mmasw wrote:
>
> LOL....and after all my complaints about high school kids, the best
> player is Oden, and of course he's not eligible this year....cruel
> world
Here is the final tally 1st and 2nd round picks:
http://www.sacbee.com/content/sports/story/14226122p-15050301c.html
Making the jump
Published 2:15 am PST Sunday, March 5, 2006
The Bee's Joe Davidson looks at the 41 NBA players who were drafted out of high school since 1975.
Players listed with high school, year drafted, team and selection number:
1. Darryl Dawkins Evans, Orlando, Fla. 1975 Philadelphia No. 5
* Comment: Before he was "Chocolate Thunder," Dawkins thundered on poor prep foes, then tore apart
backboards. But that was about it. Was serviceable center for 14 seasons.
2. Bill Willoughby Morrow, Englewood, N.J. 1975 Atlanta No. 19
* Comment: Made the leap because he grew up in poverty (and later earned a college degree). Wasn't
NBA-ready and was a primary reason it took another 20 years before a team took a chance on a prep.
3. Kevin Garnett Farragut, Chicago 1995 Minnesota No. 5
* Comment: Nearly attended Michigan. Thin yet outrageously athletic with tantalizing skills from the
start; has become franchise centerpiece and likely Hall of Famer.
a-4. Kobe Bryant Lower Merion, Ardmore, Pa. 1996 Charlotte No. 13
* Comment: Would have gone to Duke to play for Coach K but wanted to follow in KG's footsteps the
previous season. Slow start to career and has sizzled since.
5. Jermaine O'Neal Eau Claire, Columbia, S.C. 1996 Portland No. 17
* Comment: Big-man phenom joined a loaded Blazers team and sat and sat until finally emerging as a
perennial All-Star with Indiana. Has a career contract.
6. Tracy McGrady Mt. Zion Academy, Durham, N.C. 1997 Toronto No. 9
* Comment: Exploded onto prep scene in summer before senior year; had little impact in Toronto and
has become an All-Star regular with Orlando and now Houston.
7. Al Harrington St. Patrick's, Elizabeth, N.J. 1998 Indiana No. 25
* Comment: Low-risk pick for Pacers but moved on to chase the money and now is with a stagnant
Atlanta franchise. Been solid, with free agency looming.
8. Rashard Lewis Elsik, Alief, Texas 1998 Seattle No. 32
* Comment: National prep Player of the Year thought he would go to home-state Rockets in first round
but wound up with Sonics without a guaranteed deal. All-Star last season.
9. Korleone Young Hargrave Military, Chatham, Va. 1998 Detroit No. 40
* Comment: Fed too much bad advice about how good he was and has been classic flop. Played three
games for Pistons, and that was it.
b-10. Jonathan Bender Picayune, Miss. 1999 Toronto No. 5
* Comment: Stock soared when he broke Michael Jordan's McDonald's All-American Game scoring marks
but proved to be a desperate reach by Toronto. Retired with bad knees.
c-11. Leon Smith Martin Luther King, Chicago 1999 San Antonio No. 29
* Comment: Was too immature emotionally to make the leap; wasn't even top prep on his team. Behavior
problems and was cut by Dallas before end of rookie year.
12. Darius Miles East St. Louis, Ill. 2000 L.A. Clippers No. 3
* Comment: Grew up poor, was inspired by in-person visits by Jordan, turned down St. John's. Been
solid at best; now with Portland.
13. DeShawn Stevenson Washington Union, Fresno 2000 Utah No. 23
* Comment: Was a Fresno legend by junior high school; got into trouble with law right after draft,
was repeatedly chewed out by Jerry Sloan and dealt to Orlando, where he's average.
14. Kwame Brown Glynn Academy, Brunswick, Ga. 2001 Washington No. 1
* Comment: Jordan missed badly here, making Brown the first prep to go No. 1 overall. Needed to go
to college. Already being called a major bust, with bad hands and so-so effort.
15. Tyson Chandler Dominguez, Compton 2001 L.A. Clippers No. 2
* Comment: Was two-time state Player of the Year as a defensive standout only who could block shots
and run. Been a disappointment with Chicago, in value and in health.
16. Eddy Curry Thornwood, South Holland, Ill. 2001 Chicago No. 4
* Comment: Remember the Baby Bulls experiment? It's a failed one, with Curry burdening pressure of
playing for hometown team. Already shipped to New York and has been average.
17. DeSagana Diop Oak Hill Academy, Va. 2001 Cleveland No. 8
* Comment: Fourth big man to go in top eight picks in 2001 class; did nothing for Cavaliers, meaning
it was a wasted pick, but has become a defensive cog for Dallas this season.
18. Ousmane Cisse St. Jude Catholic, Montgomery, Ala. 2001 Denver No. 47
* Comment: Should never have entered the draft and has proven it, having bounced around the globe
for every league imaginable, including the Globetrotters. Needed college experience.
19. Amare Stoudemire Cypress Creek, Orlando, Fla. 2002 Phoenix No. 9
* Comment: Bounced around the prep circuit while enduring tough upbringing. Golden State was urged
by one scout to take him at No. 3, though he slipped to the Suns; was All-Star last season.
20. LeBron James St. Vincent-St. Mary, Akron, Ohio 2003 Cleveland No. 1
* Comment: King James was hailed as the next sure thing since his freshman year. Looked like a man
as a sophomore and appears to be a career All-Star.
21. Travis Outlaw Starkville, Miss. 2003 Portland No. 23
* Comment: Great ability and upside but still scrambling for minutes; would have benefited from a
college tour first. Blazers say he needs a breakthrough season soon.
22. Ndubi Ebi Westbury Christian, Houston2003Minnesota No. 26
* Comment: Needed to go to Arizona for seasoning under Lute Olson and to learn to play, period.
Contributed nothing with Timberwolves and is in the NBA D-League.
23. Kendrick Perkins Ozen, Beaumont, Texas 2003 Memphis No. 27
* Comment: A reach by Memphis but taken because he is a big man. Now offering promise as a reserve
for Boston.
24. James Lang Central Park Chr., Birmingham, Ala.2003New Orleans No. 48
* Comment: A safe pick considering second-rounders rarely make NBA rosters anymore. Still, was
overvalued as a prep and intrigued scouts by losing 70 pounds.
25. Dwight Howard Southwest Christian Aca., Atlanta 2004 Orlando No. 1
* Comment: Predraft debate was to take Howard or college-seasoned Emeka Okafor. Howard has been
superb, with KG already saying he's ahead of his game at the same stage.
26. Shaun Livingston Peoria Central, Peoria, Ill. 2004 L.A. Clippers No. 4
* Comment: Long and swift and as light as a cell phone, he's still trying to bulk up and stay
healthy. Great skills and instincts but still a year away, at least, from impacting.
27. Robert Swift Bakersfield 2004 Seattle No. 12
* Comment: A long-term project who has been tutored by ex-Sonics All-Star center Jack Sikma. Has
shown tremendous growth this season.
28. Sebastian Telfair Lincoln, Brooklyn, N.Y. 2004 Portland No. 13
* Comment: At 6 feet, smallest prep ever taken in the first round and maybe the quickest (and was
national Player of the Year over Howard). Needed to go to college; on the Blazers' bench.
29. Al Jefferson Prentiss, Miss.2004Boston No. 15
* Comment: Nearly attended Arkansas, which would have helped his game and maturity. Has shown
promise with Boston and likens himself to a young Moses Malone - a reach.
30. Josh Smith Oak Hill Academy, Va. 2004 Atlanta No. 17
* Comment: Amazing leaper and NBA All-Star dunk champion as a rookie. Still dogged by whether he
plays hard enough in the NBA.
31. J.R. Smith St. Benedict's Prep, Newark, N.J. 2004 New Orleans No. 18
* Comment: Nearly went to North Carolina, where he might not have started for the NCAA champions.
Needs to recognize authority, with some verbal run-ins with coaches already.
32. Dorell Wright South Kent Prep, Conn.2004Miami No. 19
* Comment: A surprise pick for the Heat, which needed more frontcourt depth and could have gotten it
out of college. Has seen garbage time in 15 career games.
33. Martell Webster Seattle Prep 2005 Portland No. 6
* Comment: Excellent shooter with a good body, but again, college would have helped him gain at
least some playing time. Rarely plays for one of the worst teams in the NBA.
34. Andrew Bynum St. Joseph's, N.J. 2005 L.A. Lakers No. 10
* Comment: Youngest prep player ever taken, at 17. Vowed to be a better foul shooter than Shaq. Pure
project material, mentored by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and has already dunked on Shaq.
35. Gerald Green Gulf Shores Academy, Houston 2005 Boston No. 18
* Comment: Might have been the top athlete on the entire board and may turn out to be a real find
for Boston. Has played 41 minutes behind Paul Pierce.
36. C.J. Miles Skyline, Dallas 2005 Utah No. 34
* Comment: Went to same high school as Larry Johnson. The guard has seen time in 16 games and will
likely see more if the Jazz fades down the stretch.
d-37. Ricky Sanchez IMG Academy, Bradenton, Fla. 2005 Portland No. 35
* Comment: The 6-foot-11 Puerto Rican didn't make Denver's roster; became youngest player to sign
with CBA, where he has started this season for Idaho.
38. Monta Ellis Lanier, Jackson, Miss. 2005 Golden State No. 40
* Comment: Prolific prep scorer and a quick wing, has backed up Jason Richardson and had a
career-high 16 points against San Antonio.
39. Louis Williams South Gwinnett, Snellville, Ga. 2005 Philadelphia No. 45
* Comment: National Player of the Year and an incredible scoring guard came in idolizing Allen
Iverson. First 76ers prep draftee since Dawkins in 1975. Garbage time in 19 games.
40. Andray Blatche South Kent Prep, Conn. 2005 Washington No. 49
* Comment: A big man still growing into his body and seemingly worth the wait, as he's a low-risk
prospect from second round. Can't be worse than Kwame, right?
41. Amir Johnson Westchester, Los Angeles 2005 Detroit No. 56
* Comment: State Player of the Year needed to go to college, somewhere, to get some minutes. Is
completely lost with the Pistons, having played four minutes on NBA's top team.
a-Traded on draft day to the Lakers; b-traded to Indiana; c-traded to Dallas; d-traded to Denver.
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