5 Greatest NBA players that came directly from High School
The NBA put a stop on players coming straight from High School in 2006 and made the rule such that players had to be at least a year removed from HS to be eligible. The league has had a preference for players who play at the collegiate level for at least a year as compared to those who come directly from high school. Players are more matured coming into the league after a year in college from both a basketball and mental standpoint.
That, however, changed from the mid-1990s, after which many HS players were drafted into the NBA. Understandably, many of them did not pan out, but a select few did and left their marks in NBA history. Here are the top 5:
Honorable Mention
Tracy McGrady
Career Averages: 19.6 Points, 5.6 Rebounds, 4.4 Assists
Honors: 7x All-Star, 7x All NBA selections
Ah, what might have been. T-Mac was one of the best scorers of his generation and for a stretch was second perhaps only to Kobe Bryant at Shooting Guard. McGrady could do it all on the court. He was 6'8, had ball-handling abilities, could score from anywhere and was a capable defender. He led the league in scoring twice and had one of the most memorable performances in NBA history against the Spurs in 2004. Down 76-68, McGrady would score an absurd 13 points in the final 35 seconds as the Rockets won 81-80. Injuries derailed Mcgrady for much of his career and left many wondering what might have been.