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How to become an all american basketball player


2022 McDonald’s All American Games Nominations Are Open – Stateline Sports Network

Date: September 15, 2021Author: statelinesportsnetwork 0 Comments

-Sept. 15, 2021   The 2022 McDonald’s All American Games is back and will return to Chicago this March to celebrate its 45th anniversary. In 1977, McDonald’s selected the best high school basketball players in the country and named them to the first McDonald’s All American Team. Since then, 1,536 high school athletes have proudly worn the iconic jersey and we’ll continue that legacy by opening the call for nominations.   Beginning today, we will officially begin the process of identifying the top 24 girls and 24 boys that will be named to the 2022 McDonald’s All American Games final roster.   As a reminder, the following individuals are eligible to nominate players:   

  • High School Principal 
  • High School Athletic Director 
  • High School Coach 
  • Member of the McDonald’s All American Games Selection Committee  

   Nomination criteria includes:   Scholastic Achievement

  • All nominees have to be eligible to participate under the rules of the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) or other comparable organizations.
  • A nominee is eligible to be a McDonald’s All American as long as he or she is deemed eligible to participate under their high school and governing league policies.
  • Each nominee must be a high school senior.
  • Nominees cannot have repeated a grade once they have entered the 9th grade.
  • Nominees cannot have their 19th birthday before September 1st of senior year.
  • Each nominee may only have participated in eight semesters of high school athletics.
  • The player must be academically eligible to participate with their high school team based on their school and league requirements.

Behavior

  • Players who have been convicted of a felony are not permitted.
  • Players who have been charged with a felony with a case pending are not permitted.
  •  Players who have a history of “getting in trouble” with either the law (i.e. misdemeanor), at school, during extracurricular activities, and/or at home may be excluded pending feedback from their principal, athletic director, coach, league officials, and/or community leaders.
  • The Selection Committee will review on a case-by-case basis.

Each student-athlete who is nominated and in good academic standing will receive a certificate from McDonald’s acknowledging their nomination for the 2022 McDonald’s All American Games. This certificate will be sent directly to the high school.      To assist you with the process, an online nomination form is available for those who are authorized to nominate players. The link to the nomination form is:  

Click Here To Nominate Your Senior   Login Code:  contact [email protected] for code

******Please note that if a candidate is nominated by someone other than an eligible nominator their nomination will be discarded. Make sure to include accurate and updated contact information for the school administration. If we cannot confirm eligibility the nomination will be discarded.

******The nomination period will close on Dec. 1, 2021, at 11:59 PM EST. In order to be considered for the 2022 McDonald’s All American Games, a candidate must have their nomination submitted by this date.   

Finally, as you may know, the primary goal of the McDonald’s All American Games is to support Ronald McDonald House Charities® (RMHC®). Since their inception, the Games have benefitted RMHC through its network of local Chapters. At RMHC, programs like the Ronald McDonald House and Ronald McDonald Family Room provide comfort and compassion to families with sick children so they are fully supported and able to be a part of their children’s care.   For more information about the McDonald’s All American Games, please visit mcdaag.com or follow @McDAAG on Twitter and Instagram.     Thank you for your continued support of the McDonald’s All American Games. Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions. 

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NJCAA I All American Procedures

NFCA 

NJCAA I

All-Region & All-American Procedures

NFCA All-Region

Opens: April 22

Deadline:  May 12, 5 p. m. Eastern/2 p.m. Pacific

  • Nominations
    1. Who may nominate
      1. Coaches of eligible NJCAA I institutions who are active NFCA members
        • Any institution, coach, or athlete in the process of moving from one division to another shall remain eligible for NFCA awards for the current year in the existing division they are competing. The NFCA may award athletes and/or coaches at these institutions even if the institution is prohibited from championship play or conference awards provided that the institution played the majority of their schedule at that particular division.
      2. Who may be nominated
        1. Coaches may nominate up to eight players from their own team to the All-Region ballot
        2. Coaches may nominate more than one player for the same position.
  • A player may only be nominated for one position.
  1. The nomination form must be filled out completely to be considered.
  • Guidelines 
    1. Pitchers
      1. Must have pitched a minimum of 70 innings 
      2. Pitching stats are the first consideration.
  • Defensive stats are second consideration.
  1. Offensive stats are third consideration.
  1. Defensive Positions
    1. Must have played 50 percent of the school's total games at the nominated position.
    2. Defensive and offensive statistics will have equal weight.
  2. Utility/Pitcher
    1. Must have played at least 50 percent of the school's total games at two or more positions, with at least 33 percent of the total games being played at one position.
    2. The nominee must have recorded a minimum of 50 innings pitched.
  • Defensive and offensive statistics will have equal weight.
  1. Defensive stats for each position played must be provided (except for DP).
  1. DP and Utility/Non-Pitcher
    1. DP must have played a minimum of 50 percent of the school's total number of games at the DP position. 
    2. Utility/non-pitcher must have played at least 50 percent of the school's total games at two or more positions, with no more than 67 percent of the total games being played at any one position. 
  • The nominee must not have pitched more than 49 2/3 innings. 
  1. All statistics must be included.
  2. Defensive stats for each position played must be provided (except for DP).

NFCA All-Region Balloting (Voting) Procedure

Opens: May 25

Deadline:  May 28, 5 p.m. Eastern/2 p.m. Pacific

Announced: June 1

  • Eligibility
    1. Only NFCA member Head Coaches who have an active NFCA membership may vote for the All-Region teams. 
    2. Only one ballot per institution may be cast.
  • Procedures
    1. You must vote in order for your institution's nominees to remain eligible.
    2. Coaches cannot votefor their own players on the regional ballot.
    3. The voting ballot must be completelyfilled out. If all blanks are not filled in, then the ballot will not be counted. However, if less than three players are on the ballot for a particular position, it's permissible to vote for less. Again, do not vote for your own player, even if you will now vote for less than three.
    4. The voting ballot will only be counted if submitted by the deadline (May 28 at 5 p.m. Eastern / 2 p.m. Pacific).
  • All-Region Team Composition
    1. NJCAA I will be awarded First and Second Team All-Region for each of the three NFCA regions. Should membership percentages fall substantially as of March 1 of a given year the NJCAA I All-American Committee will reevaluate the number of current All-Region teams. Should membership fall below 50% by March 1 of a given year there will be a mandated decrease in the number of All-Region Teams. (Example: One All-Region team for each of the three NFCA regions).
    2. First-team all-region will include three (3) pitchers, making for a total of 13 players recognized as first-team selections: three pitchers, one for each infield position (1st, 2nd, 3rd, SS, C), three outfielders, one utility/pitcher, and one DP or utility/non-pitcher.  
    3. Each region’s second team will be comprised of 12 players per team: two pitchers, one for each infield position (1st, 2nd, 3rd, SS, C), three outfielders, one utility/pitcher and one DP or utility/non-pitcher.
    4. Each region’s second team All-Region selections may have more than 12 players, as each Conference Player and/or Pitcher of the Year who were nominated and received votes will be added to the second team All-Region in their respective region if they are not already on the first, or second team All-Region teams.
      1. If there is a tie, honors will be awarded to each player involved in the tie.
  • Additional Requirements
    1. All nominations must include a high-resolution color headshot photograph of the nominee and must be uploaded directly within the nomination.
    2. Each coach who has a first or second team all-region player must submit or have the SID submit the following to his or her respective regional representative:
      1. Updated statistics, excluding conference tournament and regional statistics (if applicable).
      2. Updated game-by-game statistics for each player named to an all-region team, excluding conference tournament and regional statistics (if applicable). 
  • Announcement of All-Region Teams
    1. NFCA All-Region teams will be released to the schools on June 1 and will appear on the NFCA Website by 11 a.m. EDT/8 a.m. PDT June 1.

NFCA All-American Procedures & Selection of All-American Teams

 

  • Meeting
    1. Regional representatives meet via conference call the to select the All-America First and Second Teams 
    2. In 2020, the conference call will take place on June 2. 
  • Eligibility
    1. Only players who were selected to All-Region teams are eligible for consideration at the All-American level.
      1. It is the responsibility of the player's coach to get updated statistics (including game-by-game) on his or her All-American candidate(s) to the regional representative (see Additional Requirements above).
      2. Conference tournament and regional statistics should be excluded, if applicable.
    2. First and second team All-Region selections may be eligible for first or second team All-American consideration;
      1. however, a region's first team selection must be selected prior to someone being moved up for consideration from the second team.
  • Process
    1. Order of Selection
      1. The selection process is done by position. Each of the two teams at a determined position is selected before the committee moves on to vote for another position.
        • For example, if the committee is looking at pitchers, the committee members: a) vote in all the first team pitchers, b) vote in all the second team pitchers, c) move on to the next position.
      2. The committee discusses each player on the ballot who has been brought to the table by the regional representative as a potential first-team All-American.
        • A vote is taken and the top vote-getter represents the first team.
        • The committee then discusses each player on the ballot who has been brought to the table as a potential second team All-American.
        • A vote is taken and the top vote-getter represents the second team.
  • If there is a tie, the committee re-discusses the individuals involved in the tie and re-votes until the tie is broken.  
    • Exception: If there is a tie at the second team All-American level, all players involved in the tie are awarded.
  • Composition
    1. NJCAA I will be awarded First and Second Team All-Americans. Should membership percentages fall substantially as of March 1 of a given year the NJCAA I All-American Committee will reevaluate the number of current All-American Teams. Should membership fall below 50% by March 1 of a given year there will be a mandated decrease in the number of All-American teams. (Example: One All-American team).
    2. Each All-American team is comprised of 18 players:
      1. three pitchers, one catcher, one first base, one second base, one third base, one shortstop, three outfielders, one utility/pitcher, one utility/non-pitcher, and five at large positions. 
        • At-large positions are nominated by the regional representatives.
  • Announcement of All-American Teams
    1. The two All-American teams will be announced on the NFCA Website at 5 p. m. EDT/2 p.m. PDT, Wednesday, June 4.   

 

Basketball school in the USA: how to get an athletic scholarship

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Basketball school in the USA: how to get an athletic scholarship

Even with basic information about the "peculiarities of national education" in America, it is easy to conclude that education in the States is an expensive pleasure. Despite this, it is in the United States that people tend to come not only for academic knowledge, but also for a sports career.

Studying at a basketball school in the United States opens up truly great prospects for a promising athlete (one of our students called these prospects "enchanting"). Even before planning a budget for education, you can try to get a so-called sports scholarship to study in the country of your dreams. A sports scholarship can cover up to 100% of the cost of education.

Not sure where to start? Let's follow together!

1. Decide on an educational institution.

Education in the United States is represented by a fairly large number of institutions: foreigners are accepted by private schools in the country and its universities. The American school is a full-fledged twelve years of study, often supplemented by the Post Graduate Year, so among high school students you can meet not only teenagers, but also almost adult young people.

The best option for a foreign student is a two-year so-called Junior College or Prep Year at school, since entrance exams are not required for admission.

2. Prepare Highlights + Summary.

This is a short game video for a basketball school in the USA, accompanied by a concise story about your personal academic and athletic achievements. The video is your presentation for American coaches, so the Highlights format is cuts from the most striking moments from training and games. So the movie will look the most advantageous.

Prepare a comprehensive resume that lists your age, measurements (height and weight), and position on the basketball court. Write down your achievements by points (for example, a member of the regional team, the champion of the country in 2000 among young men). Good academic performance will be a significant plus, since the American coach is always interested in players with good academic grades.

3. Contact the trainer. Or better yet, coaches.

Have the courage to offer yourself as an athlete to a specific coach. It is most logical to contact him directly: schools and colleges in the United States leave the contacts of their coaches in the public domain on official websites in the appropriate sections. An important point: it should be remembered that there are a lot of people who want to get a scholarship, so coaches receive dozens, if not hundreds, of such letters a day. Therefore, you should not bet on one specialist.

Let's say your option is a basketball school in the USA, in the state of California. Take the state High school list, get the contacts of the coaches and send them your materials. Even if only a third of your requests are answered, you are guaranteed to receive interesting funding proposals. This is especially true for really promising young players.

Our advice: good trainers are found in sports summer camps operated by the Exposure Camps program - consider this option as an alternative.

What is a basketball school in the USA?

Studying at High school involves an independent choice of the subjects studied, in addition to the compulsory general education (mathematics, English, history and, of course, physical education), as well as the preparation of an individual schedule. The main requirement is to collect the required number of hours for each of the groups of disciplines. Thus, students of different grades of higher education can sit in one lesson.

The basketball season is traditionally held from November to March, and the number of games and potential rival teams are determined by the sports level of the school itself. A "strong" school (Oak Hill Academy, Findlay prep) can have up to 45 games per season. Often an additional, so-called "summer" season (AAU season) is held, when the players do not represent schools, but teams formed from the leading athletes of the city or state. College coaches select players during both the official games of the season and during the AAU season. The time of their communication is regulated by the recruiting rules in college basketball.

If you are planning a sports career in the States and would like to start it by studying at one of the basketball schools, go straight to us. We are confident that we can fully support you along this path.


Creation date: 12/25/2017 18:34:58

Go get an education, it's too late for you to become a basketball player - The Jay's - Blogs

NBA players who started playing basketball very late

LeBron James and Michael 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 got into 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 + 1.60002 Achievements: Hall of Famer, 5x NBA Champion, 2x Defensive Player of the Year, 2x All-Star, 7x Defensive Top Five.

The best rebounder in basketball history, ready to rip opponents' elbows out with the ball, only got to know 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.

Khakim Potzzhivon

When I started: 1979 (16 years old)

Statistics for the career: 21.8 + 11.1 + 2.5 + 3.1

A achievements per career: Member of the Glory Hall, 2- 2- 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 Dancan

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, NBA, 5-fold 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 just 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 9.0 + 1.00003

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 Eton 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.


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