Facebook App
The high school football season is over. I can't think of a better way to tip off the high school basketball season than to launch a debate on the best players ever to compete in Illinois. Who are the five best players you have seen? Does Derrick Rose belong in a class with Cazzie Russell and Isiah Thomas? How many of you saw George Wilson?
With that in mind, I have asked some veteran observers--media and analysts--to offer their opinions. Loren Tate of the Champaign News-Gazette and former coach and Bloomington-based analyst Bill "Flash" Flanagan have more than 40 years of experience. Van Coleman of Hoopmasters.com has been evaluating players for 30 years. Roy and Harv Schmidt have 25 years of experience, Joe Henricksen of City/Suburban Hoops Report about 20. Each has some interesting views on the subject.
I'll open the debate with some views of my own.
I watched my first high school basketball game in 1952, when Hebron beat Quincy in the first televised state championship game. I guess I got bit by the bug because I haven't missed one since, on television or in person.
My first visit to Huff Gym was the 1959 final between Springfield and West Aurora, when I was a freshman at Illinois and working for the Daily Illini. And I was working for the Champaign-Urbana Courier when the first state final was played in the Assembly Hall in 1963, the unforgettable Carver/Centralia classic featuring Anthony Smedley.
For years, my list of the five top players I had seen included Marshall's George Wilson, Carver's Cazzie Russell, St. Joseph's Isiah Thomas, Thornridge's Quinn Buckner and Westinghouse's Mark Aguirre.
But when Farragut's Kevin Garnett came along in 1995, I had to make room for him. So I dropped Aguirre. Many critics don't consider Garnett for the "best ever" list because he only played his senior year in Illinois. But I'm not one of them. In my view, Garnett made his national reputation here. It is at Farragut where he became an NBA lottery pick. He might be the best of all.
Then along came Simeon's Derrick Rose. I wasn't convinced by his performance as a junior. But he sold me as a senior. So I had to make another change. With deep regret, I moved Buckner off the top tier. It wasn't easy. Buckner has always been my personal favorite, the greatest leader among all the athletes I have covered in 50 years. But Rose deserved a spot.
Some observers rate Simeon's Ben Wilson among the top five. If he had played as a senior, he probably would have earned that rating. Unfortunately, he didn't. His performance as a junior wasn't enough, in my view, to supplant any of the others on my first team.
Two other favorites of mine were Parker's Tommy Hawkins and Collinsville's Tom Parker. I saw Hawkins, then playing for a team from Altgeld Gardens, in an AAU tournament game at the Wabash YMCA when I was 13 years old. He was the first great black player I had ever seen. And he left a lasting impression with me.
I got to know Parker and legendary Collinsville coach Vergil Fletcher while living in Collinsville in 1966-68 and working for the St. Louis Globe-Democrat. I saw him score 50 points in the final of the Carbondale Holiday Tournament, a record that still stands. He was the best perimeter shooter of any 6-7 player I ever saw.
Those are my choices. You'll learn about the picks of the other veteran observers in upcoming blogs. So what are your selections?
Cell Phone Alerts
I NEVER SAW GEORGE WILSON, BUT I HEARD GREAT THINGS ABOUT HIM, AS FAR AS ROSE IN A CLASS WITH CAZZIE, HE COULD BE, STYLES MAKE FIGHTS, BUT WE HAVE TO GIVE IT UP TO MR. ROSE, AND CAZZIE WILL ALWAYS BE THE MAN, BUT WHEN YOU COME OUT OF THE CHICAGO PUBLIC LEAGUE AND ARE SUCCESSFUL IN THE PRO GAME YOU DESERVE TO BE RECOGNIZED, MR. ROSE IS AN UNBELIEVABLE TALENT, I SAW CAZZIE ON TAPE IN HIGH SCHOOL AND AT THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN, AND WITH THE LAKERS, THE MAN WAS HUGE, BUT MR. ROSE DESERVES RECOGNITION, SOME OF THE MOVES HE MADE LAST NIGHT AGAINST DETROIT WERE JORDANESQUE!
CAZZIE RUSSELL AND DERRICK ROSE, I WOULDN'T ARGUE IF THEY WERE MENTIONED IN THE SAME SENTENCE! TWO GREAT TALENTS, TWO GREAT MEN, ONE FROM CARVER, ONE FROM SIMEON!
Keeping in mind that it doesn't always translate to the next level, the best five that I've seen thus far are
Marcus Liberty
Mark Aguirre
Mitchell JJ Anderson
Isiah Thomas
Sergio McClain
with Bruce Douglas and LaPhonso Ellis not far behind.
My reference is only from 1995 on but here's my list on what they did in high school: Kevin Garnett,Quentin Richardson,Ronnie Fields,Shaun Livingston,John Scheyer.
Oops did I forget Derrick Rose? Take Livingston off and put Rose on.
Mr. Bell,
At age 44 my list could not be as extensive as yours, so here is my top 5 list by number.
1. Isaiah Thomas
2. Derrick Rose
3. Mark Aguire
4. Bruce Douglass
5. Jamie Brandon
Who would George Wilson remind us contemporary fans of?
Marc Thomas
Taylor,
Indiana has its High School Basketball Hall of Fame and museum in New Castle.
Illinois has Taylor Bell.
Thousands of readers keep seeing names like Cazzie Russell, George Wilson, Tom Parker because Mr Bell
I feel fortunate to have seen every one from Cazzie to Derrick Rose.
............................................................................
My " Top 7" (based on their high school impact)
Isiah Thomas - Best point guard (high school or college) in 1979
Tom Parker - Perhaps the best shooting high school power forward the midwest has ever produced this side of Larry Bird.
Cazzie Russell - Had NBA skills and size at the age of 17.
Kevin Garnett - Once in a lifetime big man.
Derrick Rose - Wonderful touch, exceptional vision along with being the best power leaper of this bunch.
Quinn Buckner - A joy to watch. May never be another one like him.
Jim Brewer - A 6'8" 18 ppg, 16 rebounds per game big man.
Near Misses:
George Wilson
Glenn Rivers
Dan Issel
Marcus Liberty
Glen Grunwald
Ronnie Fields
Top five of the last 20-25 years.
1.)Derrick Rose -Simeon
2.)Patrick Beverley -Marshall
3.)Sean Dockery -Julian
4.) Jamie Brandon- King
5.) Marcus Liberty- King
I'll give Kevin Garnett honorable mention.