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12-01-2009, 02:59 PM
http://sports.espn.go.com/highschool/rise/basketball/boys/news/story?id=4686554
All-Decade Boys Basketball Team
By Ronnie Flores
ESPN RISE
(Archive)
Updated: December 1, 2009, 12:54 PM ET
Comment / Email / Print Editor's note: Based on high school accomplishment and the annual ESPN RISE/Student Sports All-American selections of the past 10 years. Those considered fifth-year players in their final year of high school competition were not considered. Players are listed by year of graduation and the position they played in high school.
Did we miss someone? Join the discussion and tell us all about it.
[+] EnlargeJeff Crowe\ESPN RISE Magazine
LeBron James' teams at St. Vincent-St. Mary (Akron, Ohio) went 102-5 and won three state titles.
First Five
DeJuan Wagner, Class of 2001
6-2 guard, Camden (Camden, N.J.)
Explosive combo guard was chosen national player of the year over three pivot players (Tyson Chandler, Eddy Curry and Kwame Brown) who later were among the first four picks of the 2001 NBA draft. The high-scoring Wagner (son of 1981 Camden All-American Milt Wagner) is most famous for a 100-point game during his senior season. He finished his prep career with a state-record 3,462 points, led his team to a New Jersey Tournament of Champions title as a junior and averaged 42.5 points per game as a senior.
LeBron James, Class of 2003
6-8 guard, St. Vincent-St. Mary (Akron, Ohio)
James was the third back-to-back National Player of the Year on the ESPN RISE/Student Sports all-time list, which dates to 1955. The other two are Jerry Lucas of Middletown, Ohio (1957-58) and Lew Alcindor of New York Power Memorial (1964-65).
Carmelo Anthony, Class of 2002
6-7 forward, Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, Va.)
Melo burst onto the scene as a junior at Baltimore's Towson Catholic and his stock rose with a strong summer showing that carried over to his senior season at Oak Hill. He led the Warriors to a 32-1 record with averages of 21.7 points and 7.5 rebounds playing alongside six other Division I signees. Only an upset loss to Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.) kept the Warriors from a wire-to-wire FAB 50 national title. Despite 36 points from junior LeBron James, Oak Hill was able to defeat St. Vincent-St. Mary 72-66 behind Anthony's 34 points in arguably the top showcase game of the decade.
Kevin Durant, Class of 2006
6-9 forward, Montrose Christian (Rockville, Md.)
After earning EA SPORTS All-American honors as a junior at Oak Hill, Durant transferred closer to home for a stellar senior season. The do-it-all wing averaged 23.4 points, 10.2 rebounds and 2.6 blocked shots while shooting 55 percent from the floor for the Mustangs, who finished No. 2 in the FAB 50. Montrose Christian ended Oak Hill's 56-game winning streak as Durant scored 16 fourth-quarter points and finished with 31 in a stunning 74-72 comeback victory. Durant followed up with the finest game of his prep career: a 25-point, MVP-performance at the McDonald's All-American Game.
Greg Oden, Class of 2006
7-0 center, Lawrence North (Indianapolis, Ind.)
Considered the most college-ready true pivot since Shaquille O'Neal in 1989, comparing Oden to all-time prep greats Moses Malone (1970s), Lew Alcindor (1960s), and Wilt Chamberlain (1950s) is not far-fetched. The main reason is his dominance in leading championship teams, a strong prerequisite for landing a spot on this team. As a senior, Oden averaged 22.1 points, 10.5 rebounds and 3.5 blocked shots and shot 74 percent from the floor. Even more impressive, the Wildcats went 29-0 as the wire-to-wire FAB 50 No. 1-ranked club. During Oden's career, Lawrence North went 103-7 and won three consecutive state titles.
Second Five
[+] EnlargeSteve Boyle\ESPN RISE Magazine
Kevin Durant was MVP of the 2006 McDonald's All-American game and led Montrose Christian (Rockville, Md.) to a No. 2 ranking that season.
Derrick Rose, Class of 2007
6-4 guard, Simeon (Chicago, Ill.)
Rose combined size, athleticism and explosiveness to become Chicago's finest player of the decade and one of the best ever from the Windy City. After helping Simeon win a Class AA state title as a junior and earning second-team EA SPORTS All-American honors, Rose cemented his status in Illinois prep lore as a senior by leading the Wolverines to rare back-to-back city and state titles.
Ty Lawson, Class of 2006
6-0 guard, Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, Va.)
It was a tough call between Lawson and fellow Oak Hill graduate Brandon Jennings. We went with Lawson because he was twice team MVP on Oak Hill clubs that featured All-Americans Kevin Durant, Jamont Gordon, Eric Devendorf, Nolan Smith and Mike Beasley. With a powerful body, no small guard this decade was better at finishing in traffic or going coast-to-coast.
O.J. Mayo, Class of 2007
6-5 guard, Huntington (Huntington, W.Va.)
Some of the decade's best guards were quicker and a few even more explosive, but Mayo's combination of shooting skills, court savvy, production and championships makes him an easy choice. As a senior, Mayo was named EA SPORTS National Player of the Year in a close vote over Kevin Love and Derrick Rose after leading the Highlanders to a 25-2 record and No. 3 FAB 50 rating.
Kevin Love, Class of 2007
6-10 center, Lake Oswego (Lake Oswego, Ore.)
The four-year standout broke a 50-year-old career state scoring record with 2,628 points and led the Lakers to three consecutive state Class 4A finals. Not only is Love the West Region's top player of the decade, but he is mentioned alongside California's Jason Kidd (1992) and John Williams (1984) as the region's best prep players for the past 30 years.
Dwight Howard, Class of 2004
6-11 center, Southwest Atlanta Christian (Atlanta, Ga.)
As a senior, Howard led his team to a Class A state title with averages of 25.5 points, 18.3 rebounds and eight blocks. Shortly after a prep career in which he scored 2,146 points, grabbed 1,728 and blocked 811 shots, Howard was the No. 1 pick of the 2004 NBA draft.
Third Five
Sebastian Telfair, Class of 2004
5-11 guard, Lincoln (Brooklyn, N.Y.)
The cousin of one of the best prep guards of the 1990s, Stephon Marbury, Telfair broke the state career scoring record of 2,622 set by arguably the best prep guard of the 1980s, Kenny Anderson. A two-time state player of the year and three-time PSAL champion, Telfair averaged 30 points and eight assists as a senior.
[+] EnlargeESPN RISE Magazine
Sebastian Telfair broke Kenny Anderson's state scoring record while at Lincoln (Brooklyn, N.Y.).
Brandon Jennings, Class of 2008
6-1 guard, Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, Va.)
After averaging 15 points and 11 assists on a 40-1 team in his first of two seasons at Oak Hill, Jennings set career (1,927 points), season (35.5 ppg) and single-game (63) school scoring records as a senior and is Oak Hill's only EA SPORTS National Player of the Year.
Monta Ellis, Class of 2005
6-3 guard, Lanier (Jackson, Miss.)
The Bulldogs made four straight state Class 4A title game appearances and won two with Ellis, who scored 4,167 career points and led Lanier to a 129-16 record. As a senior, he edged junior Greg Oden for national player of the year honors after averaging 38.4 points -- including 46 in a loss to Oak Hill Academy -- 7.9 rebounds, 6.9 assists and 4.5 steals for the FAB 50 No. 3 Bulldogs.
Darius Miles, Class of 2000
6-9 forward, East St. Louis (East St. Louis, Ill.)
As a senior, Miles led East St. Louis (28-3) to a third-place finish in the Class AA state tournament, losing in the semifinals to eventual champ Aurora West after Miles' 26-point, 20-rebound, nine-block outing against New Trier in the quarterfinals. Miles finished with averages of 22.1 points, 12.4 rebounds, 7.2 blocks and 3.4 assists and edged Zach Randolph and Gerald Wallace for national player of the year honors.
Zach Randolph, Class of 2000
6-9 center, Marion (Marion, Ind.)
Randolph led Marion (28-1) to the Class 4A state title with a win over Jared Jeffries, Indiana's Mr. Basketball, and Bloomington North. He averaged 24 points, 14.8 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 2.8 blocks that season but was even better on the all-star circuit. He was MVP at the McDonald's All-American game with 23 points and 15 rebounds, scored 24 points at the Nike Hoop Summit four days later and had 39 points, 24 rebounds and four assists at the Nike Derby Festival Classic.
Second Team
(listed alphabetically)
• Avery Bradley Jr., Findlay Prep (Henderson, Nev.), 6-3 guard, Class of 2009
• Shannon Brown, Proviso East (Maywood, Ill.), 6-3 guard, Class of 2003
• Tyson Chandler, Dominguez (Compton, Calif.), 7-1 forward, Class of 2001
• Eddy Curry, Thornwood (South Holland, Ill.), 6-11 center, Class of 2001
• Derrick Favors, South Atlanta (Atlanta, Ga.), 6-9 center, Class of 2009
• Raymond Felton, Latta (Latta, S.C.), 6-1 guard, Class of 2002
• T.J. Ford, Willowridge (Sugarland, Texas), 6-0 guard, Class of 2001
• Eric Gordon, North Central (Indianapolis, Ind.), 6-5 guard, Class of 2007
• Tyler Hansbrough, Poplar Bluff (Poplar Bluff, Mo.), 6-9 forward, Class of 2005
• Al Jefferson, Prentiss (Prentiss, Miss.), 6-9 center, Class of 2004
• Shaun Livingston, Central (Peoria, Ill.), 6-6 guard, Class of 2004
• Josh McRoberts, Carmel (Carmel, Ind.), 6-10 forward, Class of 2005
• Samardo Samuels, St. Benedict's (Newark, N.J.), 6-9 center, Class of 2008
• Amare Stoudemire, Cypress Creek (Orlando, Fla.), 6-10 center, Class of 2002
• Josh Smith, Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, Va.), 6-8 forward, Class of 2004
6 comments on "All-Decade Boys Basketball Team"
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All-Decade Boys Basketball Team
By Ronnie Flores
ESPN RISE
(Archive)
Updated: December 1, 2009, 12:54 PM ET
Comment / Email / Print Editor's note: Based on high school accomplishment and the annual ESPN RISE/Student Sports All-American selections of the past 10 years. Those considered fifth-year players in their final year of high school competition were not considered. Players are listed by year of graduation and the position they played in high school.
Did we miss someone? Join the discussion and tell us all about it.
[+] EnlargeJeff Crowe\ESPN RISE Magazine
LeBron James' teams at St. Vincent-St. Mary (Akron, Ohio) went 102-5 and won three state titles.
First Five
DeJuan Wagner, Class of 2001
6-2 guard, Camden (Camden, N.J.)
Explosive combo guard was chosen national player of the year over three pivot players (Tyson Chandler, Eddy Curry and Kwame Brown) who later were among the first four picks of the 2001 NBA draft. The high-scoring Wagner (son of 1981 Camden All-American Milt Wagner) is most famous for a 100-point game during his senior season. He finished his prep career with a state-record 3,462 points, led his team to a New Jersey Tournament of Champions title as a junior and averaged 42.5 points per game as a senior.
LeBron James, Class of 2003
6-8 guard, St. Vincent-St. Mary (Akron, Ohio)
James was the third back-to-back National Player of the Year on the ESPN RISE/Student Sports all-time list, which dates to 1955. The other two are Jerry Lucas of Middletown, Ohio (1957-58) and Lew Alcindor of New York Power Memorial (1964-65).
Carmelo Anthony, Class of 2002
6-7 forward, Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, Va.)
Melo burst onto the scene as a junior at Baltimore's Towson Catholic and his stock rose with a strong summer showing that carried over to his senior season at Oak Hill. He led the Warriors to a 32-1 record with averages of 21.7 points and 7.5 rebounds playing alongside six other Division I signees. Only an upset loss to Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.) kept the Warriors from a wire-to-wire FAB 50 national title. Despite 36 points from junior LeBron James, Oak Hill was able to defeat St. Vincent-St. Mary 72-66 behind Anthony's 34 points in arguably the top showcase game of the decade.
Kevin Durant, Class of 2006
6-9 forward, Montrose Christian (Rockville, Md.)
After earning EA SPORTS All-American honors as a junior at Oak Hill, Durant transferred closer to home for a stellar senior season. The do-it-all wing averaged 23.4 points, 10.2 rebounds and 2.6 blocked shots while shooting 55 percent from the floor for the Mustangs, who finished No. 2 in the FAB 50. Montrose Christian ended Oak Hill's 56-game winning streak as Durant scored 16 fourth-quarter points and finished with 31 in a stunning 74-72 comeback victory. Durant followed up with the finest game of his prep career: a 25-point, MVP-performance at the McDonald's All-American Game.
Greg Oden, Class of 2006
7-0 center, Lawrence North (Indianapolis, Ind.)
Considered the most college-ready true pivot since Shaquille O'Neal in 1989, comparing Oden to all-time prep greats Moses Malone (1970s), Lew Alcindor (1960s), and Wilt Chamberlain (1950s) is not far-fetched. The main reason is his dominance in leading championship teams, a strong prerequisite for landing a spot on this team. As a senior, Oden averaged 22.1 points, 10.5 rebounds and 3.5 blocked shots and shot 74 percent from the floor. Even more impressive, the Wildcats went 29-0 as the wire-to-wire FAB 50 No. 1-ranked club. During Oden's career, Lawrence North went 103-7 and won three consecutive state titles.
Second Five
[+] EnlargeSteve Boyle\ESPN RISE Magazine
Kevin Durant was MVP of the 2006 McDonald's All-American game and led Montrose Christian (Rockville, Md.) to a No. 2 ranking that season.
Derrick Rose, Class of 2007
6-4 guard, Simeon (Chicago, Ill.)
Rose combined size, athleticism and explosiveness to become Chicago's finest player of the decade and one of the best ever from the Windy City. After helping Simeon win a Class AA state title as a junior and earning second-team EA SPORTS All-American honors, Rose cemented his status in Illinois prep lore as a senior by leading the Wolverines to rare back-to-back city and state titles.
Ty Lawson, Class of 2006
6-0 guard, Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, Va.)
It was a tough call between Lawson and fellow Oak Hill graduate Brandon Jennings. We went with Lawson because he was twice team MVP on Oak Hill clubs that featured All-Americans Kevin Durant, Jamont Gordon, Eric Devendorf, Nolan Smith and Mike Beasley. With a powerful body, no small guard this decade was better at finishing in traffic or going coast-to-coast.
O.J. Mayo, Class of 2007
6-5 guard, Huntington (Huntington, W.Va.)
Some of the decade's best guards were quicker and a few even more explosive, but Mayo's combination of shooting skills, court savvy, production and championships makes him an easy choice. As a senior, Mayo was named EA SPORTS National Player of the Year in a close vote over Kevin Love and Derrick Rose after leading the Highlanders to a 25-2 record and No. 3 FAB 50 rating.
Kevin Love, Class of 2007
6-10 center, Lake Oswego (Lake Oswego, Ore.)
The four-year standout broke a 50-year-old career state scoring record with 2,628 points and led the Lakers to three consecutive state Class 4A finals. Not only is Love the West Region's top player of the decade, but he is mentioned alongside California's Jason Kidd (1992) and John Williams (1984) as the region's best prep players for the past 30 years.
Dwight Howard, Class of 2004
6-11 center, Southwest Atlanta Christian (Atlanta, Ga.)
As a senior, Howard led his team to a Class A state title with averages of 25.5 points, 18.3 rebounds and eight blocks. Shortly after a prep career in which he scored 2,146 points, grabbed 1,728 and blocked 811 shots, Howard was the No. 1 pick of the 2004 NBA draft.
Third Five
Sebastian Telfair, Class of 2004
5-11 guard, Lincoln (Brooklyn, N.Y.)
The cousin of one of the best prep guards of the 1990s, Stephon Marbury, Telfair broke the state career scoring record of 2,622 set by arguably the best prep guard of the 1980s, Kenny Anderson. A two-time state player of the year and three-time PSAL champion, Telfair averaged 30 points and eight assists as a senior.
[+] EnlargeESPN RISE Magazine
Sebastian Telfair broke Kenny Anderson's state scoring record while at Lincoln (Brooklyn, N.Y.).
Brandon Jennings, Class of 2008
6-1 guard, Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, Va.)
After averaging 15 points and 11 assists on a 40-1 team in his first of two seasons at Oak Hill, Jennings set career (1,927 points), season (35.5 ppg) and single-game (63) school scoring records as a senior and is Oak Hill's only EA SPORTS National Player of the Year.
Monta Ellis, Class of 2005
6-3 guard, Lanier (Jackson, Miss.)
The Bulldogs made four straight state Class 4A title game appearances and won two with Ellis, who scored 4,167 career points and led Lanier to a 129-16 record. As a senior, he edged junior Greg Oden for national player of the year honors after averaging 38.4 points -- including 46 in a loss to Oak Hill Academy -- 7.9 rebounds, 6.9 assists and 4.5 steals for the FAB 50 No. 3 Bulldogs.
Darius Miles, Class of 2000
6-9 forward, East St. Louis (East St. Louis, Ill.)
As a senior, Miles led East St. Louis (28-3) to a third-place finish in the Class AA state tournament, losing in the semifinals to eventual champ Aurora West after Miles' 26-point, 20-rebound, nine-block outing against New Trier in the quarterfinals. Miles finished with averages of 22.1 points, 12.4 rebounds, 7.2 blocks and 3.4 assists and edged Zach Randolph and Gerald Wallace for national player of the year honors.
Zach Randolph, Class of 2000
6-9 center, Marion (Marion, Ind.)
Randolph led Marion (28-1) to the Class 4A state title with a win over Jared Jeffries, Indiana's Mr. Basketball, and Bloomington North. He averaged 24 points, 14.8 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 2.8 blocks that season but was even better on the all-star circuit. He was MVP at the McDonald's All-American game with 23 points and 15 rebounds, scored 24 points at the Nike Hoop Summit four days later and had 39 points, 24 rebounds and four assists at the Nike Derby Festival Classic.
Second Team
(listed alphabetically)
• Avery Bradley Jr., Findlay Prep (Henderson, Nev.), 6-3 guard, Class of 2009
• Shannon Brown, Proviso East (Maywood, Ill.), 6-3 guard, Class of 2003
• Tyson Chandler, Dominguez (Compton, Calif.), 7-1 forward, Class of 2001
• Eddy Curry, Thornwood (South Holland, Ill.), 6-11 center, Class of 2001
• Derrick Favors, South Atlanta (Atlanta, Ga.), 6-9 center, Class of 2009
• Raymond Felton, Latta (Latta, S.C.), 6-1 guard, Class of 2002
• T.J. Ford, Willowridge (Sugarland, Texas), 6-0 guard, Class of 2001
• Eric Gordon, North Central (Indianapolis, Ind.), 6-5 guard, Class of 2007
• Tyler Hansbrough, Poplar Bluff (Poplar Bluff, Mo.), 6-9 forward, Class of 2005
• Al Jefferson, Prentiss (Prentiss, Miss.), 6-9 center, Class of 2004
• Shaun Livingston, Central (Peoria, Ill.), 6-6 guard, Class of 2004
• Josh McRoberts, Carmel (Carmel, Ind.), 6-10 forward, Class of 2005
• Samardo Samuels, St. Benedict's (Newark, N.J.), 6-9 center, Class of 2008
• Amare Stoudemire, Cypress Creek (Orlando, Fla.), 6-10 center, Class of 2002
• Josh Smith, Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, Va.), 6-8 forward, Class of 2004
6 comments on "All-Decade Boys Basketball Team"
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Talk about livin' large: When you have the Steelers, Lakers and Red Sox in your corner, talkin' sports is always a good time. More
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