Top 5 NBA players who played high school basketball in Georgia, ft. Dwight Howard

By Pranav Khatri

Modified Oct 10, 2024 22:14 GMT

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Georgia has been a hotbed of high school basketball talent. From No. 1 NBA draft picks to Olympic Gold medals, Georgia athletes have displayed terrific hustle, determination and passion. Here's a look at some of the best high school basketball talents who have played in the NBA.

Top 5 NBA players who played high school basketball in Georgia, ft. Dwight Howard

#5 Derrick Favors

Playing South Atlanta High School, Favors played for four NBA teams: the New Jersey Nets, Utah Jazz, New Orleans Pelicans and OKC Thunder.

In a championship game against Westover High School, Favors scored 38 points and 21 rebounds. He was rated as the No. 1 recruit by Scout.com, No. 2 by ESPNU100 and No. 4 by Rivals.

Selected as the third pick in the 2010 NBA draft, Favors played 790 NBA games, averaging 10.6 points, 7.1 rebounds and 1.1 assists while shooting 53.4% from the field and 66.3% from the charity stripe.

#4, Colin Sexton

Nicknamed the "Young Bull," Colin Sexton played for Powder Springs before transferring to Pebblebrook High School in Mableton. He averaged 23.0 ppg, 7.4 rpg and 2.9 apg to lead the Falcons to a 2016 Region 3-6A title and Class 6A state championship game.

The 2018-19 All-Rookie selection played for the Cleveland Cavaliers from 2019-2022 and currently plays for the Utah Jazz. Through 344 games, Sexton averaged 18.9 ppg and dished out 3.6 apg while shooting 46.9% from the field and 38.3% from the 3-point line.

#3, Lou Williams

Playing for South Gwinnett in Snellville, the Naismith Prep Player of the Year and McDonald's All-American was a five-star recruit ranked No. 3 overall and No. 1 at shooting guard.

In the NBA, Williams was named the Sixth Man of the Year award three times (2015, 2018 and 2019). Williams played 1,123 games for the 76ers, Hawks, Raptors, Lakers, Rockets and Clippers, averaging 13.9 ppg, 2.2 rpg and 3.4 apg while shooting 41.9%, including 35.3% from beyond the arc.

#2 Anthony Edwards

The first pick in the 2020 NBA draft by the Timberwolves, Anthony Edwards began his high school career at Therrell High School in Atlanta, but then transferred to Holy Spirit Preparatory School in Atlanta.

Edwards averaged 29.0 ppg and 9.0 rpg and was a USA Today All-USA first-team selection. He was ranked the No. 1 recruit by 247Sports, No. 3 by Rivals, and No. 4 by ESPN.

The 2024 Olympic gold medalist has played 302 games for the Minnesota Timberwolves, averaging 22.9 ppg, 5.2 rpg and 4.1 apg while shooting 44.6%.

#1, Dwight Howard

Another No. 1 pick (in 2004), Dwight Howard went to the NBA straight after school. Playing for the Southwest Atlanta Christian Academy, Superman was selected by the Orlando Magic.

In his senior year, Howard led his team to an impressive 31-2 record, averaging a double-double with 25.0 points, 18.0 rebounds, 8.1 blocks and 3.5 assists per game.

The 2004 Naismith Prep Player of the Year and McDonald's All-American Game co-MVP became an NBA champion in 2020. Howard, a three-time Defensive Player of the Year and an eight-time All-Star, twice led the league in blocks. He played 1,242 games, averaging 15.7 ppg and 11.8 rpg while shooting 58.7%.

While many others played high school basketball in Georgia, which one do you think is the best?