The Top 20 HS to NBA Players

Chris Lebron
Sep 16, 2022
4 min read

I've had a crazy obsession since Jr HS with high school players jumping from HS to the NBA. I even wrote a paper on Kendrick Perkins in 8th grade (Got an A) on why he benefits from going pro instead of playing college basketball. So I'm dropping my top 20 players who went from HS to the NBA.

Some Notes

Moses Malone was drafted from HS to ABA in 1974 Utah Stars (On list)
Shawn Kemp enrolled in college but didn't play (not on the list)
1st two players drafted from HS to NBA were Darryl Dawkins #5 pick by the 76ers in 1975 and Bill Willoughby in 2nd Rd #19 by the Hawks in the same year.
HS players not in the draft after the 05 draft (Amir Johnson #56 in 05 last HS player picked)

LeBron James #1 pick Cleveland Cavaliers 2003 St Vincents St Marys

Cleveland Cavaliers (2003-10, 2014-18) Miami Heat (2010-14) Los Angeles Lakers (2018-present)

2007-08 Scoring Champ
2019-20 AST Champ
4x NBA Champ
18x All-NBA
2003-04 All-Rookie
2003-04 ROY
3x AS MVP
6x All-Defensive
4x MVP
4x Finals MVP
NBA 75th Team
18x All-Star

2. Kobe Bryant #13 pick Charlotte Hornets 1996 Lower Merion

Los Angeles Lakers (1996-2016)

Hall of Fame 2020
18x All-Star
2x Scoring Champ
5x NBA Champ
15x All-NBA
1996-97 All-Rookie
12x All-Defensive
4x AS MVP
2007-08 MVP
2x Finals MVP
NBA 75th Team
2018 Oscar Winner

3. Moses Malone RD3 #22 pick Utah Stars ABA 1974 Petersburg

Utah Stars (1974-75) Spirits of St. Louis (1975-76) Buffalo Braves (1976) Houston Rockets (1976-82) Philadelphia 76ers (1982-86, 1993-94) Washington Bullets (1986-88) Atlanta Hawks (1988-91) Milwaukee Bucks (1991-93) San Antonio Spurs (1994-95)

Hall of Fame 2001
13x All-Star
6x TRB Champ
1983 NBA Champ
8x All-NBA
1974-75 All-Rookie
2x All-Defensive
3x MVP
1982-83 Finals MVP
ABA All-Time Team
NBA 75th Team

4. Kevin Garnett #5 pick Minnesota Timberwolves 1995 Farragut Academy

Minnesota Timberwolves (1995-2007, 2015-16) Boston Celtics (2007-13) Brooklyn Nets (2013-15)

15x All-Star
4x TRB Champ
2008 NBA Champ
9x All-NBA
1995-96 All-Rookie
12x All-Defensive
2002-03 AS MVP
2003-04 MVP
2007-08 Def. POY
NBA 75th Team
Hall of Fame 2020

5. Dwight Howard #1 pick Orlando Magic 2004 Southwest Christian Academy

Orlando Magic (2004-12) Los Angeles Lakers (2012-13, 2019-2020, 2021-2022) Houston Rockets (2013-16) Atlanta Hawks (2016-17) Charlotte Hornets (2017-18) Washington Wizards (2018) Philadelphia 76ers (2020-2021)

8x All-Star
5x TRB Champ
2x BLK Champ
2020 NBA Champ
8x All-NBA
2004-05 All-Rookie
5x All-Defensive
3x Def. POY

6. Tracy McGrady #9 pick Toronto Raptors 1997 Mt Zion Christian Academy

Toronto Raptors (1997-2000) Orlando Magic (2000-04) Houston Rockets (2004-10) New York Knicks (2010) Detroit Pistons (2010-11) Atlanta Hawks (2011-12) San Antonio Spurs (2013)

Hall of Fame 2017
7x All-Star
2x Scoring Champ
7x All-NBA
2000-01 Most Improved

7. Jermaine O’Neal #17 pick Portland Trailblazers 1996 Eau Claire

Portland Trailblazers (1996-2000), Indiana Pacers (2000-08), Toronto Raptors (2008-09), Miami Heat (2009-10), Boston Celtics (2010-12), Phoenix Suns (2012-13), Golden State Warriors (2013-14)

6x All-Star
3x All-NBA
2001-02 Most Improved

8. Amar'e Stoudemire #9 pick Pheonix Suns 2002 Cypress Creek

Phoenix Suns (2002-10) New York Knicks (2010-15) Dallas Mavericks (2015) Miami Heat (2015-16)

6x All-Star
5x All-NBA
2002-03 All-Rookie
2002-03 ROY

9. Tyson Chandler #2 pick LA Clippers 2001 Dominguez

Chicago Bulls (2001-06) New Orleans Hornets (2006-09) Charlotte Bobcats (2009-10) Dallas Mavericks (2010-11 2014-15), New York Knicks (2011-14) Phoenix Suns (2015-18) Los Angeles Lakers (2018-19) Houston Rockets (2019-2020)

1x All-Star
2011 NBA Champ
2011-12 All-NBA
3x All-Defensive
2011-12 Def. POY

10. Lou Williams RD2 #45 pick 2005 Philadelphia 76ers South Gwinnett

Philadelphia 76ers (2005-12) Atlanta Hawks (2012-14, 2020-22) Toronto Raptors (2014-15), Los Angeles Lakers (2015-17) Houston Rockets (2017) Los Angeles Clippers (2017-21)

3x Sixth Man

11. J.R Smith #18 pick Denver Nuggets 2004 St. Benedict’s Prep

New Orleans/Oklahoma City Hornets (2004-06) Denver Nuggets (2006-11) New York Knicks (2012-15) Cleveland Cavaliers (2015-19) LA Lakers (2019-20)

2012-13 Sixth Man
2x NBA Champ

12. Rashard Lewis Rd2 #32 pick Seattle Supersonics 1998 Alief Elsik

Seattle SuperSonics (1998-2007) Orlando Magic (2007-10) Washington Wizards (2010-12) Miami Heat (2012-14)

2013 NBA Champ
2x All-Star

13. Monta Ellis Rd2 #40 pick Golden St Warriors 2005 Lanier

Golden State Warriors (2005-12) Milwaukee Bucks (2012-13) Dallas Mavericks (2013-15) Indiana Pacers (2015-17)

2006-07 Most Improved

14. AL Jefferson #15 pick Boston Celtics 2004 Prentiss

Boston Celtics (2004-07) Minnesota Timberwolves (2007-10) Utah Jazz (2010-13) Charlotte Bobcats/Hornets (2013-16) Indiana Pacers (2016-18)

2004-05 All-Rookie
2013-14 All-NBA

15. Kendrick Perkins #27 pick Memphis Grizzlies 2003 Clifton J. Ozen

Boston Celtics (2003-11) Oklahoma City Thunder (2011-15) Cleveland Cavaliers (2015, 2018) New Orleans Pelicans (2015-16)

2008 NBA Champ

16. Al Harrington #25 pick Indiana Pacers 1998 St Patricks

Indiana Pacers (1998-2004, 2006-07), Atlanta Hawks (2004-06), Golden State Warriors (2007-08) New York Knicks (2008-10) Denver Nuggets (2010-12) Orlando Magic (2012-13) Washington Wizards (2013-14)

17. Josh Smith #17 pick Atlanta Hawks 2004 Oak Hill Academy

Atlanta Hawks (2004-13) Detroit Pistons (2013-14) Houston Rockets (2014-15, 2016), Los Angeles Clippers (2015-16) New Orleans Pelicans (2017)

2004-05 All-Rookie
2009-10 All-Defensive

18. Darryl Dawkins #5 pick Philadelphia 76ers 1975 Maynard Evans

Philadelphia 76ers (1975-82) New Jersey Nets (1982-87) Utah Jazz (1987) Detroit Pistons (1987-89)

19. Shaun Livingston #4 pick LA Clippers 2004 Peoria Central

Los Angeles Clippers (2004-08) Miami Heat (2008-09) Oklahoma City Thunder (2009) Washington Wizards (2010, 2012) Charlotte Bobcats (2010-11) Milwaukee Bucks (2011-12) Cleveland Cavaliers (2012-13) Brooklyn Nets (2013-14) Golden State Warriors (2014-19)