Best Basketball Player ever in Arkansas High School?

[Pike1347]

Corliss how could i foreget about him. And my point guard at Jacksonville Deshawn Ford he went to play at SIU.

Oh, and I must mention I remember Deshawn dribbling two tennis balls faster and better then I have ever seen someone dribble one basketball.

[SWAhog]

Anyone old enough to remember Pat Foster from Emerson?

[CallMeAl]

Fuller and Brewer Sr. had the most pure basketball talent. Delph was the best shooter. Sidney made the most with a lot of talent. Joe Johnson would rank with these guys. Michael Cage is the best blue collar Arkansan to play the game.

[BumpieJohnson]

What years did you go to J'ville?  I was one year ahead of Deshawn.

U was a Senior when I was a Sophomore. I came out in 96.

[BrooklynRoss]

It's got to be either Keith Lee or Michael Cage, or maybe Corliss.

He did receive compensation. Met Keith a few times, he barely spoke English. Sad

Oh, and about Keith Lee, he speaks English now: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1121642/index.htm

[thirtythree]

Willie Cutts - Bryant

It's too bad his personal life got in the way.

[jbcarol]

One guy who is often overlooked is Brooks Robinson from Little Rock High.

[Tripod1]

Corliss Williamson

rated the #1 player in the country
I am certain Jason Kidd was rated ahead of Corliss. Kidd's team (from the Bay Area in Cali) won the King Cotton tournament that year and beat Corliss, too.

Wrong.  I officiated that game and Russellville beat Kidd's team.  Kidd attempted a last second shot and Corliss put it up in the stands to finish the game.  Both were juniors and I do believe Kidd was rated ahead of Corliss as far as individual awards go but Russellville won the game.

[Seminole Indian]

No contest...Keith Lee.  Lee and Michael Cage played on teams that were back to back state champs and won 60 straight games in the state's largest classification.  They were both rebounding machines.  I think that Lee still holds the state record with 33 in one game.  There was a book written about that team but I can't think of the Title.

No one even close too him. Wish his knees had held up.

[jlmnjem]

Gus Malzahn was pretty darn good. 

I love Gus, but no he wasn't. Average at best.

[jlmnjem]

I'm almost certain Scott Hastings started as a freshman for Eddie, on the 1979 team that lost to Larry Bird in the Elite Eight

IIRC, Scott was from Kansas.

[jlmnjem]

Lawson Pilgrim was pretty good.  And the point guard they had a Conway.  Think it was Austin Sullivan.  He was flat out awesome.  One of the best point guards ever in high school IMO.

They were the best team my high school senior year. 

They both ended up at Hendrix...not exactly a powerhouse. Good players, but not even Top 10 on this list.

[jlmnjem]

It is surprising that Willie Cutts' name is coming up on this thread so often. Never saw him play in high school, but didn't know he made that type of impact.

Cutts once shot a jumper from the corner from a dead run down the sideline, his momentum carrying him through the gym doors into lobby, and emerged from the doors on the other sideline with his hands in the air, knowing he made the shot, but not seeing it because he was in the lobby when it went in.

[jlmnjem]

Keith Lee
Corliss
Keith Wilson maybe not great but alot of fun to watch play.  He had a great dunk on our team in the 80's. 

Keith Wilson would shoot you in, or out, of a game. Very dynamic, but very streaky.

[1994]

Bennie Fuller

[jbcarol]

Keith Carter, Perryville

[edemire]

Did anyone here see Eddie Miles play in the 1950s? Based on this article,  he certainly sounds awesome.

http://www.seattlepi.com/cbasketball/253648_where28.html

Miles grew up in North Little Rock, Ark., mesmerizing everyone with his advanced basketball ability, worshiping Elgin Baylor. In four varsity seasons at all-black Scipio A. Jones High, he averaged 18, 25, 30 and 32 points per game. He led the Dragons to four state titles and a runner-up finish in the now-defunct black high school national tournament.

He was drafted 4th in the 1963 Draft. That may be the highest ever for an Arkansas native in the NBA Draft.

[jbcarol]

They sure didn't have the green room, caps, and Stern back then.

Clem Haskins related that he was working in the fields on his dad's farm when he got a call to come to the house. It was the Bulls letting him know that he was what would be called in today's terms "a lottery pick".

[jseinfeld48]

Did anyone here see Eddie Miles play in the 1950s? Based on this article,  he certainly sounds awesome.

http://www.seattlepi.com/cbasketball/253648_where28.html

Miles grew up in North Little Rock, Ark., mesmerizing everyone with his advanced basketball ability, worshiping Elgin Baylor. In four varsity seasons at all-black Scipio A. Jones High, he averaged 18, 25, 30 and 32 points per game. He led the Dragons to four state titles and a runner-up finish in the now-defunct black high school national tournament.

He was drafted 4th in the 1963 Draft. That may be the highest ever for an Arkansas native in the NBA Draft.

I saw the AR newspaper article on him a few years ago. Great player who gets very little recognition. 9 yrs in the NBA and an All-Star also.

I went to the former Scipio A. Jones in NLR as a 7th grader in the early 70's and I can recall the numerous trophy cases and trophies. 

[I.I.]

Have to list J.P. Lovelady from Dover and Ken Saylors from Pyatt as the best of the 50's.

[mhuff]

Sidney

[razorbak]

I'm surprised nobody mentioned Marvin Delph. I wouldn't rate him #1, but he was definitely better than some of those I saw listed in this thread. He was definitely the best outside shooter I ever saw at the college level. If he had played under the 3 point rule and time clock, He would've averaged around 30ppg instead of around 20.

I'd have to put Corliss at #1, with Sidney, Lee, Brewer and Dexter Reed. For pure outside shooting in High School, I might list Alan Pruitt.

I did see one vote for my cousin, Fred Grim. He helped put Arkansas on the map around 1959 or so. Great Hog point guard.

[PeytonManningSUCKS]

Corliss Williamson.

Though we beat him at SHS in 1992. Game was televised and violated about 15 fire codes due to crowd size.

I was there, then you guys got lost to LR Parkview (feat. 5 time NBA champion Derek Fisher), right?  That was a killer state tourney.  Place was packed, I remember me and Curry listening to Blood, Sugar, Sex, Magic and Dark Side of the Moon on the drive over.  Both new albums as far as we were concerned, haha, to be young again...

That was a huge win against Russellville and kind of disappointing for everyone but us Southsiders, everyone else came to root on local hero Corliss...  We got to do that for his whole college career, so no big deal.

[HoneyNuttPetrinoos]

Only one player from the state of Arkansas has been MVP of an AAU National tourney and that's Ky Madden.. 

[Inhogswetrust]

if my memory is still good, he was from Cave City.

That is correct. Rickey Medlock was from Cave City. He played for both Van Eman and Sutton. (If Van Eman would have ever believed in defense his coaching career at UA would have been much longer!) In 1994 he led the nation in free-throw shooting percentage at 91.6%. He would have done it 2 years in a row but didn't meet the minimum # of shots the second year to be eligible if I remember right. He is now a doctor in Little Rock. Nice guy. I dated his cousin in high school.

[Inhogswetrust]

Anyone old enough to remember Pat Foster from Emerson?

My dad remembers him as a player. I remember him as one Suttons assistant coaches while I was at  UA Fayetteville.

[Inhogswetrust]

No one even close too him. Wish his knees had held up.

Wrong. In the long run Cage was a more complete player.

[Inhogswetrust]

IIRC, Scott was from Kansas.

That is correct. Hastings was from Kansas. He caught a lot of verbal abuse from Kansas State fans when the hogs played KSU in the old Reunion Arena in the NCAA tourney and lost. He is still in Denver.

[Inhogswetrust]

what made Ron Brewer stand out, was that great hang time and turn around jump shot from any where on the court, and he was deadly with it.

That's right. He used it to beat Digger Phelps and Notre Dame in the consolation game of the final four. Then Joe Kleine broke Diggers' heart by transfering to Arkansas not too many years later!

[Inhogswetrust]

What is truly amazing is how many players were not well known in high school but went on to fame in college and/or the pros. Three basketball names come to my mind: Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen and Derek Fisher. Then there are others that are "can't" miss blue chips that never amount to anything and don't even make the pros! I think it goes to show you that recruiting is not an exact science. There are a lot of intangible variables involved.

[Pork Twain]

ever

[hawkhawg]

What is truly amazing is how many players were not well known in high school but went on to fame in college and/or the pros. Three basketball names come to my mind: Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen and Derek Fisher. Then there are others that are "can't" miss blue chips that never amount to anything and don't even make the pros! I think it goes to show you that recruiting is not an exact science. There are a lot of intangible variables involved.

That is true for Pippin and Fisher, But MJ was a McDonald's All-American.  He averaged a triple-double his senior year of High School: 29.2 points, 10.1 assists, and 11.6 rebounds.  And got a Scholarship to North Carolina.

[Pork Twain]

What is truly amazing is how many players were not well known in high school but went on to fame in college and/or the pros. Three basketball names come to my mind: Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen and Derek Fisher. Then there are others that are "can't" miss blue chips that never amount to anything and don't even make the pros! I think it goes to show you that recruiting is not an exact science. There are a lot of intangible variables involved.

Based on the fact there are 13 scholarship players per team and over 300 teams, it is really not that surprising that so many get unnoticed by these amazing talent evaluators employed by ESPN, Scout and Rivals.

On great unknown basketball players, you scored a 66.6% and failed.  I am sorry but you are going to need to take this one again.  Michael Jordan was about as unnoticed as any recruit at UNC.

[jseinfeld48]

     I am going to throw out some old school names that need to be mentioned, and I am sure that that they have some where on this thread:

     Jackie Ridge -- Altheirmer
     Almer Lee -- Fort Smith Northside
     Lawson Pilgrim -- Conway
     Major Jones -- Desha Central
     Caldwell Jones -- Desha Central
     Bennie Fuller -- Arkansas School for the Deaf
     Dexter Reed -- Little Rock Parkview (?)

good list. Jackie Ridgle. I saw the above except for Almer Lee and Bennie Fuller both of whom people spoke highly of athletic ability.

[bvillepig]

James Copeland

Chip Lane


Timothy McMinn

Tommy Wagner

I am an old Manila boy but there were much better than them at Manila.  Wayne was much better than son

[tahlahog]

may not have been the best ever but was the best I ever saw personally- Danny Reed.

[Danny J]

Corliss Williamson.

Though we beat him at SHS in 1992. Game was televised and violated about 15 fire codes due to crowd size.

Yes we did. I was at that game.

[fantom]

Corliss

[cubsfan5150]

Based on the fact there are 13 scholarship players per team and over 300 teams, it is really not that surprising that so many get unnoticed by these amazing talent evaluators employed by ESPN, Scout and Rivals.

On great unknown basketball players, you scored a 66.6% and failed.  I am sorry but you are going to need to take this one again.  Michael Jordan was about as unnoticed as any recruit at UNC.

Not sure what you're talking about here... MJ was a McD's All-American and averaged a triple double his senior year of HS.  He was far from un-noticed.

[RedSatinHog]

The best one I ever personally saw play was Mark Pace from Oak Grove in the early 80's.

The best one ever to play in Arkansas?  Hard to say, but I don't think there was ever a more complete player than Sidney Moncrief.  He could play any position you put him on the floor, right up thru his pro career.  One of his more memorable dunks was the one he threw down against that 7'5" guy from the Soviet National team.

[jbcarol]

Sumvitch?

[RazorTexan]

Caldwell and Major Jones were great players and huge in their time.  But I remember a guy from a little town called Pyatt Arkansas that took them apart and beat them almost single handed.  His name is Joel Tabor. He played for Arkansas. One of the greatest players in Arkansas HS history.

Bennie Fuller was the best I saw play in person. He did shoot from way out but most of his points were scored from foul line.

[PeytonManningSUCKS]

Pippin was a 6'1" walk-on/team manager at UCA his freshman year, he was 6'8" and scoring 24 points a game his senior year... That's why he was unnoticed out of highschool.

[husker71]

This talk about about MJ is completely wrong.  I collect old basketball magazines probably have several hundred and went back and looked and he was 1st team High School All American in 2 of the 4 I have for that year and 2nd team in another and 3rd in the other. 1st team was MJ, Patrick Ewing, Greg Dreiling, Ennis Whatley and Dwayne Polee . In the other he was 2nd team to Sam Vincent and Chris Mullin.  One article said Dean Smith said he was physically one of the most gifted recruits he had ever recruited.

[jlmnjem]

The best one I ever personally saw play was Mark Pace from Oak Grove in the early 80's.

The best one ever to play in Arkansas?  Hard to say, but I don't think there was ever a more complete player than Sidney Moncrief.  He could play any position you put him on the floor, right up thru his pro career.  One of his more memorable dunks was the one he threw down against that 7'5" guy from the Soviet National team.

I played against Mark when he was at College of the Ozarks. Mark was 6'6 and had a 9'0 reach. Comparatively, I am 6'5 and have an 8'3 reach. That dude had some long arms.

[Dominicanhog]

Dexter Reed

[Hogz87]

This talk about about MJ is completely wrong.  I collect old basketball magazines probably have several hundred and went back and looked and he was 1st team High School All American in 2 of the 4 I have for that year and 2nd team in another and 3rd in the other. 1st team was MJ, Patrick Ewing, Greg Dreiling, Ennis Whatley and Dwayne Polee . In the other he was 2nd team to Sam Vincent and Chris Mullin.  One article said Dean Smith said he was physically one of the most gifted recruits he had ever recruited.

This.  I read Roy Williams' book, and Williams was a GA or assistant or something at the time UNC was recruiting Jordan.  He said something to the effect that MJ had the potential to be a great player, and he wasn't just some "diamond in the rough" type recruit.  If you're getting recruited by Dean Smith and UNC during that era, then you're a very, very good high school player. 

[jabber71]

Big Nasty is my vote

[goporkyourself]

Petterson from Oak Grove and went to osu

he scored 30 me. of course he's about 6 inches taller than me and all he did was shoot 3's. a-hole.

also, David Dean from Searcy. too bad he decided to be a thug.

[Farrestor]

Kevin Johnson From Fordyce who plays DL for the Vikings Was UNBELIVABLE in basketball he just didn't really care as much as he did in football. Nobody could of stopped him in Hs on this list