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How to be the best basketball player in high school
6 Ways to be a Top High School Basketball Player
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NBC Basketball Camps trains thousands of high school athletes each year. Here are six ways you can become a top high school basketball player.
1. Be willing to work hard. Can you define hard work? For a top level high school and college coach, here is what hard work means. Your attitude and demeanor on the courts needs to be intense, focused, aggressive and no-nonsense. Your play should include taking charges, diving on the floor for loose balls, running the floor, constant "in your face" pressure on the ball when defending, strong attack moves to the hoop which are effective. Effective=ends with a basket.
2. Be powerful. Great players are not pushed around. They dictate the tempo, intensity, rhythm of the game. You decide where you want to go or not go on offense, not your opponent. On defense, you decide where your opponent goes. You disrupt his or her game. Learn to use your body to impose your WILL both offensively and defensively.
3. Be smart and understand the system. Every coach has a system and philosophy to be successful. You need to know what he or she wants. Some teams require a point guard to have no more than 3 turnovers a game. If you take too many risks on that team as a point guard you are going to sit down. Know what the coach values. Does he or she value conservative play? Does he or she want run and gun? See the big picture and learn how to play within this system.
4. Be strong, fast and quick. These are the separators between high school athletes who will go on to the college level. One of our alum campers playing in the NBA is an amazing athlete a premier shooter, but he is getting beat on defense because his foot speed is too slow to stop a player one-on-one and even though he is 6'7" he is not strong enough in the post. We want him to do well and encourage him to work on his strength and speed, to get a program and work it hard.
Be sure to meet with a physical therapist as well as a trainer because you need to know what you must do to prevent injury. Live in the weight room during the off-season.
5. Be humble and lead by example. Care about the team by being selfless and not concerned about your name in the paper. Do the little things well, serve others and you will be blessed.
6. Find the separators. God has given each of us natural abilities. A girl who is 6'3" as a sophomore, really quick, long and strong may not have good skills but she will get letters from Division 1 programs. Coaches recruit body types. If you genetically do not have a Division 1 build, you have a much harder road. You have to rise above the multitude of athletes who all have the same dream. You have to find the separators: speed, strength, wisdom, leadership, shooting, passing, impeccable skills, and the WILL to work harder than your competition.
NBC Basketball is a program designed to help you become your best on and off the court. Advanced High School Camp training options through NBC Camps: Boys College-Prep Basketball Camp attracting Division 1 prospects from around the world, for Girls NBC Camps has HS Girls Advanced Campin Spokane, WA, and Boys and Girls Total Basketball Camp, intensive college prep training north of Calgary in Alberta, Canada.
NBC Basketball Camps is a proud affiliate of the US Sports Nike Camps network. For more information about NBC Basketball Camps visit www.nbccamps.com.
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The 10 Best High School Basketball Players of All Time | News, Scores, Highlights, Stats, and Rumors
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Jonathan Wasserman@@NBADraftWassTwitter LogoNBA Lead WriterOctober 16, 2013
The 10 Best High School Basketball Players of All Time
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When recognizing the 10 best high school ballers of all time, there's a lot to take into account.
While there's no scientific formula, wins, statistics and impact on the sport all came into play. It's always difficult to compare players from completely different eras, but if it weren't for some fellas dating back to the early 1950s, we might not be writing, tweeting or posting about high school phenoms like Andrew Wiggins today.
Our top 10 high school players of all time includes some of the NBA greats you see today, and some of the legends your grandparents saw roughly 60 years ago.
10. Jason Kidd, St. Joseph Notre Dame, Alameda, California
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California's current all-time assist leader, Jason Kidd was a human high school talent show.
And like we've seen them do in the pros, his basketball IQ, unselfishness and undeniable instincts translated directly to team success. Kidd and St. Joseph Notre Dame won back-to-back state titles in '91 and '92.
He was also named California's Player of the Year twice, as well as the Naismith Player of the Year which recognized him as the top player in the country.
Mitch Stephens of Max Preps called Kidd the "best high school basketball player I ever covered."
He's currently the nation's all-time high school leader in steals, and ranks No. 5 overall in assists.
9. Bill Walton, Helix High, San Diego, California
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Bill Walton had a high school season that's simply hard to believe.
As a senior, he finished with averages of 29 points and 25 rebounds a game, while shooting an astounding 78 percent from the floor. Helix went undefeated that year with a 33-0 record and a state championship to show for it.
A dominant force with a live motor, Walton finished his high school career on a 49-game win streak with two state titles and an incredible head of red hair.
He suffered a number of injuries along with the way that eventually cut his career short, but no back pain or broken bone can erase what he was able to accomplish at Helix.
Despite his accomplishments as a high school junior and senior, 12 NBA teams weren't sold on his long-term outlook. And the one that drafted him decided to flip him for Vlade Divac.
Pennsylvania's Player of the Year in 1995, Bryant went for 31 points, 10.4 boards and 5.2 assists a game as a junior. And just when he hit NBA radars, Bryant upped himself and his draft stock as a high school senior.
From USA Today to Parade Magazine, Bryant swept up every National Player of the Year Award that was out there. He had led Lower Merion to its first AAAA state title in 53 years, finishing his last three seasons with a 73-13 record.
With 2,883 career points, Bryant had outscored Wilt Chamberlain to set the all-time mark in Southeastern Pennsylvania.
After being selected as a lottery pick in 1996, Bryant helped spark an era that saw a number of high schoolers declare early, and influence a few NBA teams to bite.
Even on Jonathan Bender and Darius Miles.
7. Oscar Robertson, Crispus Attucks High School, Indiana
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Oscar Robertson and Crispus Attucks High School made history back in 1955.
An all-black high school in a white man's world, Attucks' became the first of its kind to win a state title, which it repeated in 1956. Robertson averaged 24 points a game as a senior and was named the state of Indiana's Mr. Basketball.
The only NBA player to date to ever average a triple-double, the Big O's versatility was simply unprecedented.
His second state title capped a 45-game win streak, and a historically significant high school career.
6. Jerry Lucas, Middletown High, Middletown, Ohio
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Anyone who recalls Jerry Lucas almost always starts with his high school career.
The Ohio Player of the Year from 1956 to 1958, Lucas' production translated to a a shocking 78-1 record over that span.
As a sophomore, he earned praise for dropping 53 and 44 points in back-to-back state-tournament games. Lucas finished his prep career with two state championships to go with three Player of the Year awards and a whole bunch of Ohio records.
He's also regarded as one of the first to be recognized nationally at the high school level. He was being written up in articles and flocked to by fans.
A dominant presence on the scoreboard and the glass, Lucas ultimately joined Magic Johnson and Quinn Buckner as the only basketball players to win a championship in high school, college, the NBA and the Olympics.
5. Kevin Garnett, Farragut Academy, Chicago, Illinois
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Kevin Garnett started a high school trend that nearly spiraled out of control.
He became the first kid in 20 years to bypass college for the NBA draft, prompting a flurry of future prospects to follow his lead.
Garnett's final two years in school made the high school-to-pro jump seem plausible. He averaged 27 points and 17 boards for Maudlin High, winning South Carolina's Mr. Basketball and carrying his school to the state championship game.
Garnett transferred to Farragut Academy in Chicago for his senior season, where he continued to overwhelm the competition. Farragut finished with a 28-2 record, a city title and an appearance in state quarterfinals. Garnett finished as Illinois' Mr. Basketball, USA Today's National Player of the Year, and with eye-popping averages of 25 points, 17.9 boards, 6.7 assists and 6.5 blocks per game.
After being named Most Outstanding Player of the McDonald's All-American game, the Minnesota Timberwolves selected him No. 5 overall.
Thanks to Garnett, we're still having annual conversations regarding draft-age eligibility.
4. Magic Johnson, Everett High School, Lansing, Michigan
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Magic Johnson wasn't Magic until high school, when he captivated fans and the media with basketball wizardry.
After dropping a mean 36-point, 16-assist, 16-rebound triple-double as a sophomore, a sports writer decided Erving needed a flashier nickname.
And for what it's worth, I approve.
Magic finished his high school career with a 25-point-per game average, but really left his mark as a senior. He averaged 28 points and 16 boards, leading his troops to a 27-1 record and a Michigan state title.
At around 6'8'', nobody had ever seen a player who can handle the ball at the point, score from the wing or shake in the post.
From what I hear, those skills translated beautifully to both the college and NBA levels.
3. Wilt Chamberlain, Overbrook High School, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
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I'm not sure there's a basketball list that Wilt Chamberlain isn't on.
It was probably hard to miss a 7'1'' athlete back in 1953, never mind one who can shake and bake in the post.
And though I wasn't on the sideline scouting, I know a guy who knows a guy who knew a guy who said that Wilt Chamberlain was really, really good.
I believe him. Chamberlain averaged over 37 points a game in three years at Overbrook, leading them to three public league and two city championships.
At one point in his final season, Chamberlain poured in 74, 78 and 90 points consecutively over a three-game stretch. There was clearly nobody in this hemisphere capable of matching up with the "Big Dipper."
He finished his high school career with a staggering 56-3 record and over 2,000 points.
2. LeBron James, St. Vincent-St. Mary, Akron, Ohio
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LeBron James changed the way we think and speak about young NBA prospects.
Looking back, we should start referring to high school basketball in terms of "BL" and "AL," as in Before LeBron and After LeBron.
There was actually demand for recruiting coverage After LeBron. He showed it was possible to be that big and hold that much star power, despite not being old enough to drive. And now fans and scouts alike all turned the lights on to their miner helmets in hopes of discovering the next LeBron James.
As a freshman at St. Mary-St. Vincent, he dropped 25 in the championship game to win the Division III state title. His team went back-to-back the next year, with James finishing the season as the only sophomore ever to be selected to the USA Today All-USA First Team.
Soon after, James became the first junior to win the National Player of the Year. So it shouldn't be a surprise he won it again the following year.
He averaged 31.6 points, 9.6 boards and 4.6 assists his final high school season, while his team finished the year with the top national ranking. By the time he was a senior, James' face had been on magazine covers, television screens and the top of every NBA team's draft board.
He set a bar that should stand strong for a while. And because it's there, we now have a reason to keep an eye on it—to see if anyone can reach it.
Never have so many eyes been on high school basketball, and we can credit that to the kid once dubbed "The Chosen One."
1. Lew Alcindor, Power Memorial, Manhattan, NY
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Though he might have made his money as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, it was Lew Alcindor who changed the game back in high school.
Alcindor stood over 7'0'' tall, where he looked down on opponents and up to a future that still hasn't been topped. The NBA's current all-time leading scorer was an absolute dominant high school force before taking names as a pro.
He led Power Memorial to three straight city titles from 1964 to 1966, at one point winning 71 consecutive games.
Alcindor finished his career at Power with over 2,000 points and 2,000 rebounds, unheard of numbers and New York City records. Team-wise, he went 95-6 in a three-year span.
He became one of the biggest recruiting prizes in sports history, and one that paid off when he arrived at UCLA. He won three national championships and two National Player of the Year awards as a Bruin.
But prior to changing his name, tearing up college hoops and dazzling NBA fans with soft sky hooks, Alcindor was the first to generate enormous high school basketball buzz.
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How can a basketball player develop without access to the gym?
4 tips to become a better player, athlete and personality
It happens to everyone that you want to train, move forward, progress, but there is no access to the court and the gym. This article contains 4 recommendations for this case. Read and apply.
1. Start monitoring your nutrition and sleep
One of the most important components of progress and development on the site is recovery, and nutrition and sleep are its foundation. Without this, stretching, contrast showers and everything else make little sense.
So you can not sit if you sleep 4 hours a day
2. Work on your body
This does not always require a basketball hall or even a gym. Charging, yoga and stretching, some other recovery procedures (only with a really heavy load), core is the minimum that can be done at home.
In fact, at the initial stage, it is possible to exercise effectively and beneficially for the body at home. Add this and you will already become the best around, because you will train more.
Images from our online school where you can train at home
3. Analyze matches
This will help you better understand the game and increase your basketball IQ. Analyze your game and the game of professionals you want to be like, analyze your opponent. And always pay attention to details.
Kobe Bryant was a crazy basketball player down to the last detail. He watched the matches and noticed the details so much that he knew how his opponent would act in any situation. In his book, he described a moment where, thanks to analysis, Kobe dunked through the center opponent, because he knew how he would put his hand to resist, and was able to remove it.
Curry said that when he watches his games, he pauses and notes what decisions he can make. Then he chooses the best and turns on the tape to test himself in the game. You can do that too.
You can also look at professionals. You turn on the match of a player you are similar in style to and follow his every move.
Kobe does not waste time and watches the game during the flight
4. Learn
Read books, watch educational and useful videos, be interested in something else. You may not become a professional basketball player, but you can always become a good person.
To be successful in the game, one must not only have good athleticism and skills. Knowledge in psychology will help you better understand the actions of opponents. Communication skills will help build better relationships with teammates. Good time management will allow you to use your time more efficiently. A successful career consists not only of playing on the court, but also of acting outside of it.
We add material and tools to the online school that help not only in basketball, but also in life. Some guys start to study better and do more things in a day, because they become more disciplined and learn a lot of new things. This is important because life does not end with basketball.
LeBron has been using the slogan "More than an athlete" for several years now. Because basketball goes beyond the sport where everything ends in the hall. Now this is life.
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Go get an education, you're too late to be a basketball player - The Jay's - Blogs Jordan. They played basketball all their lives, they were talked about even during their school years and no one was surprised by the fact that sooner or later they would get into the world's major basketball league.
But what about the players who first picked up an orange ball not at age three, but in high school, or worse, in college? What chances do they have to achieve at least some success in the basketball field, and do they exist at all?
Everyone has a chance. This is the beauty of basketball. Today we will talk about athletes who got acquainted with basketball much later than most players.
Joel Embiid
Started: 2011 (15 years old)
Career stats: 22.8 + 9.9 + 2.8 + 2.0 (points/rebounds/assists/blocks)
Process already looks like the top 3 center in the entire league. In today's NBA, if you're a center and you don't have a good and consistent shot, you're in for the fate of Hassan Whiteside. Old-school centers are no longer interesting to anyone, their actions are predictable, there is no threat from them on the arc, therefore this gives more freedom to the defending team. And that's why players like Anthony Davis, Karl Towns, DeMarcus Cousins and Joel Embiid sat down on the "basketball Olympus".
But if in the case of the first three centers, the ascent took 15-20 years, then Embiid needed only 7.
Initially, "Process" wanted to become a volleyball player and try his hand at the European championships. But when the young Embiid was 15 years old, he picked up a basketball for the first time and began to copy Hakim Olajuwon's style of play. Joel liked the game so much that in the same year he went to a basketball camp organized by Luc Mba a Mute in Cameroon.
As a result of this camp, Luke is so impressed with Embiid's game and potential that he invites him to try himself in America.
At the age of 16, Joel Embiid moves to the USA and decides to become a professional basketball player.
In the states, The Process continued to progress and ended up in one of the best student organizations - Kansas. In his only college season, Embiid scored something like 11+8, entered the top 30 students and entered the draft with a back injury.
At first, Joel did not work out in the NBA, precisely because of an unfortunate injury, and for the first two years he spent almost all of his time in the infirmary. But after the recovery and after the last season, we see a top center, who is undoubtedly far from his peak and will continue to progress.
Dennis Rodman
Started: 1983 (21 years old)
Career stats: 7. 3 + 90 0.6 + 1.0002 Achievements: Hall of Famer, 5x NBA Champion, 2x Defensive Player of the Year, 2x All-Star, 7x Defensive Top Five.
The best rebounder in the history of basketball, ready to rip opponents' elbows with the ball, was only introduced to basketball in high school. And it is very difficult to call this acquaintance the beginning of his basketball career. Rodman, a model of his school years, did not really know how to dribble, and his shots from under the basket left much to be desired, not to mention the shots from the middle. As a result, throughout his school career, Rodman sat on the bench. Also, young Dennis tried to get into the school football team, but failed there too.
Of course, after such a school "performance", no college offered Rodman an athletic scholarship. As a result, Dennis graduates from high school and goes to work as a janitor at the local airport. And just at that time, the young player has a so-called "growth spurt" and decides to try his hand at basketball again, despite the fact that he did not feel very comfortable in his new two-meter body.
A friend of the Rodman family, he got a position as head coach at a small college in Texas, and offered the young Dennis a scholarship. As a result of his first and only semester (Rodman was expelled for poor progress), the young player scores 17 + 13! Agree, very good numbers for a player who a couple of years ago could not get out from under the ring.
The most interesting thing is that during high school, Dennis was only 170 cm tall. But by the time he went to college at 21, Rodman was already 204 cm tall! It's amazing how he has grown so much in just 4 years.
After his first undergraduate performance failure, Rodman was given a second chance at an Oklahoma college whose team was NAIA. There he spends three fruitful years, gaining 25 + 15, becomes the leader in rebounds and gets into the 19th draft.86, where he was drafted 3rd overall by the Detroit Pistons in the second round.
Everything that happened next is history. Dennis went from a calm and reserved player who did his job in the Pistons, like other "bad guys", into an outrageous, media player.
But it is worth noting that this did not affect his game in any way. Rodman became the best defensive player of the championship 2 times, got into the top five defensively 7 times and became the best rebounder 7 times in a row. Well, it’s not worth talking about his five championships, everyone already knows about it.
Interesting fact: Father Dennis Rodman has 48 children.
Another interesting fact: Dennis Rodman is the oldest of them.
Moving on.
Hakim Potzzhivon
When he started: 1979 (16 years)
Statistics for his career: 21.8 + 11.1 + 2.5 + 3.1
Achievements per career: Member of the Glory Hall, 2- 2- 2- 2- 2- 2- 2- 1x NBA Champion, 1x NBA MVP, 1x Finals MVP, 12x All-Star, 2x Defensive Player of the Year, one of the top 50 basketball players of all time.
The Dream, until the age of 16 he was exclusively fond of football and handball. And it was a football career that helped Hakim with footwork and body balance in the future.
At the age of 16, the two-meter-high Olajuwon is invited to take part in a basketball tournament (even though Hakim has never played it). There, a basketball coach notices him and informs Hakim's parents that their son may have a good career, but in Nigeria he will remain only budding. Hakim begins to train hard with his coach in order to achieve something in professional sports. Here's what he said about basketball:
Basketball is something unique. When I took the ball in my hands, I immediately knew that this is what I want to do all my life, you know? After that moment, any other sports lost their meaning for me.
As a result of all this, the parents of a young basketball player send him to America, where Houston College was waiting for him to watch. Hakim impressed coach Guy Lewis with his game and he accepted the young player into the squad.
Season 1980/1981 Olajuwon missed out because he was still too young to play in the NCAA (17 years old). But over the course of the next three years in college, Hakim screwed up and showed the entire student league who's boss in the paint!
He becomes the Final Four MVP, also earns the NCAA Southwest Conference MVP, and the Rockets begin to fold the 1983/1984 season in order to take Hakim with the first pick in the upcoming draft.
If you are reading this and think that Hakim was very good, you are right. But do not forget that The Dream achieved all this in 5 years from the moment of his first basketball game!
What happened next - you yourself know everything again. Hakim became one of the best centers in the history of basketball, an innovator and creator of new offensive techniques in the paint. Seriously, show me one player in the history of basketball that has played better than Hakim in the post?
Olajuwon led his hometown of Houston twice to the championship, became the most valuable player in one of the finals, the most valuable player in the league and was twice recognized as the best defensive player. Great career, great player!
DIKMBA MUTOMO
When I started: 1984 (17 years old)
Statistics for career: 9.8 + 10.3 + 1.0 + 2.8
Achievements: member of the NBA glory, 8-time All-Star, 4-time Defensive Player of the Year, 2-time rebounding leader, 3-time block shot leader.
Another African who started playing basketball very late.
Until the age of 17, Dikembe "not in my house" Mutombo was fond of exclusively football and did not see himself anywhere except on a wide lawn (or sandy wasteland) with goals along the edges. So his youth passed, if not for his older brother, who invited him to play basketball.
Basketball meets Dikembe in style. In the first game, Mutombo cracks his chin and tells his brother that he will never play this "stupid game" again.
But still, after a couple of weeks, the brother again persuades Dikembe to play. And from that moment began the basketball adventure of one of the best defensive players in the league. Mutombo started playing in the African League and achieved excellent results. A vivid confirmation of this is a sports scholarship from Georgetown.
Mutombo enters the NCAA at the age of 21 and immediately shows excellent results. In his very first season, Dikembe manages to make 12 blocks in ONE game! And in general, the period 1988-1990 was one of the best in history for Georgetown. Under the ring, along with Dikembe, was another future member of the hall of fame - Alonzo Morning. Their bunch was even nicknamed "Rejection Row".
College career can be called successful. Mutombo was named to the NCAA East Division First Team as well as the All NCAA Third Team, and was selected with the 4th pick in the 19 draft91, aged.. 25 years old.
But even with such a late start, Mutombo had a long and fruitful career, spending as many as 18 seasons in the league!
He achieved everything, almost everything. Dikembe never received the coveted ring, but few would say that his career was not a success.
Throughout his career, the Congolese basketball player has demonstrated high professionalism, quality defense and incredible block shots. Mutombo was named the NBA's Defensive Player of the Year four times, was elected to the league's All-Stars three times, and took part in the All-Star game eight times.
Tim Dankan
When he started: 1991 (15 years)
Statistics for careers: 19.0 + 10.8 + 3.0 + 2.2
Currency achievements: 5-fold champion NBA, NBA, NBA, NBA, NBA, NBA, NBA, NBA, NBA, 5-fold NBA, NBA, NBA, NBA, 5-fold NBA, 2-time MVP, 3-time Finals MVP, 15-time All-Star, 15-time All-Star (10 times first), 15-time Defensive Five, Rookie of the Year, 2003 Athlete of the Year, NCAA Player of the Year .
Tim Duncan is the best basketball player of the 2000s and possibly the greatest basketball player of the 21st century. Try to convince me of this as much as you like, but such a stable, unselfish and simply excellent player is very difficult to find. Duncan is a hard worker who does an enormous amount of work from game to game, from season to season, without requiring any attention and encouragement from the basketball community.
But it all started in the Virgin Islands, when young Tim, looking at his sister Trisha, who was a swimmer, wanted to follow in her footsteps. Duncan trained hard day after day and dreamed of taking part in the 1992 Olympic Games.
But his dream was not destined to come true. In 1989, Hurricane Hugo swept through the Caribbean and caused damage to many countries, including Tim Duncan's native Virgin Islands. And everything would be fine, but the same hurricane destroyed the only pool on the islands and Duncan now had nowhere to train.
You say - hey, if he lives on an island, then the ocean is around! Why shouldn't he train there? It's very simple - Duncan is terrified of sharks. That is why his swimming career ended so early.
At the age of 15, Duncan picks up a basketball for the first time and starts playing for the school team. And here is what his first coach said about Timmy:
Duncan was huge. He was big and tall, I haven't trained players like that for a long time. But despite all his dimensions - he was just terribly clumsy!
Gradually Tim began to improve, averaging 25 points in his senior year at school. His game has attracted a large number of universities and colleges from all over America. And Wake Forest offered the young player an athletic scholarship.
In college, Duncan begins to develop his usual playing style. Simple but effective. Duncan combined many aspects of the game, such as high-quality post play, open mid-range shots, and tough defense. It was this style that helped not only him, but also his team, to show good results in the NCAA.
Duncan, one of the few superstars (if not the only one) who spent all four years of college! All because he promised his mother, who died the day before Tim's 14th birthday, that he would graduate from college and get an education.
In the end, over 4 years in college, Tim was 97-31, scored over 2,000 points, 1,500 rebounds and 400 blocks and was automatically selected for the 1998 draft, where he was selected with the first pick of the San Antonio Spurs.
With the Spurs, Duncan first became David Robinson's assistant, then became a team leader himself for many years. San Antonio is a 15-year dynasty, just like the New England Patriots (as a fan of all Boston teams, I just had to compare the two franchises). And all this time, the main face of the team was Tim Duncan, the man who achieved everything in the NBA.
Yannis Antetokunmpo
When I started: 2007 (13 years old)
Statistics for career: 12.2 + 6.6 + 2.9 + 1.1
Achievements: the most progressive player NBA, 2-fold player All-Star Team Member, 2nd NBA Team.
Giannis was born in Grezzi, in a family of Nigerian immigrants and until the age of 13 he played only football, having absolutely no idea what basketball is and who needs it at all.
Yannis and his family had a hard time, to put it mildly. There was a catastrophic lack of money, so he and his brother sold all sorts of trinkets, watches, bags on the streets, trying to somehow help their parents with finances. Well, after a hard day, Giannis and his brother went to the football field and chased the ball until late.
That was until 2007, when basketball appeared in the life of the young Antetokounmpo.
The young player fell in love with the game and started devoting all his free time to developing his basketball skills. And it paid off! Two years later, in 2009, Giannis starts playing for Fylatlitikos youth team.
In 2012, The Greek Freak made the main roster, spent a mid-season in the Greek League Two and entered the 2013 draft, where the Milwaukee Bucks nonetheless were selected.
Giannis' NBA career developed over three seasons. The coaching staff worked very competently here, which, as Antetokounmpo performed in the league, gradually loaded him with new baggage of knowledge and skills. Giannis soaked it all up like a sponge and as time went by, his minutes played and his role in the team increased.
Now Giannis is the future of basketball, the second LeBron, the man who can make the Eurostep from the three-point line. I'm afraid to imagine what will happen to this player in the future, because Giannis is only 23 years old! And he is already a franchise player and will progress in each next season.
Mark Eaton
Started: 1977 (21 years old)
Career stats: 6.0 + 7.9 + 1.0 + 1.04
Achievements: 2x Defensive Player of the Year, All-Star, 4x Block Shot Leader, 3x Defensive Five.
Mark Eaton's story is perhaps the most amazing of all the players featured. Despite his rather impressive height (224 cm), Mark preferred to play water polo (???) than basketball.
After Eaton graduated from high school, he went to college to major in auto mechanics. Immediately after graduation, Mark moves to Anaheim, where he begins to work in his new profession.
After three years of carefree life as an auto mechanic, he is found by Tom Lubin, who was fixing his car at Mark's. Tom was a chemistry teacher and assistant head coach at a small college in California. It was he who suggested that Mark try his hand at basketball and did not lose.
In two years of college, Eton averaged 14 points and led his college to victory in the California Collegiate Championship. After that, Mark chooses the Phoenix Suns in the 19 draft.79 in the fifth round. Eton had the right to refuse and return to college, which he did.
But this was not a small college somewhere in the middle of California. Eton received an offer from the famous UCLA, which he, of course, accepted.
Career at the main college of Los Angeles did not go up, but flew down with terrible force. In two years, Mark spent only 42 minutes, gaining 1+2 in 11 matches. And of course, no one wanted to take him in the draft. Nobody but Utah. The leadership of "Jazz" was guided by iron logic - everything can be taught to the big, the main thing is that it is big.
Fun fact: Wilt Chamberlain was in attendance at UCLA once Eaton played. The great center saw the frustrated Mark and gave the young player some advice, in particular: to "score" on attacking actions and focus on protecting his own ring, collect rebounds and pass the ball to faster partners, instead of competing with the same fast opponents. The conversation is said to have marked a turning point in Mark's career.
"Utah" did not lose. In his first season, Mark becomes the team's starting center while setting a new league record for blocked shots in a season. In the 1973-1974 season, Mark averaged 5.5 blocks per game and also grabbed 11 rebounds and was named the best defensive player.
Eton's career can hardly be called great. But the fact that he was an excellent defensive player should not be in the slightest doubt. Two titles of the best defender of the league and fixed by “Utah” 53rd number is a vivid confirmation of this!
Players who also started late: Dirk Nowitzki, Shaquille O'Neal, Manute Bol, Michael Olowokandi, Steven Adams.
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And the one that drafted him decided to flip him for Vlade Divac.
Farragut finished with a 28-2 record, a city title and an appearance in state quarterfinals. Garnett finished as Illinois' Mr. Basketball, USA Today's National Player of the Year, and with eye-popping averages of 25 points, 17.9 boards, 6.7 assists and 6.5 blocks per game.
He averaged 28 points and 16 boards, leading his troops to a 27-1 record and a Michigan state title.
There was clearly nobody in this hemisphere capable of matching up with the "Big Dipper."
The NBA's current all-time leading scorer was an absolute dominant high school force before taking names as a pro.
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Now this is life. 
Joel liked the game so much that in the same year he went to a basketball camp organized by Luc Mba a Mute in Cameroon. 
3 + 90 0.6 + 1.0002 Achievements: Hall of Famer, 5x NBA Champion, 2x Defensive Player of the Year, 2x All-Star, 7x Defensive Top Five. 
But over the course of the next three years in college, Hakim screwed up and showed the entire student league who's boss in the paint! 
Great career, great player! 
Mutombo started playing in the African League and achieved excellent results. A vivid confirmation of this is a sports scholarship from Georgetown. 
Duncan is a hard worker who does an enormous amount of work from game to game, from season to season, without requiring any attention and encouragement from the basketball community. 
And here is what his first coach said about Timmy: 
Giannis soaked it all up like a sponge and as time went by, his minutes played and his role in the team increased. 
