was actually the third McDonald's All-American and earned All-American Elite team honors from Ballislife.

As for the firth starter on that team, that would be sophomore forward Caleb Houstan (10.0 ppg, 3.5 rpg), who like Barrett, re-classed up after his sophomore season of high school and will head to Michigan this fall after earning All-American acclaim as a senior in 2020-21. In all likelihood, all five of the starters off that 2019-20 Montverde Academy team will eventually play in the NBA.

Ronnie Flores is the national Grassroots editor of www.ebooksnet.com. He can be reached at [email protected]. Don't forget to follow him on Twitter: @RonMFlores

The post Magical Night For Montverde Academy! appeared first on www.ebooksnet.com.

RELATED:  Previous Mr. Basketball USA Tracker | All-Time Honorees | Ballislife Podcast Network

There were plenty of milestone and first-time occurrences during the 2020-21 high school basketball season. The first order of business was deciding when to release "end-of-season" national honors because, as many know, the 2020-21 season is still going. In fact, in California, Washington and Oregon, the season will be going after school districts let school out for the summer. The affects of COVID-19 on high school basketball will linger far into the summer.

To be fair to players in those three Western states and the others who played spring seasons, we wanted to offer a fair opportunity at end-of-season honors. However, and the season wore along it became clear: Seven-foot Chet Holmgren of Minnehaha Academy (Minneapolis, Minn.) is a special player and no matter when the announcement was set for, the results were going to be the same with regards to national player of the year.

It was clear to the 10-man Mr. Basketball USA panel, and to most fans that watched him over the course of the past year, that Holmgren is a unique prospect and best player in the country for the 2020-21 season. Today, he is honored with the title of 2020-21 Mr. Basketball USA.

"Chet Holmgren has been the best prospect and player in high school since at least August prior to his junior year, in my opinion," said panel member Frank Burlison of BurlisonOnBasketball.com.

Watch the video below to check out and co-hosts Ronnie Flores and Devin Ugland discuss the full Mr. Basketball USA Player of the Year voting (full results below) and stay tuned for a special guest interview with Chet's high school coach, Lance Johnson, of Minnehaha Academy.

Holmgren led the Redhawks to the MHSL Class AAA state title with a 22-1 mark and No. 7 FAB 50 national ranking, which will go down as the highest ever ranking for a Minnesota team, topping last season's undefeated Eden Prairie team that finished No. 12. Holmgren played five years on the varsity and Minnehaha Academy captured four state titles in that time frame.

Holmgren was a skinny, 6-foot-6 eighth grader who played spot varsity minutes (in Minnesota student-athletes can play varsity before ninth grade) while averaging 1.4 ppg and less than one rpg. According to Johnson, he started to show glimpses of the player he is today in tenth-grade, when he averaged 18.2 ppg, 9.8 rpg and a career-high 5.5 bpg for a 29-2 team.

As a underclassmen, Holmgren teamed up with NBA-bound point guard Jalen Suggs (who led Gonzaga to the 2021 NCAA title game) and with his good friend in the college ranks in 2020-21, he was just as individually dominant. Holmgren was efficient in all facets of the game, averaging 20.8 ppg, 12.6 rpg, 4.4 apg, and 4.7 bpg (he averaged 4.9 bpg as a junior). On the season, he converted an incredible 157-of-194 two-point field goal attempts (81%) and 21-of-67 3-point attempts (31%).

Holmgren is lauded as a good teammate, put together one of the best seasons we've ever seen in terms of offensive efficiency and was hailed as the best defensive player in the country. It's been a long time since a big man national player of the year candidate has put together such a complete resume.

Holmgren is the first true post player to earn the nation's most prestigious individual honor since 2013-14, when Cliff Alexander of Curie (Chicago) was the choice. Holmgren also makes history as the first player from the state of Minnesota to be recognized as the best high school player in the country.

If history is any indication, this year's top player will one day soon play in the NBA.

Editor's Note: Click on the "+" sign next to each player's number to view how many first, second, third or fourth place votes he got and his overall point total. Previous tracker results are also listed ("Prev.").

Rank	Prev.	Name	High School	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	Total
1	1	Chet Holmgren (10)	Minnehaha Academy (MN)	10	0	0	0	100
2	2	Jabari Smith (10)	Sandy Creek (GA)	0	6	1	1	79
3	3	Jalen Duren (9)	Montverde Academy (FL)	0	2	4	1	66
4	5	Kennedy Chandler (10)	Sunrise Christian (KS)	0	0	1	2	62
5	7	TyTy Washington (7)	AZ Compass Prep (AZ)	0	1	1	1	39
6	16T	Caleb Houstan (5)	Montverde Academy (FL)	0	0	1	1	28
7T	6	Emoni Bates (5)	Ypsi Prep (MI)	0	1	1	0	23
7T	9	Hunter Sallis (5)	Millard North (NE)	0	0	0	1	23
9	13	Daimion Collins (6)	Atlanta (TX)	0	0	0	1	22
10	10	Mike Foster (4)	Hillcrest Prep (AZ)	0	0	1	0	17
11	11T	J.D. Davison (5)	Calhoun (AL)	0	0	0	0	16
12T	16T	Kobe Bufkin (3)	Grand Rapids Christian (MI)	0	0	0	0	12
12T	8	D.J. Wagner (3)	Camden (NJ)	0	0	0	1	12
14	16T	Moussa Diabate (1)	IMG Academy (FL)	0	0	0	0	8
15T	16T	Nolan Hickman (2)	Wasatch Academy (UT)	0	0	0	0	7
15T	NR	Peyton Watson (2)	Long Beach Poly (CA)	0	0	0	0	7
17T	NR	Amari Bailey (3)	Sierra Canyon (CA)	0	0	0	0	6
17T	NR	Tyrese Hunter (1)	St Catherines (WI)	0	0	0	0	6
19T	NR	Rashool Diggins (1)	Archbishop Wood (PA)	0	0	0	0	4
19T	15	DaRon Holmes (1)	AZ Compass Prep (AZ)	0	0	0	0	4
21	NR	Saint Thomas (1)	Millard North (NE)	0	0	0	0	3
22	NR	Matthew Cleveland (1)	Pace (GA)	0	0	0	0	2
23T	NR	Adrame Diongue (1)	Bella Vista Prep (AZ)	0	0	0	0	1
23T	NR	Harrison Ingram (1)	St. Marks (TX)	0	0	0	0	1
23T	NR	J.J. Taylor (1)	Kenwood (IL)	0	0	0	0	1
23T	NR	Bruce Thornton (1)	Milton (GA)	0	0	0	0	1

2020-21 Mr. Basketball USA Tracker Panel

Paul Biancardi, ESPN National Director of Basketball Recruiting
Frank Burlison, BurlisonOnBasketball.com Publisher
Van Coleman, Global Sports Television C.O.O.
Jordan Divens, Maxpreps.com National Basketball Editor
Ronnie Flores, www.ebooksnet.com National Grassroots Editor
Bob Gibbons, All-Star Sports
Chris Lawlor, Blue Star Media National Analyst
Jerry Meyer, 247Sports.com Director of Scouting
Patrick Stanwood, Patrick Stanwood Basketball
Dinos Trigonis, Fullcourt Press Editor & Publisher

About Basketball USA Tracker Panel
www.ebooksnet.com's panel of 10 experts, which includes six McDonald’s All-American selection committee members, casts its vote for the top national player of the year candidates. Each panelist lists his top seven candidates regardless of class. The votes are then tabulated on a 10-point scoring system with a first-place vote equaling 10 points, a second-place vote earning nine points and down to four points for a seventh-place vote. The number in parenthesis refers to the numbers of ballots on which a player appeared and previous rankings refers to position in the previous tracker.

For the all-time list of Mr. Basketball USA honorees, CLICK HERE.

Ronnie Flores is the national Grassroots editor of www.ebooksnet.com. He can be reached at [email protected]. Don't forget to follow him on Twitter: @RonMFlores

The post Chet Holmgren Named Mr. Basketball USA! appeared first on www.ebooksnet.com.

RELATED: All-Time Mr. Basketball USA Winners | Preseason 2020-21 Mr. Basketball USA Tracker |How To Make A HS Version Of March Madness 

There was always plenty of uncertainty surrounding the 2020-21 high school basketball season way before any sanctioned games were played. Would health departments give guidance and clearance to state associations? Would school districts follow suit with sanctioned games after their state associations created guidelines?

Fortunately for a vast majority of states around the country, high school basketball and winter sports are being played. As of February 18, only seven states have yet to play sanctioned games, with the Baltimore Catholic League set to tip-off this week. Not every state will have a full slate of regular season games and some states, such as Illinois and Indiana, have canceled their post-season.

Chet Holmgren, the nations' best center and unsigned prospect in the 2021 class, leads the way as the top national player of the year candidate in the latest Mr. Basketball USA Tracker powered by www.ebooksnet.com. The 7-foot-1 center from FAB 50 No. 9 Minnehaha Academy (Minneapolis, Minn.) was the top vote-getter (10 points) on seven ballots and No. 2 on the other three for 97 points out of a possible 100.

"Holmgren is easily the top player in any class over the past two years," said panelist Frank Burlison of burlisononbasketball.com. "Along with Zion Williamson, he's one of the two most compelling prospects I’ve seen over the past 10 years or so."

One only needs to look at the plight of the other top candidates after Holmgren in the updated Mr. Basketball USA Tracker voting results to realize how much the response to COVID-19 has affected the high school basketball landscape.

The two other candidates who appeared on all 10 ballots in the preseason voting, undecided forward Patrick Baldwin Jr. of Hamilton (Sussex, Wis.) and undecided guard Jaden Hardy of Coronado (Las Vegas, Nev.), are no longer on the ballots. Baldwin, the national class player of the year the past two seasons, was No. 2 behind Holmgren in the preseason but a severe ankle injury has sidelined him since early December. Hardy, who was No. 5 in the balloting, was able to play in some fall league contests, but the Clark County Unified School District that Coronado belongs to cancelled the winter high school basketball season on December 1.

The player who was No. 3 in the preseason voting behind Baldwin, Duke-bound power forward Paolo Banchero of O'Dea (Seattle, Wash.), has also seen his fortunes changed. He is now No. 4 in the balloting with 59 overall points while appearing on seven ballots. Banchero's positioning is based on the premise O'Dea, currently No. 12 in the FAB 50, will play its season in the spring. WIAA programs are supposed to conduct two, 10-week seasons beginning April 26. Banchero is without question one of the nation's most dominant talents, but the fragmented season means he won't get to play out-of-region competition or have any matchups against any of the other 18 Mr. Basketball USA candidates.

It was also announced today the 2021 McDonald's All-American Game is canceled. All the above mentioned players are shoo-ins for the game and it's practices are usually a good barometer to gauge many of the Mr. Basketball USA candidates in one setting. That is another opportunity taken away from the 16 senior candidates. McDonald's will still announce its rosters for the game and celebrate the honorees virtually.

The top candidate who has participated in what one would consider a "normal" season is Auburn-bound Jabari Smith of FAB 50 No. 35 Sandy Creek (Tyrone, Ga.) and his production is reflected in voting tally. Sandy Creek's season began on November 21 and the team is 21-4 against a tough schedule. Smith, a versatile forward who impacts both ends of the floor, is No. 2 in the balloting with 73 overall points whole posting season norms of 23.4 ppg, 9.9 rpg, 3.2 apg, 1.7 spg, and 2.8 bpg. Although he didn't garner a No. 1 vote, Smith did garner two No. 2 votes (nine points each) and joins Holmgren as the only two candidates to appear on all ten ballots.

Besides Holmgren (7) and Banchero (2), the only other candidate to receive a first place vote is junior center Jalen Duren of FAB 50 No. 1 Montverde Academy. Duren, a physical presence underneath who defends the glass well for the nation's top-ranked team, appeared on nine ballots with 63 points, good for third place overall. On the season, he’s the leading scorer (14.9 ppg, 63.6% FG) for a Eagles team with three players averaging over 13 points per game, while adding 9.4 rpg and 2.2 bpg.

Duren has supplanted Emoni Bates of YSPI Prep Academy (Ypsilanti, Mich.) as the top vote-getter among underclassmen and is a legitimate national POY candidate should he close the season strong. Bates, No. 4 overall in the preseason balloting, is now No. 6 after garnering 32 overall points, including one second place vote and one third. He appeared on eight ballots in the preseason (including four second-place votes), but appeared on five ballots is the updated tracker. YSPI Prep, a start-up, independent prep program, has had some trouble building its schedule thus far because of COVID-19 and sanctioning regulations and is 7-2 on the season with Bates averaging 23.0 ppg, 5.8 rpg and 3.0 apg.

Bates was one of the hottest rising names in basketball at all levels last season, but that has slowed somewhat in 2020-21.

The fast-risers in the latest Mr. Basketball USA Tracker are a pair of point guards who didn't garner any preseason attention. Kennedy Chandler, the catalyst for FAB 50 No. 2 Sunrise Christian Academy (Bel Air, Kan.), came in at No. 5 in the balloting while appearing on seven ballots. The Tennessee-bound Chandler has hit big shots throughout the season for a 18-2 club and is currently averaging 15.2 ppg, 4.4 rpg, 6.6 apg and 3.5 spg.

The second point guard to garner serious national POY consideration is TyTy Washington of AZ Compass Prep (Chandler, Ariz.). He too has been a catalyst for one of the best teams in the country (which owns a win over Sunrise Christian Academy). The Creighton-bound lead guard had 12 points, eight rebounds, six assists in the Sunrise Christian victory and is currently averaging 21.6 ppg, 6.2 rpg, 5.9 apg, and 2.6 spg.

Stay logged in to www.ebooksnet.com to track the progress of the nation's top individual players and the nation’s Top teams.

Editor's Note: Click on the "+" sign next to each player's number to view how many first, second, third or fourth place votes he got and his overall point total.

Rank	Prev.	Name	High School	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	Total
1	1	Chet Holmgren (10)	Minnehaha Academy (MN)	7	9	0	0	97
2	6	Jabari Smith (10)	Sandy Creek (GA)	0	2	4	2	73
3	8	Jalen Duren (9)	Montverde Academy (FL)	1	2	1	0	63
4	3	Paolo Banchero (7)	O’Dea (WA)	2	2	2	0	59
5	NR	Kennedy Chandler (7)	Sunrise Christian (KS)	0	0	0	4	44
6	4	Emoni Bates (5)	YSPI Prep (MI)	0	1	1	0	32
7	NR	TyTy Washington (3)	AZ Compass Prep (AZ)	0	0	1	2	22
8	10T	D.J. Wagner (3)	Camden (NJ)	0	0	1	0	16
9	NR	Hunter Sallis (3)	Millard North (NE)	0	0	0	0	15
10	12T	Mike Foster (2)	Hillcrest Prep (AZ)	0	0	0	1	13
11T	7	Kendall Brown (2)	Sunrise Christian (KS)	0	0	0	0	11
11T	16T	J.D. Davison (2)	Calhoun (AL)	0	0	0	0	11
13	10T	Daimion Collins (1)	Atlanta (TX)	0	0	0	1	7
14	NR	Trevor Keels (1)	Paul VI (VA)	0	0	0	0	6
15	16T	Daron Holmes (1)	AZ Compass Prep (AZ)	0	0	0	0	5
16T	NR	Kobe Bufkin (1)	Grand Rapids Christian (MI)	0	0	0	0	4
16T	NR	Moussa Diabate (1)	IMG Academy (FL)	0	0	0	0	4
16T	12T	Nolan Hickman (1)	Wasatch Academy (UT)	0	0	0	0	4
16T	9	Caleb Houstan (1)	Montverde Academy (FL)	0	0	0	0	4

About Mr. Basketball USA Tracker Panel
www.ebooksnet.com's panel of 10 experts, which includes five McDonald’s All-American selection committee members, casts its vote for the top national player of the year candidates. Each panelist lists his top seven candidates regardless of class. The votes are then tabulated on a 10-point scoring system with a first-place vote equaling 10 points, a second-place vote earning nine points and down to four points for a seventh-place vote. The number in parenthesis refers to the numbers of ballots on which a player appeared and previous rankings refers to position in last season's final tracker.

The post POY Tracker: Fortunes Change For Nation's Elite appeared first on www.ebooksnet.com.

RELATED: Who's The Greatest High School Team Ever? | All-Time FAB 50 National Champions| LaMelo Ball Film Breakdown | Ballislife Live NBA Draft Party (November 18, 6:50 pm ET)

With LaMelo Ball and Onyeka Okongwu set to join the NBA as lottery picks in the 2020 NBA Draft (November 18), we thought it would be an interesting time to pour over all our past FAB 50 rankings and other files to check on just how difficult it is for a single high school team to produce three NBA players.

This is not a list of three future NBA players produced from one program, but rather a rundown of three or more future NBA players on one specific varsity team, in the same season (while excluding programs that knowingly accept post-graduates). The definition of "playing in the NBA" is making an appearance in a NBA game, not being on a NBA roster on injured reserve or part of a summer league team. Nor is it playing on the G-League team or being in training camp; it means actually playing in a regular season NBA game.

With those parameters in place, we have uncovered three teams with five future NBA players, six teams with four, and 37 with three. Believe it or not, there are dozens of high school teams with at least two future NBA players. Forty-six teams is actually more than we originally thought, but when digging deeper, one realizes it’s super rare if you take away independent-academy programs that are designed to produce high level college prospects. Take away now defunct Findlay Prep of Nevada and perennial FAB 50 powers Montverde Academy of Florida and Oak Hill Academy of Virginia and that number dwindles to 32 teams. When accounting for public high schools, that number is 19.

What makes Ball and Okongwu joining the NBA as lotto picks so special is Melo’s oldest brother Lonzo Ball was also a lottery pick, going No. 2 to the Los Angeles Lakers in 2017. No other school has produced three lottery picks on the same team, and Chino Hills is one of those 14 public schools. Chino Hills also is the last public school to capture the mythical FAB 50 national title, going 35-0 in 2015-16 when Melo and O were 14-year old starting freshmen. Will other players on that already legendary 2015-16 Chino Hills roster, namely Eli Scott (LMU), Andre Ball (Pepperdine) or Cam Shelton (Northern Arizona), one day crack a NBA roster?

Stay tuned.

Quinn Cook

6'0"   -   PG   -   2011

5 NBA Players On One Varsity Team

2008-09 DeMatha Catholic (Hyattsville, Md.) 31-4
Final FAB 50 Rank: No. 14
Pros: Quinn Cook (SO), Jerami Grant (FR), Jerian Grant (JR), Victor Oladipo (JR), Josh Selby (JR).
Synopsis: The Stags were 15-2 when Selby transferred out, and finished off the season by winning the Washington Catholic Athletic Conference (WCAC) regular season and tournament titles. Selby was the No. 1 prospect in the 2010 class, according Rivals.com.

2009-10 Findlay Prep (Henderson, Nev.) 32-2
Final FAB 50 Rank: No. 3
Pros: Jabari Brown (JR), Nick Johnson (JR), Cory Joseph (SR), Tristan Thompson (SR), Nigel Williams-Goss (FR).
Synopsis: This was an ultra-talented team that won its second consecutive ESPN RISE NHSI title with an avenging win over Montverde Academy. The Pilots’ coaching staff and players were fairly confident had No. 2 Neumann-Goretti (Philadelphia) and FAB 50 National Champion Yates (Houston) been in a tournament field with them that  Findlay Prep would have won decisively.

2013-14 Findlay Prep (Henderson, Nev.) 31-5
Final FAB 50 Rank: No. 5
Pros: Jonah Bolden (SR), Dillon Brooks (JR), O’Shae Brissett (FR), Kelly Oubre (SR), Rashad Vaughn (SR).
Synopsis: Under former NBA player Jerome Williams, the Pilots somewhat salvaged a disappointing season by knocking off No. 2 seed and previously unbeaten Rainier Beach (Seattle), 67-59, at Dick’s Nationals behind Arizona-bound Craig Victor (23 points, 11 rebounds) and the Kansas-bound Oubre (17 points, 14 rebounds).

4 NBA Players On One Varsity Team

1981-82 Dunbar (Baltimore, Md.) 29-0?
Final Rank: No. 2 (Basketball Weekly)
Pros: Tyrone "Muggsy" Bogues (JR), Reggie Lewis (JR), Reggie Williams (JR), David Wingate (SR).
Synopsis: This great team finished ranked behind cross-town Calvert Hall, which defeated Dunbar in the final game of 1980-81 season and went wire-to-wire as No. 1. Calvert Hall played a national schedule, and while Dunbar didn’t, it defeated preseason No. 2 Camden (N.J.), 84-59, while Calvert Hall trailed the same team late before defeating it, 67-62. Wingate was the senior leader along with UNLV-bound Gary Graham (6-4).

1992-93 Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, Va.) 36-0
Final FAB 50 Rank: No. 1
Pros: Mark Blount (SO), Jeff McInnis (SR), Makhtar N’Diaye (SR), Jerry Stackhouse (SR).
Synopsis: This is the best team in the long, storied history of the Warriors’ program with no weaknesses. Oak Hill defeated six college teams led by Stackhouse, a man amongst boys in high school, and McInnis, who joined Stack at the McDonald’s All-American Game and at North Carolina. For more on this team, CLICK HERE.

2007-08 DeMatha Catholic (Hyattsville, Md.) 21-10 ?
Final FAB 50 Rank: NR
Pros: Quinn Cook (FR), Jerian Grant (S0), Victor Oladipo (S0), Josh Selby (SO).
Synopsis: Young Stags team finished in third place in the highly-competitive Washington Catholic Athletic Conference (WCA). DeMatha was able to hand conference champ and FAB 50 No. 8 Gonzaga (Washington, D.C.) its only loss, but later lost to that team 61-44 at the Alhambra Catholic Invitational.

2009-10 DeMatha Catholic (Hyattsville, Md.) 32-4 ?
Final FAB 50 Rank: No. 40
Pros: Quinn Cook (JR), Jerami Grant (SO), Jerian Grant (SR), Victor Oladipo (SR).
Synopsis: Jerian Grant got plenty of attention as did Cook, but only one credible ranking (Hoop Scoop) had Oladipo in the Top 100 (No. 98). On a team with 12 eventual D1 players, a couple of close losses prevented the Stags from cracking the Top 10 in the FAB 50.

2010-11 Findlay Prep (Henderson, Nev.) 28-4?
Final FAB 50 Rank: No. 14
Pros: Anthony Bennett (JR), Nick Johnson (SR), Naz Mitrou-Long (JR), Nigel Williams-Goss (SO).
Synopsis: The Pilots were the preseason FAB 50 No. 1 team, but had a bad habit of falling behind in games all season long. With leading scorer Myck Kabongo playing in the McDonald's All-American Game less than 24 hours before taking on Dwyer (Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.) at the NHSI, the Pilots got 13 minutes and zero field goals from him in a first-round loss. Mitrou-Long played spot minutes.

2010-11 Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, Va.) 29-4
Final FAB 50 Rank: No. 7
Pros: Jordan Adams (JR), Quinn Cook (Sr), A.J. Hammons (Jr), Ben McLemore (SR).
Synopsis: This Warriors unit did spend some time at No. 1, but ended up losing in the NHSI championship game to No. 2 Montrose Christian (Rockville, Md.), 71-64 in double overtime. Cook came over after playing on three DeMatha Catholic teams that had five and four future NBA players, respectively, while McLemore did not finish the season with the Warriors. Adams led Oak Hill to a 44-0 mark and FAB title the following season.

3 NBA Players On One Varsity Team

1957-58 Overbrook (Philadelphia) 22-0
Final Rank: N/A
Pros: Walt Hazzard (SO), Wayne Hightower (SR), Wali Jones (SO).
Synopsis: Three years earlier Overbrook featured Wilt Chamberlain, the game’s first true high school superstar, but this ‘Brook team was more balanced and didn’t lose a game. It beat Neumann in the City title game at the famous Palestra, 71-54, as All-American Hightower had 23 points and 18 rebounds.

1963-64 DeMatha Catholic (Hyattsville, Md.) 27-2?
Final Rank: N/A
Pros: Sid Catlett (FR), Joe Kennedy (SR), Bernie Williams (JR).
Synopsis: The Stags won their fourth of six consecutive WCAC championships under Naismith Hall of Fame coach Morgan Wootten, who passed in January 2020 at age 88. One of the two losses was to eventual mythical national champion Power Memorial (New York), 65-62, which was led by junior and all-time great Lew Alcindor. The Stags played much better team defense on Alcindor in a return game the following season to end Power’s 71-game winning streak in what many historians consider the greatest high school game of all-time.

1963-64 DeWitt Clinton (Bronx, N.Y.)?
Final Rank: N/A
Pros: Luther Green (JR), Ollie Taylor (SO), Willie Worsley (SR).
Synopsis: The defending PSAL champs ran their winning to 38 games before losing to Boys in the PSAL semifinals at Madison Square Garden before 10,000 fans. Clinton has produced 17 NBA players and most came through the school in the 1960s and early 1970s. This program was so loaded future NBA Hall of Famer Nate Archibald was cut as a sophomore, but he later teamed up with Worsley at UTEP.

1964-65 DeWitt Clinton (Bronx, N.Y.)?
Final Rank: N/A
Pros: Nate Archibald (JR), Luther Green (SR), Ollie Taylor (JR).
Synopsis: Green was named the PSAL Player of the Year and the Governors had another fantastic season, advancing to the PSAL finals where it fell to a 22-0 Erasmus Hall team, 85-80. A year later when Archibald was a senior, he teamed up with star forward Mike Switzer and backcourt mate Walt Robertson to lead DeWitt Clinton to a 21-0 mark and the mythical national title as named by the National Sports News Service (FAB 50 precursor).

1968-69 Washington (Indianapolis, Ind.) 31-0?
Final Rank: N/A
Pros: Steve Downing (SR), George McGinnis (SR), Wayne Pack (SR).
Synopsis: Compton (Calif.) won the National Sports News Service mythical national title, but the Continentals would have given the Tarbabes all they could handle. Washington was big, deep, physical and had a future pro guard in Pack. McGinnis was the nation’s best player and also all-state in football and would become the first player in the state of Indiana to score 1,000 points in a season. The IHSAA had its most highly-anticipated state Final Four ever in '69, as the four teams came in with a total of one loss with Washington becoming only the second unbeaten Indiana state champ.

1970-71 Mount Vernon (Mount Vernon, N.Y.) 21-1
Final Rank: N/A
Pros: Rudy Hackett (SR), Earl Tatum (JR), Gus Williams (SR).
Synopsis: The top-ranked team in New York, the Knights only lost their final game to McKinley Tech (Washington, D.C.), in the post-season Knights of Columbus Tournament in Washington, D.C. Williams, who was still under six-foot, averaged 24 ppg and was named state player of the year by the New York Sports Writers Association. The next season, Tatum earned the same honors with an even more spectacular season and was joined by Ray Williams, Gus’ younger brother who also went on to play in the NBA.

1972-73 Verbum Dei (Los Angeles) 29-2
Final Rank: No. 1 (National Sports News Service)
Pros: Lewis Brown (SR), David Greenwood (SO), Roy Hamilton (SO).
Synopsis: The Eagles were in the midst of winning six consecutive CIF Southern Section titles, and Brown (24.1 ppg) was the star in the middle. The two-time section player of the year was complemented by Greenwood, who was already becoming a star in his own right, and Hamilton, who took on a bigger role the next season. That underclass duo led Verbum Dei to another section and mythical national title as juniors but did not win a section title during their senior seasons in 1975 after being upset in the semifinals.

1981-82 St. Bernard (Playa del Rey, Calif.) 28-3?
Final Rank: No. 22 (Basketball Weekly)
Pros: Corey Gaines (JR), Ronnie Grandison (SR), Leonard Taylor (SO).
Synopsis: The Vikings won the CIF Southern Section 3A title behind a team that included 10 future D1 players before losing to Banning (Calif.) in the first-ever SoCal D2 regional final. Grandison (14 ppg) was the leading scorer on a balanced team that included all-section performers Kevin Vidato (12 ppg) and Robert Howling (11 ppg), while Gaines (10 ppg) was named the state’s junior player of the year.

1982-83 Dunbar (Baltimore, Md.) 31-0?
Final Rank: No. 1 (National Sports News Service)
Pros: Tyrone "Muggsy" Bogues (SR), Reggie Lewis (SR), Reggie Williams (SR).
Synopsis: Most veteran observers rate the Poets the greatest high school team of all-time, considering they were expected to be great (they were the first preseason No. 1 by USA Today) and delivered. Against a national schedule, the Poets never played down to the competition and won by an average of 36.5 ppg. On a deep team with 11 future D1 players, Lewis (a future NBA All-Star) came off the bench but made most of his limited opportunities. Williams was the star and Bogues was the unquestioned leader of a group that included three 1987 first rounders. For more on this team, CLICK HERE.

1986-87 St. Anthony (Jersey City, N.J.) 30-1?
Final Rank: No. 10 (USA Today)
Pros: Terry Dehere (SO), Bobby Hurley (SO), Luther Wright (FR).
Synopsis: The Friars won their fifth consecutive New Jersey Non-Public Group B state crown with a young club that seemed destined for greatness. St. Anthony did go on to win two more state titles and the first-ever state Tournament of Champions crown in 1988-89 when Dehere and Hurley were seniors, but they did it without Wright, a talented and imposing big man. After the season, Wright transferred to Elizabeth (N.J.) High School for his sophomore season. St. Anthony went on to capture nine consecutive state titles, but Elizabeth did beat the Friars, 65-62, to capture the 1990 TOC crown when Wright was a senior.

1987-88 Murrah (Jackson, Miss.) 31-6
Final FAB 50 Rank: NR
Pros: Lyndsey Hunter (SR), Ryan Lorthridge (S0), James Robinson (JR).
Synopsis: The Mustangs featured three terrific perimeter players with Robinson getting most of the publicity as a two-time high school All-American. Under the guidance of legendary coach Orsmond Jordan Jr., Murrah was a power, but this season they were no match for regionally-ranked, Chris Jackson-led Gulfport in the Class 5A state title game, 96-76. Murrah got more national recognition in 1991 and 1992, when they won back-to-back state titles led by All-Americans Othella Harrington, Ronnie Henderson and the late Jesse Pate. Jordan also won a national championship for Negro schools in 1965 at Lanier (Jackson, Miss.), in the third to last national championships for segregated schools.

1988-89 Southwest (Macon, Ga.) 24-5
Final FAB 50 Rank: NR
Pros: Ivano Newbill (SR), Chris Robinson (FR), Sharone Wright (SO).
Synopsis: The 1978-79 Southwest team is one of the best of all-time, but its this Patriots club that produced three pros. Coach Don Richardson won his last state title behind the play of Newbill, Georgia's Mr. Basketball, and Russell Odom, the state tourney MVP. Wright was one of two talented sophomores, including Reggie Manuel (UNLV), while Robinson was a deep reserve. The team finished No. 6 in the South regional rankings.

1988-89 Southwestern (Detroit) 25-2
Final FAB 50 Rank: NR
Pros: Howard Eisley (JR), Voshon Lenard (S0), Jalen Rose (SO).
Synopsis: This young Prospectors club fell in the Class A state final to Cooley (Detroit). Rose (19 ppg, 7 rpg, 5 apg) was already showing All-American potential and Lenard (16 ppg) was not too far behind. Eisley averaged 11 assists per game on a team that returned 12 players in 1989-90.

1988-89 St. Anthony (Jersey City, N.J.) 32-0?
Final FAB 50 Rank: No. 1
Pros: Terry Dehere (SR), Bobby Hurley (SR), Rodrick Rhodes (FR).
Synopsis: A terrific defensive team capped a perfect season by winning the first ever New Jersey TOC crown behind the play of bruising forward Jerry Walker, the tourney MVP and Naismith Hall of Fame coach Bob Hurley’s most consistent player. The fifth stater was 6-foot-7 Sean Rooney before he tore ligaments in his ankle. Junior forward Jose Ortiz then stepped in for a club that won the Great Florida Shootout and the King Cotton Classic.

1989-90 Proviso East (Maywood, Ill.) 25-3?
Final FAB 50 Rank: NR
Pros: Donnie Boyce (JR), Michael Finley (JR), Sherrell Ford (JR).
Synopsis: The Pirates were a good team, but Boyce broke his ankle early in the season. It caused Ford to step up his game and Finley, the sixth man, to earn more playing time after playing JayVee as a 10th grader. Boyce eventually came back but the team lost to St. Joseph (Westchester, Ill.) in the sectionals.

1989-90 Southwestern (Detroit) 27-0
Final FAB 50 Rank: No. 5
Pros: Howard Eisley (SR), Voshon Lenard (JR), Jalen Rose (JR).
Synopsis: Coach Perry Watson’s club overcame years of state title game frustration by capturing the program’s first Class A state title behind its terrific perimeter defense and Rose, a hybrid forward who could handle like a point guard. The Prospectors’ 1991 team was named mythical national champions by USA Today with a 26-1 mark after Eisley moved on to Boston College. Interestingly enough, Chris Webber, the Mr. Basketball USA in 1990-91, could have easily been on this club. One of the most sought-after middle school players in Michigan history, Webber decided to attend Detroit Country Day instead of joining his close friend Rose at Southwestern.

1990-91 Proviso East (Maywood, Ill.) 32-1?
Final FAB 50 Rank: No. 6
Pros: Donnie Boyce (SR), Michael Finley (SR), Sherrell Ford (SR).
Synopsis: The Pirates were an incredibly talented team that won the program’s third Class AA state crown with the best record in school history. Proviso East’s only loss was a 65-64 setback to Rock Island (Ill.). Boyce (10.3 rpg) controlled the paint, Ford (22.1 ppg) was the go-to scorer and Finley (13.6 ppg) did a bit of everything. “The Three Amigos” were all selected within the first 42 picks of the 1995 NBA Draft.

1990-91 Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, Va.) 27-1?
Final FAB 50 Rank: No. 4
Pros: Corey Alexander (SR), Thomas "Junior" Burrough (SR), Ben Davis (SR).
Synopsis: The Warriors defeated teams from nine states and after this team came along, Oak Hill Academy had an incredible run of NBA talent and McDonald’s All-American selections. Oak Hill did record a win over eventual No. 1 Simon Gratz (Philadelphia) in the semifinals of the Great Florida Shootout, but had a 28-point loss against Dunbar (Ft. Worth, Texas). Davis was the leading scorer (20 ppg), Burrough (3.1 bpg) was a defensive stalwart and Alexander recorded 253 assists.

1995-96 Christ the King (Middle Village, N.Y.) 26-1
Final FAB 50 Rank: No. 14
Pros: Erick Barkley (JR), Craig “Speedy” Claxton (SR), Lamar Odom (JR).
Synopsis: The Royals opened up No. 4 in the National Prep Poll (FAB 50 precursor) and were up to No. 2 when they were shocked in the Catholic High School Athletic Association Class A final, 64-63, by Rice (New York). Rice’s Bevon Robin scored with 1.3 seconds remaining in overtime to end the season of a team many felt was New York City’s most talented since the 1988 Malik Sealy-led St. Nicholas of Tolentine team that finished No. 1 in the country. Odom did not return to the program for his senior season, while Barkley took a prep school year at Maine Central Institute.

1998-99 Willowridge (Houston) 29-3*?
Final FAB 50 Rank: No. 3
Pros: Daniel Ewing (SO), T.J. Ford (SO), Ivan McFarlin (JR).
Synopsis: The Eagles had all but one of their victories forfeited because of of University Interscholastic League residency violations surrounding McFarlin, a transfer who went on to play at Oklahoma St. It was evident with the trio the program would be a juggernaut the next two seasons.

1999-00 Willowridge (Houston) 36-1?
Final FAB 50 Rank: No. 3
Pros: Daniel Ewing (JR), T.J. Ford (JR), Ivan McFarlin (SR).
Synopsis: The Eagles won their last 23 games and a second UIL Class 5A crown in the last seven years. McFarlin was the lone senior and averaged 16 ppg and 14.9 rpg. The next season with McDonald's All-Americans Ewing and Ford leading the way, Willowridge capped an unbeaten season by beating Converse Judson, 67-64, in double overtime, and Bryan, 65-58, to win back-to-back state titles to finish No. 2 in the FAB 50 behind Oak Hill Academy.

2001-02 Westchester (Los Angeles) 32-2
Final FAB 50 Rank: No. 4
Pros: Hassan Adams (SR), Trevor Ariza (JR), Bobby Brown (JR).
Synopsis: The deepest and most talented of Ed Azzam’s six CIF state championship teams, Adams was California’s Mr. Basketball and led a terrific senior trio that included Brandon Heath and Brandon Bowman. Ariza earned Mr. Basketball honors as a senior and Brown stepped into the starting lineup at point guard for Ahmad Cook (Georgetown), who helped the Comets win back-to-back City of Palms Titles in 2000 and 2001.

2003-04 San Joaquin Memorial (Fresno, Calif.) 24-10
Final FAB 50 Rank: N/A
Pros: Brook Lopez (SO), Robin Lopez (SO), Quincy Pondexter (SO).
Synopsis: Not only did this trio play together for three years in high school, they also played travel ball together for Fresno-based EBO and had more success on the travel ball circuit than it did in the CIF ranks. EBO who the prestigious adidas Super 64 Tournament in Las Vegas in 2004 and 2005 with a team that also featured Tre'Vonn Willis (Washington of Easton, Calif.) and Derek Gasper (Paso Robles, Calif.).

2004-05 San Joaquin Memorial (Fresno, Calif.) 23-11
Final FAB 50 Rank: N/A
Pros: Brook Lopez (JR), Robin Lopez (JR), Quincy Pondexter (JR).
Synopsis: This team underachieved, despite the raw talent, although some felt they were a year away. The Panthers fell to Garces of Bakersfield in the CIF Central Section Div. IV title game.

2005-06 San Joaquin Memorial (Fresno, Calif.) 33-4
Final FAB 50 Rank: N/A
Pros: Brook Lopez (SR), Robin Lopez (SR), Quincy Pondexter (SR).
Synopsis: This team had the talent to be California’s best, but took some early losses before being shocked, 68-67, in double overtime in the CIF SoCal D4 final by Horizon (San Diego). Pondexter (21 ppg) was the North Yosemite League MVP and D4 State Player of the year over his two highly-regarded teammates, both whom played in the McDonald’s All-American Game in San Diego.

2005-06 Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, Va.) 40-1
Final FAB 50 Rank: No. 3
Pros: Michael Beasley (JR), Ty Lawson (Sr), Nolan Smith (Jr).
Synopsis: The Warriors lost their final game of the season to No. 2 Montrose Christian (Rockville, Md.) on a last-second outback in one of the most talent-laden high school games every witnessed. The loss snapped Oak Hill's 56-game winning streak for a team that spent most of the year ranked No. 2 with a deep club. Montrose Christian's star player was Kevin Durant, who actually played at Oak Hill the season before. Beasley, a future No. 1 NBA Draft choice, did not return to Oak Hill for his senior season.

2006-07 Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, Va.) 40-1
Final FAB 50 Rank: No. 1
Pros: Brandon Jennings (JR), Nolan Smith (SR), Trey Thompkins (JR).
Synopsis: The Warriors captured their sixth FAB 50 title by recording their second straight 40-1 record season and winning 96 of their last 98 games. Oak Hill defeated six of seven teams ranked in the top 30 of the FAB 50. Smith, a McDonald's All-American, led the way with 22 ppg and 4.5 apg, while Alex Legion (Michigan) and Jennings also garnered some All-American mention.

2007-08 Christ School (Arden, N.C.) 34-2
Final FAB 50 Rank: NR
Pros: Marshall Plumlee (FR), Mason Plumlee (JR), Miles Plumlee (SR).
Synopsis: This team finished just outside the FAB 50 as a NCISAA Private School champion. With three Plumlee brothers on their roster, the Greenies defeated Greensboro Day in the title game. Although Marshall played only sparingly on this particular team, he later helped the program win four consecutive state titles, something his older brothers were not able to accomplish.

2008-09 Findlay Prep (Henderson, Nev.) 33-0
Final FAB 50 Rank: No. 1
Pros: Avery Bradley (SR), Cory Joseph (JR), Tristan Thompson (JR).
Synopsis: In its first year as a program eligible to be ranked in the FAB 50, the Pilots made a big splash after adding Thompson three quarters of the way through the season. They won the inaugural ESPN RISE NHSI (now GEICO Nationals) via a win over previous No. 1 Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, Va.), 74-66. Bradley (20 points) and Joseph (18) combined to score 38 points in the landmark victory.

2011-12 Findlay Prep (Henderson, Nev.) 32-1?
Final FAB 50 Rank: No. 2
Pros: Anthony Bennett (SR), Nigel Williams-Goss (JR), Christian Wood (JR).
Synopsis: Brandon Ashley didn’t have a particularly strong senior campaign with the Pilots, but he came through when necessary, scoring 15 of his 31 points against Montverde Academy in the fourth quarter of an incredible 86-83 overtime victory in the title game of the ESPNHS NHSI. Williams-Goss scored the winning basket and had 17 points for a Pilots’ team that lost out on the FAB 50 title because of a loss to No. 35 La Lumiere (La Porte, Ind.), a team No. 1 Oak Hill Academy defeated.

2012-13 Montverde Academy (Montverde, Fla.) 26-2
Final FAB 50 Rank: No. 1
Pros: Dakari Johnson (SR), DeAngelo Russell (JR), Ben Simmons (SO).
Synopsis: The 2012 MVA team would have three future NBA players, too, had Johnson not sat out after following coach Kevin Boyle over from St. Patrick (Elizabeth, N.J.). Joel Embid was a reserve for the 2012 MVA team who left, but it didn’t matter as the Eagles started out No. 1 in the FAB 50 and ended there after winning the NHSI over St. Benedict’s (Newark, N.J.) on a last-second 3-pointer by Jalyn Patterson. This physically dominant team welcomed Simmons towards the ends of the season, and the Ballislife Player of the Decade for the 2010s led the program to two more FAB 50 titles in 2014 and 2015.

2012-13 Prime Prep (Dallas) 37-2
Final FAB 50 Rank: N/A
Pros: Terrence Ferguson (FR), Emmanuel Mudiay (JR), Jordan Mickey (SR),
Synopsis: This academy, which was opened by NFL Hall of Fame Deion Sanders, dropped out of the UIL. It made them ineligible for the FAB 50 that season, but Prime Prep still had a formidable team. Its season ended when it lost to eventual FAB 50 national champ Montverde Academy, 57-55, in the NHSI semifinals.

2012-13 Simeon (Chicago) 30-3
Final FAB 50 Rank: No. 5
Pros: Zach Norvell (FR), Kendrick Nunn (SR), Jabari Parker (SR).
Synopsis: Started No. 3 in the FAB 50 but got off to a slow start as Parker was recovering from an off-season injury. By the end of the season Parker was playing up to form and so were the Wolverines, who joined Peoria Manual as the second Illinois team to win four straight state Class 4A titles. Parker became the state’s first two-time Mr. Basketball, Nunn did alot of the dirty work and Norvell played spot minutes.

2013-14 Prime Prep (Dallas) 21-6
Final FAB 50 Rank: No. 34
Pros: Terrence Ferguson (SO), Emmanuel Mudiay (SR), P.J. Washington (FR),
Synopsis: McDonald's All-American Mudiay led this team, which finished ranked a bit below preseason expectations. Prime Prep notched a win over Sunrise Christian Academy early in the season, then lost in a rematch. The team also posted a win over No. 5 Finley Prep and beat Dallas Kimball, the Texas Class 4A state champ.

2014-15 Findlay Prep (Henderson, Nev.) 29-3?
Final FAB 50 Rank: No. 5
Pros: O’Shae Brisset (SO), Allonzo Trier (SR), P.J. Washington (SO).
Synopsis: After a so-so regular season, Findlay Prep lost to No. 1 Montverde Academy, 57-53, in overtime under hard-to-believe circumstances in the Dick Nationals semifinals. Trier and junior Derrick Thornton Jr. made up a terrific backcourt and senior Horace Spencer was a clutch defender and rebounder.

2015-16 Montverde Academy (Montverde, Fla.) 26-2?
Final FAB 50 Rank: No. 5
Pros: R.J. Barrett (FR), Bruno Fernando (SR), Anfernee Simons (JR).
Synopsis: Although this MVA team was young in both the back court and front court, it was clear Barrett was going to be a star with the program. This team lost 55-47 to No. 4 La Lumiere (La Porte, Ind.) in the Dick Nationals semifinals. Will Simi Shittu, Silvio DeSousa and/or E.J. Montgomery one day log NBA minutes?

2015-16 Chino Hills (Chino Hills, Calif.) 35-0?
Final FAB 50 Rank: No. 1
Pros: La’Melo Ball (FR), Lonzo Ball (SR), Onyeka Okongwu (FR).
Synopsis: It was amazing that this team rose from No. 9 in the preseason FAB 50 to No. 1 considering Melo and O were both 14-year old starting freshmen and there wasn’t much depth because of injuries. The springboard victory was a 83-82 win over three-time defending FAB 50 champion Montverde Academy at the City of Palms Tournament in Florida. After defeating Bishop Montgomery (Torrance, Calif.) in a state No. 1 vs. No. 2 regular season showdown, it became clear this was a team of destiny whose legend just looms larger after 2020 NBA Draft night. What’s next for this already iconic group?

Ronnie Flores is the national Grassroots editor of www.ebooksnet.com. He can be reached at [email protected]. Don't forget to follow him on Twitter: @RonMFlores

The post 3 or More Pros On A High School Team? Incredible! appeared first on www.ebooksnet.com.

Today we take our first look at five of the best "Bucket-Getters" of high school basketball in the past 30 years. These five legendary scorers you should know about!

Related: Bucket-Getters (May Edition) | Top Bucket-Getters of 2020

Ted Dupay

5'10"   -   PG   -   1998

Ted Dupay, Mariner (Cape Coral, Fla.) 5-10 1998:
Although he looked like a throwback to the days of single-class basketball in Indiana or somewhere in the Midwest, Dupay was a gun-slinger from Florida who could knock down jumpshots as well as any high school player we can think of. Dupay could handle the ball efficiently, could pass it and was simply unconscious from the outside, especially during his senior year. In that 1997-98 season, Dupay led the nation in scoring with a 41.4 ppg average and he especially shined in big games. Dupay had a 49-point game versus nationally-ranked Dominguez (Compton, Calif.) and averaged 47.7 ppg in three games at the City of Palms Classic, including a 56-point outing versus Roger Bacon (Cincinnati, Ohio). In four years at the prestigious tourney, this knock-down shooter averaged 27.1 ppg and finished as the all-time leading scorer in FHSSA history with 3,744 points. Dupay had some success on the court at Florida, helped Florida reach the 200 NCSAA title game and continued to be a dangerous outside shooter, but he was more of a specialist. Percentage-wise, he shot the two-pointer barely better than the 3-pointer at the college level.

Joe Jackson

5'11"   -   PG   -   2010

Joe Jackson, White Station (Memphis, Tenn.) 5-11 2010::
Similar to Dupay, Jackson could get red-hot from the outside and there was nothing a high school defense could do about it. In fact, in one travel ball game we saw Jackson play in an auxiliary gym, he knocked down 13 3-pointers. Jackson just had supreme confidence and could run the point effectively as well. Before his senior season at White Station, he led the Memphis Magic to the title of the prestigious Super 64 in Las Vegas, scoring 20 points in the title-game win over the New England Playaz. Jackson parlayed that success into a monster senior season, averaging 32.3 ppg, 6.0 rpg and 3.0 apg for a White Station team that advanced to the AAA state title game. Jackson played in three state title games in four seasons (winning in 2009) and finished his high school career with 3,451 points, No. 2 on the Shelby County all-time list behind Melrose's Bobby Smith (3,640). Jackson's frame didn't get much bigger as he moved on to college and although not dominant, he was a good player. In fact, Jackson led Memphis in scoring, assists and steals as a senior in 2013-14.

Tracy Murray

6'8"   -   SF   -   1989

Tracy Murray, Glendora (Calif.) 6-8 1989:
This scoring forward just kept getting better as a high school player following surgery as a freshman to correct a bone problem and capped it off with a monster senior season. In fact, he played himself onto the McDonald's All-American team and was named Cal-Hi Sports Mr. Basketball after scoring a state-record 1,505 points in 34 games, good for a 44.3 ppg average. At the time it reportedly led the nation, although Larry Stidman of Mount Ida (Ark.) is now listed by the Arkansas Activities Association with a 46.0 ppg average with no accompanied statistics. Murray was a complete player who also averaged 15 rebounds and blocked plenty of shots for a Tartans team that advanced to the CIF Division II state final, Incredibly, Cal-Hi Sports predicted Murray would go for 60 points, and Glendora would lose, and incredibly that happened as Menlo-Atherton "held" Murray to 64 points in the title game. Murray went on to UCLA, where his outside shooting and scoring ability on the wing helped him develop into a 1992 NBA first round draft choice. What he did in front of packed crowds at Glendora, however, certified his status as a legendary high school Bucket-Getter.

Imari Sawyer

6'2"   -   PG   -   2000

Imari Sawyer, King (Chicago, Ill.) 6-2 2000:
The final in a long line of stars to play for the late Landon "Sonny" Cox at this Chicago Public League power, Sawyer had a flashy game that was complimented by supreme ball-handling, instincts and a take-no-prisoners attitude. Sawyer used his package of skills to develop into a relentless scorer, not one who relied on the outside shot, but one who could get into the key at will, get his shot off on any defender or finish with an acrobatic lay-in. Sawyer finished his four-year varsity career with 3,005 career points after averaging 24.5 ppg, 6 rpg, 7 apg, and 5 spg. In addition to cracking the 3,000 point barrier, Sawyer had 941 assists (he was credited with 30 in a senior year playoff game) and 345 steals. Sawyer stayed home and attended DePaul, where he was statistically better as a freshman (11.7 ppg, 6.0 apg) than sophomore and turned pro after two seasons. Although he never played in the NBA, he's a Windy City legend and certified Bucket-Getter.

Dajuan Wagner

6'2"   -   SG   -   2001

Dajuan Wagner, Camden (N.J.) 6-2 2001:
Few high school players in any era were Bucket-Getters quite like this Garden State legend. He came into high school with incredible hype and lived up to it, leading Camden to a New Jersey TOC crown as a junior and turning it out as a senior. Wagner was named Mr. Basketball USA after averaging a nation-leading 42.5 ppg in 29 games (1,232 points). Just too strong, explosive and confident for a vast majority of high school players to deal with, Wagner is one of only two players ever to lead the nation in scoring and have a 100-point game that same season. That game generated plenty of national attention 20 years ago and we remember the big following Wagner had around Camden and the entourage he brought with him to the 2001 McDonald's All-American Game. After one season at Memphis (in which he helped the Tigers win the NIT), the son of NCAA champ Milt Wagner (Louisville) turned pro. Wagner had a NBA game, but he didn't have ideal size for the two-spot and wasn't a true lead guard, so NBA fans who never saw him in high school probably don't know how much of a bucket he was. Wagner, in fact, defined the term "Bucket-Getter" at Camden and his son D.J. Wagner is carrying on that tradition right now at his alma mater.

Ronnie Flores is the National Grassroots Editor of www.ebooksnet.com. He can be reached at [email protected]. Don't forget to follow him on Twitter: @RonMFlores

The post Top Bucket Getters You Need To Know About! appeared first on www.ebooksnet.com.

RELATED: 2020 Ballislife All-American Selections | Ballislife Joins Fight Against COVID-19

Emmitt Williams

6'7"   -   PF   -   2018

Most Points
44 -- Emmitt Williams, Jordan Brand Classic/White, 2018
40 -- Louis Bullock, Capital Classic/Capital, 1995
40 -- Quentin Richardson, Derby Festival Classic/White, 1998
39 -- Zach Randolph, Derby Festival Classic/Purple, 2000
39 -- Stanley Johnson, Ballislife A-A/Red, 2014
37 -- Calvin Murphy*, Roundball Classic/United States, 1966
37 -- Tom McMillen, Roundball Classic/Keystone, 1970
36 -- Jimmy Baker, Roundball Classic/Keystone, 1971
34 -- LeBron James, Capital Classic/Black, 2003
33 -- Michael Smith, Capital Classic/Capital, 1990
33 -- Mustapha Heron, Ballislife A-A/White, 2016
33 -- Isaiah Mobley, Ballislife A-A/White, 2019
32 -- Jim McDaniels, Roundball Classic/United States, 1967
32 -- Kevin Walls, Derby Festival Classic/South, 1984
32 -- Terrence Williams, Derby Festival Classic/Black, 2005
32 -- Mustapha Heron, Derby Festival Classic/White, 2016
31 -- Moses Malone, Roundball Classic/United States, 1974
31 -- Kenny Gregory, Derby Festival Classic/Purple, 1997
31 -- Jonathan Bender, McDonald’s A-A/West, 1999
31 -- Malcolm Delaney, Capital Classic/United States, 2007
31 -- Emmitt Williams, Ballislife A-A/Black, 2018
30 -- Michael Jordan, McDonald’s A-A/East, 1981
30 -- Rasheed Wallace, Roundball Classic/East, 1993
30 -- Ricky Davis, Derby Festival Classic/White, 1997
30 -- Michael Snaer, Derby Festival Classic/Gold, 2009
30 -- Aaron Wiggins, Capital Classic/United States, 2018
31 -- Mitch Lightfoot, Ballislife A-A/White, 2016
30 -- Brandon McCoy, Ballislife A-A/White, 2017
30 -- Ethan Thompson, Ballislife A-A/Blue, 2017
29 -- Sam Iacino, Roundball Classic/Keystone, 1969
29 -- Darrell Griffith, Capital Classic/United States, 1976
29 -- Darrell Griffith, Derby Festival Classic/KY-IN, 1976
29 -- Wes Mathews, Roundball Classic/United States, 1977
29 -- Steve Risley, Derby Festival Classic/KY-IN, 1976
29 -- Larry Anderson, Roundball Classic/Keystone, 1979
29 -- Bill Varner, Roundball Classic/Keystone, 1979
29 -- J.R. Reid, Capital Classic/Capital, 1986
29 -- Dapreis Owens, Derby Festival Classic/North, 1988
29 -- Antwan Jamison, Capital Classic/United States, 1995
29 – Luke Whitehead, Derby Festival Classic/Purple, 2000
29 – John Allen, Roundball Classic/East, 2001
29 -- Anthony Davis, Jordan Brand Classic/Black, 2011
29 -- Aquille Carr, Capital Classic/Capital, 2013
29 -- Jahlil Okafor, Jordan Brand Classic/East, 2014
29 -- Eron Gordon, Derby Festival Classic/Maroon, 2016
29 -- Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Derby Festival Classic/White, 2017

Aquille Carr

5'6"   -   PG   -   2013

Field Goals Made
22 -- Emmitt Williams, Jordan Brand Classic/White, 2018 (22x23)
18 -- Quentin Richardson, Derby Festival Classic/White, 1998 (18x30)
18 -- Zach Randolph, Derby Festival Classic/Purple, 2000 (18x27)
16 -- Tom McMillen, Roundball Classic/Keystone, 1970 (16x32)
16 -- Stanley Johnson, Ballislife A-A/Red, 2014 (16x24)
16 -- Mustapha Heron, Ballislife A-A/White, 2016 (16x29)
15 -- Jimmy Baker, Roundball Classic/Keystone, 1971 (15x23)
15 -- Emmitt Williams, Ballislife A-A/Black, 2018 (15x28)

Field Goal Attempts
32 -- Tom McMillen, Roundball Classic/Keystone, 1970 (16x32)
30 -- Quentin Richardson, Derby Festival Classic/White, 1998 (18x30)
30 -- LeBron James, Capital Classic/Black, 2003 (13x30)
29 -- Mustapha Heron, Ballislife A-A/White, 2016 (16x29)
28 -- Emmitt Williams, Ballislife A-A/Black, 2018 (15x28)
27 -- Charles “Hawkeye” Whitney, Capital Classic/Capital, 1976 (13x27)
27 -- Mike O’Koren, Derby Festival Classic/United States, 1976 (14x27)
27 -- Jay Williams, McDonald’s A-A/East, 1999 (11x27)
27 -- Zach Randolph, Derby Festival Classic/Purple, 2000 (18x27)
26 -- Louis Bullock, Capital Classic/Capital, 1995 (14x26)
26 -- Keith Bogans, McDonald’s A-A/East, 1999 (10x26)

Field Goal Percentage
(minimum 10 attempts)
.957 -- Emmitt Williams, Jordan Brand Classic/White, 2018 (22x23)
.917 -- Bob Beecher, Derby Festival Classic/United States, 1982 (11x12)
.909 -- Sam Perkins, Derby Festival Classic 2**/United States, 1980 (10x11)

Free Throws Made
15 -- Derrick Chievous, Derby Festival Classic/North, 1984 (15x21)
13 -- Calvin Murphy, Roundball Classic/United States, 1966 (13x14)

Carmelo Anthony

6'7"   -   SF   -   2002

Free Throw Attempts
21 -- Derrick Chievous, Derby Festival Classic/North, 1984 (15x21)
18 -- Chris Monroe, Capital Classic/Capital, 1999 (12x18)
17 -- Carmelo Anthony, Capital Classic/Red, 2002 (12x17)
16 -- Bob Lojewski, Roundball Classic/Keystone, 1981 (12x16)
16 -- Benoit Benjamin, Roundball Classic/United States, 1982 (8x16)
16 -- George Lynch, Capital Classic/Capital, 1989 (10x16)
16 -- Allonzo Trier, Jordan Brand Classic/West, 2015 (11x16)
15 -- Russell Cross, McDonald’s A-A/West, 1980 (12x15)
14 -- Calvin Murphy, Roundball Classic/United States, 1966 (13x14)
14 -- Dwight Anderson, Roundball Classic/United States, 1978 (11x14)
14 -- Michael Smith, Capital Classic/Capital, 1989 (11x14)
14 -- Malcolm Delaney, Capital Classic/United States, 2007 (11x14)
14 -- Isaiah Briscoe, Ballislife A-A/Orange, 2015 (9x14)

Best Shooting Peformance
1.000 -- Mouphtaou Yarou, Capital Classic/Capital, 2009 (9x9 FG, 2x2 FT)

3-Pointers Made
6 -- Louis Bullock, Capital Classic/Capital, 1995 (6x10)
6 -- Charlton Clarke, Derby Festival Classic/Red, 1995 (6x7)
6 -- Tony Stanley, Capital Classic/Capital, 1996 (6x8)
6 -- Gerald Green, McDonald’s A-A/East, 2005 (6x9)
6 -- Brian Bowen, Jordan Brand Classic/East, 2017 (6x7)
5 -- Jermaine Medley, Derby Festival Classic/Purple, 1997 (5x7)
5 -- Justin Gray, Capital Classic/Red, 2002 (5x8)
5 -- J.J. Reddick, McDonald’s A-A/East, 2002 (5x6)
5 -- J.R. Smith, McDonald’s A-A/East, 2004 (5x11)
5 -- Daequan Cook, McDonald’s A-A/West, 2006 (5x9)
5 -- OJ Mayo, Roundball Classic/East, 2007 (5x10)
5 -- Raymond Penn, Derby Festival Classic/Black, 2009 (5x10)
5 -- Kameron Williams, Capital Classic/United States, 2013 (5x5)
5 -- Stanley Johnson, Ballislife A-A/Red, 2014 (5x10)
5 -- Andrew Robinson, Capital Classic/Capital, 2014 (5x7)
5 -- Frank Jackson, McDonald’s A-A/West, 2016 (5x7)
5 -- Joe Girard III, Capital Classic/United States, 2019 (5x11)

3-Pointers Attempted
13 -- Edgar Sosa, Derby Festival Classic/Black, 2006 (3x13)
12 -- Austin Grandstaff, Derby Festival Classic/Purple, 2015 (4x12)
11 -- Kevin Morris, Derby Festival Classic/Purple, 1996 (2x11)
11 -- Teddy Dupay, Derby Festival Classic/White, 1998 (3x11)
11 -- Todd Tackett, Derby Festival Classic/Purple, 1998 (4x11)
11 -- J.R. Smith, McDonald’s A-A/East, 2004 (5x11)
11 -- Joe Girard III, Capital Classic/United States, 2019 (5x11)
10 -- Louis Bullock, Capital Classic/Capital, 1995 (6x10)
10 -- Ronald Blackshear, Derby Festival Classic/Purple, 1998 (3x10)
10 -- Rod Grizzard, Derby Festival Classic/Purple, 1999 (2x10)
10 -- LeBron James, Capital Classic/Black, 2003 (3x10)
10 -- Michael Jones, Roundball Classic/East, 2003 (3x10)
10 -- OJ Mayo, Roundball Classic/East, 2007 (5x10)
10 -- Raymond Penn, Derby Festival Classic/Black, 2009 (5x10)
10 -- Stanley Johnson, Ballislife A-A/Red, 2014 (5x10)
10 -- Malik Monk, Jordan Brand Classic/West, 2016 (2x10)
10 -- Alani Moore, Capital Classic/Capital, 2003 (3x10)

OJ Mayo

6'5"   -   SG   -   2007

Most Rebounds
24 -- Sam Perkins, McDonald’s A-A/East, 1980
24 -- Zach Randolph, Derby Festival Classic/Purple, 2000
22 -- Rickey Brown, Derby Festival Classic/United States, 1976
22 -- George Lynch, Capital Classic/Capital, 1989
21 -- Ralph Sampson, Capital Classic/Capital, 1979
21 -- Othella Harrington, McDonald’s A-A/West, 1992
21 -- Troy Murphy, Capital Classic/United States, 1998
20 -- Tom Riker, Roundball Classic/United States, 1968
20 -- Moses Malone, Roundball Classic/United States, 1974
20 -- Moses Malone, Derby Festival Classic/United States, 1974
20 -- Bryant Johnson, Capital Classic/Capital, 1978
19 -- Dana Lewis, Roundball Classic/United States, 1967
19 -- Kenny Durrett, Roundball Classic/Keystone, 1967
19 -- Bobby Turner, Derby Festival Classic/KY-IN, 1976
19 -- Earl Jones, Derby Festival Classic 2**/United States, 1980
19 -- Marcus Camby, Capital Classic/United States, 1993
19 -- Travis Watson, Derby Festival Classic/Purple, 1999
19 -- Qudus Wahab, Capital Classic/Capital, 2019
18 -- Quentin Richardson, Derby Festival Classic/White, 1998
17 -- Simmie Hill, Roundball Classic/Keystone, 1967
17 -- Nick Weatherspoon, Roundball Classic/United States, 1968
17 -- Moses Malone, Capital Classic/United States, 1974
17 -- J.R. Reid, Capital Classic/Capital, 1986
17 -- Bart Lammerson, Capital Classic/Capital, 1991
17 -- Amare Stoudemire, Capital Classic/White, 2002
16 -- Jim McMillian, Roundball Classic/United States, 1966
16 -- Jimmy Baker, Roundball Classic/Keystone, 1971
16 -- Maurice Lucas, Roundball Classic/Keystone, 1971
16 -- Rudy Woods, McDonald’s A-A/West, 1978
16 -- Sidney Green, Roundball Classic/East, 1979
16 -- Sam Perkins, Derby Festival Classic/United States, 1980
16 -- Charlie Sitton, Capital Classic/United States, 1980
16 -- Len Bias, Derby Festival Classic/United States, 1982
16 -- Winston Bennett, Capital Classic/United States, 1983
16 -- Dallas Comegys, McDonald’s A-A/East, 1983
16 -- John Williams, McDonald’s A-A/West, 1984
16 -- Tracy Murray, Derby Festival Classic/South, 1989
16 -- Shaquille O'Neal, McDonald’s A-A/West, 1989
16 -- Cherokee Parks, Capital Classic/United States, 1991
16 -- Joel Pryzbilla, Roundball Classic/West, 1998
16 -- Andray Blatche, Jordan Brand Classic/White, 2005
16 -- Michael Beasley, Derby Festival Classic/Black, 2007
16 -- Kevin Love, Roundball Classic/West, 2007
16 -- Jordan Bell, Ballislife A-A/Blue, 2013

Lonzo Ball

6'6"   -   PG   -   2016

Most Assists
16 -- Corey Fisher, Roundball Classic/West, 2007
15 -- Erick Barkley, Derby Festival Classic/Purple, 1998
15 -- A.J. Price, Roundball Classic/West, 2004
14 -- T.J. Ford, Roundball Classic/East, 2001
14 -- Brandon Jennings, Jordan Brand Classic/Blue, 2008
14 -- Andrew Jones, Ballislife A-A/White, 2016
13 -- Matt Montague, Derby Festival Classic/White, 1996
13 -- Taliek Brown, Roundball Classic/East, 2000
13 -- Mike Conley, Roundball Classic/West, 2006
13 -- Johnny Flynn, Roundball Classic/West, 2007
13 -- Vacque Vaughn, McDonald’s A-A/West, 1993
13 -- Lonzo Ball, McDonald’s A-A/West, 2016
13 -- Lonzo Ball, Ballislife A-A/Black, 2016
13 -- Justin Simon, Derby Festival Classic/Purple, 2015

Most Blocked Shots
10 -- Ralph Sampson, McDonald’s A-A/East, 1979
7 -- Melvin Whitaker, Capital Classic/United States, 1995
7 -- Tom Herzog, Roundball Classic/West, 2006
7 -- Brandon Huffman, Capital Classic/United States, 2017
6 -- Ralph Sampson, Capital Classic/Capital, 1979
6 -- Sam Bowie, Derby Festival Classic/United States, 1979
6 -- Earl Jones, Derby Festival Classic/United States, 1980
6 -- Earl Jones, Derby Festival Classic 2**/United States, 1980
6 -- Patrick Ewing, Roundball Classic/United States, 1981
6 -- Shaquille O'Neal, Roundball Classic/West, 1989
6 -- Shaquille O'Neal, McDonald’s A-A/West, 1989
6 -- Shawn Bradley, McDonald’s A-A/West, 1989
6 -- Dwight Howard, Capital Classic/Black, 2004
6 -- De’Andre Jordan, Roundball Classic/East, 2007
6 -- Kevin Love, Roundball Classic/West, 2007
6 -- Khem Birch, McDonald’s A-A/West, 2011

Steals
10 -- Khalid Reeves, McDonald’s A-A/East, 1990
7 -- Jordan Farmar, McDonald’s A-A/West, 2004
6 -- Michael Jordan, McDonald’s A-A/East, 1981
6 -- Wardell Curry, McDonald’s A-A/East, 1982
6 -- Tyrone “Muggsy” Bouges, Capital Classic/Capital, 1983
6 -- Rod Strickland, Roundball Classic/United States, 1985
6 -- Derrick Phelps, Roundball Classic/East, 1990
6 -- Shaheen Holloway, McDonald’s A-A/East, 1996
6 -- Brandon Stockton, Derby Festival Classic/White, 2002
6 -- Chris Paul, Capital Classic/Silver, 2003
6 -- Donovan Mitchell, Derby Festival Classic/White, 2015
6 -- P.J. Washington, Jordan Brand Classic/West, 2017
6 -- Darius Days, Capital Classic/United States, 2018

*Murphy also holds the all-time single-game scoring record for any national-based all-star game. Two nights after the Round Ball Classic, Murphy scored 62 points in the title game of the seventh annual Allentown Classic (also called the B’nai B’rith Schoolboy Classic), which pitted all-star teams from various regions along the Eastern seaboard. Murphy made 24-of-45 field goals and 14-of-16 free throws for New England in a 109-102 loss Eastern Pennsylvania. He scored 98 points in two games at the event (36 the day after the Roundball) that was held to raise funds for Cancer research.

**In 1979 and 1980, the Derby Festival Classic played two games, one at Freedom Hall in Louisville and the next night at Rupp Arena in Lexington. Earl Jones, a three-time high school All-American, blocked six shots in each game.

Ronnie Flores is the national Grassroots editor of www.ebooksnet.com. He can be reached at [email protected]. Don't forget to follow him on Twitter: @RonMFlores

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The 2019-20 All-American Elite Team, now published for the 26th consecutive season and on the www.ebooksnet.com platform for the sixth time, includes 47 of the nation’s best seniors, led by Mr. Basketball USA Cade Cunningham of FAB 50 No. 1 Montverde Academy (Montverde, Fla.).

Emoni Bates

6'8"   -   SF   -   2021

Seventeen seniors, two juniors and one sophomore, first five selection Emoni Bates, headline the 20-player overall first team.

A 30-player second team includes 30 additional seniors. All underclassmen are eligible for Elite All-American selection, but this year it was determined to honor the senior class as much as possible, as the 2021 class has yet to make the national splash the 2020 class did at the same time a year ago. There has also been talk of some 2021 elites re-classifying to the 2020 class.

This year’s 20-man first team includes a player who re-classified up from the 2021 class early in the school year: third five selection Terrence Clarke of Brewster Academy in Massachusetts. In the 26 seasons of publishing annual All-American teams (and on the retroactive teams dating back to the 1954-55 season), no freshman has ever made the first team.

Our national coach of the year is Thomas Ryan of Dorman (Roebuck, S.C.). He guided the Cavaliers to their fourth consecutive SCHSL Class 5A state crown and Dorman is now 84-4 vs. South Carolina competition in that time frame. Dorman finished 30-1 with its only loss to FAB 50 No. 9 Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, Va.). The No. 10 Cavs qualified for GEICO Nationals, but the event was cancelled this year over COVID-19 concerns.

National Grassroots Editor Ronnie Flores selects this performance-based All-American team with input from Mr. Basketball USA panelists. It is chosen after the conclusion of the season, which makes the Elite All-American team more reflective of players who made state championship runs. This honors squad has been chosen in its current format since the 1994-95 season and is powered by www.ebooksnet.com for the sixth consecutive season. This team is chosen regardless of class and is not exclusive or preferential for seniors named to the Ballislife All-American Game, which has been cancelled this year due to COVID-19. To check out who has played in the Ballislife All-American Game the past nine years, please visit ballislifeallamerican.com. To view archived All-American teams published under this format, please visit GrassrootsHoops.net.

2019-20 All-American First Team

Cade Cunningham

6'7"   -   PG   -   2020

First Five

G — Cade Cunningham, Montverde Academy (Montverde, Fla.) 6-5 Sr. 
Of all the Mr. Basketball USA choices in recent years, and many years for that matter, Cunningham has the most modest individual statistics. One of the most overlooked aspects of Cunninghan’s game is how much he improved his 3-point shooting this year (48 percent) while taking disciplined shots and being the distributor on one of the best high school teams of all-time. Cunningham was first in scoring (13.9 ppg) and assists (6.4 apg) for a club that only had one team play it within 20 points. Cunningham is the third Mr. Basketball USA selection from Montverde Academy in the last six years and those teams went a combined 92-1. Cunningham is the first ever Mr. Basketball USA to sign with Oklahoma St.

G — Jalen Green, Prolific Prep (Napa, Calif.) 6-5 Sr.
One of the most athletic two-guards to come down the pike in California in many years, Green developed more consistency to his game over the past year. As a senior, Green led Prolific Prep to a 31-3 mark and all three losses were to teams the team at least split with. Green averaged 31.5 ppg, 7.5 rpg and 5 apg while earning co-MVP honors of the Grind Session (a mix of academy and independent programs) with third five selection Dashien Nix. Green broke the Prolific Prep single-season scoring mark with 1,008 points (missed two games) and combining his three seasons at San Joaquin Memorial (Fresno, Calif.), Green amassed 3,299 career points. Green was a legit Mr. Basketball USA candidate and with Prolific Prep set to open GEICO Nationals against FAB 50 No. 1 Montverde Academy, he’s clearly one of those players whose season was affected by the cancellation of events because of COVID-19.

F — Scottie Barnes, Montverde Academy (Montverde, Fla.) 6-7 Sr.
The best description of this Florida St. commit is a Swiss-Army Knife. He is useful in a variety of situations and gets the job done when you need him most. Barnes didn’t get much preseason National Player of the Year attention, but many observers felt he took an already fabulous team to the next level with his versatility and forced his way onto the first five. He and Cade Cunningham are the first pair of high school teammates to earn first five Elite All-American honors since future NBA players David Greenwood and Roy Hamilton at Verbum Dei (Los Angeles) in 1974-75. Barnes was third on the MVA team in scoring (11.6 ppg), second in rebounding (6.5), second in assists (4.6 apg) first in deflections (1.7 dpg), and first in steals (1.9 spg). He impacted both ends of the floor as much as any player in the country and could dominate with his ability to defend inside and out. It’s his rebounding, passing, intensity and will to win that made Barnes of the mot highly-decorated glue players in high school history.

F — Emoni Bates, Lincoln (Ypsilanti, Mich.) 6-8 Soph.
He’s been an easy choice for class player of the year the past two seasons and is now getting honors that put him in rare air among high school sophomores. Bates is the first sophomore since LeBron James in 2001 to be named first five Elite All-American and clinched this by finishing fourth in the Mr. Basketball USA Tracker with 48 out of 100 points behind Cade Cunningham (95), Evan Mobley (81) and Jalen Green (77). As a freshman, Bates led Lincoln to the MHSAA D1 state title and he was named D1 State Player of the Year after averaging 29.8 ppg and 10.2 rpg. This past season, Bates had Lincoln on the FAB 50 bubble with a 19-3 record and into the District 18 tourney semifinals when the season was stopped short by COVID-19. He keeps improving his game and as a tenth-grader averaged 33.1 ppg, 9.1 rpg, 2.9 apg, and 2.3 spg. Along the way he became the first sophomore ever named Gatorade National Player of the Year and might one day be recognized as the best Michigan high school player ever.

C — Evan Mobley, Rancho Christian (Temecula, Calif.) 7-0 Sr.
Although Mobley wasn’t named Cal-Hi Sports Mr. Basketball (he also wasn’t named Riverside Press Enterprise Player of the Year), he’s a deserving first five selection. For one, he’s the best true post player in the country and we always want a post player on our elite teams and second, he was runner-up to Cade Cunningham in the final Mr. Basketball USA balloting. He moves up from the fourth five after averaging 19.2 ppg, 10.4 rpg, 4.7 bpg, and 3.3 apg as a junior. This season Mobley averaged 19 ppg, 12 rpg, 4 apg, 4 bpg, and led his 22-8 club in all four of those statistical categories. Some evaluators would love to see him be more physically aggressive on a consistent basis, but he does things athletically we haven’t seen from a 7-footer from California since first five Elite All-American Tyson Chandler of Dominguez (Compton, Calif.) in 2001. As a junior, Mobley was named Cal-Hi Sports State Junior of the Year over Jalen Green and was No. 3 in the Mr. Basketball USA balloting. He capped his career by earning Gatorade State Player of the Year for the second time and honored with the Wooten Award National Player of the Year among players selected for the McDonald’s All-American Game.

Second Five

Sharife Cooper

6'0"   -   PG   -   2020

G — Sharife Cooper, McEachern (Powder Springs, Ga.) 5-10 Sr.
Last season, Cooper was a first five Elite All-American when he led McEachern to a No. 2 FAB 50 ranked and 32-0 record. This season, the Indians didn’t quite have as much team success, and Cooper’s local honors reflected of that. In 2018-19, Cooper was named Georgia’s Mr. Basketball and national player of the year by one publication, but this season second teamer Walker Kessler was the Atlanta Journal-Constitution Player of the Year and fellow second teamer Deivon Smith was the sandysspiel.com Mr. Basketball. Still, it doesn’t take away from the incredible season and career the Auburn-bound Cooper had. He actually upped his scoring this season (30.6 ppg) while averaging 7.8 rpg and 3.6 spg for a 22-7 club that advanced to the GHSA Class AAAAAAA semifinals. Along the way the four-year starter became McEachern’s all-time leader in scoring and assists and never lost a home game in his career. Cooper was also named to both the McDonald’s All-American and Jordan Brand all-star games.

G — Deivon Smith, Grayson (Loganville, Ga.) 5-11 Sr.
It didn’t make sense for us to go against credible local consensus in the case of Smith. Although Sharife Cooper is one of the best players in the country, Smith had an incredible season for a team than came within a whisker of the GHSA Class AAAAAAA title. Smith was the catalyst for a 30-2 team that finished No. 26 in the FAB 50 by averaging 17.3 ppg, 8.2 rpg, 8.4 apg, and 3.2 spg. In the 82-76 victory over Cooper and McEachern in the state semifinals, Smith went for 22 points, eight rebounds, three assists and two steals. It was a typical outing during a spectacular season for a senior who rose in All-American talks as high as any player in the country. Smith is headed to Mississippi St.

G — Jalen Suggs, Minnehaha Academy (Minneapolis, Minn.) 6-3 Sr.
Moves up from the second team as a junior after having another spectacular season and closing out a high school career that rivals any Minnesota player ever. Not only is Suggs the highest-rated recruit ever to commit to Gonzaga, he’s likely the nation’s top Grid-Hoop Player who was named the 2019 Minnesota Mr. Football as a signal-caller on the gridiron. Suggs has won three Gold Medals as part of USA Basketball so far, won three state titles and was named class player of the year as a freshman and sophomore. Suggs was looking to lead his team to a fourth consecutive Class 3A state crown, but his team’s quest was cut short by COVID-19 while sitting at 25-3 and No. 15 in the FAB 50. Suggs was named state Mr. Basketball after averaging 23.3 ppg, 7,5 rpg, 5.0 apg and 3.9 spg and finishing just shy of 3,000 career points (2,945) while playing varsity basketball at Minnehaha Academy since seventh grade.

F — Brandon Boston Jr., Sierra Canyon (Chatsworth, Calif.) 6-6 Sr.
Not only was Boston named the CIF Southern Section Open Division Player of the Year, and SoCal Player of the Year, he was named Cal-Hi Sports Mr. Basketball. As a junior, he was named to the Ballislife Underclass All-American team at Norcross (Ga.) and made the most of his only season out West. He was the big shot-maker and leading scorer (20.8 ppg) on the No. 17 team in the FAB 50 that was ranked No. 1 in the state before COVID-19 concerns shut down its season two days prior to the CIF Open State Championship Game. He’s an effortless scorer and terrific transition player, while his coach Andre Chevalier calls Boston an underrated passer and an instinctual offensive rebounder. Playing alongside second team choice Ziaire Williams (who missed the first 14 games of the season), Boston also averaged 7.0 rpg, 2.6 apg and 2.4 spg. He’s headed to Kentucky.

F — Greg Brown, Vandegrift (Austin, Texas) 6-7 Sr.
Always an explosive athlete, Brown displayed an improved overall skill set this season, knocking down 38 percent of his 86 3-point attempts. A two-time all-state selection, Brown concluded a stellar four-year career by averaging 26.1 ppg, 13.2 rpg, 2.1 apg and 3.5 bpg for a 33-3 club that lost in the UIL Class 6A state regional quarterfinals. He concluded his career with 3,007 points, 1,493 rebounds and 427 blocks in 121 games. A McDonald’s All-American, Brown was also named Gatorade State Player of the Year for his athletic and academic (3.74 GPA) prowess. He recently chose hometown Texas after mulling over a pro offer from the NBA’s developmental G-League.

Third Five

Daishen Nix

6'5"   -   PG   -   2020

G — Daishen Nix, Trinity International (Las Vegas, Nev.) 6-5 Sr.
This physical point guard has taken an unconventional road to high school All-American acclaim, as he was born in Fairbanks, Alaska and grew up in Anchorage. At the advice of his mother (who played college basketball at Alaska-Fairbanks), Nix moved to Las Vegas to gain more mainstream exposure. He’ll now take an unconventional path towards the NBA by playing in the G League’s professional pathway program, where he joins first five selection Jalen Green and Isaiah Todd, after originally signing with UCLA. As a junior, Nix averaged 19.9 ppg, 6.2 rpg and 5.1 apg for a team that won its second consecutive NCSAA D1 title. Nix is considered by some recruiting experts as the top point guard prospect in the 2020 class, and in 42 games as a senior he showed why, averaging 32 ppg, 10 rpg, 10 apg, 4 spg and 2 bpg while earning McDonald’s All-American acclaim.

G — Cameron Thomas, Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, Va.) 6-3 Sr.
Long-time head coach Steve Smith has mentored 33 McDonald’s All-Americans at the famous Southwest Virginia boarding school and was a bit perplexed this sweet-shooting guard was not No. 34. After all, Thomas leaves the storied program as its all-time leading scorer and had a spectacular senior season. Thomas scored 1,258 points, just shy of the single-season school record of 1,312 points held by 2008 Mr. Basketball USA Brandon Jennings. He averaged 31.4 ppg for a 37-3 team that finished No. 9 in the FAB 50. Thomas also displayed improved shot selection as a senior and combined that with a terrific all-around offensive game (6.0 rpg, 3.4 apg) while finishing second on the team with 91 steals. He was also named MVP at the Iolani Classic and Bass Pro TOC and joins a terrific recruiting class at LSU.

G — Terrence Clarke, Brewster Academy (Wolfeboro, N. H.) 6-6 Sr.
A big scoring guard with elite skill, Clarke played for a program that includes post-graduates, but he’s eligible for Elite All-American honors as a player still within his eighth semester of high school. Clarke actually re-classified from the 2021 class and is talented enough to be named a McDonald’s All-American and to the Jordan Brand Classic. He parlayed a quality summer into stellar performances for a team that has long been a NEPSAC power. Brewster Academy finished its season 34-3 and was named National Prep co-Champions with Putnam Science Academy (Conn.) after their March 12 championship game was canceled due to COVID-19. On a team with a plethora of D1-bound players, Clark scored a team-leading 16.8 ppg. The Kentucky recruit shot 51 percent from the field, 61 percent from 2-point range, 32 percent from 3-point range, and 72 percent from the free throw line to go along with 5.9 rebounds and 2.6 assists per game.

F — Patrick Baldwin Jr., Hamilton (Sussex, Wis.) 6-8 Jr.
Already named our National Junior Player of the Year, Baldwin is one of three underclassmen to make the elite team, joining first five selection Emoni Bates and fourth five selection Moussa Cisse. Terrence Clark and a handful of other elites have re-classified or are thinking about re-classifying, so there is still plenty to be decided at the top of the 2021 class. Based on the first three years of high school for the class, Baldwin rates as one of the early contenders for 2021 Mr. Basketball USA with his elite skill and vast accomplishments, including National Sophomore of the Year honors in 2018-19. A three-time all-state selection with a season to go, Baldwin was named Gatorade State Player of the Year after leading his team to a 22-3 mark and into the sectional finals before COVID-19 cut Hamilton’s season short. For the season, Baldwin averaged 24.3 ppg, 10.8 rpg, 4.2 apg, and 1.7 bpg. The son of UW-Milwaukee coach Patrick Baldwin, it will be interesting to see where Baldwin Jr. lands in 2021-22 because he can play for any school in the country and he’s talented and mature enough to play pro basketball.

C — Hunter Dickinson, DeMatha Catholic (Hyattsville, Md.) 7-0 Sr.
A dominant post presence, Dickinson improved his game each of his four seasons in the storied Stags program and saved his best for last. He has good shooting touch, passes out of double teams well and developed into a rim protector while leading DeMatha Catholic to the Washington Catholic Athletic Conference tourney title. The Stags finished with a 30-3 mark and No. 4 FAB 50 ranking and some key wins, including a victory over first five selection Evan Mobley and Rancho Christian (Temecula, Calif.) behind Dickinson’s 28-point, six-rebound, three-block performance. A three-time all-WCAC choice, Dickinson averaged 17.7 ppg, 10.0 rpg, 3.8 apg and 2.1 bpg as a senior and was named WCAC Player of the Year. A Michigan recruit, Dickinson was also named Washington Post All-Met Player of the Year, Maryland Gatorade State Player of the Year and was selected to play in the Jordan Brand Classic.

Fourth Five

Jaden Springer

6'5"   -   CG   -   2020

G — Jaden Springer, IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.) 6-4 Sr.
The Ascenders opened up as preseason FAB 50 No. 1, but injuries and player defections kept them from reaching their full potential. The play of Springer helped them remain at a national level and they were the only club to play competitively with eventual FAB 50 No. 1 Montverde Academy, which started No. 2 in the rankings. Springer put up even better overall marks than his junior averages (18.6 ppg, 3.6 rpg, 3.5 apg) although he too missed some games due to injury and played through others with an ankle sprain. He led IMG Academy to a 19-6 mark (three losses to MVA) and No. 5 FAB 50 ranking by averaging 17.4 ppg, 5.5 rpg, 5.1 apg while shooting 52 percent from the field and 81 percent from the floor. The Tennessee recruit averaged 21.3 ppg in three 2019 GEICO Nationals victories which clinched the Ascenders’ FAB 50 title. They were invited once again to the event, but were unable to defend their title because of COVID-19 concerns.

G — Reece Beekman, Scotlandville (Baton, Rouge, La.) 6-2 Sr.
Simply put, Beekman is one of the best all-around players in the county and Scotlandville went 126-11 during his four-year career. Beekman’s production impacts winning, as Scotlandville won four consecutive state crowns with this Virginia recruit in the lineup. In fact, the Hornets were one of the last teams to play this year after the COVID-19 outbreak, as it finished its season on March 14 by defeating then FAB 50 No. 50 St. Augustine (New Orleans), 66-39, behind Beekman’s 16 points, 14 rebounds and 10 assists. Over the last two years, triple-doubles were the norm for Beekman as he followed up a junior season where he 21.9 ppg, 10.2 rpg, 10.2 apg, 3.6 spg, and 2.6 bpg with averages of 10.0 rpg, 9.2 rpg, 2.1 spg and 2.6 bpg for a team that went 34-3 and finished No. 29 in the FAB 50. He finished his career with averages of 16.1 ppg, 7.0 rpg, 6.8 apg, 2.6 spg and 1.7 bpg.

F — Samson Ruzhentsev, Hamilton Heights Christian Academy (Chattanooga, Tenn.) 6-7 Sr.
As we mentioned in the preseason rankings where HHCA opened up at No. 19, Ruzhentsev could turn into a household name if he had a big senior campaign and that’s exactly what happened. It almost had to happen at another program, as a small enrollment nearly forced HHCA to shut down at the end of the 2018-19 school year. After averaging 17.4 ppg and 4.6 rpg as a junior, this athletic and explosive Russian wing went for 19.2 ppg and 6.3 rpg for a 28-3 club that finished No. 6 in the FAB 50, including a win over No. 3 Sunrise Christian Academy (Bel Aire, Kan.). In that game, HHCA rallied from a 15-point deficit to win 61-59, as Ruzhentsev hit the game-winning free throws and finished with a game-high 19 points. “Samson has grown tremendously over the past three years at Hamilton Heights, mainly because of his focus and willingness to work,” HHCA coach Zach Farrell said. “He absolutely loves being in the gym and getting better.”

F — Carlos “Scooby” Johnson, Benton Harbor (Mich.) 6-5 Sr.
Although first five selection Emoni Bates earned national accolades, it was “Scooby” who was named Michigan Mr. Basketball. The powerful and athletic Johnson has enough skill to do damage on the perimeter as a small forward and can overpower high school defenses inside as a power forward with his NBA-type body. He led Benton Harbor to a 20-2 record while averaging 25 ppg, 11 rpg, 6 apg 3 spg and 3 bpg. Johnson led Benton Harbor to a Class B state crown as a sophomore and was a three-time Detroit News Dream Team honoree.

C — Mousa Cissé, Lausanne Collegiate (Memphis, Tenn.) 6-10 Jr.
We always strive to place true post players on the Elite All-American team and the talented Cisse is the next in line after a spectacular junior season. He played for two seasons at Christ the King (Middle Village, N.Y.) before relocating to Memphis and leading the Lynx to the TSSAA Division II Class A state crown. In the 54-44 title game victory over First Assembly Christian School of Cordova, the talented power forward prospect with a penchant for blocking shots was named tourney MVP after scoring 15 points, 10 rebounds and swatting nine shots. For the season, Cisse averaged 23.2 ppg, 14.2 rpg and 8.7 bpg. There was plenty of speculation Cisse would re-classify to the 2020 class, but his high school coach recently stated that is unlikely.

2019-20 All-American Second Team

G — Adrian “Ace” Baldwin, St. Frances (Baltimore, Md.) 5-11 Sr.
F — Jaemyn Brakefield, Huntington Prep (Huntington, W.V.) 6-8 Sr.
G — Josh Christopher, Mayfair (Lakewood, Calif.) 6-4 Sr.
G — Dominque Clifford, The Vanguard School (Colorado Springs, Colo.) 6-5 Sr.
F — Henry Coleman, Trinity Episcopal (Richmond, Va.) 6-9 Sr.
G — Jalen Cook, Landry Walker (New Orleans, La.) 6-0 Sr.
G — Andre Curbelo, Long Island Lutheran (Glen Head N. Y.) 6-0 Sr.
F — Johnny Davis, Central (La Crosse, Wis.) 6-5 Sr.
F — Jyare Davis, Sanford School (Hockessin, Del.) 6-7 Sr.
G — R.J. Davis, Archbishop Stepinac (White Plains, N.Y.) 6-1 Sr.
C — Dawson Garcia, Prior Lake (Minn.) 6-11 Sr.
F — Sam Hines, Wheeler (Marietta, Ga.) 6-5 Sr.
C — Walker Kessler, Woodward Academy (College Park, Ga.) 7-0 Sr.
G — Anthony Leal, Bloomington South (Bloomington, Ind.) 6-5 Sr.
F — Justin Lewis, Poly (Baltimore, Md.) 6-8 Sr.
G — Caleb Love, Christian Brothers (St. Louis, Mo.) 6-3 Sr.
G — Selton Miguel, West Oaks Academy (Orlando, Fla.) 6-5 Sr.
F — Adam Miller, Morgan Park (Chicago, Ill.) 6-4 Sr.
G — Ethan Morton, Butler Area (Butler, Pa.) 6-5 Sr.
F — Micah Peavy, Duncanville (Duncanville, Texas) 6-7 Sr.
G — Jeremy Roach, Paul VI (Fairfax, Va.) 6-2 Sr.
C — Day’Ron Sharpe, Montverde Academy (Montverde, Fla.) 6-9 Sr.
G — D.J. Steward, Whitney Young (Chicago, Ill.) 6-4 Sr.
G — Myles Tate, Dorman (Roebuck, S.C.) 6-0 Sr.
G — Bryce Thompson, Booker T. Washington (Tulsa, Okla.) 6-5 Sr.
F — Earl Timberlake, DeMatha Catholic (Hyattsville, Md.) 6-5 Sr.
F — Lance Ware, Camden (N.J.) 6-9 Sr.
G — C.J. Wilcher, Roselle Catholic (Roselle, N.J.) 6-5 Sr.
F — Terrence Williams, Gonzaga (Washington, D. C.) 6-6 Sr.
F — Ziaire Williams, Sierra Canyon (Chatsworth, Calif.) 6-8 Sr.

Note: ESPN selections 2010-2012; EA SPORTS selections 2003-2009; Student Sports selections prior to 2003; Selections are based on high school accomplishment, not future college/pro potential, and are reflective of those that lead their teams to state championships. The editors of www.ebooksnet.com do not knowingly select fifth-year players, and those ineligible due to age or academics, Mr. Basketball USA or to its various All-American teams.

Ronnie Flores is the national Grassroots editor of www.ebooksnet.com. He can be reached at [email protected]. Don't forget to follow him on Twitter: @RonMFlores

The post 2019-20 High School All-American Elite Team appeared first on www.ebooksnet.com.

FAB 50 No. 1 Montverde Academy just completed one of the most dominant runs through a high school season. Are the Eagles the greatest team of all-time? We compare and contrast their team and resume to three other all-time great teams. You'll be surprised to see how similar the resumes for these great teams are!

RELATED: Final 2019-20 FAB 50 Rankings | Salute To All-Time FAB 50 No. 1s
Without a question of a doubt, the 2019-20 Montverde Academy (Montverde, Fla.) team is one of the greatest of all-time. What the Eagles accomplished over 25 games this past season has only been matched a few times in the history of the high school game going back to Brown vs. Board of Education in 1954, which ushered in an era of the game where statistics are available to research (they are much harder to do when schools were segregated), end-of-season national honors and awards for elite players emerged, and colleges began recruiting nationwide starting with Wilt Chamberlain that next spring.

Of course, most will argue that high school basketball is much better now than it was even 30 years ago, an to an extent it's true. The competition at the top has never been better and the elite high school game has evolved into something that doesn't resemble what the average high school team looked like 30-40 years ago.

The reality of the situation, however, is that all the elements of modern, elite high school basketball have been in play for much longer than the mixtape generation (2005 to current) realizes. National scouting has been around since the early 1970s, teams with elite players have played in national events since that same time period, national weekly team rankings began in 1975, and widely distributed national player rankings have been available since the 1978-79 season.

Besides, great teams and players stand the test of time. With that in mind, we wanted to break down Montverde Academy's resume to that of three other great teams over the past 40 years, one an independent basketball power and the other two public schools.

GREATEST HIGH SCHOOL TEAMS
ALL-TIME TALE OF THE TAPE

Reggie Williams

6'7"   -   SF   -   1983

1982-1983 Dunbar (Baltimore, Md.)
Record: 31-0  
Ranking: No. 1 (preseason No. 1 by USA Today)
Points For: 2,572/83.0
Points Against: 1,442/46.5
Victory Margin: 1,130/36.5
Starters: PG Tyrone "Mugsy" Bouges 5-3 Sr. (5.8 ppg, 7 apg, 7 spg), SG Keith James 6-5 Sr. (9.4 ppg), SF Reggie Williams 6-7 Sr. (23.4 ppg, 12 rpg, 4 apg, 2 bpg), PF Mike Brown 6-4 Jr. (11.2 ppg), C Tim Dawson 6-7 Sr. (9.2 ppg, 12 rpg, 5 bpg).
Roster: Derrick Lewis 6-3 Jr., Darryl Woods 5-9 Sr., Reggie Lewis 6-7 Sr., Herman Harried 6-7 Jr., Bryan Williams 5-6 Jr., Gerard Marable 6-0 Jr., Reggie McNeil 6-2 So., Eric Green 6-2 Jr., Jerry White 6-2 Sr., David Johnson 6-2 Sr.
Resume: The Poets defeated teams from seven states and captured the Poet-Laker Tip-Off, Beltway/Capital City Classic, King of the Bluegrass Tournament, Johnstown Tournament, and won the MSA Class "A" title. To close the season, coach Bob Wade's team crushed nationally-ranked Flint Hill Prep (Roanoke, Va.), 87-59, and defeated a good Cardinal Gibbons (Baltimore, Md.) team, 82-53, to win the Metro Classic. By the time the Flint Hill Prep game came, few people gave coach Stu Vetter's team a chance to stay close, as opposing coaches felt it was just an honor for their team to be able to compete with a team as talented as Dunbar. The first big win of the season was a 67-55 victory over DeMatha Catholic (Hyattsville, Md.) in which James had 16 points and Williams added 14. They simply crushed the field at the prestigious King of the Bluegrass, defeating Carlisle County (Ky.) 65-48 in the title game as Williams had 21 and Dawson 17. Williams, the Mr. Basketball USA National Player of the Year and a top four national recruit, scored 20 more points 22 times and could have went off even more expect the Poets were comfortably ahead by the third quarter in a vast majority of their games. Only one team gave them any real trouble, as King of New York (with McDonald's All-American Kenny Hutchinson) had Dunbar, including Williams, battling major foul trouble. Reserve Reggie Lewis (5.5 ppg/172 pts) stepped up with nine points and 11 rebounds to be named Johnstown (Pa.) Tournament MVP after Dunbar posted a 57-52 victory, the Poets’ only single-digit win. Similar to '93 Oak Hill and '20 Montverde Academy, only one team stayed within double figures.
Analysis: After the 1982 team finished 27-0 and was ranked No. 2 by Basketball Weekly, the 1983 team went wire-to-wire as No. 1, dominating its foes on a national schedule, very comparable to the best schedules played up to that point. Dunbar’s 1982 team started David Wingate (Georgetown) and Gary Graham (UNLV) along with Dawson, Bouges, and Williams and went 27-0, but the 1983 team clearly played better teams. To give one an idea of just how good '82 Dunbar was, it routed nationally-ranked Camden (N.J.), 84-59, to end that program’s long-standing home winning streak while national No. 1 Calvert Hall (which did not play Dunbar in 1982 or 1983) defeated that same team 67-62 in a come-from-behind win. What separated the two Dunbar teams was incredible depth, with at least 11 players with D1 ability on the '83 team. That was evident in Dunbar’s play when the reserves were in and by its margin of victory, as the Poets never let up against any foe. As some would say about Oak Hill's 1993 team and Montverde Academy's 2020 team, the bench was likely a nationally-ranked team.

Jerry Stackhouse

6'6"   -   SF   -   1993

1992-1993 Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, Va.)
Record: 36-0* (30-0 vs. high school competition) 
Ranking: No. 1 (preseason No. 1 by National Prep Poll)
Points For: 3,211/89.2
Points Against: 1,868/51.9
Victory Margin: 1,343/37.3
Starters: PG Jeff McInnis 6-2 Sr. (17.0 ppg, 8.4 apg, school-record 303 assists) SG Jermaine "Sunshine" Smith 6-2 Sr. (12.2 ppg), SF Jerry Stackhouse 6-6 Sr. (25.6 ppg, 7.3 rpg, 4.0 apg), PF Alex Sanders 6-7 Jr. (12.7 ppg), C Makhtar Ndiaye 6-9 Sr. (10.3 rpg, 8.1 bpg). 
Roster: Mark Blount 7-0 Soph., Michael Brittain 6-8 Jr., Ronald Williams 6-3 Sr., Vincent Luther 6-4 Sr., Jason Thomas 6-4 Sr., Tavaras Johnson 6-6 Jr.  
Resume: The Warriors defeated teams from 11 states, plus the District of Columbia, as they went wire-to-wire as the No. 1 team. People nowadays talk on social media about what would happen if the nation's best FAB 50 teams or all-time great high school teams played colleges. Well, the Warriors did, going 6-0 versus colleges, including a 100-68 win over Roanoke (Va.) College, a 122-76 win over Alice Lloyd College (Ky.) and a 117-68 win over Central Piedmont Community College (N.C.). To be transparent, other great high school teams of yesteryear also beat colleges, such as Wilt Chamberlain's 1955 Overbook (Philadelphia, Pa.) club. Most high school teams were simply overwhelmed by Oak Hill's physicality, size and pressure defense. A 96-8 victory over John Battle (Bristol, Va.) at the Virginia Tip-Off Classic drew national headlines and the Warriors defeated nationally-ranked St. John’s Prospect Hall (Frederick, Md.), 63-49, to win the Iolani Classic. Oak Hill was even more dominant in its second win (91-74) over St. John’s Prospect Hall (another team coached by Vetter) to close the season at the St. James Invitational. The Warriors also captured the prestigious Las Vegas Holiday Prep Classic with a 57-52 victory of Felipe Lopez-led Rice (New York). Ironically, it was the same score that '83 Dunbar won its lone single-digit game by.      
Analysis: This was the first of Steve Smith's national title clubs at Oak Hill and is his best overall club. The National Prep Poll (FAB 50 precursor) and the National Sports News Service (the original end-of-season national rankings) both tabbed Oak Hill No. 1 wire-to-wire, while USA Today had the Warriors No. 3 behind Simon Gratz (Philadelphia, Pa.) and King (Chicago, Ill.). Similar to Dunbar's Williams, Stackhouse was the nation's best wing forward (and a top three national player along with Gratz's Rasheed Wallace and guard Randy Livingston of Newman in New Orleans) and put up big scoring outings. The difference was the physicality, as Stackhouse could simply overpower high school players and had the ability to jump passing lanes because of Oak Hill's huge front line. Stackhouse and McInnis were McDonald’s All-Americans, with the clutch Smith joining McInnis in a backcourt that could really pressure the ball or funnel players towards Ndiaye, who blocked a ton of shots without the worry of foul trouble or playing from behind. This team could go big with Blount (who joined Stackhouse, McInnis, and Ndiaye in the NBA), while Sanders and Johnson helped Oak Hill finish ranked No. 1 as seniors in 1993-94.   

Onyeka Okongwu

6'8"   -   C   -   2019

2015-16 Chino Hills (Chino Hills, Calif.)
Record: 35-0
Ranking: No. 1  (preseason No. 11 in FAB 50)
Points For: 3,447/98.5
Points Against: 2,453/70.1 
Victory Margin: 994/28.4 
Starters: PG Lonzo Ball 6-6 Sr. (23.9 ppg, 11.3 rpg, 11.5 apg, 5.1 spg), SG LaMelo Ball 5-10 Fr. (16.4 ppg, 3.8 apg), SF LiAngelo Ball 6-5 Jr. (27.4 ppg, 3.1 rpg) PF Eli Scott 6-5 Jr. (15.8 ppg, 8.6 rpg), C Onyeka Okongwu 6-8 Fr. (7.9 ppg, 7.2 rpg, 3.1 bpg).
Roster: Matthew Reed 5-11 So., Andre Ball 6-7 So., Pierce Richards 5-11 Jr., Jayson Mitchell 6-0 Jr., Nic Manor-Hall 6-2 Fr., Cam Shelton 6-0 So., Grant Trueman 6-2 Jr., Adam Vasquez 6-2 Jr., Shane Hopkins 6-9 Sr.
Resume: The Huskies defeated teams from nine states and captured three major holiday tournaments: The BattleZone Tournament, City of Palms Classic and Maxpreps Holiday Classic. Unlike the other three teams, the Huskies had plenty of close calls, but they did know how to close games. Some of those wins included a 91-90 victory over Jefferson (Brooklyn, N.Y.) that Lonzo Ball saved on a terrific defensive play, a 83-82 overtime win over Montverde Academy (Fla.), a 66-60 overtime win over Patrick School (Elizabeth, N.J.) and a 71-67 win over an unbeaten Bishop Montgomery (Torrance, Calif.) team. Three of those wins were at City of Palms and the Bishop Montgomery showdown was one of the most highly-anticipated regular season games in recent California history. Bishop Montgomery came into that game ranked No. 7 in the FAB 50 and Steve Baik's club defeated 11 programs that were FAB 50 ranked at some point, including Bishop Montgomery, No. 38 Foothills Christian and No. 43 High Point Christian more than once. Chino Hills had to move up to the No. 1 spot (it started No. 8 by USA Today and No. 5 by Maxpreps) and was No. 1 after the City of Palms Tournament. The Huskies were a clear preseason No. 1 in California and likely would have started in the seven to Top 10 range of the FAB 50 had it won the CIF D1 state title in 2015, when it went 24-8 on the court and lost in double overtime in the state final after Lonzo Ball fouled out.
Analysis:  The Huskies join this conversation for three main reasons. One, the program was a public school and there is misnomer that public schools can't compete at the elite level. Chino Hills is a "neighborhood school" program while Dunbar attracted students from all over Charm City through its magnet program. Second, Chino Hills is a team the video-centric generation of fans can relate to as they make comparisons. Lastly, even though the Huskies didn't start off with the fanfare of the other three clubs in this conversation, it's where you finish and with Okongwu and Melo Ball on their way to the NBA to join Lonzo their greatness continues to cast a shadow as time elapses. Will Scott or Gelo get a NBA crack? After the close calls during the regular season, the Huskies took it up a notch against the toughest post-season competition in California, defeating eight opponents by an average of 29 points in the CIF Southern Section and SoCal Open Division playoffs. Similar to the '83 Dunbar club, late in the season it felt like Chino Hills was a team of destiny and it rolled Bishop Montgomery 84-62 in the SoCal Open title game. With Okongwu and Melo Ball in the lineup, Chino Hills had two 14-year olds and detractors would say that puts them at a big disadvantage against these three other teams. The freshmen duo played fearlessly and beyond their years and Okongwu did a terrific job against older interior post players. It's ironic that Lonzo Ball fouled out in that 2015 state title game because the Huskies starters did a terrific job of not fouling out during the 2015-16, especially Okongwu in the middle as he never fouled out despite having a few close calls with four personals. Baik went with his starters nearly exclusively and the lack of depth was even more noticeable when Andre Ball (the cousin of Zo, Gelo and Melo) was lost to injury during the Maxpreps Holiday Classic. Lonzo Ball did a bit of everything defensively and carried the Huskies on his way to becoming California's all-time assist leader, but the scoring ability of Gelo Ball and the contributions of Scott cannot be overlooked. Chino Hills tied a state record with 18 100-point games and Lonzo Ball was named Mr. Basketball USA while collecting a triple double in 25 of 35 games, a single-season state record that may never be broken.

Day'Ron Sharpe

6'10"   -   C   -   2020

2019-20 Montverde Academy (Montverde, Fla.)
Record: 25-0
Ranking: No. 1 (preseason No. 2 by FAB 50)  
Points For: 2,173/87.0
Points Against: 1,200/48.0
Victory Margin: 973/38.9
Starters: PG Cade Cunningham 6-7 Sr. (13.9 ppg, 4.2 rpg, 6.4 apg), SG Moses Moody 6-5 Sr. (10.9 ppg, 3.3 rpg), SF Scottie Barnes 6-8 Sr. (11.6 ppg, 6.5 rpg, 4.6 apg), PF Caleb Houstan 6-7 So. (10.0 ppg, 3.5 rpg), C Day'Ron Sharpe 6-10 sr. (12.1 ppg, 7.3 rpg).
Roster: Dariq Whitehead 6-5 So., Ryan Nembhard 6-1 Jr., Langston Love 6-4 Jr., Zeb Jackson 6-2 Sr., Keegan Harvey 6-11 Sr., Jesse Jones 6-3 Sr., Michael Wu 6-7 Jr. 
Resume: The Eagles were preseason No. 2 in the FAB 50 and Maxpreps placed them at No. 1 and, on paper, not much separated Montverde Academy and IMG Academy. The Eagles, however, took their game to another level during the season and just as '83 Dunbar and '93 Oak Hill Academy did, only had one single-digit game. When the Eagles and IMG Academy met in the City of Palms Classic title game, the Ascenders gave Montverde Academy its toughest game of the season, falling 63-55. Montverde Academy defeated IMG Academy twice more, 67-46 and 76-64, while no other team came within 20 points. When Barnes joined the Eagles' roster, it turned a potential juggernaut into a virtual machine, as coach Kevin Boyle's club Eagles defeated 12 FAB 50 ranked clubs (at the time of the matchup), including No. 4 DeMatha Catholic (Hyattsville, Md.) 76-56 in a game that wasn't as close as the score indicates. The Eagles could have potentially faced three more FAB 50 ranked teams had GIECO Nationals not been wiped out by the COVID-19 Pandemic. Would any of those nationally-ranked clubs have been able to Montverde Academy a good game?
Analysis: IMG Academy edged the Eagles for the preseason No. 1 spot by the slimmest of margins, but in the end it didn't matter and Boyle's club provide to be one of the best teams of all-time. GEICO Nationals notwithstanding, Montverde Academy captured its fifth FAB 50 title in the past eight seasons, and fielded its best overall team in that time frame. When talking about the best teams and how they fared at the time, Montverde Academy has as strong a resume as any. The raw numbers clearly illustrate that and the roster provides more evidence. Cunningham, like Ball, Stackhouse, and Williams before him, is a Mr. Basketball USA talent and the Eagles had incredible depth and balance. The other teams were more reliant on one player for scoring (Williams and Stackhouse) or play-making (Ball), but MVA truly could beat teams in many ways, as seven players averaged 8.3 ppg or more led by Cunningham’s 13.9 ppg. How would that approach work against one of the other three teams mentioned here? The evidence suggests the Eagles would have found a way to be successful. What if Montverde Academy found a way to slow Williams, Stackhouse or Ball down? The evidence suggests others would have stepped up. It would have been interesting to see Montverde Academy play upwards of three ranked foes in succession to see if it could have been pushed to its limit. The contrast between Barnes and Bouges is fascinating because they are catalysts of the same fashion despite a huge difference in size. Could Barnes have slowed down Williams? On the other end, who on Montverde's roster could have stayed with Bouges or kept him from disrupting the Eagles' offense? Some opponents, like Camden (N.J.), didn't respect Bouges because of his size, but he made them pay severely for that by completely disrupting their offense. Could Dunbar have kept up with Montverde Academy on the boards? Dawson and Williams were fine on the glass but would have their work cut out for them trying to slow down Sharpe, who gives the Eagles an All-American at three different positions (lead guard, wing, post). Matchup wise, '93 Oak Hill might be the better comparison and the tougher check for Boyle's club. The Warriors had a huge front line and nobody on MVA's team is the physical wing scorer that Stackhouse was. Cunningham and Moody are tough checks, but McInnis and Smith were mentally tough, battle-tested and capable defenders who could put the ball in the hole when necessary. Unlike Chino Hills, there wouldn't be much issue with Oak Hill playing aggressively because of the firepower on the bench. It's easy to point to the Eagles' ranked players (their ninth man is going to Michigan), but at 5-foot-3 Bouges was ranked No. 24 by All-Star Sports. One had to think if the summer circuit and camp atmosphere was in 1982 what it is today, Lewis would have blown up and been a nationally ranked player. Luckily for Jim Calhoun and Northeastern, he didn't blow up. As role players on the '83 Dunbar team, Brown (No. 16), James (No. 40) and Harried (No. 64) were all top 100 players in the Class of 1984. Montverde Academy would seem to have the edge in versatility because Cunningham is as unique a point guard as we've seen on a team with so much talent. Ball is his equal, but he didn't have the horses around him to work with player No. 2 through No. 12. In a four-team bracket, Montverde Academy would have a strong case as the BEST team of the lot. When you talk about how GREAT the teams are, however, you can't take nothing away from Dunbar and Oak Hill. They have the data to back up their receptive cases and the numbers going forward to take their place amongst the all-time great teams. Stackhouse and McInnis were joined in the NBA by two of their teammates, but Ndiaye and Bount enjoyed cups of coffee. That's what makes '83 Dunbar so unique, as Williams, Bouges and Lewis were three of the top 22 picks in the 1987 NBA Draft. When you add in the fact that trio (along with Wingate from the '82 team) developed into long-time NBA players, it secures Dunbar's spot among the all-time great high school teams. A certain aspect of how great this year's Montverde Academy team is will be determined later by how much success individual Eagles' players have at the next levels of the game compared to Dunbar, Oak Hill, Chino Hills and other great undefeated No. 1 ranked teams that produced multiple NBA players.

Ronnie Flores is the national Grassroots editor of www.ebooksnet.com. He can be reached at [email protected]. Don't forget to follow him on Twitter: @RonMFlores

The post Who's The Greatest Team Ever? appeared first on www.ebooksnet.com.

RELATED: Preseason East Region Top 20 | Preseason Southeast Region Top 20  | Preseason Midwest Region Top 20 | Preseason Southwest Region Top 20 | Preseason West Region Top 20 | Preseason 2018-19 FAB 50 (1-15) | Preseason 2018-19 FAB 50 (16-30) | Preseason 2018-19 FAB 50 (31-50)

During the regular season, www.ebooksnet.com will publish the Mr. Basketball USA Tracker, an inside look at the nation’s top on-court high school performers, according to a panel made up of 10 high school basketball and recruiting experts, including six McDonald’s All-American selection committee members.

Every season, the race for national player of the year is affected by factors such as team talent level (or lack thereof), injury or ineligibility. While those factors can fluctuate, there are three concrete factors that play a role in each season in the national player of the year race. With the season jumping off, we decided to break down the criteria and give some insight on the selection process. What separates the winner from other strong candidates?

Talent level

This is the most important factor. The winner must possess the skills to make an immediate impact on the college level. Nearly all past winners projected as NBA players, but not all of them start the ascension to player of the year candidate from the same point.

For instance, take the case of 1997 winner Tracy McGrady compared to runner-up Lamar Odom. As an underclassman, McGrady was a non-descript forward at Auburndale (Fla.). He wasn't on anyone's national radar prior to the summer  of 1996 when he attended the ABCD Camp before transferring to Mount Zion (Durham, N.C.), whereas Odom was one of the nation's best players since his sophomore year at Christ the King (Middle Village, N.Y.).

Of the 57 eventual Mr. Basketball USA choices, only two did not go on to log NBA minutes: forward Bill Raftery of St. Cecelia's (Kearney, N.J.) in 1959 and Damon Bailey of North Lawrence (Bedford, Ind.) in 1990.

Team Success

Of course, talented players can't always control the talent level surrounding them, but they can control their effort and help their team win. Leading a FAB 50-ranked team and helping it win a state title is a significant factor. Those teams generally play tough competition, which nowadays means the candidate's team challenged itself against competition from outside its region.

In 2010, Jared Sullinger of Northland (Columbus, Ohio) led the nation's No. 1 ranked team before the Vikings were stunned 71-45 in the Ohio regional playoffs by an unranked team. The other top candidate that season, fellow Ballislife All-Decade selection Harrison Barnes of Ames (Iowa), led his team to a 27-0 record and No. 10 final FAB 50 rating. If Barnes' team would have lost even one game, or if Sullinger's team would have won the state title and finished No. 1 in the country, the Mr. Basketball USA panel might have voted in favor of Sullinger over Barnes.

Many of the 10 experts on the tracker panel weigh this factor nearly as much as individual talent, while others don't penalize individual talent and production should that player's team fall a bit short of its goals.

Head-to-head comparisons

This doesn't happen often, but it's a factor that can't be overlooked. In 2011, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist of St. Patrick (Elizabeth, N.J.) and Austin Rivers of Winter Park (Fla.), played against each other on national television. St. Patrick won 75-66.

Gilchrist scored 21 points and grabbed nine rebounds and had the stronger supporting cast. In the balloting the week following that game, the panel didn't penalize Rivers much, if at all. He did score 38 points to keep his team within striking range.

Gilchrist was the eventual Mr. Basketball USA choice, but what if Rivers had scored 38 points in a Winter Park victory?

State and National Records

Raftery and Bailey never played in the NBA, but they have something else in common: both enjoyed record-breaking prep careers for winning programs.

Raftery scored 827 points in 1959, then a New Jersey single-season state scoring record. Bailey lived up to the tremendous hype that Hoosier Hysteria created around him. Bailey averaged 31.3 points per game as a senior for a state title-winning team in the Indiana single-class tournament. His team finished ranked No. 15 in the National Prep Poll (FAB 50 precursor) and he finished with 3,134 career points, a state record.

It’s not hard for respected scouts to pick out the nation’s best players, but it’s never easy to predict how the season will play out or forecast the one national player of the year award that is truly based on season on-court performance.

For now, we present some of the eligible candidates who figure to factor in the 2019-20 Mr. Basketball USA race.

The Early Mr. Basketball USA Favorites
(listed alphabetically)

Emoni Bates, Lincoln (Ypsilanti, Mich.) 6-8 Soph.

Why He Could Win: The 6-foot-8 forward with a sweet shooting touch was so impressive in leading Lincoln to the MHSAA D1 state title he was named D1 state player of the year by the Associated Press and Gatorade State Player of the Year as a freshman. Bates led Lincoln to the D1 state crown by scoring 23 points in a 64-62 victory over University of Detroit Jesuit. It’s pretty safe to say Lincoln wouldn’t have been in position to win a state crown without Bates, as he had 31 points and 14 rebounds in a 72-56 state semifinal win over Howell and hit two game-winning post-season shots. For the season, Bates averaged 28.7 points and 10.2 rebounds. Simply put, he's one of the most talented players in the country regardless of class.

Why He Wouldn’t: It could be argued junior Sharife Cooper was the most productive player in the country last season, but he didn't get the recognition from the panel that he likely deserved based on individual numbers and team success. The panel traditionally tends to favor seniors for Mr. Basketball USA honors, unless the player is a generational prospect (LeBron James, Lew Alcindor, etc.). Simply being a sophomore could hurt Bates' candidacy, as no tenth-grader has ever been named national player of the year going back to 1955. James was the last one to even be in the running back in 2001.

Sharife Cooper, McEachern (Powder Springs, Ga.) 6-0 Sr. 

Why He Could Win: He controls the outcome of games as much as any player in the country, and his high school team wins. A leader and clutch shot maker who can get to any spot on the floor, Cooper averaged 28.1 ppg, 6.0 rpg, 8.2 apg and 4.0 spg as a junior and was named MVP of the City of Palms Tournament and the Bass Pro Tournament of Champions as the Indians finished 32-0 and No. 2 in the FAB 50.

Why He Wouldn’t: Cooper earned first five All-American status as a junior after the Indians went unbeaten against one of the best schedules in the country. He was the only underclassman to make the first five, but despite his ultra-impressive season, Cooper was No. 6 in last year's final balloting. McEachern begins at No. 10 in the preseason FAB 50, but if the Indians don't have as much team success, will Cooper be penalized? Will he be judged on this season's merits, or will his senior season be judged by what happened last season? The latter could hurt him.

Cade Cunningham, Montverde Academy (Montverde, Fla.) 6-7 Sr. 

Why He Could Win: He is the best all-around player on a team that could end up being the nation's best. A recent Oklahoma St. pledge, Cunningham finished tied for No. 12 in last year's final tracker, but had a big-time summer travel season, pushing Evan Mobley for the No. 1 overall prospect tag with his terrific approach to the game as a big guard. Cunningham plays for a team that will get tons of national exposure, he’ll have the ball in his hands and he impacts winning basketball.

Why He Wouldn’t: Cunningham averaged 25.1 ppg, 6.6 rpg and 5.2 apg for the Texas Titans on the EYBL circuit and enters the 2019-20 season with great momentum. On his high school team, his individual numbers have not been so gaudy and for good reason: Montverde Academy has one of the most talented rosters in high school basketball and there is simply no need, as the focus is winning not individual accolades. Last season, Cunningham averaged 11.4 ppg, 5.7 rpg, and 5.5 apg for a team that finished No. 4 in the FAB 50. If he has similar numbers as a senior, will it be enough for the panelists to put him No. 1 on their ballots should Montverde Academy live up to preseason expectations? Another top candidate could have monster individual numbers that could sway the panel.

Jalen Green, Prolific Prep (Napa, Calif.) 6-4 Sr.

Why He Could Win: Arguably the most explosive guard in the country, Green is productive and plays at the high level necessary to earn national player of the year honors. Green earned Cal-Hi Sports State Sophomore of the Year honors in 2017-18 after averaging 27.9 ppg at San Joaquin Memorial (Fresno, Calif.) and upped his overall production as a junior to 31.1 ppg, 7.8 rpg, and 3.6 apg while shooting 63 percent from the field as the Panthers won their second consecutive CIF Central Section D2 crown. He was named a second team All-American (along with Bates, Cunningham, Jalen Johnson, and Jalen Suggs), but finished only tied for No. 23 in the final balloting. It will be important for him and his team to get off to a hot start.

Why He Wouldn’t: At San Joaquin Memorial last season, he was edged for State Junior Player of the Year honors by Evan Mobley and being in the same state/region, the panel could look at an individual comparison between the two (based more on long-term potential) instead of judging him on his individual merits against the field of candidates. Green is in a similar boat to Johnson in that his role will somewhat change joining an independent program that has a lot more size and depth than the school he played at as an underclassmen. Will the transfer hurt or help his candidacy?

Jalen Johnson, IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.) 6-8 Sr.

Why He Could Win: IMG Academy begins at No. 1 in the FAB 50 and Johnson could emerge as its top honors candidate. Last season at Nicolet (Glendale, Wis.), Johnson was named The A.P. State Player of the Year and a second team All-American after averaging 19.7 ppg, 11.7 rpg and 5.9 apg for the WIAA D2 state champs. His team finished 27-1 and No. 24 in the FAB 50, and Johnson finished tied for No. 16 in the final 2018-19 balloting. Johnson has the necessary talent and will get the necessary exposure to move up in the balloting.

Why He Wouldn’t: Similar to Cunningham, Johnson plays with plenty of talent around him, as he joins the defending FAB 50 national champions after it graduated three McDonald’s All-American players. The Ascenders are the deepest team in the country, so Johnson won’t always have to be the player to shine or compile gaudy statistics for IMG to win. That could possibly hurt him, or a teammate such as point guard Jaden Springer (the standout in last year's GEICO Nationals run) could emerge as the Ascenders' top candidate. He isn't likely to post the stats he did at Nicolet, as Johnson will have a slightly different role on a team with four players 6-foot-10 or taller.

Evan Mobley, Rancho Christian (Temecula, Calif.) 7-0 Sr.

Why He Could Win: For a portion of last season, this talented seven-footer was in the thick of the Mr. Basketball USA race alongside honoree Isaiah Stewart and runner-up Cole Anthony. The agile center with great patience and a high skill level averaged 19.2 ppg, 10.4 rpg, 4.7 bpg, and 3.3 apg and bolstered his All-American candidacy with a 13-point, 3-block performance in a win over Memphis East and first five All-American James Wiseman. He's is simply that good of a high school player and will have plenty of opportunity to display his talents against a demanding schedule.

Why He Wouldn’t: Mobley finished No. 3 in the final balloting last year behind Stewart and Anthony, but his candidacy suffered when the Eagles underachieved in sectional and regional play. Rancho Christian finished No. 39 in the FAB 50 at 25-6 and for some panelists that might have been disappointing since team expectations were so high. It would definitely help Mobley's candidacy is the Eagles move up from their preseason No. 21 position and win the CIF Southern Section and/or CIF state open championship.

Jalen Suggs, Minnehaha Academy (Minneapolis, Minn.) 6-3 Sr.

Why He Could Win: Suggs is one of the best athletes in the country, as he’s a highly-regarded prep signal-caller in football and was named our national class player of the year as a freshman and sophomore. Suggs averaged 24.2 ppg as a junior playing alongside elite 2021 prospect Chet Holmgren (18.6 ppg) and together they form one of the best 1-2 punches in the country.

Why He Wouldn’t: Even though he's been considered one of the very best players in the 2020 class since his freshman campaign, Suggs wasn’t mentioned as a serious national Junior Player of the Year candidate last season because of the emergence of Mobley and the terrific campaign of Cooper, so he has some ground to make up. Minnehaha Academy begins at No. 14 in the FAB 50 and could challenge for the highest FAB 50 ranking ever for a Minnesota team (No. 11), but Suggs’ candidacy will be heavily dependent on his performance on January 4 versus No. 6 Sierra Canyon (Chatsworth, Calif.) because the MSHSL limits travel for its member schools. What is he doesn't have a big game or Minehaha Academy loses big? It could very well be that Holmgren emerges as the team's top honors candidate.

OTHER SENIOR CANDIDATES
FROM STRONG PROGRAMS

F — Jabri Abdir-Rahim, Blair Academy (Blairstown, N.J.) 6-7
G — Adrian “Ace” Baldwin, St. Frances (Baltimore, Md.) 6-0
F — Scottie Barnes, Montverde Academy (Montverde, Fla.) 6-8
G — Reece Beekman, Scotlandville (Baton Rouge, La.) 6-2
F — Brandon Boston, Sierra Canyon (Chatsworth, Calif.) 6-6
F — Greg Brown III, Vandegrift (Austin, Texas) 6-8
F — Jaemyn Brakefield, Huntington Prep (Huntington, W.V.) 6-8
G — Josh Christopher, Mayfair (Lakewood, Calif.) 6-4
F — Terrence Clarke, Brewster Academy (Wolfeboro, N.H.) 6-6
G — Jalen Cook, Landry Walker (New Orleans, La.) 6-0
G — Andre Curbelo, Long Island Lutheran (Glen Head N. Y.) 6-0
G — Jyare Davis, Sanford School (Hockessin, Del.) 6-7
G — R.J. Davis, Archbishop Stepinac (White Plains, N.Y.) 6-1
C — Hunter Dickinson, DeMatha Catholic (Hyattsville, Md.) 7-2
G — Noah Farrakhan, Patrick School (Elizabeth, N.J.) 6-2
F — Cam’Ron Fletcher, Vashon (St. Louis, Mo.) 6-7
F — P.J. Hall, Dorman (Roebuck, S.C.) 6-9
F — Keon Johnson, The Webb School (Bell Buckle, Tenn.) 6-5
G — Caleb Love, Christian Brothers College (St. Louis, Mo.) 6-3
G — Tristan Maxwell, North Mecklenburg (Charlotte, N.C.) 6-3
G — Carson McCorkle, Greensboro Day (Greensboro, N. C.) 6-4
F — Adam Miller, Morgan Park (Chicago, Ill.) 6-4
G — Ethan Morton, Butler Area (Butler, Pa.) 6-5
G — Dashien Nix, Trinity International (Las Vegas, Nev.) 6-4
C — Cliff Omoruyi, Roselle Catholic (Roselle, N.J.) 6-11
F — Micah Peavy, Duncanville (Texas) 6-7
G — Jeremy Roach, Paul VI (Fairfax, Va.) 6-2
G — Samson Ruzhentsev, Hamilton Heights (Chattanooga, Tenn.) 6-8
C — Day’Ron Sharpe, Montverde Academy (Montverde, Fla.) 6-9
F — Mady Sissoko, Wasatch Academy (Mt. Pleasant, Utah) 6-9
G — Deivon Smith, Grayson (Loganville, Ga.) 6-1
G — Jaden Springer, IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.) 6-3
G — D.J. Steward, Whitney Young (Chicago, Ill.) 6-4
G — Cam Thomas, Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, Va.) 6-3
F — J.T. Thor, Norcross (Norcross, Ga.)
G — Bryce Thompson, Booker T. Washington (Tulsa, Okla.) 6-5
F — Earl Timberlake, DeMatha Catholic (Hyattsville, Md.) 6-6
F — Isaiah Todd, Word of God (Raleigh, N.C.) 6-9
F — Terrence Williams, Gonzaga (Washington, D. C.) 6-6

IMPACT JUNIORS

F — Trey Alexander, Heritage Hall (Oklahoma City, Okla.) 6-4
G — Devin Askew, Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.) 6-4
F — Patrick Baldwin Jr., Hamilton (Sussex, Wis.) 6-8
C — Nate Bittle, Crater (Central Point, Ore.) 6-11
F — Kendall Brown, Sunrise Christian Academy (Bel Air, Kan.) 6-7
G — Kennedy Chandler, Briarcrest Christian (Eads, Tenn.) 6-1
F — Paolo Banchero, O’Dea (Seattle, Wash.) 6-9
F — Max Christie, Rolling Meadows (Rolling Meadows, Ill.) 6-6
G — Zaon Collins, Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas, Nev.) 6-1
G — Rashool Diggins, Archbishop Wood (Warminster, Pa.) 6-1
C — Michael Foster Jr., Hillcrest Prep (Phoenix) 6-8
G — Wendell Green Jr., La Lumiere (La Porte, Ind.) 5-11
G — Adrian Griffin Jr., Archbishop Stepinac (White Plains, N.Y.) 6-4
G — Jaden Hardy, Coronado (Henderson, Nev.) 6-4
G — Zion Harmon, Marshall County (Benton, Ky.) 5-11
G — Chucky Hepburn, Bellevue West (Bellevue, Neb.) 6-1
C — Chet Holgrem, Minnehaha Academy (Minneapolis, Minn.) 7-0
F — Daron Holmes, Millennium (Goodyear, Ariz.) 6-9
F — Harrison Ingram, St. Mark’s (Dallas, Texas) 6-7
F — Will Jeffress, McDowell (Erie, Pa.) 6-6
G — Jackie Johnson, Wichita Southeast (Wichita, Kan.) 5-10
G — Trevor Keels, Paul VI (Fairfax, Va.) 6-5
F — Jonathan Kuminga, Patrick School (Elizabeth, N.J.) 6-8
F — Aminu Mohammed, Greenwood Laboratory (Springfield, Mo.) 6-5
F — Trey Patterson, Rutgers Prep (Somerset, N.J.) 6-7
G — Daeshon Ruffin, Callaway (Jackson, Miss.) 5-9
F — Jabari Smith, Sandy Creek (Tyrone, Ga.) 6-8

IMPACT SOPHOMORES

G — Amari Bailey, Sierra Canyon (Chatsworth, Calif.) 6-4
G — Jaden Bradley, Cannon School (Concord, N.C.) 6-2
G — Jameel “Milzy” Brown, Haverford School (Haverford, Pa.) 6-1
G — Zion Cruz, Hudson Catholic (Hudson, N.J.) 6-3
C — Lee Dort, North Dallas Adventist Academy (Dallas, Texas) 6-10
C — Jalen Duren, Roman Catholic (Philadelphia, Pa.) 6-9
G — Bryce Griggs, Fort Bend Hightower (Missouri City, Texas) 6-1
G — Richard "Pop Pop" Isaacs Jr., Wasatch Academy (Mt. Pleasant, Utah) 6-1
G — Chris Livingston, Buchtel (Akron, Ohio) 6-5
G — Knasir “Dug” McDaniel, Paul VI (Fairfax, Va.) 5-9
G — Aidan Mahaney, Campolindo (Moraga, Calif.) 6-2
F — Tai Manning, Grandview (Mo.) 6-6
F — Mark Mitchell, Bishop Miege (Shawnee Mission, Kan.) 6-6
G — M.J. Rice, Durham Academy (Durham, N.C.) 6-5
F — Perry Smith Jr., Legacy Early College (Greenville, S.C.) 6-8
F — Jarace Walker, IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.) 6-6
F — Jordan Walsh, Faith Family Academy (Dallas, Texas) 6-6
F — Kijani Wright, Windward (Los Angeles, Calif.) 6-8

*Editor's note: Listed alphabetically; The Mr. Basketball USA honor is based on high school accomplishment, not future college/pro potential. www.ebooksnet.com does not knowingly select fifth-year players, and those ineligible due to age or academics, as Mr. Basketball USA or to the various All-American teams it publishes.

Ronnie Flores is the national Grassroots editor of www.ebooksnet.com. He can be reached at [email protected]. Don't forget to follow him on Twitter: @RonMFlores

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RELATED:  Final Mr. Basketball USA Tracker | All-Time Honorees | 2018-19 Elite All-American Team | 2018-19 Underclass All-American Team

There were trends broken and first occurrences when it came to determining the nation's best high school basketball player for 2018-19. Sure, having tremendous individual talent remains paramount and if history is any indication, this year's top player will one day soon play in the NBA.

For the first time in five years, the nation's top individual honor does not come off the roster of the mythical FAB 50 national championship team. This year's honoree also hails from a program that has emerged as a FAB 50 power over the past five years and for the first time produced the national player of the year.

That player is 6-foot-9 power forward Isaiah Stewart of La Lumiere (La Porte, Ind.) and today he is honored with the title of 2018-19 Mr. Basketball USA.

La Lumiere came up one game short of its ultimate goal of capturing the FAB 50 national title, losing in the GEICO Nationals championship game to IMG Academy (Brandenton, Fla.), 66-55, to finish No. 3 in the FAB 50 at 30-1. Despite the Lakers coming up one game short of an unbeaten championship season, the loss didn't deter the 10-man Mr. Basketball USA Tracker panel from rewarding Stewart with a much deserved prestigious individual accolade.

Stewart is first player ever from the emerging FAB 50 national power that operates as a "boarding day school" to earn the title of Mr. Basketball USA. He's headed to Washington, and is the second Mr. Basketball USA honoree to sign with a Pac-12 program in four years. In 2016, Chino Hills (Calif.) point guard Lonzo Ball signed with UCLA, as did Shabazz Muhammad coming out of Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas, Nev.) in 2012. In 2017, Mr. Basketball USA honoree Michael Porter Jr. of Nathan Hale (Seattle, Wash.) originally committed to Washington, but after Lorenzo Romar was fired and his dad was hired as an assistant at the University of Missouri, Porter changed his commitment.

Washington head coach Mike Hopkins is getting one of the best competitors in high school basketball we've evaluated in recent years. The Rochester, N.Y. native drew raves all season long for his competitiveness, toughness and impact on winning from coaches and peers alike. For the season, Stewart averaged 18.1 ppg, 11.3 rpg and over 3 blocks while shooting 60 percent from the field for one of the nation's top teams. He also imposed his will on many top opponents, wearing them down in the second half or fourth quarter with his relentless inside work on both ends of the floor.

“After playing against La Lumiere twice this year and coaching Isaiah Stewart in the Jordan Brand Classic, I feel that he is the player of the year in high school basketball," said Grant Rice, Muhammad's coach at Bishop Gorman whose program enters 2019-20 with eight consecutive NIAA state titles under its belt. "Not only does he put up big numbers each game, but he’s a winner and leader on and off the court. He plays as hard as anyone I’ve coached against over the years."

The only other candidate to receive strong consideration for this year's honor was 6-foot-3 point guard Cole Anthony of national power Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, Va.). In the final Mr. Basketball USA Tracker, the North Carolina recruit and son of former NBA guard Greg Anthony was the only other candidate to appear on all 10 ballots. Anthony, who averaged 18.5 ppg, 10.1 rpg and 10.2 apg for the No. 10 team in the FAB 50, recorded four first-place votes, one second-place vote, two third-place, one fourth-place and two fifth-place votes. Stewart gobbled up the other six first place votes.

Anthony actually made the race compelling to the very end and would have been a credible winner this season and in many others, as well. Even though he battled injuries during Oak Hill's regular season, he closed strong. The explosive point guard finished with 14 points, on 7-of-11 shooting, five rebounds, seven assists, and two blocks in the McDonald's All-American Game. He also starred at the Nike Hoop Summit (25 points, 8 rebounds, 2 assists) and at the Jordan Brand Classic (25 points, 6 rebounds, 6 assists) and was named team MVP at all three events. Panelist Jerry Meyer of 247Sports.com calls Anthony the best point guard prospect he's seen in the past 15 years covering basketball for a major recruiting network.

Stewart was also impressive on the post-season all-star circuit. He went for 16 points on 8-of-11 shooting and five rebounds at McDonald's and for 16 points and nine rebounds at the Jordan Brand Classic. It doesn't always happen, but there was an also a rare head-to-head in-season matchup of the top two candidates and that's where Stewart likely gained his edge.

La Lumiere and Oak Hill Academy played in the GEICO Nationals semifinals and the game came down to the last play, as a corner 3-pointer by Oak Hill's Cam Thomas was just off, as the Lakers held on for a 58-57 victory. Stewart finished with 16 points and 14 rebounds, including the one that came off the rim on Thomas' attempt as the horn sounded, as La Lumiere survived an onslaught of close range Oak Hill shot attempts in the game's closing minutes. Anthony finished with 11 points and eight assists, but missed 12 of 16 shots from the field, as the Warriors made 24-of-67 shots from the field. If just a few more of those Oak Hill shots go down, would Anthony be the recipient? The race was that close.

For now, however, Stewart leaves to Washington as a player who left his indelible mark on La Lumiere's program. The Lakers' coaching staff has nothing but praise for Stewart as he begins his next journey from Indiana to the Pacific Northwest.

"We are extremely excited for Isaiah for the hard work he's put in to get to this stage in his career," said La Lumiere head coach Pat Holmes. "He wants to be challenged and coached and doesn't want it sugar coated."

It's quite an honor and accomplishment to be named national player of the year, but Holmes and his staff is not exactly shocked by Stewart's standing and accolades after transferring to La Lumiere following his sophomore season at McQuad Jesuit (Rochester, N.Y.).

"Not really, he always finds a way to impact the game and always plays his butt off," Holmes said when asked if he was surprised by the announcement of Stewart as Mr. Basketball USA. "He imposes his will the whole game, never backs down, never goes into a game thinking we will lose. That mentality is contagious throughout the team."

For the all-time list of Mr. Basketball USA honorees, CLICK HERE.

Ronnie Flores is the national Grassroots editor of www.ebooksnet.com. He can be reached at [email protected]. Don't forget to follow him on Twitter: @RonMFlores

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RELATED: All-Time Mr. Basketball USA Winners | GEICO Nationals Breakdown | Latest FAB 50 National Rankings | GEICO Nationals All-Time Records  | GEICO Nationals Bracket/TV Listings

As the season winds down, the elite performers have separated themselves from the pack in the latest 2018-19 Mr. Basketball USA Tracker powered by www.ebooksnet.com. The race for the prestigious national honor was wide open in the preseason and during the regular season, but with only GEICO Nationals and the national all-star game circuit to complete, the list of legitimate national player of the year candidates has trimmed down and the top candidates are now in focus.

In the last go-around, 22 candidates received recognition from the 10-man Mr. Basketball USA Tracker panel, but in the latest voting results, 17 players made the cut as legitimate candidates. While no candidate appeared on all 10 ballots in the previous tracker, the top two candidates heading down the stretch are on the radar of the entire panel. Fittingly, their seasons are not complete yet and what transpires in the next few weeks could swing the votes in favor of the eventual winner.

Those two players are point guard, Cole Anthony of FAB 50 No. 17 Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, Va.) and power forward Isaiah Stewart of No. 1 La Lumiere (La Porte, Ind.). Both Anthony and Stewart appeared on 10 ballots (no other player appeared on more than eight) with Anthony leading the way with 84 total points, four points more than the Washington-bound Stewart. Anthony, still undecided for college, garnered four of the 10 first-place votes and two other second-place votes, while Stewart had two first-place and two second place votes among his 80 total points.

Cole Anthony is averaging a triple double this season. 17.8 PPG, 10 RPG, 10 APG ?? Can he lead Oak Hill to #GEICONationals championship next week? @The_ColeAnthony pic.twitter.com/5ARB4Y3e6H

— www.ebooksnet.com (@Ballislife) March 29, 2019

In the previous tracker, Anthony tied with junior center Evan Mobley of FAB 50 No. 39 Rancho Christian (Temecula, Calif.) for first place, but Anthony's performance at the 42nd annual McDonald's All-American Game and the early exit for Mobley's team in the post-season caused changed at the top of the voting results. Mobley appeared on eight ballots and only dropped a single option overall (from 64 to 63), but Anthony and Stewart gained traction and gobbled up many of the points that previously went to fringe candidates to take control of the race.

Mobley might be the top long-term prospect of the entire group, but he's done for the season, while Anthony and Stewart used McDonald's to propel their candidacy. The point guard matchup between the East's Anthony and the West's Nico Mannion of FAB 50 No. 47 Pinnacle (Phoenix, Ariz.) was one of the most highly-anticipated matchups of the prestigious all-star game. Mannion (who was one of five candidates to receive a first-place vote) played well during McDonald's practices, but the East club dominated the scrimmage and when the bright lights came on in the nationally-televised game, Anthony put his stamp on the game from the onset with his explosiveness and pin-point passing and took home the McDonald's Most Valuable Player award. The son of former NBA point guard Greg Anthony finished with 14 points on 7-of-11 shooting, five rebounds, seven assists, two blocks and zero assists.

Stewart, a recruiting gem for Mike Hopkins at Washington, was arguably the most productive and competitive player from start to finish at McDonald's. He had a competitive battle with seven-foot James Wiseman of Memphis East (Memphis, Tenn.), who had one first-place vote and 47 points overall, and was one of the most impressive performers in the game, finishing with 16 points on 8-of-11 shooting and five rebounds in the East's 115-110 victory. Stewart is the ringleader for the nation's No. 1 ranked team, averaging 18.1 ppg, 11.3 rpg and 2.9 bpg and looking to lead the Lakers to a GEICO Nationals championship this week in New York City.

"He's the best low-post player in the country and out played Wiseman at McDonald's," said tracker panelist and McDonald's All-American committee member Frank Burlison of BurlisonOnBasketball.com. "He's certainly a worthy national player of the year candidate and should be an instant 17 ppg guy at Washington. If La Lumiere wins GEICO Nationals and is dominant, it will be hard to pick against him."

The top-seeded Lakers open with FAB 50 No. 25 Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas, Nev.) on April 4 (2 pm ET, ESPNU) while fourth seeded Oak Hill Academy takes on No. 5 seed Wasatch Academy (Mt. Pleasant, Utah) at 6 pm ET (ESPNU). If Stewart leads La Lumiere to the GEICO Nationals title, will that propel him in front of Anthony in the Mr. Basketball USA race? Or if Anthony has a big opening game and leads Oak Hill to the semifinals or title game, will his performances be enough to hold off Stewart and the other top candidates?

"We have only lost one game when our team was at full strength," Oak Hill Academy coach Steve Smith said. "Cole didn't play in two of our four losses. He's healthy now, and I like our chances in the GEICO Nationals. It's obviously, one game at a time, but he's the best player in the tournament. He facilitates for our team, and when he's on his game, we will be an extremely tough out."

Similar to the race for the No. 1 spot in the FAB 50, it looks like the most prestigious individual honor in the country will be decided by what happens on the court all the way until the very end and that's an exciting development because often times the honoree is quite obvious by this time in the season.

Make sure to tune into the ESPN family of networks April 4-6 to catch GEICO Nationals and stay logged in to www.ebooksnet.com to track the progress of the nation's top individual players and the nation’s Top teams.

Editor's Note: Click on the "+" sign next to each player's number to view how many first, second, third or fourth place votes he got and his overall point total.

Rank	Prev.	Name	High School	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	Total
1	1T	Cole Anthony (10)	Oak Hill (VA)	4	2	2	0	84
2	3	Isaiah Stewart (10)	La Lumiere (IN)	2	2	3	2	80
3	1T	Evan Mobley (8)	Rancho Christian (CA)	2	2	1	0	63
4	7	James Wiseman (7)	Memphis East (TN)	1	0	1	2	47
5	4	Anthony Edwards (6)	Holy Spirit (GA)	0	1	0	3	38
6	5	Vernon Carey (5)	University School (FL)	0	1	0	1	31
7	8	Scottie Lewis (3)	Ranney School (NJ)	0	1	0	1	26
8	6	Sharife Cooper (3)	McEachern (GA)	0	1	1	0	23
9	9T	Precious Achiuwa (4)	Montverde Academy (FL)	0	0	1	0	22
10T	12T	Onyeka Okongwu (3)	Chino Hills (CA)	0	0	0	1	16
10T	16	Nico Mannion (2)	Pinnacle (AZ)	1	0	0	0	16
12	9T	Cade Cunningham (2)	Montverde Academy (FL)	0	0	0	0	12
13	11	Jaden McDaniels (2)	Federal Way (WA)	0	0	0	0	11
14	12T	Trendon Watford (1)	Mountain Brook (AL)	0	0	1	0	8
15	14T	Jalen Green (1)	San Joaquin Memorial (CA)	0	0	0	0	5
16T	NR	Dashien Nix (1)	Simply Fundamental (NV)	0	0	0	0	4
16T	18T	Khalil Whitney (1)	Roselle Catholic (NJ)	0	0	0	0	4

About Mr. Basketball USA Tracker Panel
www.ebooksnet.com's panel of 10 experts, which includes six McDonald’s All-American selection committee members, casts its vote for the top national player of the year candidates. Each panelist lists his top seven candidates regardless of class. The votes are then tabulated on a 10-point scoring system with a first-place vote equaling 10 points, a second-place vote earning nine points and down to four points for a seventh-place vote. The number in parenthesis refers to the numbers of ballots on which a player appeared and previous rankings refers to position in last season's final tracker.

The post Cole Anthony, Isaiah Stewart 1-2 In POY Race! appeared first on www.ebooksnet.com.

RELATED: All-Time Mr. Basketball USA Winners | 2018-19 Preseason Tracker Results | Anthony Edwards Reclassifies To 2019 Class  | "In The Paint" Podcast Breaks Down Top Candidates 

Just as was the case in the preseason, 22 elite players received recognition as legitimate national player of the year candidates in the updated 2018-19 Mr. Basketball USA Tracker powered by www.ebooksnet.com. The results, however, show plenty of difference in terms of whom may win the prestigious honor and reflect just how wide open the race is. As many as seven players have a legitimate chance to join a Who's Who list in basketball as the nation's best high school basketball player for several reasons.

First, there is not one elite senior who is having monster season that is head and shoulders above the field such as NBA All-Star Ben Simmons did in 2015 for Montverde Academy (Montverde, Fla.). There is varying opinions on whom is the most talented player in the national 2019 class and that is clearly reflected in the 10-man tracker panel's voting results. Six players received first place votes with one, 7-foot junior Evan Mobley of FAB 50 No. 10 Rancho Christian (Temecula, Calif.), receiving three of them.

It also means the overall point totals for the top vote-getters are much lower overall. Over the years, the top vote-getter usually appeared on nine or all 10 ballots and hovered in the high 80s or low 90s (out of a possible 100 points). This time, however, the two players in first place received a total of 64 points and appeared on eight ballots. As a sign of the varying opinions of the elite players this season, 7-foot James Wiseman of Memphis East (Tenn.) received two first-place votes, but only appeared on one other ballot (seventh place) to tally 24 points. That combination of first place votes and total points has never been seen in the 12-year history of the Mr. Basketball USA Tracker.

"It's a tough vote since there aren't no brainer guys like (R.J.) Barrett, (Zion) Williamson, (DeAndre) Ayton, and (Marvin) Bagley that separate from the rest," said Van Coleman, COO of Global Sports Television, a long-time McDonalds All-American voter and tracker panelist. "This will need at least two more votes to get it right. Cole Anthony is trending downward and Evan Mobley upward and I'm not sure that before this is done, the juniors may be 1-2."

Coleman's comments regarding Anthony reflect the thinking of dominant stats and winning at a high level   are required to earn an honor such as this (Listen to "In The Paint" Podcast about factors that make top candidates). Anthony, arguably the nation's top point guard for Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson Va.), tied Mobley for first place in the voting with 64 points, down from his preseason positioning of 81 points. In the preseason, Anthony was the only candidate to appear on all ten ballots, but this time around he's on seven ballots. Anthony is averaging 18.7 ppg, 9.6 rpg and 10.1 apg, but the Warriors are not having the season quite expected of them and it will be interesting to see where Anthony falls in the next go around after FAB 50 No. 16 Oak Hill was shocked 80-72 by unranked Teays Valley Christian (Scott Depot, W. Va.) after the ballots were sent out and compiled.

The juniors Coleman was referring to that could surpass all the 2019 players with strong closings are Mobley, who is averaging 19.2 ppg, 11.5 rpg, 2.5 apg, and 5.5 bpg, and junior point guard Sharife Cooper, who has McEachern (Powder Springs, Ga.) sitting at No. 2 FAB 50 rankings with averages of 28 ppg, 6.0 rpg, 9.2 apg, and 4 spg while shooting at a 50-40-90 clip for an unbeaten club. Cooper's production on a team exceeding expectations is reflected in the voting, as he went from appearing on one ballot (seventh place) in the preseason to garnering 36 points and appearing on five ballots, including three third place votes.

Will Cooper and Mobley, one of three players to appear on eight ballots along with Anthony Edwards of Holy Spirit Prep (Atlanta, Ga.) and Isaiah Stewart of FAB 50 No. 1 La Lumiere (La Porte, Ind.), continue to gain traction as the season concludes? Or will a player from the 2019 class stand up and take charge of the race? (Listen to our podcast on this topic)

It will be interesting to follow since only a few of the game's immortals (Jerry Lucas, Lew Alcindor, LeBron James) have been Mr. Baketball USA honorees as juniors.

Stay logged in to www.ebooksnet.com to track the progress of the nation's top individual players and the nation’s Top teams.

Editor's Note: Click on the "+" sign next to each player's number to view how many first, second, third or fourth place votes he got and his overall point total.

Rank	Prev.	Name	High School	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	Total
1T	3	Evan Mobley (8)	Rancho Christian (CA)	3	0	1	1	64
1T	1	Cole Anthony (8)	Oak Hill (VA)	2	4	1	0	64
3	5	Isaiah Stewart (8)	La Lumiere (IN)	1	2	0	1	59
4	4	Anthony Edwards (8)	Holy Spirit (GA)	1	1	1	2	56
5	2	Vernon Carey (6)	University School (FL)	0	1	2	2	44
6	20T	Sharife Cooper (5)	McEachern (GA)	0	0	3	0	36
7	6	James Wiseman (3)	Memphis East (TN)	2	0	0	0	24
8	14T	Scottie Lewis (3)	Ranney School (NJ)	1	0	0	2	19
9T	19	Cade Cunningham (3)	Montverde Academy (FL)	0	0	0	2	18
9T	10T	Precious Achiuwa (2)	Montverde Academy (FL)	0	2	0	0	18
11	7	Jaden McDaniels (2)	Federal Way (WA)	0	0	0	1	12
12T	9	Onyeka Okongwu (2)	Chino Hills (CA)	0	0	0	0	11
12T	NR	Trendon Watford (2)	Mountain Brook (AL)	0	0	0	1	11
14T	8	Jalen Green (2)	San Joaquin Memorial (CA)	0	0	0	0	9
14T	20T	Matthew Hurt (2)	Marshall (MN)	0	0	0	0	9
16	12T	Nico Mannion (1)	Pinnacle (AZ)	0	0	1	0	8
17	14T	Patrick Baldwin (1)	Hamilton (WI)	0	0	0	0	6
18T	NR	Greg Brown (1)	Vandergrift (TX)	0	0	0	0	5
18T	20T	Khalil Whitney (1)	Roselle Catholic (NJ)	0	0	0	0	5
20T	17T	R.J. Hampton (1)	Little Elm (TX)	0	0	0	0	4
20T	12T	Jonathan Kuminga (1)	Our Savior New American (NY)	0	0	0	0	4
20T	NR	Cassius Stanley (1)	Sierra Canyon (CA)	0	0	0	0	4