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Carmelo Anthony, Kevin Durant, and 3 other NBA stars who played high school basketball at the Oak Hill Academy
A mention of a high school that has produced arguably the most extraordinary basketball talents, and some fans would answer - Oak Hill Academy.
Since the 1980s, Oak Hill has developed a reputation for nurturing and producing talents who would be college basketball standouts, NBA legends, and icons of the sport.
The Virginia-based school’s basketball program is among the best in America. In 2017, USA Today ranked it the third-best basketball program of the decade.
Like many of its counterparts, Oak Hill has a track record of producing some of the finest basketball program graduates who have made careers in the NBA.
Oak Hill Academy graduates who made it big in the NBA
5- Stephen Jackson
Stephen Jackson transferred to Oak from Lincoln High School, playing for the school between 1995-1996.
Speaking in a 2005 interview with ESPN, Jackson revealed the move to Oak saved him from choosing a life of crime after watching his brother beaten to death when the former was around 15.
Jackson - who was inducted into the Oak Hill Academy Hall of Fame as a Class of 1996 graduate in March, had a successful time at Oak. He was the leading scorer for the East team in the 1996 McDonald’s All-American Boys Game with 21 points, a game where late NBA great Kobe Bryant also featured.
After being drafted by the Phoenix Suns in 1997, Stephen Jackson played for the Spurs, Indiana Pacers, and others during his 14-season NBA career (2000-2014).
4. Caleb Martin
Caleb Martin plays for the Philadelphia 76ers and is an Oak Hill alum who played a single season at the school.
During his time at the school, Martin helped Oak Hill to a second-place finish at the 2015 Dick’s Sporting Goods High School National Tournament and also won the school’s 3-point shooting contest the same season.
During his sole prep season with Oak Hill, Martin was a four-star recruit ranked No. 62 nationally on the ESPN 100 list.
After going undrafted in the 2019 NBA draft, Caleb Martin signed for the Charlotte Hornets and has since represented the Hornets (2019-21), Miami Heat (2021-24) and 76ers (2024- present).
Like Stephen Jackson, Caleb and his twin brother Cody were inducted into Oak Hill’s Hall of Fame this year as Class of 2014 graduates.
3. Cam Thomas
No one has ever left a legacy at Oak Hill as Brooklyn Nets shooting guard and small forward Cam Thomas.
Born in Japan, Thomas transferred to Oak Hill from Virginia and went on to etch his name in the school history.
Cam Thomas remains the school’s all-time leading scorer with 2,219 points. He averaged 31.5 points per game during his time there, including nine 30-point and two 40-point games.
Additionally, the guard led the 2019 NIKE EYBL circuit in points, averaging 29.5 points and won the Offensive Player of the Year award.
His overall performance at the school led to Hall of Fame coach Steve Smith calling Thomas one of the best players to ever play for Oak.
After leaving Oak Hill and a collegiate spell at LSU, Cam Thomas was selected by the Brooklyn Nets as the 27th overall pick in the first round of the 2021 NBA Draft.
2. Carmelo Anthony
Carmelo Anthony remains one of the greatest basketball players to play high school basketball at Oak Hill Academy.
The retired NBA star, selected by the Denver Nuggets as the third overall pick in 2003, played one season at Oak Hill during which he faced LeBron James.
In the 2002 game between Oak Hill and James’s St. Vincent-St. Mary High School, both players showed what they would become, with Melo scoring 34 points and grabbing 14 rebounds.
Carmelo Anthony averaged 21.7 points and 8.1 rebounds per game while at Oak Hill, helping them to a 32-1 finish in his senior year.
The 40-year-old went on to make a name for himself in the NBA and was named one of the top 75 players in NBA history.
Melo was inducted into Oak Hill’s inaugural class of Hall of Famers as a Class of 2002 graduate.
1. Kevin Durant
Kevin Durant’s time at Oak Hill might have been short, but he made his mark.
As a junior at Oak Hill, Durant averaged 19.6 points and 8.5 rebounds per game. He shot 65% from the field and 42% from three as a junior.
The Phoenix Suns’s power forward helped the team to a 32-1 record and number one ranking on USA Today.
Speaking to ESPN about his time at the school, Durant revealed that Oak Hill gave him exposure and helped his game because they had the best coaches and players.
His time at the school indeed helped him become an all-time great. Durant has since had a successful career in the NBA, winning two championships with the Golden State Warriors.
Kevin Durant was also inducted into the 2024 Oak Hill Hall of Fame ceremony as a 2005 graduate.
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