Top 11 Best High School Basketball Players Of All Time

In sport, there are many meritocracy rules, and basketball is no exception. The recent decades have witnessed the blooming of many talented high school basketball players, who all have one goal: to make the NBA, being on CBS sports aside.

While there is no specific formula to evaluate a player’s skill and ability, impact on that sport, statistics, or the number of wins all come into play.

Comparing players from different eras is always difficult, yet some sportsmen stand out from the crowd with their on-point performances over many matches.

Scott Fujita will give you details on the 11 best high school basketball players that have dominated this playground in a while. Ready to check it out?

Best High School Basketball Players Ever

The top 11 best high school basket players ever include renowned NBA greats from Vincent st to Las Vegas, who are surprisingly young and talented:

• Jason Kidd
• Patrick McMahon.
• Nick Smith.
• J.D. Davison.
• Nate Santos.
• Sage Tolentino.
• Michael Foster.
• Nnanna Njoku.
• Tucker DeVries.
• Moussa Diabate.
• Jalen Washington.

View more:

• Best NBA players of all time
• Best 3 point shooters in NBA

#1. Jason Kidd – Point Guard and Shooting Guard

Jason Kidd

• High school: St. Joseph Notre Dame, Alameda, California.
• Graduation year: 1992.
• Height/weight: 6 feet 4/210 pounds.

Jason Kidd is one of the best high school basketball players of all time that even your father might also be his fan. His excellent basketball IQ, undeniable instincts, and unselfishness directly contribute to team success.

As California’s legendary assist leader, Jason Kidd gained the prize “Naismith Player of the Year” once and “California’s Player of the Year” twice. MaxPreps’s Mitch Stephens considered this human high school talent show the best high school player he ever covered.

Currently, he is the country’s all-time leader in all steals, ranking no.5 in general in assists.

Related: Big 12 mens basketball standings

#2. Patrick McMahon – Small Forward

• High school: Colony High, Palmer, Alaska.
• Graduation year: 2022.
• Height/weight: 6 feet 6/190 pounds.

Patrick Mcmahon will among the best high school basketball players 2022. Soon, it’s not difficult to witness this talent play as a Division I star in the Big Sky Conference.

With a stand-out height among college players in tiny Alaska, Patrick Mcmahon is now devoting his time and energy to the state of Montana. He is potentially the best sleeper recruit originating from this basketball-crazy state of all time.

The advantageous height gives him a chance to play above the rim on the wing and shoot from outside.

Nothing is for sure now. Patrick is not yet sure to belong to Montana State. Before signing day, other schools might come in and steal him away.

#3. Nick Smith – Shooting Guard

• High school: Sylvan Hills High, Sherwood Arkansas.
• Graduation year: 2022.
• Height/weight: 6 feet 4/170 pounds.

There’s still one year out from the moment we can see Nick Smith step on a high school basketball court. However, his performances in the school team have already proved his potential. He is an all-rounder guard with desirable size. 

Nick Smith and Derrian Ford are two names that have seized the national headlines. Many basketball fans are expecting to see their top-notch game in 2020.

#4. J.D. Davison – Point Guard

J.D. Davison

• High school: The Calhoun School, Alabama.
• Graduation year: 2022.
• Height/weight: 6 feet/3, 175 pounds.

This talent ranks no.2 at the point guard position, being the most wanted national player in 2022. He won the Class 2A Alabama state championship game in 2020 by hitting a 3-pointer at the buzzer.

As a prominent junior, J.D. Davison’s stat record was superior: 6.0 steals, 12.0 rebounds, 33.4 points, 4.0 blocks, and 5.0 assists.

Davison has successfully built a solid reputation for being a skilled national player with pros prospects and the ability to play above the rim no matter who he is facing.

#5. Nate Santos – Small Forward

• High school: The Loomis Chaffee School, Windsor, Connecticut.
• Graduation year: 2022.
• Height/weight: 6 feet 7/205 pounds.

Santo’s game appeals to audiences with unique characters. It feels like high-grade colleges are taking note of a 6-foot-7 wing, who averaged 6.0 rebounds and 17.1 points per match.

What can Santos master? He is capable of scoring in bunches.

Who would think a big-sized and strong high school basketball player like him can show off such perfect guard skills? This man is a formidable participant to score at the mid-range, rim, and beyond the arc.

Santos’s elder brother, K.J., is also a basketball player for the Missouri team. So, he originates from a sports family. That’s why he understands the ropes.

#6. Sage Tolentino – Center

Sage Tolentino

• High school: Maryknoll High, Honolulu, Hawaii.
• Graduation year: 2022.
• Height/weight: 7 feet 1/190 pounds.

Except for Maryknoll High, you can’t find a real human talent show with a height of 7 feet 1 and elite prospects such as Sage Tolentino anywhere else.

He averaged 10.0 rebounds and 10.0 points as a junior in the period of 2019-2020, leading that high school team to reach its second straight Division I state championship game and state title.

Top-level basketball players with fantastic prospects in Hawaii are not as plentiful as other states, so the process of discovering Tolentino is slow. Yet, the remaining part of the nation has begun to keep pace with.

#7. Michael Foster – Power Forward

• High school: Hillcrest Prep, Phoenix, Arizona.
• Graduation year: 2022.
• Height/weight: 6 feet 9/220 pounds.

Michael Foster has been projected as a first-round NBA draft pick with the athleticism to play the two forward positions and desirable size potentially.

One of the competitive opponents of Foster for the state title ‘best player’ is Darron Holmes – the boy leaving the state of Arizona and transferring to Montverde Academy in Florida.

Ironically, Foster left Milwaukee, Wisconsin (his hometown) to be part of Hillcrest Prep, from where the 2019 No. 1 NBA draft pick DeAndre Ayton – another big man – came out.

#8. Nnanna Njoku – Center

Nnanna Njoku.

• High school: Sanford School, Hockessin, Delaware.
• Graduation year: 2022.
• Height/weight: 6 feet 10/245 pounds.

The Wildcats have been ready to steal the college-ready competent Nnanna Njoku, who can pose an impact instantly and already possesses a desirable size of 250 pounds and 6 feet 10. It feels like he can bang with any opponent he faces in the game.

A downside to employing Njoku is that he is not really athletic. However, he’s an outstanding rebounder averaging 9.0 rebounds and 16.0 points while shooting 73 percent from the field as a junior.

All of this is just enough to prove that he’s fine athletically.

#9. Tucker DeVries – Shooting Guard

• High school: Waukee Senior High, Waukee, Iowa.
• Graduation year: 2022.
• Height/weight: 6 feet 6/200 pounds.

In an outbreaking junior year, Tucker DeVries rocked the competition. He averaged 4.7 assists, 7.8 rebounds, 21.4 points, and shot a superb 48.1 percent from beyond the arc of three points, contributing to the state title runner-up.

The ability to shoot guard seems to come from inside DeVries naturally. With a height of 6 feet 6, he is a difficult problem at the next level.

After one more year working on his own game, Devries decided to play for the Drake team, whose head coach is his Dad. Iowa State, Florida, Air Force, Oregon, and South Dakota State also offered him generous scholarships.

#10. Moussa Diabate – Power Forward

Moussa Diabate.

• High school: IMG Academy, Bradenton, Florida.
• Graduation year: 2022.
• Height/weight: 6 feet 10/215 pounds.

Walking on the same path as the fellow Frenchman Rudy Gobert, many audiences deem the giant boy Moussa Diabate a surefire lotto pick. He achieved the prize “NBA Defensive Player of the Year” two times in a row and is one of the remarkable products of the NBA’s Basketball Without Borders program.

Diabate is a stand-out high school basketball player on the defensive end due to his rebounding prowess and shot-blocking ability. However, if he continues to develop a mid-range strategy, it may not be easy to see another leap in his game zone.

#11. Jalen Washington – Power Forward

• High school: West Side High, Gary, Indiana.
• Graduation year: 2022.
• Height/weight: 6 feet 8/200 pounds.

If you frequently pay attention to CBS Broadcasting inc, you must have heard of the name Jalen Washington at least once.

Basketball enthusiasts are still waiting for Jale Washington to be healthy enough to compete after the two severe injuries in the last couple of years. These injuries caused him to miss many sophomore seasons.

Washington is the apparent answer to why high school reasons have become so marginalized. He is a top-level recruit and prospective NBA lottery pick.

The Bottom Line

High school basketball seasons always attract the awareness and curiosity of fanatics from all over the globe with young, elite players. What can be more thrilling than a sports game among the best competitors?

As a severe basketball enthusiast, you expect to enjoy top-notch gameplay and see your go-to player perform at the highest potential.

Follow and support the best high school basketball players mentioned above.

Thank you for reading!