best high school basketball players in illinois

Demetri McCamey signals a play photo by Joshua Beckman Wikimedia commons. 34 overall) of the Phoenix Suns. The professional careers of these basketball players have been nothing short of spectacular. Top 100. He emerged as a crucial member of the 2001 Elite Eight defence, finishing third in school history in career blocks per game with 1.4. Zion (6-0, Jr., G/F) 24; Evyn Carrier, Sycamore (6-4, Sr., C) 24; Mya Wardle, Peoria Notre Dame (5-7, Jr., PG) 24; Shannon Blacher, Lombard Montini (5-11, Sr., G) 23; Norah Gum, Waterloo (6-0, Sr., F) 15; Kiarra Kilgore, Galesburg (5-9, Jr., G) 14; Jerzy Bittle, Marion (5-9, Sr., G) 12; Kaylen Reed, Rochester (5-6, Sr., PG) 9; Olivia Austin, LaGrange Nazareth (6-1, Jr., F) 8; LaKeeyah Barnes, Chicago Morgan Park (5-4, Jr., G) 8; Lexi Carlsen, Sycamore (5-8, Jr., G) 8; Lily Esparza, Rockford Boylan (6-2, Jr., C) 8; Justice Malone, Mount Vernon (5-8, Sr., G/F) 8; Grace Wilke, Highland (5-8, Sr., G) 8; Danielle Beach, Geneseo (5-10, Sr., PG/SG) 6; Jazmyne Bynum, Chicago Hyde Park (5-5, Jr., G) 6; Page Erickson, Burlington Central (5-9, Sr., G) 6; Rachel Kaus, Lake Forest (6-0, Sr., F) 6; Nikki Kerstein, Deerfield (5-7, Soph., PG/SG) 6;Victoria Matulevicius, Lombard Montini (5-8, Jr., G) 6; Kayla Rice, Rock Island (5-6, Sr., G) 6; Savannah Orgeron, Mahomet-Seymour (5-10, Sr., G/F) 6; Annie Wirth, Geneseo (6-0, Sr., F) 6. Stay connected with BVM Sports: Facebook | Twitter | Instagram, {"rules": {"password": "required", "password_confirm": {"equalTo": "#registerPassword"}}}. He started at centre for the 195859 Fighting Illini squad, which concluded with a 1210 record and fifth-place finish in the Big Ten. He became just the second two-time Mr. Basketball winner in state history. First trip to state since back-to-back . Downey played college basketball at the University of Illinois Fighting Illini basketball team from 1960 to 1963. Both Yorkville Christians Jaden Schutt and Glenbard Wests Braden Huff are nipping at his heels with both of their individual recruitments heating up. Chicago basketball was an afterthought until coach "Spin" Salarios squad came on the scene. Davis put up monster numbers during his senior year, though Perspectives didnt play the type of schedule that showcased his talents to the masses. The understated Randle has one heck of a career rsum, including a Class 3A state championship as a senior and sharing the states Mr. Basketball Award that same year with another all-decade performer, Ryan Boatright. The results of that poll, in a word: Oof. He was the Fighting Illini team captain in 197374. . Here are the 50 best Illinois basketball players of all time. 2 and Okafor No. Biliew, a five-star prospect Top 10 recruit for the Class of 2023, has a pro-ready body at 6-foot-8 and 210 pounds and picked Iowa State over Kansas, Oregon and the G-League Ignite. McClain attended the University of Illinois with high school teammates Marcus Griffin and Frank Williams from 1997 to 2001. In his final two years at Simeon he averaged a combined 19.4 points, 9.8 rebounds, 3.9 assists and 2.7 blocks while going 63-4. The Dallas Mavericks selected Brunson with the 33rd pick in the 2018 NBA Draft. He was also a monster when it mattered most, putting up big numbers in Belleville Wests biggest games. Kameron Mercer Ohio. HONORABLE MENTION (23): Denver Anderson, Mt. Thompson (41), Tyrone Johnson (17). As a senior in 19921993, Kaufmann averaged 17.3 points per game. Not all players go on to play professionally, but they still deserve to be recognized for their contributions to basketball.With the state finals approaching, the Chicago Tribune created a 100 greatest players ever list that spans the course of Illinois' 118-year-old high school basketball history. He led the team to four consecutive NCAA tournament appearances as a point guard. As the spring played out and summer arrived, downstate big man NJ Benson of Mt. Davis was an absolute unknown until the spring of his junior year. Prep girls basketball action remains in full . He flashes various scoring abilities. 1 player in the country. That evolution is chronicled in Glory Days, as 50 of the state's best high school basketball players from the past five decades sit down to chat with longtime prep basketball scribe Taylor Bell. In the fall of 1957, Wessels enrolled at the University of Illinois and started playing basketball for the freshmen squad. He had a few signature moments, including a Pontiac Holiday Tournament semifinal performance for the ages. All players listed include height, year in school, position and points earned. The best Illinois high school basketball players of the decade Ranking the top 10 players in Illinois from the 2009-2010 season through the 2018-2019 season and a few others that just missed. Buzelis averaged 11.4 points, 5.9 rebounds, 2.1 assists, 1.3 blocks and 1.2 steals for Brewster in 2021-22 and played for the World Team at the Nike Hoop Summit following his season. To support our blog and writers we put affiliate links and advertising on our page. West Des Moines Dowling Catholic trucked Davenport North on the road to a 52-38 victory on Feb. 27 in Iowa girls high school basketball action. There are few players in state history with as decorated of a career as Brunson. In 2009, he graduated from Illinois with a bachelors degree in recreation management. With his record number of points in a career, he also placed eighth all-time among Illini. On Feb. 26, ESPN's basketball version of "College Gameday" will be in Iowa City for No. Bottom Line: Bellevue West guard Josiah Dotzler has been one of the elite players in the midwest the last two seasons, helping lead his school to a Class A state title as a freshman, followed by back-to-back state runner-up finishes the last two seasons. HONORABLE MENTION (19): Ensley Tedeschi, Benton (6-1, Sr., PG/SG) 30; Natalie Peterson, Freeburg (6-0, Sr., G/F) 18; Kaitlyn Coombes, Paris (5-4, Sr., PG) 15; Dalia Dejesus, Deer Creek-Mackinaw (5-11, Fr., F) 15; Addison Swadinsky, Deer CreekMackinaw (5-7, Sr. PG) 13; Lauren Miller, Central-Southeastern (5-10, Soph., G/F) 11; Campbell Schrank, Winnebago (5-9, Sr., G/F) 11; Sophie Bormann, Metropolis Massac County (5-9, Sr., SG) 9; Clair Hulke, Rock Island Alleman (6-0, Jr., F) 9; Mady Kibelkis, Peotone (5-8, Sr., SG) 9; Madi Schroeder, Peotone (5-11, Jr., PG/PF) 9; Blair Eftink, Quincy Notre Dame (5-8, Sr., G) 8; Grace Roland, Elmhurst Timothy Christian (6-2, Sr., C) 8; Kyla Elsbury, Sherrard (Sr., F) 6; London Walker George, Chicago DePaul Prep (5-9, Soph., F) 6; Jenna Hunter, Peotone (5-11, Sr., F) 6; Mya Janssen, Stillman Valley (6-1, Jr., F) 6; Whitney Rumbold, Tremont (5-10, Sr., F) 6; Layne Rupert, Hillsboro (5-7, Sr., G) 6. The Portland Trail Blazers acquired him in the NBA draft as a third-round pick. With the 2022-23 basketball season fast approaching, here are the top 10 seniors for the upcoming season. There were some individual magical moments throughout Brunsons career, highlighted by the record-setting 56 points he scored in the state semifinals loss to Young as a junior. Also, three-point shooting has never been more important in the game of basketball, which is why Yorkville Christians Jaden Schutt and Buffalo Groves Kam Craft continue to rank so high. From 1955 through 1958, Don Ohl attended Illinois. However, when factoring in the overall high school career, there were some questions in figuring out just where to place Davis on the all-decade team. There was a stretch during the first half of the decade where the state was churning out generational talent, many who left their mark on the sport forever. Star: George Wilson (86 points in last four state games). He uses his body, instincts and change of pace to get to the rim where he can finish so well with either hand. Throughout his 10-year pro career, Ohl averaged 15.9 points per game, demonstrating how well his scoring ability transferred to the NBA. 2023 www.rrstar.com. It's a pretty simple concept you have the No. Parker, who scored 1,870 points in his career, became the first two-time Illinois Mr. Basketball winner in state history. We also wanted to know or did we? Bruce Douglas started at the University of Illinois for four years. However, as a senior, he had fewer assists but higher shooting percentages. 2 Indiana. 1 and No. One of the best performances by an Illinois player was his 35 points against Michigan State in January 1974. Supporting cast: Bobby Jones (64), Steve Thomas (64), M.C. Williams led the Fighting Illini to the NCAA championship game in 2005 as a junior starting point guard, but they fell to the University of North Carolina. First, you have to ignore the basketball stardom Davis has reached out of high school. He was selected by Illinois supporters as one of the top 20 basketball players for the Fighting Illini in the teams 100-year history. In 1989, Bardo won the Big Ten defensive player of the year award. And there were a lot of them the past two years in leading the Maroons to back-to-back state championships and 100 wins overall in four seasons. As a junior he was named AP College Basketball Player of the Year, Naismith College Player of the Year and won the Wooden Award. Specifically, Illinois Class of 2023 will showcase several future Division I and Power 5 college basketball players who will look to further prove themselves in 2022-23. If you forgot your password, no worries: enter your email address and we'll send you a link you can use to pick a new password. Let us look at 30 of the best high school players of all time. Conner spent the majority of his collegiate career playing the centre position out of position, but he more than made up for it with his amazing leaping abilities. Log in The drastically different team is built around its All-Star cornerstone, and new players will match her intensity, The best Illinois high school basketball players of the decade, High school football notebook: Malik Elzy quickly catches on, Aidan Gray picks Northwestern, Illini start hot, City/Suburban Hoops Report Three-Pointer: Observations from the first live period weekend, High school football notebook: Brooks Bahr picks Michigan, Frank Covey heads to Northwestern, Ken Leonard prepares to retire, The Astros Dusty Baker 73 years young is still at it, and hes one Hall of a manager. Jordan Fisher Canada. He has spent time playing in France, Germany and the NBAs developmental league. As a senior, he averaged 16.6 points per game from his cutting drives while also setting a school record with 89 steals for the year with his freakishly athletic body. In his debut game, he scored 22 points. Best Version Media, LLC. The results of that poll, in a word: Oof. By the time he was a senior, the 6-9, 245-pound Alexander was a consensus top five prospect in the country and a McDonalds All-American. He scored 29 points in East Auroras huge upset of unbeaten and No. Every year he played, Gills Illini received NCAA bids. Ken Norman game worn Los Angeles Clippers away uniform from the 1991-92 season photo by Amin Eshaker Wikimedia commons. . Post-high school career:As a unanimous first-team All-American at Duke as a freshman, Okafor led the Blue Devils to the 2015 national championship. In 2004, he was chosen for the Illini Mens Basketball All-Century Team.. High School: Minot High School (Minot, North Dakota). From 1993 through 1997, Garris played point guard for the University of Illinois collegiate basketball team. Sports Illustrated recently released its college basketball All-Decade Team and included Davis on the first team, while Kaminsky, Okafor and Brunson all made the second team. Bradford played for the Fighting Illini and amassed a career total of 1,735 points, 275 assists, and 108 steals while shooting.389 from the field. Guyton, is one of the most sought-after guards in the Class of 2024, with a dozen or more Division I offers. Cliff Alexander scores against North Chicago. Subscribe Already a subscriber? Won two gold medals with USA Basketball. WG. If you forgot your password, no worries: enter your email address and we'll send you a link you can use to pick a new password. During his senior year state title run, the first in Rock Island history, Randle averaged 21.7 points, 7.6 rebounds and 2.6 assists. He also helped the USA Basketball 18U team to a gold medal. The Manual and Simeon four-peat teams got two each. Williams received First-Team All-Big Ten honours in 2004 and 2005 when he was a junior. Douglas was selected for the Illinois All-Century Team in October 2004. Looking back, the individual high-level talent that highlighted the past 10 years can stack up against any decade in Illinois high school basketball history. They anchored one of the Big Tens top teams during their time there, and the Illini eventually earned a number one seed in the 2001 NCAA Tournament, advancing to the Elite 8. Jahari Miller Indiana. Weatherspoon was chosen in 2004 for the Illini Mens Basketball All-Century Team., Dee Brown at the Washington Wizards v/s Orlando Magic game photo by Keith Allison Wikimedia commons. Lincoln High's 7-foot-1 center, JT Rock (another great name) still has two years to develop before he gets to the next level. Willie Darden Jr Connecticut. After a lackluster first season, the 6-foot-5 center put up 14.6 . . He has offers from multiple colleges, including Ohio State, Cincinnati, Illinois, Indiana and West Virginia. But pure and simple, Davis is the most talentedprospectto come out of Illinois in the last decade, which is why he was the No. Coach: Spin Salario Bottom Line: Matas Buzelis will spend his final year of high school basketball at Sunrise Christian Academy after being named the 2022 New Hampshire Gatorade Player of the Year, leading Brewster Academy to the NEPSAC Class AAA championship as a junior. Last season he played in 49 games for the Wizards, averaging 15 minutes and 5.5 points. Gabe Phillips, Beavercreek, senior, 6'8" The 2010s era of prep basketball in Illinois came to an end last spring when the Class of 2019 graduated and moved on to the college ranks. Anthony Mauro New Jersey. Avila is a coveted mid-major target. Bill Self sought out Williams to join the University of Illinois basketball team for the NCAA 20022003 season. February 28, Scott Burgess After graduating from high school, Winters was accepted to the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, where he played varsity basketball from 1982 to 1986. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. Off-the-court issues plagued Richmond, including a short period of time in prison. He was named to the third team of the 200809 Big Ten Conference by both the coaches and the media as a sophomore after leading the team in scoring average during that season. Chicago basketball was an afterthought until coach "Spin" Salarios squad came on the scene. He was that talented of a player and that dynamic of a high school basketball figure. 12. 5-11 / 165. In 2004, he was selected for the All-Century Team at the University of Illinois. With two years of high school basketball still left to play, Freitag's stock continues to rise and he could be a Top 50 national recruit soon. Dawson played on a Duke University freshman team in 1970 that went unbeaten. 1. 10 min read. March 01, 2023 5:30 AM. Facebook; Twitter; instagram; FB Rec. Following his stellar career at UConn, Boatright has played overseas and in the NBAs G League. Post-high school career:Liddell is currently a freshman at Ohio State. The Fighting Illini were led by junior Gill to 1989 Final Four, where they fell to Michigan on a last-second shot. Second, the prep career of Davis is an odd one. A ranking of the 2004 Best NFL Basketball Players in Illinois . With 853 rebounds at Illinois (since surpassed and now in third place), Winters concluded his collegiate career as the schools all-time rebounding leader and third-best scorer. While vastly overlooked early in his high school career, the pure-as-they-come point guard shined throughout his four seasons at Marian Catholic. how interested you are in the Fire, whose season begins Saturday against New York City FC at Soldier Field. Garris led the club in scoring and free-throw percentage for the following three seasons. Booker had a breakout season as a junior in 2021-22 averaging 12.5 points and 6.7 rebounds as he helped lead a stacked Cathedral squad to a Class 4A state championship. The Milwaukee Bucks selected Parker with the No. In his senior season, he led Illinois to the NCAA Tournaments Final Eight. 1 point guard in the Class of 2024 played as a freshman at Bergen Catholic (N.J.) High and missed his entire sophomore year with a high ankle sprain. WNBA greats from Illinois include Candace Parker, Yolanda Griffith and Tamika Catchings. Home : Updates : Sports : Upcoming/Recent Events : Polls . In their 12 triumphs throughout the season, he scored 14.8 points on average. Illinois Associated Press all-state girls basketball teams, Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy, **-Amiah Hargrove, Christopher (6-2, Jr., F/C) 118, Alayna Kraus, Okawville (5-7, Jr., SG/PG) 113, Gracie Furlong, Galena (5-10, Soph., G) 101, Shelby Bowman, Biggsville West Central (5-6, Jr., PG) 74, Sydney Richards, Neoga (6-0, Sr., G/F) 68, Sheridan Harris, Chicago Morgan Park Academy (5-8, Sr. SF) 50, Lucy Fearday, Effingham St. Anthony (6-0, Sr., F/C) 39, Carly Foster, Gallatin County (5-9, Sr., G) 32, **-Abbey Schreacke, Quincy Notre Dame (6-0, Sr., G) 120, Xamiya Walton, Chicago Butler (5-7, Jr., G) 113, Amayah Doyle, Carterville (5-11, Jr., F) 97, Ashlyn May, Minonk Fieldcrest (5-9, Sr., PG) 63, Megan Sanaj, Chicago Latin (5-7, Sr., G) 47, Kaylee Niebrugge, Teutopolis (5-9, Sr., F) 43, Xyanna Walton, Chicago Butler (5-11, Fr., G) 37, **-Kloe Froebe, Lincoln (5-9, Jr., PG) 115, Janae Kent, Oak Forest (6-1, Sr., G/F) 91, Jordan Wood, Mundelein Carmel Catholic (6-4, Sr., F/G) 85, Grace Carstensen, LaGrange Nazareth (5-10, Sr., G) 79, Denali Craig Edwards, Peoria High (6-0, Sr., SG/F) 67, Amalia Dray, LaGrange Nazareth (5-8, Jr., F) 37, Claire McDougall, Washington (6-0, Sr., G) 33, Aubrey Galvan, Deerfield (5-6, Soph., PG) 31, *-Lexi Kerstein, Deerfield (5-6, Sr., G) 29, *-Sophia Loden, Mascoutah (5-11, Sr., F) 29, Skylar Jones, Chicago Whitney Young (6-0, Sr., SG/SF) 89, Katy Eidle, Arlington Heights Hersey (6-0, Sr., G) 88, Lenee Beaumont, Lisle Benet (6-0, Sr., PG) 87, Sophie Swanson, Barrington (5-10, Sr., G) 81, *-Shannon Dowell, O'Fallon (5-10, Sr., SG) 68, *-Alyssa Latham, Homewood-Flossmoor (6-2, Sr., F) 68, Emily Fisher, Libertyville (6-0, Sr., G) 66, Ella Todd, Palatine Fremd (6-1, Soph., G) 52, Angelina Smith, Bolingbrook (5-9, Jr., G) 45, Brooke Carlson, Batavia (5-6, Jr., PG) 29, Emory Klatt, Lincolnshire Stevenson (6-0, Jr., F) 21. 2023 BVM Sports. Professional basketball player Eddie Johnson photo by United States Forest Service Wikimedia commons. Cook graduated from Illinois as the third-highest scorer in school history with 1,748 total points, averaging 13.2 points per game. His leadership helped the Illini win the Big Ten mens basketball tournament, and in 200203, he was awarded the games best player. Roosevelt Thomas Illinois. The Fighting Illinis second-highest single-season point total in history was scored by him that season when he scored 660 points. Smith scored 1,635 points and had 161 steals throughout his college career. In his college career, he made 216 three-pointers, which ranks fifth all-time among Illini players. Curies Cliff Alexander screams with teammates after defeating Simeon. Michigan, captained by NBA legend Earvin Magic Johnson, was unbeaten and ranked number one in the country at the time, but Illinois was also unbeaten at 14-0. Forget about the hype, including the Sports Illustrated cover and being the most media-covered athlete maybe in Illinois prep sports history. Best High School Boys Basketball Player in Every State 2022: West, Best High School Girls Basketball Player in Every State 2022: West. He played for the Fighting Illini for four seasons, starting three of them. With 114 victories, Brown is tied with James Augustine for the most victories in Illinois history. The son of a former Lithuanian National Team player, Buzelis started his career at Hinsdale Central (Ill.) High and is projected to be a lottery pick in the 2024 NBA Draft after spending what would be his freshman year of college with the NBA's G-League Ignite. Between 2002 and 2006, Brown was a student-athlete at the University of Illinois. From 2002 through 2005, he represented the Illinois Fighting Illini in collegiate basketball. A slight-framed point guard and decisive decision-maker who controls offensive tempo naturally, Johnson has finally made a name for himself among college coaches this past month. He attended Illinois between 1993 and 1998. Hes spent time with the Bucks, Chicago Bulls and Washington Wizards and will play this season with the Atlanta Hawks. Chasson Randle of Rock Island moves quickly down the court, defended by Terrance Walker of Brooks. A spark-plug scorer and safe bet to be a productive offensive player at the next level due to his shot-making ability from all areas of the court. From 1986 until 1990, he was an Illinois student. Nick Anderson, Kendall Gill, Lowell Hamilton, Kenny Battle, and Marcus Liberty were among the other starters on that team in addition to Bardo. Cook made use of his height to score in the post in a variety of ways and to make three-pointers when the opportunity arose. Specifically, Illinois Class of 2023 will showcase several future Division I and Power 5 college basketball players who will look to further prove themselves in 2022-23. Top 10 Chicago high school basketball players of all time The Chicagoland area is second to none when it comes to high school basketball. The latest recruiting news sent to your inbox weekly. His time with the Illini includes playing both power forward and centre, setting numerous team records, making it to the national championship game, and winning numerous honours. Now there are some fresh faces joining those three top 10 fixtures.

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