1 year ago
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Jason Jordan
Jul 19, 2025, 12:11 PM ET
In the tone of the "SportsCenter" quest -- modeled aft the archetypal 2005 "SportsCenter Across America" circuit to deed each 50 states successful 50 days -- we're spotlighting immoderate of the apical hoopers repping cardinal stops on the way.
To fertile the apical boys' and girls' hoops endowment since 2000, we're placing a dense accent connected precocious schoolhouse accolades -- authorities titles, nationalist honors, idiosyncratic awards -- on with on-court dominance, semipermanent legacy, designation and wide power connected the game.
In this edition, we're headed to Indiana.
From Greg Oden to Skylar Diggins, these hoopers correspond immoderate of the finest to ever play precocious schoolhouse hoops successful the Hoosier State.
Boys
1. Greg Oden, Lawrence North High School
His case: Oden had a ascendant reign, starring the Lawrence North High School Wildcats to 3 consecutive authorities titles and taking location Indiana's Mr. Basketball grant arsenic a elder successful 2006. Oden was besides named Gatorade National Player of the Year successful 2005 and 2006.
He went connected to prima astatine Ohio State arsenic a freshman, averaging 15.7 points, 9.6 rebounds and 3.3 blocks, earning First-team All-Big Ten, NABC Defensive Player of the Year and All-American honors. Oden was picked No. 1 by the Portland Trail Blazers successful the 2007 NBA draught but played successful the league for conscionable 3 seasons owed to nagging injuries.
2. DeShaun Thomas, Bishop Luers High School
His case: Thomas powered the Bishop Luers High School Knights to 2 authorities titles during his tenure and averaged 29 points during his elder play successful 2010. Thomas, who finished ranked No. 12 successful the ESPN 100, is Indiana's No. 3 all-time scorer with 3,018 vocation points. He snagged first-team Parade All-American and Indiana's Mr. Basketball honors earlier heading disconnected to Ohio State, wherever helium was named to aggregate All-Big Ten and All-American teams.
Thomas was drafted No. 58 by the San Antonio Spurs successful 2013 and played 2 seasons successful the NBA.
3. Eric Gordon, North Central High School
His case: Gordon guided the North Central High School Panthers to the authorities rubric crippled arsenic a elder successful 2007, averaging 29 points, 6.2 rebounds and 3.3 assists. Gordon, who finished ranked No. 2 successful the ESPN 100, took location Indiana's Mr. Basketball and Gatorade Player of the Year awards arsenic good arsenic All-State honors.
He went connected to prima for the hometown Indiana Hoosiers, averaging 20.9 points, 3.3 rebounds and 2.4 assists arsenic a freshman. That led to him claiming Big Ten Freshman of the Year and First Team All-American honors. Gordon was picked No. 7 by the LA Clippers successful the 2008 NBA draft. In 17 NBA seasons, Gordon has been Sixth Man of the Year, 3-point champ, named to the All-Rookie Team and averaged 15.3 points.
4. Jared Jeffries, Bloomington North High School
His case: Jeffries averaged 23.4 points, 10.4 rebounds and 4.2 assists for the Cougars successful 2000. He was named Indiana's Mr. Basketball and Gatorade National Player of the Year. Jeffries, who finished No. 5 successful the ESPN recruiting rankings, stayed in-state and dominated astatine Indiana, yet winning Big Ten Player of the Year successful 2002, erstwhile helium was picked No. 11 by the Washington Wizards successful the draft. Jeffries went connected to play 11 years successful the NBA.
5. Sean May, Bloomington North High School
His case: May besides had a legendary tally with the Cougars arsenic a three-time All-State squad enactment and posted averages of 21.8 points and 13.7 rebounds arsenic a elder successful 2002. May, who finished ranked No. 51 successful the ESPN 100, took location Indiana's Mr. Basketball and Gatorade Player of the Year hardware earlier heading to North Carolina, wherever helium led the Tar Heels to the nationalist rubric arsenic a junior.
He was named Most Outstanding Player of the 2005 NCAA men's tourney and made the All-American team. May was picked No. 13 by the Charlotte Bobcats successful the 2005 draught and played 4 seasons successful the NBA.
Girls
1. Jackie Young, Princeton High School
Her case: Young is Indiana's all-time starring scorer -- boys and girls -- posting 3,268 vocation points. She drove the Princeton High School Tigers to 53 consecutive wins and a authorities rubric successful 2015. A twelvemonth later, arsenic a senior, Young averaged 34.9 points, 9.5 rebounds, 5 assists and 3.8 steals. She finished ranked No. 11 successful the ESPNW 100 and took location Indiana's Ms. Basketball and Gatorade Player of the Year hardware arsenic good arsenic Naismith Player of the Year honors.
Young went connected to prima astatine Notre Dame, wherever she helped the Fighting Irish assertion a nationalist rubric successful 2018, made ACC All-Freshman, All-ACC and won ACC tourney MVP successful her 3 years. Young was the No. 1 prime by the Las Vegas Aces successful the 2019 WNBA draught and has won 2 WNBA titles, made 4 All-Star Games and been named to the All-WNBA squad twice.
2. Skylar Diggins, Washington High School
Her case: Diggins led Washington High School to the authorities rubric crippled each of her 4 years and came distant with 1 authorities title. The Panthers posted a 102-7 grounds during her reign and she led the authorities successful scoring arsenic a senior, posting 29 points a game, portion adding 6.3 rebounds, 6.2 assists, 5.4 steals and 2.2 blocks. That led to her taking location Indiana's Ms. Basketball, Gatorade National Player of the Year and Naismith Player of the Year successful 2009 erstwhile she finished ranked No. 3 successful the ESPNW 100.
Diggins went connected to prima astatine Notre Dame. wherever she led the Fighting Irish to 130 wins, 3 Final Fours, 2 nationalist rubric games and 2 Big East titles. Diggins made aggregate All-Big East teams and was named Big East Player of the Year and All-American twice. Diggins was picked No. 3 by the Tulsa Shock successful the 2013 WNBA draft. In 10 years successful the WNBA, Diggins has made 7 All-Star games and has been named All-WNBA six times.
3. Shanna Zolman, Wawasee High School
Her case: Zolman led the authorities successful scoring for 4 consecutive years astatine Wawasee High School and sits astatine No. 2 connected Indiana's all-time scoring database with 3,085 points. Zolman was named Indiana's Ms. Basketball and took location co-MVP honors successful the 2002 McDonald's All American Game. She went connected to prima astatine Tennessee, wherever she was named to the All-SEC freshman squad and All-SEC. Zolman was drafted No. 16 by the San Antonio Stars (now the Las Vegas Aces) and played 4 seasons.
4. Amber Harris, North Central High School
Her case: Harris fueled the North Central High School Panthers to 2 authorities titles during her sophomore and inferior seasons and averaged 16.5 points, 9 rebounds and 4 blocks arsenic a elder successful 2006 erstwhile she took location Indiana's Ms. Basketball honors.
She starred for the Xavier Musketeers wherever she won Atlantic 10 Rookie of the Year, was a three-time First Team All-Atlantic 10 honoree and two-time Atlantic 10 Player of the Year. Harris' jersey was retired aft finishing her vocation with 2,205 points and 1,226 rebounds, becoming conscionable the 2nd Musketeer ever to surpass the 2,000-point and 1,000-rebound marks.
She was picked No. 4 wide by the Minnesota Lynx successful the 2011 WNBA draft. In 5 years, Harris helped the Lynx seizure 2 WNBA titles.
5. Ta'Shia Phillips, Brebeuf Jesuit Prep School
Her case: Phillips propelled the Brebeuf Jesuit Prep School Braves to 2 authorities titles and averaged 21.6 points, 15.3 rebounds and 3.2 blocks during her elder twelvemonth successful 2007. That led to her claiming Indiana's Ms. Basketball and Gatorade Player of the Year honors.
She went connected to prima astatine Xavier, wherever her jersey hangs successful the rafters aft she won Atlantic 10 Rookie of the Year, got selected first-team All-Atlantic 10 3 times and took location Atlantic 10 Player of the Year. Phillips was picked No. 8 by the Washington Mystics successful the 2011 WNBA draft.
