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Van Coleman of Hoopmasters.com has been criss-crossing the nation and evaluating high school basketball players for more than 30 years. Coleman and Bob Gibbons were two of the pioneers in the business and no one has spent more time on the road than they have.
Here are Coleman's choices as the best players he has observed in Illinois, accompanied by the following note: "The rankings below are based on high school play as I remember it. That is why a player like Dwyane Wade isn't among these rankings as his ascension to top 10 in the world came after high school. The same logic appears in these rankings as pro success is not the driver, but high school play was. That is why at least a dozen players have an argument to be rated among the top 25 who didn't make it."
Coleman's top 5:
Kevin Garnett: Most skilled big man to play in Illinois. He was the USA Today and FutureStars Player of the Year nationally. Although he only played one year at Farragut, he is an all-time talent.
LaPhonso Ellis: This explosive big man was skilled, quick and played with a nasty streak. Matchups in high school against Alonzo Mourning were legendary.
Ben Wilson: Unfortunately, he was taken from us much too soon. This gifted wing forward had the total package plus he was a winner. He was the No. 1 prospect in his class before he tragically lost his life.
Mark Aguirre: He was one of the first true supers I got to evaluate live. He dominated on post-up and off-dribble with the best at his size. He truly was a legendary high school scorer. His selection may surprise some as memories fade.
Isiah Thomas: He was a wizard off the dribble who could pass with the best in his class and could score from anywhere on the floor when necessary. Truly a force in high school basketball.
Second 5: Rashard Griffith, Juwan Howard, Marcus Liberty, Glenn Rivers, Derrick Rose.
Third 5: Eddy Curry, Terry Cummings, Nick Anderson, Hersey Hawkins, Frank Williams.
Fourth 5: Efrem Winters, Darius Miles, Quentin Richardson, Jamie Brandon, Kendall Gill.
Fifth 5: Russell Cross, Walter Downing, Michael Finley, Shaun Livingston, Bruce Douglas.
High honorable mention (all could have an argument for a spot on the third, fourth or fifth teams): Michael Payne, Deon Thomas, Ed Horton, Lowell Hamilton, Antoine Walker, Kevin Gamble, Bobby Simmons, Kenny Battle, Corey Maggette, Steve Bardo, Ronnie Fields, Dee Brown, Raymond McCoy, Sherron Collins.
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This is just about right. He got the best of the high school players. D-Wade and the like who blossomed later should never be included in these lists, IMO while Brandon, Griffith and other guys who faltered at higher levels should definitely be included and remembered as the best prepsters.
He obviously didn't see Mitchell (J.J.)Anderson in high school. And I believe how some of these guys performed in the pros did influence his choices. Kevin Garnett, for example, was very good high school player, in my estimation, but by no means top five. I saw a very good Melvin Ely of Thornton outplay him in state playoffs, when it mattered most.
Apparently, Mr. Coleman never saw Quinn Buckner. He belongs in the top five.
Chief Elvis -- apparently, you didn't read the part about "1977 to today."
You must be an Indiana fan. :P
First of all, Darnell, you have never seen Ely out play Garnett. You've seen Rocky put Ely on Garnett that game, but he couldn't really contain him. Hill out coached his opponant is what happened. And Buckner wasn't missed. It says from 1977 to present. Buckner graduated from college in 1976, so he had to come out of HS in 1972.
The person Van missed is Darrell Walker. Who was probably the leading scorer in the Chicago area in his senior year of HS, 2nd team All-American at Arkansas, 12th pick overall in the 1984 NBA draft, spent 9 years NBA, and coached a few years in the NBA..This is the one Van missed.
finley wasn't even the best player on his high school team, maybe not even the 2nd best. he was a late bloomer and according to the logic used to prepare the list, doesn't deserve to be on it. chris collins is a notable omission- he was pretty darn good.
Sean Dockery (Julian) is the best Chicago area prep player of all time. It's not even close. Straight from the mouth of Marvez ya'll.
you forgot Pierre Cooper(Luther South), Voise Winters(Gage Park), Jim Stack(St Laurence) and Sam Mack who didn't develop until College
DO YOU GUYS REMEMBER THE TRIPLE OVERTIME GAME BETWEEN CRANE AND JULIAN, IT WAS WILL BYNUM'S SENIOR YEAR, THE GAME WAS PLAYED AT CORLISS HIGH SCHOOL, CRANE WON IN TRIPLE OVERTIME, SEAN DOCKERY HIT 50, BYNUM HIT 36!
THE COUGARS PLAYED FOR THE CITY CHAMPIONSHIP AGAINST MORGAN PARK AT THE UNITED CENTER, THIS WAS THE LAST YEAR A CHICAGO PUBLIC SCHOOL TEAM RECEIVED THE AT LARGE BERTH DOWNSTATE!
NOW BYNUM PLAYS FOR THE DETROIT PISTONS!
scheyer?
thornton's rodell davis(runner-up, mr basketball) or tracy webster???
prosser/simeon nick anderson or st francis' eric anderson???
andy kaufman,tom kleinschmidt,townsend orr,brandon cole,johnny selvie,keith gill, phil henderson,darius miles,julian wright,patrick beverly??