If choosing a renowned prospect in the NBA Draft is a risk, imagine what it would be like when it comes to drafting high schoolers. Not only they haven’t played against grown men or professionals, but they’re still kids.
Their bodies are still growing, they’re not mentally prepared for the NBA lifestyle, and they haven’t played in a system as much time as other guys. But there are some exceptions like LeBron James that may not need to go through all that.
Needless to say, playing college basketball does wonders for young men. If not, they can always forgo college and play in another professional league where they can mature and develop their game and be ready for the best basketball league on the planet. But still, many hoopers have become NBA players drafted out of high school.
In the following paragraphs, we’re going to let you know everything there is about these young men, as well as some FAQ you may have about the NBA Draft, eligibility rules, and going pro straight out of high school.
Can you go straight to the NBA after high school?
Not anymore. This practice was prohibited in the 2005 NBA’s Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA). Now the rules require that all players are at least 19 years old or one year removed from high school graduation before being eligible for the NBA Draft, which is why most spend at least one-year playing college basketball. This could change again in 2023-24 if approved in a new CBA.
Who was the first NBA player to be drafted out of high school?
The ‘prep-to-pro’ practice in the NBA began in 1975. That time, the Philadelphia 76ers took Darryl ‘Chocolate Thunder’ Hawkins with the fifth overall pick, becoming the first NBA high school draftee ever. Then, Bill Willoughby was taken in the second round of that same draft. 20 years went by until a high school player was taken in the Draft again.
Who was the last NBA player that came straight out of high school?
The class of 2005 saw a record nine players coming straight out of high school: Martell Webster, Andrew Bynum, Gerald Green in the first round; and C.J. Miles, Ricky Sánchez, Monta Ellis, Louis Williams, Andray Blatche, and Amir Johnson in the second. Amir Johnson was the 56th pick by the Detroit Pistons and the last player to make the league right after high school.
15. Al Harrington
Following an impressive stint at St. Patrick High School in New Jersey, the Indiana Pacers took Al Harrington with the 25th pick of the 1998 NBA Draft. Despite being just 18 years old, Harrington’s physicality helped him stand out right away, coming off the bench and playing both forward spots.
Harrington spent six years with the Pacers before bouncing around the league a little, nearly winning the Sixth Man of the Year award a couple of times thanks to his contribution on both ends of the floor.
He played for the Atlanta Hawks, Golden State Warriors, New York Knicks, Denver Nuggets, Orlando Magic, and Washington Wizards before taking his talents overseas and averaged over 13 points and 5 boards per game.
14. Shaun Livingston
Shaun Livingston shined at Richwoods High School before transferring to Peoria Central High School. He led them to back-to-back state titles and drew plenty of league-wide attention, up to the point where he was drafted fourth overall by the Los Angeles Clippers. However, he struggled to establish himself early in his career.
In just his third season with the Los Angeles Clippers, Livingston suffered one of the most gruesome injuries in NBA history, tearing his ACL, MCL, PCL, and dislocating his patella and his tibiofibular joint. He was at risk of amputation. Livingston fought his way back and had to learn to walk again.
Fortunately, the Miami Heat gave him another chance. He bounced around the league until re-establishing with the Brooklyn Nets. Then, he wound up winning 3 championships as an integral part of the Golden State Warriors dynasty. Known for his length and defense, Livingston’s story is a major inspiration.
13. J.R. Smith
Even though he was primarily focused on football and baseball, J.R. Smith was also taken in that 2004 NBA Draft. He was selected by the New Orleans Hornets with the 18th pick after a breakout year with Saint Benedict’s Preparatory High School. He was supposed to attend college and play at UNC before backpedaling and declaring for the Draft.
Smith was a bit of a trouble-maker and basketball wasn’t a priority early in his career. But he got it together when the Knicks traded him to the Cleveland Cavaliers and he had a real shot at winning an NBA championship.
His perimeter defense and three-point shooting were key to helping the Cavs win a ring in 2016 and he won another championship with the Los Angeles Lakers in 2020, although he barely played. Notably, he enrolled at college after retiring from the NBA.
12. Lou Williams
Lou Williams is one of the greatest Sixth Men in the history of the league, owning the record for the most career games coming off the bench. His basketball journey started at South Gwinnett High School, where he piled up accolades every year, including a state title.
Despite his outstanding performances in high school, it soon seemed like Williams had made a mistake when he decided to skip college. He had an unimpressive workout and the Philadelphia 76ers took him in the second round, so he had to fight his way into a big role throughout his career.
Williams spent some time in the G-League before being traded to the Hawks. He eventually broke out with the Toronto Raptors before playing for the Lakers and Clippers, where he’d had the best years of his career.
11. Monta Ellis
Monta Ellis was one of the most spectacular high school players in the nation, averaging nearly 40 points per game for Lanier High School. He committed to Mississippi State before deciding to skip college and being taken 40th overall by the Warriors in 2005.
Following an unimpressive rookie season, Ellis became one of the league’s most explosive scorers, becoming the face of the franchise in the pre-Stephen Curry era. Eventually, he didn’t want to coexist with Curry and was traded to the Milwaukee Bucks, which was the beginning of the end for him.
Ellis bounced around and played for the Dallas Mavericks and Indiana Pacers and failed to get a contract beyond the 2017 season. He retired with averages of 17.8 points and 4.6 assists per game.
10. Tyson Chandler
Tyson Chandler went second overall to the Chicago Bulls in 2002, just one pick after Kwame Brown. He was a superstar at Dominguez High School in Compton, California, and looked poised to become one of the most dominant big men the NBA had ever seen.
However, he never broke out with the Chicago Bulls in five years with the organization. He established himself as a defensive force next to Chris Paul with the New Orleans Hornets and later helped the Dallas Mavericks win an NBA championship.
Chandler was named Defensive Player of the Year in 2012 while playing for the New York Knicks in what would be his last productive stop in the league. He went back to Dallas and later had brief tenures with the Phoenix Suns, Lakers, and Rockets.
9. Andrew Bynum
Andrew Bynum is one of the most talented basketball players of all time, yet injuries and character issues prevented him from reaching his ceiling. He went 10th overall in 2005 out of St. Joseph High School after averaging a double-double with 6.0 blocks per game.
Bynum’s elite footwork granted him the chance to become the youngest player ever taken in the NBA Draft. He didn’t get much playing time at first but slowly grew to become a dominant two-way force and a key piece in the Los Angeles Lakers’ titles in 2009 and 2010.
He was eventually traded to land Dwight Howard and had brief stints with the Cavaliers and Pacers before being forced to retire early. He was selected to one All-Star game and averaged 11.5 points 7.5 rebounds, and 1.6 blocks per his NBA career.
8. Rashard Lewis
Rashard Lewis had no shortage of college options but he rathered go pro after dominating at Alief Elsik High School. The Seattle Supersonics took him in the second round in 1995, and he was the last player from that Draft still in the infamous ‘Green Room’.
Lewis broke out as a scorer in Seattle at both the small forward and power forward positions. He was a physical specimen who could dominate in the paint and pile up steals at a high rate, which is why the Orlando Magic lured him with a massive $118 million contract.
He later played for the Washington Wizards and Miami Heat, and made it to two All-Star Games and three NBA Finals, winning the ring in 2013. Throughout his career, he averaged 14.9 points, 5.2 boards, and 1.1 steals per contest.
7. Jermaine O’Neal
History wasn’t fair to Jermaine O’Neal after his implication in the infamous ‘Malice in the Palace’ incident and brawl with the Detroit Pistons, but he was a driving force on both ends of the floor when he was in his prime, and his athletic traits were evident since his days at Eau Claire High School of the Arts as both a guard and a quarterback.
He was the 17th pick in 1996 and was the youngest player to make his NBA debut by the time he joined the Portland Trail Blazers. Unfortunately, he didn’t find enough opportunities in RIP City and was eventually traded to the Pacers, where he broke out and became an All-Star and MVP candidate.
O’Neal spent eight seasons in Indiana before playing for the Raptors, Heat, Boston Celtics, Suns, and Warriors in the latter stage of his career. He was the league’s Most Improved Player in 2002, a six-time All-Star, and a two-time member of an All-NBA team.
6. Amar’e Stoudemire
Amar’e Stoudemire was the only high school player taken in his class. He had a tough childhood and didn’t even play organized hoops until he was 14. His family moved around constantly due to his mother’s problems with the law, so he played for Lake Wales High School, Mount Zion Christian Academy, Dr. Phillips High School, West Orange High School, and Cypress Creek High School, playing a grand total of two seasons.
Even so, the Phoenix Suns still took him ninth overall and he made an immediate impact, winning Rookie of the Year and looking like a man among children with his physicality and athleticism.
He spent the best part of his career in Phoenix and was the leading scorer in one of the most entertaining offenses ever. He later played for the Knicks, Mavs, and Heat, making it to six All-Star games, and five All-NBA teams.
5. Tracy McGrady
Tracy McGrady was a rather unknown prospect at Auburndale High School, so he transferred to Mount Zion Christian Academy to get some more recognition. He dominated at an Adidas camp and was eventually taken 9th overall by the Toronto Raptors.
coming out of high school, McGrady struggled with loneliness early in his career but eventually broke out in his third season. He was later traded to the Orlando Magic and became the most explosive scorer in the league, leading the NBA in points in back-to-back seasons.
Later, he’d create an entertaining duo with Yao Ming in the Houston Rockets before bouncing around the league towards the sunset of his career. Unfortunately, Tracy McGrady was never a champion and his career was often marked by a lack of playoff success and multiple injuries, but he’s still considered one of the most unstoppable scorers and talented basketball players of all time.
4. Dwight Howard
Even though he doesn’t get that much praise nowadays, Dwight Howard is one of the best basketball players of his generation, maybe even all time. He was supposed to be the second coming of Shaquille O’Neal, so it wasn’t a surprise to see the Orlando Magic taking him first overall straight out of Southwest Atlanta Christian Academy.
Despite entering the NBA straight from high school, Howard made an immediate impact and became one of the league’s most prominent rebounders and defenders. His NBA game was ready from day one and led the Magic to the Finals in just his fifth season in the league. Howard outgrew the Magic and was traded to the Lakers with little success. He later played for the Rockets, Hawks, Charlotte Hornets, Wizards, and Sixers.
He redeemed himself by helping the Lakers win the title in his second stint in 2020. Also, he’s an eight-time All-Star, five-time rebounding champion, three-time Defensive Player of the Year, and two-time block leader, among many more accolades. Not too shabby for a high school kid.
3. Kevin Garnett
Kevin Garnett was the first high school player taken in the draft in 20 years. The Minnesota Timberwolves took him fifth overall after an incredible stint at Farragut Career Academy and put that rising franchise on the map for the first time.
With Kevin Garnett at the helm, the Minnesota Timberwolves made it to eight straight playoffs and even reached the Western Conference Finals. However, they failed to surround him with enough talent, and he was eventually traded to the Boston Celtics, where he’d finally win a ring. He later played for the Brooklyn Nets before heading back to Minnesota to retire.
Throughout his career, Kevin Garnett was named MVP, Defensive Player of the Year, led the league in rebounds four times, was a fifteen-time All-Star, All-Star MVP, nine-times All-NBA, twelve-times All-Defensive, and won one ring.
2. LeBron James
LeBron James was the most overhyped high school player in professional sports history. He was a worldwide sensation at St. Vincent–St. Mary High School, up to the point that their game against Carmelo Anthony’s Oak Hill Academy was actually nationally televised on ESPN2, and some of their games were offered via pay-per-view. Yeah, we’re talking about high school kids.
LeBron James was taken first overall by the Cleveland Cavalier in 2003 and the rest is history. He became the best player in franchise history and one of the greatest players of all time, leading not one, not two, but three franchises to NBA championships (Cavaliers, Heat, and Lakers).
Throughout his career, LeBron James has won four MVPs, four rings, four Finals MVPs, one Scoring Title, one Assists Title, was named Rookie of the Year, is an 18-time All-Star, three-time All-Star MVP, six-time All-Defensive, 18-time All-NBA, and will retire as the NBA’s all-time leading scorer. The high school kid delivered.
1. Kobe Bryant
And last but not least, we have to talk about the legend out of Lower Merion High School in Philadelphia: Kobe Bryant. After spending his childhood overseas because of his professional hooper dad, Kobe Bryant was taken 13th overall in 1995 by the Charlotte Hornets and then immediately traded to the Los Angeles Lakers.
It took him a while but once Kobe settled in the starting lineup, he became a vocal leader and one of the most explosive, electric players to ever lace them up. Next to Shaquille O’Neal, he led the franchise to three straight championships, winning a couple more after Shaq left the premises.
Kobe Bryant spent his entire career with the Lakers and became the greatest player in the history of the organization. He won five rings, two Finals MVPs, one Most Valuable Player award, two Scoring Titles, was an 18-time All-Star, four-time All-Star MVP, 12-time All-Defensive, 15-time All-NBA, and one of the most influential basketball players in pro sports history. All that straight out of high school.
