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| Posted on Saturday, July 31 @ 00:00:07 PDT |
From a high school perspective Thursday night at the NBA draft, Florida owned it . The Sunshine State accounted for 18.3% of the players picked (11 of 60) after combining for 13 picks in the previous three drafts . Mock drafts leading up to Thursday made it look like the race between Florida and California would be close, but Florida pulled away late in the second round. California was a distant second with six players chosen, while North Carolina finished third with four. Pictured above is BJ Boston, the Sierra Canyon (Chatsworth, Calif.) product who’s now a Memphis Grizzly after being picked No. 51 overall Thursday. Of the 51 states (yes, we’re counting D.C. as a state), 24 had players picked by NBA teams Thursday night. Nine countries outside the U.S. are represented, and we’ll list those players first: Spain: Santi Aldama (Memphis Grizzlies, No. 30 overall) and Usman Garuba (Houston Rockets, No. 23 overall) Australia: Josh Giddey (Oklahoma City Thunder, No. 6 overall) Germany: Franz Wagner (Orlando Magic, No. 8 overall) Canada: Joshua Primo (San Antonio Spurs, No. 12 overall) Turkey: Alperen Sengün (Houston Rockets, No. 16 overall) Lithuania: Rokas Jokubaitis (New York Knicks, No.
34 overall) Portugal: Neemias Queta (Sacramento Kings, No. 39 overall) France: Juhann Begarin (Boston Celtics, No. 45 overall) Greece: Georgios Kalaitzakis (Milwaukee Bucks, No. 60 overall) And here are all the U.S. states (and one district): Wisconsin (1) Jalen Johnson, F, Duke (No. 20 overall, Atlanta Hawks) Johnson played his first two years of high school basketball for Sun Prairie High School in Sun Prairie, Wisconsin, transferred to Nicolet in Glendale, Wisconsin, as a junior and then IMG Academy in Florida as a senior before transferring back to Nicolet. He was named AP Player of the Year after leading Nicolet to a state championship his sophomore season. Washington, D.C. (1) Luka Garza, C, Iowa (No. 52 overall, Detroit Pistons) Garza left Maret School in Washington, D.C., as the team’s all-time leading scorer with 1,993 points after he played all four years there. He earned D.C. Gatorade Player of the Year honors after leading Maret to the district title game his senior year. Washington (1) Corey Kispert, SF, Gonzaga (No. 15 overall, Washington Wizards) Kispert is one of the few projected lottery picks who played all four years of high school ball at the same school.
He went to King’s High School in Shoreline, Washington, leading the team to two 1A state championships. Virginia (1) Cameron Thomas, SG, LSU (No. 27 overall, Brooklyn Nets) Born in Japan, Thomas started his high school basketball career playing for Oscar F. Smith High School in Chesapeake, Virginia. After sitting out his sophomore year, he played for basketball power Oak Hill Academy in Mouth of Wilson, Virginia, his junior and senior years. As a senior at Oak Hill, Thomas averaged 31.5 points, six rebounds and 3.4 assists per game, leaving as the program’s all-time leading scorer. Tennessee (1) Keon Johnson, SG, Tennessee (No. 21 overall, L.A. Clippers) Johnson played his entire high school basketball career for The Webb School in Bell Buckle, Tennessee. Just two months before starting high school, he was badly injured in a fireworks accident and narrowly avoided needing to have his hand amputated. He rebounded from his injuries and twice was named Division II-A Tennessee Mr. Basketball. Ohio (1) Miles McBride, PG, West Virginia (No. 36 overall, New York Knicks) McBride was a football and basketball star for Moeller High School in Cincinnati, playing quarterback and point guard.
As a senior, he averaged 13.8 points, 5.3 rebounds and 4.1 assists per game, leading Moeller to a 29–0 record and its second consecutive Division I state championship. New York (1) Chris Duarte, SG, Oregon (No. 13 overall, Indiana Pacers) Born in Canada and raised in the Dominican Republic, Duarte moved with his family to New York for his junior and senior year, playing for the Redemption Christian Academy in Troy. He was ranked by 247Sports as the fifth-best prospect in New York after his senior year but went on to far exceed expectations as a college basketball player. New Hampshire (1) Marcus Zegarowski, G, Creighton (No. 49 overall, Brooklyn Nets) Playing alongside his twin brother Max, Zegarowski led Hamilton-Wenham in Massachusetts to its first state title in his freshman year, and then the pair transferred to Tilton school in New Hampshire for the rest of their prep career. Louisiana (1) Jared Butler, G, Baylor (No. 40 overall, Utah Jazz) Butler played all four years of high school ball in his hometown of Reserve, Louisiana, competing for Riverside Academy. He averaged 27.4 points, 8.8 rebounds, 8.4 assists and 3.0 steals during his senior year and was named first-team all-state for the second straight season.
Kansas (1) Jeremiah Robinson-Earl, PF, Villanova (No. 32 overall, Oklahoma City Thunder) Robinson-Earl won three state titles in three years playing for Bishop Miege High School in Roeland Park, Kansas. As a senior he transferred to the prep school IMG Academy in Florida. Iowa (1) Joe Wieskamp, SG, Iowa (No. 41 overall, San Antonio Spurs) Wieskamp left high school as the Iowa Class 4A career scoring leader with 2,376 points playing for his hometown Muscatine High School in Muscatine, Iowa. He was named Iowa Gatorade Player of the Year after his junior and senior seasons. Illinois (1) Ayo Dosunmu, G, Illinois (No. 38 overall, Chicago Bulls) A Chicago native, Dosunmu played all four years of high school basketball in his hometown. He started at Westinghouse College Prep and played his final three years for Morgan Park, where he led the school to back-to-back state championships in his junior and senior year. Delaware (1) Bones Hyland, SG, VCU Hyland started and finished at the same high school, St. Georges Technical High School in Middletown, Delaware. He was named Delaware Player of the Year after averaging 26.6 points per game his senior year, leading his team to the state tournament semifinals.
Alabama (1) Herbert Jones, F, Alabama (No. 35 overall, New Orleans Pelicans) Jones played varsity basketball as a seventh-grader for Sunshine High School in Newbern, Alabama, where his dad was the head coach. He transferred to nearby Hale County High in Moundville as a junior and helped lead the team to its first state championship as a senior, earning Class 4A Player of the Year honors. Texas (2) Quentin Grimes, SG, Houston (No. 25 overall, New York Knicks) Grimes played all four years of high school ball for College Park High School in The Woodlands, Texas, amassing 2,863 points, 854 rebounds, 582 assists, 213 steals and 127 blocks. After his senior year he was named the Texas Gatorade Player of the Year and a McDonald’s All-American. Greg Brown III, F, Texas (No. 43 overall, Portland Trail Blazers) Brown was a four-year varsity starter at Vandegrift High School in Austin, Texas, where he also was a high jumper for the track and field team. He was named Texas Gatorade Player of the Year after leading Vandegrift to its first district title in his senior year. New Jersey (2) Jonathan Kuminga, F, G League Ignite (No. 7 overall, Golden State Warriors) The Congo-born Kuminga played for three high schools in three states in his three-year high school basketball career, starting at Huntington Prep in West Virginia, then transferring to Our Savior New American in Centereach, New York, and finishing at The Patrick School in Hillside, New Jersey, where he averaged 16.
2 points per game. Scottie Lewis, F, Florida (No. 56 overall, Charlotte Hornets) Lewis played all four years of high school ball for the Ranney School in Tinton Falls, New Jersey, and went to Florida as a unanimously ranked five-star prospect. Minnesota (2) Jalen Suggs, G, Gonzaga (No. 5 overall, Orlando Magic) Suggs left as Minnehaha Academy’s all-time leading scorer, with 2,945 career points, leading the Minnesota school to three state championships. He missed a chance at a fourth when his senior season was cut short by the COVID-19 pandemic. Jericho Sims, C, Texas (No. 58 overall, New York Knicks) Sims played his entire high school career for hometown Cristo Rey Jesuit in Minneapolis, finishing as the school’s top career scorer with 2,005 points. He averaged 25 points and 10 rebounds as a senior. Michigan (2) Isaiah Jackson, C, Kentucky (No. 22 overall, Indiana Pacers) Jackson played at a different school in all four years of his prep career, starting at Lutheran Northwest High in Rochester Hills, Michigan, then moving to Old Redford Academy in Detroit before playing for the SPIRE Academy in Geneva, Ohio, alongside LaMelo Ball as a junior. He moved back to Michigan for his senior year, averaging 19.
1 points, 13 rebounds and 7.7 blocks for Waterford Mott High in Waterford. Isaiah Livers, F, Michigan (No. 42 overall, Detroit Pistons) Livers played all four years of high school ball for Kalamazoo Central High School in Kalamazoo, Michigan, earning honors as Michigan Gatorade Player of the Year and Mr. Basketball of Michigan after his senior year. Massachusetts (2) James Bouknight, SG, UConn (No. 11 overall, Charlotte Hornets) After playing his first two years of high school ball at La Salle Academy in Manhattan, the Brooklyn-born Bouknight transferred to The MacDuffie School in Granby, Massachusetts. A knee injury cut short his junior year, and then the projected lottery pick played his senior season with the prep school PSA Cardinals. Dalano Banton, G, Nebraska (No. 46 overall, Toronto Raptors) A Toronto native, Banton started his high school career at The MacDuffie School in Granby, Massachusetts, and finished at Redemption Christian Academy in Northfield, Massachusetts. Kentucky (2) David Johnson, G, Louisville (No. 47 overall, Toronto Raptors) Johnson scored 1,472 points and grabbed 719 rebounds in four seasons as a starter at Trinity High School in his hometown of Louisville, Kentucky.
He earned first-team all-state honors as a junior and senior. Charles Bassey, C, Western Kentucky (No. 53 overall, Philadelphia 76ers) Born in Nigeria, where he focused on soccer until age 12, Bassey moved to the United States as a 6-foot-10 14-year-old. He started his high school career at St. Anthony Catholic High School in San Antonio, Texas, where he quickly became one of the most sought-after recruits in the country. He transferred to DeSales High School in Louisville, Kentucky, and played basketball for the Louisville prep school Aspire Basketball Academy. Georgia (3) Davion Mitchell, G, Baylor (No. 9 overall, Sacramento Kings) Mitchell went to Liberty County High School in Hinesville, Georgia, all four years of his high school basketball career, leading the team to its first Class 4A state title as a junior, when he averaged 24.2 points per game. He averaged 23.8 points per game as a senior. J.T. Thor, F, Auburn (No. 37 overall, Charlotte Hornets) Born in Nebraska, Thor moved to Alaska at age 5 and played a year of prep basketball as a seventh-grader for West Anchorage High School. He transferred to Huntington Prep in West Virginia, where he played for two years, and then finished his high school career at Norcross High School in Norcross, Georgia, earning all-state honors.
Sharife Cooper, PG, Auburn (No. 48 overall, Atlanta Hawks) Cooper played all four years of high school ball for McEachern High School in Powder Springs, Georgia, leading the school to its first state title his junior year. His No. 2 jersey number was retired in May at McEachern, where he was honored as the most decorated boys basketball player in school history. North Carolina (4) Trey Murphy III, F, Virginia (No. 17 overall, New Orleans Pelicans) Murphy finished as the Cary Academy career leader in field goals made, three-pointers made and free throws made for the Cary, North Carolina, school. Jaden Springer, G, Tennessee (No. 28 overall, Philadelphia 76ers) Springer played varsity basketball as an eighth-grader for Lighthouse Christian School in Antioch, Tennessee, before playing for Rocky River High School in Mint Hill, North Carolina, as a freshman and sophomore, leading the team to its first two state tournament appearances. He played his final two seasons for the Florida prep school IMG Academy. Isaiah Todd, F, G League Ignite (No. 31 overall, Washington Wizards) Todd went from John Marshall High School in Richmond, Virginia, to Trinity Academy and Word of God Christian Academy in North Carolina.
He decommitted from Michigan and chose the G League route out of high school. Aaron Wiggins, F, Maryland (No. 55 overall, Oklahoma City Thunder) Wiggins started his high school career at Grimsley High School in Greensboro, North Carolina, and finished at Wesleyan Christian Academy in High Point, North Carolina, where he played with Jaylen Hoard and earned all-state honors as a senior. California (6) Jalen Green, SG, G League Ignite (No. 2 overall, Houston Rockets) For his first three years of high school, Green played for San Joaquin Memorial High School in Fresno, California, and then moved north to Prolific Prep in Napa for his senior season. He led Prolific Prep to a 31-3 record and was named Sports Illustrated All-American player of the year after averaging 31.5 points, 7.5 rebounds and five assists per game. Evan Mobley, F/C, USC (No. 3 overall, Cleveland Cavaliers) In his senior season at Rancho Christian in Temecula, California, Mobley averaged 20.5 points, 12.2 rebounds, 5.2 blocks, and 4.6 assists per game, leading the team to a 22–8 record. He was named California Gatorade Player of the Year after his junior and senior seasons. Ziaire Williams, SF, Stanford (No. 10 overall, Memphis Grizzlies) After playing his first three years of high school ball for Sherman Oaks Notre Dame in Southern California, he transferred to nearby superpower Sierra Canyon for his senior season, joining Bronny James and Zaire Wade (sons of LeBron and Dwyane, respectively).
He led Sierra Canyon to the CIF-Southern Section Open Division title his senior year. Josh Christopher, SG, Arizona State (No. 24 overall, Houston Rockets) Christopher played all four years of prep basketball for Mayfair High School in Lakewood, California, winning the Division 2AA championship as a junior. He averaged 29.2 points, 8.0 rebounds, 3.9 assists and 3.1 steals per game as a senior, leading his team to the CIF Southern Section Division 1 quarterfinals. Kessler Edwards, F, Pepperdine (No. 44 overall, Brooklyn Nets) Edwards played all four years of high school ball for Etiwanda High School in Rancho Cucamonga, California. As a senior he averaged 21.3 points and 7.3 rebounds per game as and was named Baseline League MVP. BJ Boston, SG, Kentucky (No. 51 overall, Memphis Grizzlies) Boston played for two national high school powers at opposite ends of the country, starting at hometown school Norcross in Georgia and finishing at Sierra Canyon in Chatsworth, California. Florida (11) Cade Cunningham, G, Oklahoma State (No. 1 overall, Detroit Pistons) After playing his freshman and sophomore seasons for Bowie High School in Arlington, Texas, Cunningham transferred to Florida juggernaut Montverde Academy for his junior and senior season.
After his senior year he won the 2020 Naismith High School Player of the Year Trophy and was named the nation’s top recruit by ESPN, 247Sports, Rivals and USA Today. Scottie Barnes, F, Florida State (No. 4 overall, Toronto Raptors) Barnes had a well-traveled high school career in Florida, starting at Cardinal Newman in West Palm Beach and transferring to University in Fort Lauderdale and finally Montverde Academy in the Orlando area for his senior year. He earned first-team All-American honors from Sports Illustrated after he and Cade Cunningham led Montverde to an undefeated season. Moses Moody, SG, Arkansas (No. 14 overall, Golden State Warriors) Moody moved around a lot during his high school career, starting at Parkview Arts and Science Magnet High School in Little Rock, Arkansas, as a freshman, transferring to North Little Rock High School as a sophomore and then star-studded Montverde Academy in Florida for his final two seasons. Tre Mann, G, Florida (No. 18 overall, Oklahoma City Thunder) A Gainesville native, Mann played his entire high school career for The Villages High School in The Villages, Florida, before playing in college for his hometown Gators. He bounced back from a torn meniscus suffered during his junior year to be selected for the McDonald’s All-American Game as a senior.
Kai Jones, F/C, Texas (No. 19 overall, Charlotte Hornets) After playing in an NBA Basketball Without Borders camp in his native Bahamas in 2017, Jones enrolled at Orlando Christian Prep in Florida for his senior year of high school basketball, where he helped lead his team to a Class 3A state championship. Day’Ron Sharpe, C, North Carolina (No. 29 overall, Brooklyn Nets) Sharpe played his first three years of high school ball for South Central High School in Winterville, North Carolina, winning a state title as a junior. He transferred to Montverde Academy in Florida as a senior to play for the No. 1-ranked team in the country. Jason Preston, PG, Ohio (No. 33 overall, L.A. Clippers) Preston averaged just two points per game playing two years for Boone High School in Orlando and enrolled at Central Florida, where he planned to major in journalism and not play basketball. He changed his mind and opted to attend the Tennessee prep school Believe Prep Academy, where he earned a scholarship offer from the Ohio Bobcats. Filip Petrusev, C, Mega Basket (No. 50 overall, Philadelphia 76ers) After playing on youth teams in his native Serbia and then Spain, Petrusev moved to the United States to play for the prep school Avon Old Farms in Connecticut.
He transferred to Florida powerhouse Montverde Academy for his senior year and won a national championship. Sandro Mamukelashvili, C, Seton Hall (No. 54 overall, Milwaukee Bucks) Born in New York, Mamukelashvili played alongside RJ Barrett at Montverde Academy after transferring to the Florida school from Italy. Balša Koprivica, C, Florida State (No. 57 overall, Detroit Pistons) The 7-foot-1 Koprivica played at three high schools in Florida, going from University School in Fort Lauderdale to Windermere Prep in Windermere before finishing at Montverde Academy. RaiQuan Gray, F, Florida State (No. 59 overall, Brooklyn Nets) Despite standing 6 foot 8 and weighing 260 pounds, Gray played point guard for Dillard High School in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, where he played all four of his prep years. He led Dillard to the Class 6A state title as a junior and the Class 7A title as a senior.
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