All-City Teams
Words. HShoop
(Photo: Tyreke Evans)
Over at ESPN they took a look at the major high school basketball cities across the country and put together what they felt were the best players to come out of those locations in recent memory. While they put together a formidable list, we beg to differ. There are some glaring omissions from some cities, like former NBA All-Star Ron Artest being left off the New York team and I think we think it’s safe to say that New Jersey should be considered. We took the liberty to create our own list. Here is their list, here is ours:
- All-New York Team
G- Smush Parker (Newtown, 1999)
G- Ben Gordon (Mt. Vernon, 2001)
F- Lamar Odom (Redemption Christian, 1997)
F- Ron Artest (LaSalle, 1997)
F- Charlie Villanueva (Blair, 2003)
6th Man- Lance Stephenson (Lincoln, 2009)
Smush has turn into a journey man and is currently with the L.A. Clippers. But the frontline of Artest, Odom and Villanueva is legit. Add a scorer like Stephenson, who has yet to reach his full potential, and this is quite a team.
- All-Philadelphia Team
G- Jameer Nelson (Chester, 2000)
G- Richard Hamilton (Coatesville, 1996)
G- Kobe Bryant (Lower Merion, 1996)
F- Rasual Butler (Roman Catholic, 1998)
F- Hakim Warrick (Friends Central, 2001)
6th Man- Tyreke Evans (American Christian, 2008)
Philly is known for tough, hardnosed ball players. What they lack in talent, they make up for with tough play. Add a Kobe Bryant into the mix and they can beat anyone.
- All-Baltimore/D.C. Team
G Keith Bogans (Dematha, 1999)
G Kevin Durant (Montrose Christian, 2006)
F Carmelo Anthony (Oak Hill, 2002)
F Rudy Gay (Archbishop Spaulding, 2004)
F Mike Beasley (Notre Dame Prep, 2006)
6th Man Jeff Green (Northwestern, 2004)
The Baltimore/D.C. area is producing top players faster than anywhere else right now. They are not just producing players they are producing big time players. Carmelo Anthony, Mike Beasley, Rudy Gay and Kevin Durant are all franchise player type talents.
- All-Georgia Team
G- Louis Williams (South Gwinnett, 2005)
G- Javaris Crittenton (SWAC, 2006)
F- Al Thornton (Perry, 2003)
F- Josh Smith (Oak Hill, 2004)
C- Dwight Howard (SWAC, 2004)
6th Man- Jarvis Hayes (Frederick Douglass, 1999)
No squad can guard this frontline of abnormal athletes. They may be a little inexperienced in the backcourt but that can be worked on.
- All-Chicago Team
G- Derrick Rose (Simeon, 2006)
G- Dwyane Wade (Richards, 2000)
F- Corey Maggette (Fenwick, 1998)
F- Quentin Richardson (Young, 1998)
F- Eddy Curry (Thornwood, 2001)
6th Man- Julian Wright (Homewood-Flossmoor, 2005)
Imagine this Chicago team in a run and gun offense, with Curry on the bench of course. With Rose, Wade and the three other athletes on the court they can make a game look like a track meet in a hurry.
- All-Houston Team
G- T.J. Ford (Willowridge, 2001)
G- Daniel Gibson (Jones, 2004)
F- Gerald Green (Gulf Shores, 2005)
F- Rashard Lewis (Alief Elsik, 1998)
C- Emeka Okafor (Bellaire, 2001)
6th Man- Kendrick Perkins (Beaumont Ozen, 2003)
Five of the six players on this squad have a stable spot on a roster except for Green. Luckily for Green, he is a phenomenal athlete and can shoot the rock. With a skill set like that, teams will continue to take chances on him until he put puts it all together.
- All-Washington Team
G- Nate Robinson (Seattle Prep, 2005)
G- Jamal Crawford (Rainier Beach, 1999)
G- Brandon Roy (Garfield, 2002)
F- Marvin Williams (Bremerton, 2004)
C- Spencer Hawes (Seattle Prep, 2006
6th Man- Martell Webster (Seattle Prep, 2005)
Washington is another state on the rise. They are producing are pumping out players left and right, including arguably the best in state guard combo in high school in Abdul Gaddy and Avery Bradley of Bellarmine Prep (WA).
- All-Los Angeles Team
G- Gilbert Arenas (Grant, 1999)
G- Jason Kapono (Artesia, 1999)
F- Josh Childress (Mayfair, 2001)
F- Tayshaun Prince (Compton, 1998)
C- Tyson Chandler (Dominguez, 2001)
6th Man- Marcus Williams (Oak Hill, 2003)
L.A. is a hotbed in terms of producing basketball talent and that is very unlikely to change. With all the quality high schools out there expect for them to always be near the top of the list when discussing basketball.
What about Rasheed Wallace for Philly
‘Sheed’s a little too old school for this list. You’re talking recent memory with these…
Also think you can make an argument for Brandon Jennings on that LA team ahead of Marcus Williams (which is kind of cold because Marcus is Brandon’s mentor).
Georgia takes it this time around. Sebastian Telfair should get a look for that NY team. Parker sucks.
Isnt Rafer Alston from NY?
I know him and Steph are thirty one but both legends when younger.
what about sam cassell? lol
BOOM DIZZLE for LA please!!!
what about paul pierce for LA. I know it was a while ago, but c’mon, he’s reigning finals mvp. I
Uhhh Rip went to Coatesville…..damn HighSchoolHoop
if you’re going by ESPN’s rules on this thing, Odom and Artest are out. they were making this based on players who graduated in 1998 or later
you missed the part where they said in the last decade thats why certain members didnt make the original list
The only legit players for the new york team are Ron Artest and Ben Gordon. Lamar Odom is soft. You can’t really put those other bums on the team. NY shouldn’t even be on the list.
Before you put any team on this list you have to look at what impact they have had in the league.
Rip did not graduate in 02 it was definitley 96 wit kobe and espn’s was da last decade so dere for ron-ron and da goods wouldnt qualify
neither would kobe
rafer alston should be on that ny squad. and royal ivey should get some consideration as well as chris taft.
Based on ESPN’s standards…Kobe, Rip, Lamar, or Artest wouldn’t be on none of the list. Cut off was 1998….stop being bogus.
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Nate Robinson is from Rainier Beach HS. And Rodney Stuckey or Jason Terry should be coming off the bench over Martell Webster for Seattle.