NBA players who came out of high school are Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, Kevin Garnett, Dwight Howard, Tracy McGrady, and many others.
In 1995, NBA started letting teams choose players directly from high school without requiring them to go to college first. One player who took boon of this was Kevin Garnett, who was picked as the fifth player in the draft that year, even though he did not attend college.
Later, other famous players like Kobe Bryant and LeBron James skipped college and went straight to the NBA. This rule stayed in place until the 2005 draft when the NBA made a new rule called "one-and-done."
The discussion encircling high school players entering the NBA has been a topic of conversation among basketball enthusiasts for a long time.
This article will check out the history of some of the superb high school players in the NBA who have successfully made the jump.
1. Kobe Bryant - Lower Merion High School
Late Kobe Bryant earned an incredible reputation during his time at Lower Merion High in Ardmore, Philadelphia.
After his family returned to the US from Italy, Bryant received admission at Lower Merion in 1992. He was a 4-year varsity starter and led the Aces to a 77-13 record during his time there.
As a senior, Bryant averaged 30.8 points, 12.0 rebounds, and 6.0 assists per game. He led Lower Merion to the Pennsylvania state championship and was named the Naismith High School Player of the Year.
Furthermore, Kobe was a McDonald's All-American, a Parade All-American, and was also named the Gatorade National Player of the Year.
After graduating junior high, Bryant decided to forgo college and enter the NBA draft. The Charlotte Hornets selected him with the 13th overall pick, but he was promptly traded to the Los Angeles Lakers.
2. LeBron James - St. Vincent – St. Mary High School
LeBron James went from high school directly to the NBA, becoming one of the few players in history to leap. James attended St. Vincent-St. Mary High School in Akron, Ohio.
During his time in school, his exceptional skills and athleticism led to comparisons with NBA legends like Michael Jordan and Magic Johnson.
The four-time NBA champion also guided his school St Vincent to state championship glory in 2003 and three OHSAA Champion titles. James was awarded Naismith Prep Player of the Year for his outstanding performance in 2003.
In 2003, James declared for the NBA Draft straight from high school without playing college basketball and was one of the most hyped prospects.
LeBron was picked as the 1st overall pick by the Cleveland Cavaliers, his hometown team, and immediately became the face of the franchise.
King James immediately impacted the court, winning the Rookie of the Year and NBA All-Rookie First Team in his debut season in 2004.
3. Kevin Garnett - Farragut Career Academy
Kevin Garnett became the first player in 20 years to be drafted by an NBA team directly from high school in 1995.
Garnett developed a passion for basketball during his time at Hillcrest Middle School. However, he did not play organized basketball until he reached high school.
After that, he joined Mauldin HS in Mauldin, South Carolina, for his first three years. He was a highly-touted prospect and was named to the McDonald's All-American Game in 1995.
Garnett then transferred to Farragut Career Academy in Chicago, Illinois. He led Farragut to a 28-2 record and was named Mr. Basketball for Illinois State. He also averaged 25.2 points, 17.9 rebounds, 6.7 assists, and 6.5 blocks per game.
Kevin Garnett last game for Farragut was in 1995 before the Minnesota Timberwolves drafted Garnett with the 5th overall pick in the 1995 draft.
4. Dwight Howard - Southwest Atlanta Christian Academy
Dwight Howard attended one of the best NBA basketball schools, Southwest Atlanta Christian Academy in Georgia.
Throughout HS, Howard played as a power forward, scoring an average of 16.6 points, grabbing 13.4 rebounds, and blocking 6.3 shots per game in 129 appearances.
He did a great job commanding his team, Southwest Atlanta, to an impressive 31-2 record, and they even won the state championship in 2004.
The same year, Dwight received the Naismith Prep Player of the Year Award, the Mr. Georgia Basketball Award, Gatorade National Player of the Year, and McDonald's National HS Player of the Year honors.
After achieving outstanding accomplishments early on, Howard decided to skip college and officially entered the NBA draft in 2004. Orlando Magic drafted him with the first overall pick.
5. Amar'e Stoudemire - Cypress Creek High School
Amar'e Stoudemire went to five high schools before finally graduating from Cypress Creek in Orlando, Florida.
He initially started attending Lake Wales HS in Florida but had to end his freshman season prematurely due to academic ineligibility. Seeking a fresh start, he transferred to Mount Zion Christian Academy in North Carolina.
Afterward, Amar'e returned to Florida and attended summer school at Dr. Phillips HS in Orlando. Eventually, he settled at Cypress Creek High School in Orlando, Florida, till 2002.
Stoudemire was recognized as Florida's Mr. Basketball and received the Orlando Sentinel's Florida HS Player of the Year award. Stoudemire's talent was further acknowledged when he was chosen to participate in the 2002 McDonald's All-American Game.
Phoenix Suns selected him with the 9th overall pick in the 2002 draft, the same year Yao Ming and Jay Willaims were 1st and 2nd overall picks.
6. Andrew Bynum - St. Joseph High School
Andrew Bynum is another one of those brilliant NBA players straight out of high school. Brynum played for St. Joseph High School in New Jersey.
Like Amar'e Stoudemire, the 7-footer center also attended several high schools, such as West Windsor-Plainsboro HS North and Solebury School, before finally choosing to stay at St. Joseph.
Bynum achieved great success in HS earning a spot in the 2005 McDonald's All-American Game. During his senior year, he scored impressive numbers, averaging 22.4 points, 16.8 rebounds, and 5.3 blocks per game.
Initially, Bynum planned to attend the University of Connecticut but decided to skip college altogether and join the NBA draft instead. The Los Angeles Lakers recruited him as the 10th overall pick/round one of the 2005 NBA draft.
7. Josh Smith - Oak Hill Academy
Josh Smith is the 2004 McDonald's All-American who graduated from Oak Hill Academy in Virginia.
Similar to colleges with most NBA players, like the University of Kansas and Duke University, Oak Hill Academy has the highest number of players who went on to join the NBA from high school.
During his first two years, Smith started his high school journey at John McEachern in Powder Springs, Georgia. However, he decided to change after his sophomore year and joined Oak Hill Academy in Virginia.
At Oak Hill, Smith's skills shone brightly, earning him recognition as a McDonald's All-American and a selection for the Jordan Brand Classic.
In his final year, Josh Smith made impressive contributions to his team's success, averaging 22 points, eight rebounds, four assists, six blocks, and three steals per game.
8. Tracy McGrady - Mount Zion Christian Academy
Tracy McGrady was a star high school basketball player at Mount Zion Christian Academy. McGrady won the 1997 Mr Basketball USA in his senior year.
After spending three initial years of HS at Auburndale High in Florida, excelling in basketball and baseball, Tracy then entered Mount Zion Christian Academy in Durham, North Carolina, for his final season.
McGrady played as a shooting guard for Mt. Zion and averaged 32.2 points, 10.4 rebounds, 6.5 assists, and 2.5 steals per game.
Moreover, T-Mac was recognized as the best high school player by winning the Naismith Prep Player of the Year award. He even earned the title of MVP at the McDonald's All-American Game in 1997.
Though the 6-foot-8 athlete intended to play in March Madness with the University of Kentucky, he decided to enter the 1997 NBA Draft and joined the Toronto Raptors.
9. Andray Blatche - South Kent Preparatory School
Andray Blatche honed his basketball skills during high school at South Kent Preparatory School in Connecticut.
He was one of the final batch of players who had the privilege to join the NBA franchise without attending college. After 2005, the rules of the NBA changed, and they no longer allowed high school players to be drafted directly into the league.
Deemed as one of the top recruits in the nation, Blatche earned a five-star rating from Rivals.com. He was ranked as the country's second-best power forward and the fourth overall player. With such accolades, he decided to forego college and enter the 2005 NBA draft straight out of HS.
Initially projected as a potential first-round pick, Andray experienced an unexpected drop in his draft position. However, the Washington Wizards recognized his talent and selected him as the 49th overall pick in the second round.
10. Gerald Green - Gulf Shores Academy
Gerald Green was among the final wave of high school players who made their way straight into the NBA.
Green was a standout player for the Gulf Shores Academy and was selected by the Boston Celtics as the 18th overall pick in the 2005 NBA draft.
He spent a short time at J. Frank Dobie, where he played for the junior varsity team. However, due to some academic problems, he was taken off the roster.
Gerald then switched to Gulf Shores Academy, a charter school in Houston, where he repeated his junior year and went on to play for the 2005 McDonald's All-American game.
Initially, Green made a commitment to attend Oklahoma State University. However, after graduation, he changed his mind and chose to enter the NBA draft instead.
