Below are the 128 all-staters from Class 1A, Class 2A, Class 3A and Class 4A. Chicago basketball was an afterthought until coach "Spin" Salarios squad came on the scene. Post-high school career:As a unanimous first-team All-American at Duke as a freshman, Okafor led the Blue Devils to the 2015 national championship. The Fighting Illini were led by junior Gill to 1989 Final Four, where they fell to Michigan on a last-second shot. With a BVM Sports account, submitting content to appear on our website is easier to keep track of and share. DePaul womens basketball star Aneesah Morrow, a second-team All-American as only a freshman last season, was a standout at Simeon in Chicago before making her way to the collegiate level. a staff of more than 50 full time recruiting reporters and evaluators that rank and compile data on the nation's elite high school recruits.More Info About . Nick Anderson photo by Back9Network Wikimedia commons. Hes a big who can space the floor with his shooting or run an offense through with his passing and ballhandling. Subscribe Already a subscriber? The Best NFL Betting Odds; . He managed to achieve 1,271 career points and subsequently held a three-point shooting percentage of .472 through the four seasons he was at Illinois. He ranks fifth in Big Ten history in his career assists. By the time he was a senior, the 6-9, 245-pound Alexander was a consensus top five prospect in the country and a McDonalds All-American. It's a pretty simple concept you have the No. Super Bowl Odds 2023 - Best Odds To Win Super Bowl 57; Tickets; Players Born In Peoria (IL), United States. Now he just needs to improve his jumper to maximize his offensive potential. Looking back, the individual high-level talent that highlighted the past 10 years can stack up against any decade in Illinois high school basketball history. MaxPreps.com; High School Basketball; Illinois; Illinois Rankings; IL High School Basketball Rankings. In addition, another factor to consider is playing just one season in the decade. Vote for the boys high school Player of the Week in southwestern IL from Feb. 20-24. He was selected by Illinois supporters as one of the top 20 basketball players for the Fighting Illini in the teams 100-year history. Thank you for submitting a news tip to BVM Sports! Read more: 10 Famous Basketball Players who played for UNC. Ohio State. CENTRALIA Centralia couldn't get any closer than seven points in the second half and fell to East St. Louis, 53-39, in the first semifinal of the IHSA Class 3A Centralia boys basketball . Plus, Ethan Happ and Keita Bates-Diop were second-team All-Americans. Post-high school career:No player has made a bigger splash out of Illinois. Weatherspoon, who was a member of the NBA All-Rookie Team in 1974, played in the NBA for a total of seven seasons with the San Diego Clippers, the Chicago Bulls, the Seattle SuperSonics, and the Washington Bullets. In 2004, Harper received a spot on the Illini Mens Basketball All-Century Team. Home : Updates : Sports : Upcoming/Recent Events : Polls . The Illini then rolled to the Final 8, when the Arizona Wildcats upset them in a contentious and hard-fought contest. From 1998 to 2002, the 63 guard played basketball for the University of Illinois. Zion (6-0, Jr., G/F) 24; Evyn Carrier, Sycamore (6-4, Sr., C) 24; Mya Wardle, Peoria Notre Dame (5-7, Jr., PG) 24; Shannon Blacher, Lombard Montini (5-11, Sr., G) 23; Norah Gum, Waterloo (6-0, Sr., F) 15; Kiarra Kilgore, Galesburg (5-9, Jr., G) 14; Jerzy Bittle, Marion (5-9, Sr., G) 12; Kaylen Reed, Rochester (5-6, Sr., PG) 9; Olivia Austin, LaGrange Nazareth (6-1, Jr., F) 8; LaKeeyah Barnes, Chicago Morgan Park (5-4, Jr., G) 8; Lexi Carlsen, Sycamore (5-8, Jr., G) 8; Lily Esparza, Rockford Boylan (6-2, Jr., C) 8; Justice Malone, Mount Vernon (5-8, Sr., G/F) 8; Grace Wilke, Highland (5-8, Sr., G) 8; Danielle Beach, Geneseo (5-10, Sr., PG/SG) 6; Jazmyne Bynum, Chicago Hyde Park (5-5, Jr., G) 6; Page Erickson, Burlington Central (5-9, Sr., G) 6; Rachel Kaus, Lake Forest (6-0, Sr., F) 6; Nikki Kerstein, Deerfield (5-7, Soph., PG/SG) 6;Victoria Matulevicius, Lombard Montini (5-8, Jr., G) 6; Kayla Rice, Rock Island (5-6, Sr., G) 6; Savannah Orgeron, Mahomet-Seymour (5-10, Sr., G/F) 6; Annie Wirth, Geneseo (6-0, Sr., F) 6. LeBron James LeBron James photo by All-Pro Reels - Wikimedia commons At St. Vincent-St. Mary High School in Akron, Ohio, LeBron James had an outstanding high school basketball career. Throughout his four years at Illinois, he participated in 129 of 130 games, missing just one game during his first year. Also won state in 1960 behind George Wilson (back row, fouth from left) and suffered playoff defeats by one and two points in 1959 and 1961. Darius Hawkins Illinois. The Milwaukee Bucks selected Parker with the No. The Fighting Illini team came to be known as the Flyin Illini. The Denver Nuggets then selected him in the second round of the 1990 NBA Draft, 42nd overall. He led the team to four consecutive NCAA tournament appearances as a point guard. Cupps was named Mr. Ohio Basketball and Ohio MaxPreps Player of the Year as a junior and is committed to playing for Indiana. To finish off a career in which he scored 1,415 points, which ranks as the 15th-best total for an Illini player all-time, he helped lead a conference title run in 1998. March 2, 3A Sectional Finals Preview and Storylines, Scott Burgess BLOOMINGTON, Ill. (BVM) The state of Illinois has produced some high-quality girls basketball players over the years. From 1993 through 1997, Garris played point guard for the University of Illinois collegiate basketball team. He was named the Most Valuable Player of the 2015 U19 World Championship as he led Team USA to a gold medal. High School: Centerville High School (Centerville, Ohio). Adan Diggs Arizona. Polling Place: Is Patrick Kane the greatest Blackhawk ever? Weatherspoon, who was a member of the NBA All-Rookie Team in 1974, played in the NBA for a total of seven seasons with the San Diego Clippers, the Chicago Bulls, the Seattle SuperSonics, and the Washington Bullets. From 1966 to 1969, he was a student at the University of Illinois. Other teams such the mid-1990s Thornton juggernaut that was blocked by Peoria Manuals dynasty; the 1977 Westinghouse team that featured Mark Aguirre and Eddie Johnson but didnt make it out of the city playoffs; Edwardsvilles mid-1950s teams with future Globetrotters Mannie Jackson and Govoner Vaughn; and the 1954 DuSable team that put Chicago basketball on the map certainly belong in any discussion of the states best all-time teams, but this list is for champions only. Who do you take? With the Illini, he averaged more than seven rebounds per game, and his 156 career blocks were excellent to place him fourth in the all-time at the university. During his senior year state title run, the first in Rock Island history, Randle averaged 21.7 points, 7.6 rebounds and 2.6 assists. Heaven Chea Washington. Prep boys basketball action remains in full swing with the postseason underway. March 1, 10 Best: Wednesday Sectional Semi Preview, Scott Burgess He had the most assists per game in the Big Ten during his junior season. Stay connected with BVM Sports: Facebook | Twitter | Instagram, {"rules": {"password": "required", "password_confirm": {"equalTo": "#registerPassword"}}}. High School: Sunrise Christian Academy (Wichita, Kansas). In 2004, Gill was chosen for the Illini Mens Basketball All-Century Team., Brian Cook Clippers photo by Keith Allison Wikimedia commons. He still maintains the Illini career steals (324) and assists (765) records. He played for the Fighting Illini for four seasons, starting three of them. With two years of high school basketball still left to play, Freitag's stock continues to rise and he could be a Top 50 national recruit soon. Williams led the Fighting Illini to the NCAA championship game in 2005 as a junior starting point guard, but they fell to the University of North Carolina. Log in WG. He already has offers from Iowa, Creighton, Iowa State, Kansas and Minnesota, among others, and is arguably the best high school hoops prospect to come out of South Dakota since Mike Miller in the late 1990s. Jahari Miller Indiana. He still maintains the Illini career steals (324) and assists (765) records. Boys Basketball . Discover Walks contributors speak from all corners of the world - from Prague to Bangkok, Barcelona to Nairobi. Guyton, daughter of former NBA player A.J. Bottom Line: Elliot Cadeau will be in a new state and at a new school for his junior season with Link Academy the five-star recruit and No. By Joe Henricksen Oct 17, 2019, 9:20am PST Scottish basketball player Robert Archibald played power forward and centre for the University of Illinois from 1998 to 2002. Davis played basketball for Illinois in college after graduating from high school. Hes playing with more aggressiveness, confidence and showcasing some pop and quick second leap off the floor. Along the way, somebody invented the jump shot and the crossover dribble and added a three-point line. As a senior he led Waukegan to a third-place finish in Class 4A while averaging 20.8 points, 11.4 rebounds and nearly three assists and three blocks. The Manual and Simeon four-peat teams got two each. In 196566, he averaged 27.8 points per game and established the record for most points in a season (668). Subscribe Already a subscriber? Also, with a career field goal percentage of 57.2 per cent (456-797), he is fifth in school history. Illinois was his alma mater from 2001 to 2005. Erick Dampier Jr Mississippi. Hes spent time with the Bucks, Chicago Bulls and Washington Wizards and will play this season with the Atlanta Hawks. In the early 1960s, Illinois had a physical presence in the middle thanks to Bill Burwell. Has turned into an intelligent floor general who is comfortable commanding an offense. Willie Darden Jr Connecticut. He is already committed to playing for new Kansas State head coach Jerome Tang, who has already made inroads with many of the top recruits in the midwest. Over his undergraduate career, he averaged 4.7 assists per game and led Illinois in that category in 19811982. 7 Iowa's game against No. Throughout his three varsity seasons at Illinois, he amassed 1449 points while averaging 20.1 points and 10.3 rebounds each game. The battle with inconsistency seems to be one hes starting to win more. Post-high school career:He played just one season at Kansas, playing just 17 minutes a game and averaging 7.1 points and 5.3 rebounds while also being suspended due to eligibility issues. The Dallas Mavericks selected Brunson with the 33rd pick in the 2018 NBA Draft. He began 30 of the 32 games he played as a freshman, finishing third in the Big Ten Conference in assists with 4.53 per contest. Why do we love Biliew so much? Best Version Media, LLC. He is likely most known among Fighting Illini supporters for his game-winning shot against Michigan State University. Guyton, is one of the most sought-after guards in the Class of 2024, with a dozen or more Division I offers. As a bonus, Okafor was huge in Youngs biggest games: 35 points and 13 rebounds in a sectional final win over St. Rita; 33 points and 14 rebounds in a state semifinal win over Stevenson; 22 points and 23 rebounds against Providence (Fla.) in the City of Palms Classic; and he averaged 31 points and 12.5 rebounds in the loaded Les Schwab Invitational in Oregon. An isolation scorer who can score in multiple ways off the dribble from three, mid-range and in drives to the basket. a staff of more than 50 full time recruiting reporters and evaluators that rank and compile data on the nation's elite high school recruits.More Info About; Contact Us; Advertisers . He only started one season at Illinois, but during that season he averaged 10.6 points and 5.5 rebounds while shooting.659 from the field, setting an Illini record. Deron Williams #8 of the Brooklyn Nets photo by Keith Allison Wikimedia commons. The 6-3 guard was ranked among the top 75 prospects in the country and won a gold medal with USA Basketballs U17 team. While the high-level consistency remains a work in progress, Casey still boasts the biggest upside in the class. DePaul's very own Aneesah Morrow played for Carmel and has been incredible so far. Bettendorf Pleasant Valley charged West Des Moines Valley and collected a 43-28 victory at West Des Moines Valley High on Feb. 27 in Iowa girls high school basketball action . When playing for the Illinois team, Mark Smith averaged more than 6.1 rebounds and four assists. Kerr scored 1,299 points in his three varsity seasons, averaging 18.6 points per game overall. Weatherspoon was chosen in 2004 for the Illini Mens Basketball All-Century Team.. Let us look at 30 of the best high school players of all time. Its a little more challenging for a potential player to be fully recognized and appreciated. High School: Bellevue West High School (Bellevue, Nebraska). This came after a junior season in which he put up 24.8 points and 12.6 rebounds. Best Version Media, LLC. He was a member of the Flyin Illini basketball team, which advanced to the 1989 NCAA Mens Basketball Tournament Final Four. Stevensons Jalen Brunson (15) lays in a reverse shot against Riverside-Brookfield. In 2004, he was chosen for the Illini Mens Basketball All-Century Team.. The match will be broadcast here Link Live on https://bit.ly/3YdbZeMWarriorsRailsplittersThe Lincoln (IL) varsity basketball team has a neutral playoff ga. Bottom Line: Matas Buzelis will spend his final year of high school basketball at Sunrise Christian Academy after being named the 2022 New Hampshire Gatorade Player of the Year, leading Brewster Academy to the NEPSAC Class AAA championship as a junior. There was a stretch during the first half of the decade where the state was churning out generational talent, many who left their mark on the sport forever. Ulis, who has played in 133 NBA games but has battled some injury issues, recently signed with the Sacramento Kings. Here are the 50 best Illinois basketball players of all time. Unfortunately, an academic scandal disrupted Curies season as Alexanders Condors lost in the regional after dominating the regular season. With the 2022-23 basketball season fast approaching, here are the top 10 seniors for the upcoming season. SIGN IN. The game and show will be a chance for Clark to showcase her . Some of the notable players to come out of Indiana are Victor Oladipo, Tyler & Cody Zeller, Mason & Miles Plumlee to name a few. 1. He had a few signature moments, including a Pontiac Holiday Tournament semifinal performance for the ages. 2 Indiana. Also won state in 1960 behind George Wilson (back row, fouth from left) and suffered playoff defeats by one and two points in 1959 and 1961. Last update: 2/26/2023, Minimum Games Played . HONORABLE MENTION (25): Katey Flynn, Mt. The Top Ranked Basketball Players of All-Time from Illinois High Schools . High School: Lincoln High School (Sioux Falls, South Dakota). Huff continues to show an array of skill and production at his size that is so enticing with how the game is played today. There is no other way to explain it. From 1941 to 1943 and again from 1946 to 1947, Philip attended the University of Illinois. Top 100. Also worth noting and in the same vein Cadeau's sponsorship deal with Swedish company Vitamin Drink made him the first U.S. high school player to sign an international Name, Image, Likeness (NIL) contract. Richmonds career, albeit a bit mercurial, was outstanding. In 2004, he was selected for the All-Century Team at the University of Illinois. Bottom Line: Bellevue West guard Josiah Dotzler has been one of the elite players in the midwest the last two seasons, helping lead his school to a Class A state title as a freshman, followed by back-to-back state runner-up finishes the last two seasons. March 1, 5 Takeaways: Downers Grove North vs Whitney Young, Scott Burgess He averaged 20.7 points per game and finished his career second in school history with a.609 field goal percentage. He played for the Illini, who finished second in the country and tied an NCAA record with 37 victories. Recap Men's Basketball January 28, 2023 2 pm CT. Boxscore Men's Basketball Wisconsin January 28, 2023 2 pm CT. David Oyona-Ibandzo. Some of the greatest basketball players in history still call it home. The career Liddell put together is pretty remarkable. With 114 victories, Brown is tied with James Augustine for the most victories in Illinois history. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it. Led the Tigers to a 28-5 record heading into the Class 4A sectional final. Dawson transferred to Illinois after his sophomore year and was chosen to the 1974 All-Big Ten team as well as an academic All-American. He averaged 9.3 points as a rookie last season. The Zeller brothers and Plumlee's were all raised in Indiana. During his senior season Okafor averaged 24.1 points and 11.3 rebounds while compiling a 28-5 record and capturing a Class 4A state championship. But pure and simple, Davis is the most talentedprospectto come out of Illinois in the last decade, which is why he was the No. Period. As a professional he played overseas and has had stints with the 76ers, Knicks and Wizards in the NBA. Video Center See top plays & highlights of the best high school sports. He was selected for the University of Illinois All-Century Team in 2004. With 853 rebounds at Illinois (since surpassed and now in third place), Winters concluded his collegiate career as the schools all-time rebounding leader and third-best scorer. Off-the-court issues plagued Richmond, including a short period of time in prison. Bradfords most notable claim to fame was his 88-game streak, which set an NCAA record for the most consecutive games with a three-point field goal, before it was surpassed on February 13, 2001. ); Matt Daniels, Champaign News-Gazette; Jimmy Dean, WGGH radio Marion; Adam Duvall, Peoria Journal Star; Kevin Hieronymus, Bureau CountyRepublican; Justin Kindle, Metropolis Planet; Fred Kroner, Mahomet Daily; Colin Likas, Champaign News-Gazette; Randy List, Centralia Morning Sentinel; Jim Mattson, WEEK-TV Peoria/Bloomington; Randy Reinhardt, Bloomington Pantagraph; Matt Rodewald, IHSA TV Network; Mason Schweizer, Kankakee Daily Journal; Steve Tappa, MC22-TV Quad Cities/QCSportsNet/AP All-State chair; Matt Trowbridge, Rockford Register-Star; Greg Shashack, Alton Telegraph; Alex Wallner, Effingham Daily News; Josh Welge, Kendall County Record/Kane County Chronicle; William Welt, Springfield State Journal-Register; Matt Wilson, Carlyle Union Banner. A ranking of the 2022 Best NFL Football Players in Illinois. It is universally recognizable that Illinois produces top-notch athletes, including some of the best basketball players in the nation. From 2007 until 2011, he was a student at Illinois. Months later he was the No. Wessels continued to play centre as a junior in the 195960 campaign for a group that placed third in the conference with a 167 overall record. Battles hustle and amazing slam dunks made him a fan favourite. An explosive guard with blazing end-to-end speed with the basketball, Boatright scored 63 points in one game and went for 55 in another. 1 and No. As a senior in 19921993, Kaufmann averaged 17.3 points per game. Cadeau is one of the more unique prospects you'll see on this list he plays for Sweden's national team (his mom is Swedish) and helped lead them to the 2022 FIBA U18 European Championship Division B gold medal over the summer, earning tournament MVP honors after he averaged 21.3 points, 4.3 rebounds and 4.0 assists. His career field goal percentage of 61.7 per cent (534-865) is a school record and ranks fifth all-time in the Big Ten. In their 12 triumphs throughout the season, he scored 14.8 points on average. 64 greatest Illinois high school basketball teams ever Mar 07, 2018 at 8:30 am Expand Autoplay 1 of 64 Chicago's first state champions. Bottom Line: Jefferson's Daniel Freitag was the only underclassman to make the Minnesota AP All-State squad first or second team after he averaged 26.7 points as a sophomore in 2021-22. Roosevelt Thomas Illinois. With the nations original March Madness (that would be the Illinois high school basketball tournament) upon us for the 111th time, we came up with an all-time bracket featuring the best champions in state history. MP Stats for iPad Stat keeping for basketball teams. Thus, a bust at the next level really isnt relevant (Jereme Richmond), nor is a late bloomer with a modest high school career who went on to become a star at the next level (Frank Kaminsky). The professional careers of these basketball players have been nothing short of spectacular. Chasson Randle of Rock Island moves quickly down the court, defended by Terrance Walker of Brooks. Michigan, captained by NBA legend Earvin Magic Johnson, was unbeaten and ranked number one in the country at the time, but Illinois was also unbeaten at 14-0. The understated Randle has one heck of a career rsum, including a Class 3A state championship as a senior and sharing the states Mr. Basketball Award that same year with another all-decade performer, Ryan Boatright. In his final two years at Simeon he averaged a combined 19.4 points, 9.8 rebounds, 3.9 assists and 2.7 blocks while going 63-4. With the 2022-23 basketball season fast approaching, here are the top 10 seniors for the upcoming season. That evolution is chronicled in Glory Days, as 50 of the state's best high school basketball players from the past five decades sit down to chat with longtime prep basketball scribe Taylor Bell. His 17.3 points per game rank as Illinois eighth-best career average. On February 6, he scored his 1,000th point against Indiana, and he finished his career with 1,178 points to place 26th all-time among Illini scorers. 2026; 2025; 2024; 2023; 2022 . 50 Best Illinois Basketball Players of All Time. Now there are some fresh faces joining those three top 10 fixtures. Bottom Line: What an absolutely fascinating prospect. A spark-plug scorer and safe bet to be a productive offensive player at the next level due to his shot-making ability from all areas of the court. One of the best performances by an Illinois player was his 35 points against Michigan State in January 1974. BLOOMINGTON, Ill. (BVM) The high school basketball season is set to tip off, and once again, the state of Illinois features some of the top talent in the country.