1 year ago
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Jason Jordan
Jul 17, 2025, 09:16 AM 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 heading southbound to Georgia.
From Anthony Edwards to Maya Moore, these hoopers correspond immoderate of the finest to ever play precocious schoolhouse hoops successful the "Peach State."
Men
1. Dwight Howard Southwest Atlanta Christian Academy, Class of 2004
His case: Howard was a ascendant unit for the Southwest Atlanta Christian Academy Warriors arsenic a elder successful 2004 erstwhile helium averaged 25 points, 18 rebounds, 8.1 blocks and 3.5 assists a crippled en way to posting a 31-2 grounds and a authorities title.
Howard, the apical imaginable successful the ESPN 100 that year, swept the nationalist awards -- Morgan Wootten, Naismith and Gatorade -- and went consecutive to the NBA, being picked No. 1 wide by the Orlando Magic successful 2004. In 18 NBA seasons, Howard played successful 8 NBA All-Star games, was named Defensive Player of the Year 3 times and won an NBA rubric with the Los Angeles Lakers.
2. Jaylen Brown Wheeler High School, Class of 2015
His case: Brown checked successful astatine No. 4 wide successful the ESPN 100 successful the 2015 people and arsenic a elder led the Wheeler High School Wildcats to a 30-3 grounds and their archetypal authorities rubric since 2009, averaging 28 points and 12 rebounds a game. That led to Brown being named Georgia's Gatorade Player of the Year.
He went connected to drawback Pac-12 Freshman of the Year honors, averaging 14.6 points a crippled for the California Golden Bears. Brown was picked No. 3 wide by the Boston Celtics successful the 2016 NBA draught and successful 9 NBA seasons, he's made 4 NBA All-Star games and won a title successful 2024 erstwhile helium was named NBA Finals MVP.
3. Lou Williams South Gwinnett High School, Class of 2005
His case: Williams had a legendary tally successful precocious school, being named to the all-state squad 4 times and starring the South Gwinnett High School Comets to a authorities rubric successful 2004. As a senior, Williams averaged 27.5 points, 6.6 rebounds and 5.2 assists per crippled and was named Parade National Player of the Year successful 2005. He's presently the No. 2 all-time starring scorer successful Georgia history.
Williams went consecutive to the NBA retired of precocious schoolhouse aft forgoing to play for the Georgia Bulldogs, being picked No. 45 wide by the Philadelphia 76ers successful 2005. In his 17-year NBA career, Williams scored 13,396 points arsenic a reserve, the astir ever successful NBA history, and won the Sixth Man of the Year grant 3 times.
4. Anthony Edwards Holy Spirit Preparatory School, Class of 2019
His case: Edwards finished precocious schoolhouse ranked No. 4 wide successful the ESPN 100 for 2019. He averaged 25.7 points, 9.6 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 2.1 steals and 1.1 blocks per crippled for the Holy Spirit Preparatory School Cougars.
He went connected to Georgia and was named SEC Freshman of the Year aft starring each freshmen successful the state successful scoring, averaging 19.1 points a crippled for the Bulldogs. He went No. 1 wide to the Minnesota Timberwolves successful the 2020 NBA draught and has been named an NBA All-Star 3 times.
5. Isaiah Collier Wheeler High School, Class of 2023
His case: Collier is simply a authorities legend, starring the Wheeler High School Wildcats to 3 authorities titles and claiming Naismith Player of the Year and Georgia's Gatorade Player of the Year arsenic a elder successful 2023 erstwhile helium averaged 19.6 points, 6.8 assists, 5.5 rebounds and 2.2 steals per game.
Collier finished ranked No. 1 wide successful the ESPN 100 successful 2023 and went connected to USC to mean 16.3 points and 4.3 assists, bully capable to beryllium named to the Pac-12 All-Freshman team. He was picked No. 29 wide by the Utah Jazz successful the 2024 NBA draft. In his archetypal play arsenic a pro, Collier averaged 8.7 points, 6.3 assists and 3.3 rebounds per game.
Women
1. Maya Moore Collins Hill High School, Class of 2007
Her case: Moore won the Naismith Player of the Year grant doubly portion starring the Collins Hill High School Eagles to a 125-3 grounds successful 4 years. She won 3 authorities titles and finished with 2,664 points, 1,212 rebounds, 407 assists and 467 steals.
She finished ranked No. 1 wide successful the ESPNW 100 successful 2007 earlier going connected to execute legendary presumption astatine UConn, wherever she led the Huskies to 2 nationalist titles and finished 150-4 successful her four-year career. Moore took location Big East Player of the Year 3 times, National Player of the Year doubly and finished her vocation arsenic the fourth-leading scorer successful NCAA past with 3,036 points.
Moore was picked No. 1 wide by the Minnesota Lynx successful the 2011 WNBA draught and had her jersey retired successful 2024 aft winning 4 WNBA titles successful her eight-year career. Moore was named WNBA Finals MVP successful 2013 and she's the all-time starring scorer (441 points) successful WNBA Finals history.
2. Diamond DeShields Norcross High School, Class of 2013
Her case: DeShields finished ranked No. 3 wide successful the ESPNW 100 successful 2013 and won the Naismith Player of the Year grant aft averaging 26 points, 7 rebounds, 4.5 steals and 3.8 assists a crippled and starring the Norcross High School Blue Devils to their 3rd authorities rubric successful 4 seasons.
She went connected to North Carolina and averaged 18 points, 5.4 rebounds and 1.7 steals per crippled en way to claiming National Freshman of the Year honors. She transferred to Tennessee after her archetypal twelvemonth and averaged 15.7 points a crippled successful 2 seasons with the Vols. DeShields was picked No. 3 wide by the Chicago Sky successful 2018 and went connected to assistance them triumph a WNBA rubric successful 2021.
3. Asia Durr St. Pius X Catholic School, Class of 2015
Her case: Durr finished precocious schoolhouse ranked No. 2 wide successful the ESPNW 100 for 2015, led the St. Pius X Catholic School Golden Lions to 2 authorities titles and won back-to-back Georgia Gatorade Player of the Year awards.
Durr finished successful 2015 with 2,764 points, 706 rebounds, 254 assists, 266 steals and 75 blocks. Durr elevated their play astatine Louisville, claiming ACC Player of the Year doubly and All-American honors erstwhile earlier being picked No. 2 wide by New York Liberty successful the 2019 WNBA draft.
4. Dearica Hamby Norcross High School, Class of 2011
Her case: Hamby helped the Norcross High School Blue Devils assertion their 2nd consecutive rubric successful 2011 and skyrocketed her dominance astatine Wake Forest, becoming the Demon Deacons' all-time starring scorer with 1,801 points and rebounder with 1,021 boards. Hamby was picked No. 6 wide by the San Antonio Stars (now the Las Vegas Aces) successful the 2015 WNBA draught and successful 10 seasons, she's been named Sixth Woman of the Year doubly and won a WNBA rubric with the Aces successful 2022.
5. T'ea Cooper McEachern High School, Class of 2015
Her case: Cooper was a McEachern High School legend, starring her squad to 3 authorities titles and averaging 27.3 points, 7.3 assists and 3.5 steals a crippled arsenic a elder erstwhile she finished ranked No. 12 wide successful the ESPNW 100 for 2015. Cooper won co-MVP of the McDonald's All American crippled that twelvemonth and went connected to prima astatine Tennessee, South Carolina and Baylor, wherever she averaged 11.2 points a crippled during her collegiate career.
Cooper was drafted No. 18 wide by the Phoenix Mercury successful the 2020 WNBA draft.
