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He was by far the best player to come out of Oakland. Layups, jumpers, dunks; they were off his fingertips like electrostatic sparks. Joe "The Destroyer" Hammond Despite never playing high school or college ball, Joe "The Destroyer" Hammond was perhaps the greatest basketball player to ever come out of Harlem. I don't mean potentially better, I mean better today. Bailey was LeBron before LeBron and had over 40,000 people coming to watch his high school games which remains an all-time attendance record. Though Bryant was drafted #13 overall by the Charlotte Hornets, of course, such an obscure franchise was beneath Kobe's destined greatness, so he promptly engineered a curious trade to the Los Angeles Lakers (for Vlade Divac?) The most vivid thing I remember was how fast Jamison would get his shot off after catching a pass. At Benjamin Franklin High in New York City, shooting guard Manigault set a record by scoring 57 points in one game in the late 1950s. Heck, there was no YouTube. We also made sure that any aspect about her is included in this post. Malone didn't need college; his last two years in high school, his team didn't lose a single game, taking back-to-back state titles in Virginia. We will revisit some of these players as we look at 15 high school phenoms who never made it in the NBA. Caitlin hasnt mentioned her romantic relationship, but its possible that shes unmarried and devoted on elevating her career. Of the 10 players who started in the 2013 Jordan Brand Classic, nine of them were either drafted or are currently in the NBA including Joel Embiid, Andrew Wiggins and Jabari Parker. Other stories are more positive; some international players elected to ball out and stack paper in their home country instead of making the leap to the States. Because ESPN ranked her as the second best guard, more people started paying attention to what she had to say about the game. 1 player in the nation and skipped college altogether, going No. I could tell you what happened next, but I'd rather show you. He then suffered the Portland-itis that so many other Blazers have suffered as recurring injuries kept him off the court. In 2017 and 2019, she won two gold medals in the FIBA Americas Tournament and the FIBA World Cup Tournament with Team USA. In 1984, as a senior, he was the Parade Magazine co-player of the year with none other than Danny Manning. Nick Fazekas-Ralston Valley High School- Mr. Basketball-Colorado" for the 2002-03 season along with being a two-time 4A classification player of the year. Throughout the regular season, many Oklahoma high school girls basketball stars made their cases for consideration of The Oklahoman's Super 5 Player of the Year. He was selected in the first round of the 2003 draft (26th overall) by the Timberwolves, but was never suited for the pros and wound up playing overseas for one obscure team after the next. Others achieve college stardom. The No. Earl Manigault was a legendary basketball player with unbelievable hops. ARLINGTON, Texas - For Arlington Martin High School, Tuesday was the biggest game of the post-season.. The two brothers she has are Blake and Colin. Clark started playing basketball at age five. I left the game that night feeling lucky to have seen that caliber of player in person but also anguished knowing that I'd be seeing a lot more of Antawn Jamison in the future." 7. I had no motivation to attend beyond my simple desire to verify the internet sensation with my own eyes. That was near the end of the regular season in 1990. 1. Know All About His Life! Right after his junior prom, Tyler announced he was dropping out of school and heading overseas to start his pro basketball career. Complex Media, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Smith's off-the-court shenanigans are far more interesting than his fizzled pro hoops career. She was an incredible shooter and I had NEVER seen handles like that, ever." In contrast, the most well-known NBA contracts, according to Go Banking Rates, are worth more than $40 million for an 82-game regular season, or $487,800 per game. Unique lists featuring pop culture, entertainment and crazy facts. Alston. They were the best onthe court, and it wasn't close. McCain grew up in Sacramento and spent a majority of his life in the . Welcome to The Whistler News, your go-to source for the latest news and trends across a wide range of categories, including Application, Business, Celebrity, Dating, Entertainment, Event, Food, How To, News, Questions, Streaming, Technology, Trending, and Uncategorized. They had to wheel out another one. Which is a shame because the guy was insanely talented. He last played professionally in 2007 in Argentina. She has been one of the basketball players in the United States who is on the rise. MISHAWAKA MARIAN (41): Dareon Thornton 3 2-2 10, Deaglan Sullivan 7 5-6 21, Jackson Price 1 0-0 3, Deuce Owens 1 0-0 2, Zion Rhoades 1 3-4 5 TOTAL: 13 10-12 41 I don't remember how many points or how many dunks, but what stood out was his ball-handling skills and ability to spin through traffic with an effortless grace I've never seen at the high-school level since. Her favourite NBA player is Kevin Durant, and Maya Moore was her basketball role model when she was little. Malone was a three-time NBA MVP (1979, 1982 and '83), and in 1981 took alackluster Houston Rockets team all the way to the NBA Finals, before Larry Bird and Kevin McHale won their first title with the Boston Celtics. That was kind of the case with Suntino Korleone Young, whose name seems to derive from the Godfather character Santino 'Sonny' Corleone. With Providence visiting Independence for a pivotal conference game one night, my buddies and I decided to go see if the hype was real. Swift has swiftly faded into obscurity, fodder for lists such as this. I already knew I wanted to be a sportswriter; seeing all those great players on one night made me realize I wanted to write about basketball more than any other sport. The 10 players listed here either went to college and saw their careers dip, or their pro career just never lived up to what they achieved in high school. He added six rebounds, four assists and one steal in 32 minutes, attempting double-digit 3 . After being named Mr. USA Basketball in 1990, Knight recruited Bailey to play for Indiana. He attempted suicide while with the Mavs after he swallowed 250 aspirin tablets and he told police I am an Indian fighting Columbus! Dallas would cut him and he wouldnt make his NBA debut until 2001 with the Hawks. Those players were: 1. Professional journalist for 25 years, contributing writer with High Times magazine and High Times.com since 1993. D.J. Caitlin Clark is an accomplished basketball player born and raised in Iowa, USA. Vinnie Iyer, "Before she starred at North Carolinaand was later drafted No. McBride now has 1,822 career points going into the sectional. Either way, while these talented basketball players never made it to the National Basketball Association, they certainly had the game required to do so. In three seasons at Loyola Marymount, 6-foot-7 forward Hank Gathers averaged 28 points and 11.1 rebounds per game and was one of the most dominant forces in college basketball. How Tall Is Grizzlies Star Player Desmond Bane? Favorite athlete: Stephen Curry. A 2008 documentary that follows the lives of 8 of the best high school basketball prospects at the time leading up the 1st annual Boost Mobile Elite 24 Hoops Classic at Rucker Park. It certainly seemed at the time as if only Jordan himself could even have matched that any time in our lifetimes. Michael Beasley 2. Swift would play a total of 97 games in the NBA and experience more problems off the court. But Maggette was the best all-around player on the floor against a favorite team that had Kentucky recruit Ryan Hogan. Whether or not he actually finished high school is up for debate as he didnt qualify academically at the University of Florida. Won two gold medals with USA Basketball. There's been an ongoing debate for years, even decades, on whether the "one and done" rule in the NBA should be liftedor if in fact, basketball players should spend even more time in college. How Tall is Popular Singer and Star Actor Nick Lachey? On the day before his senior year at Simeon High School, Wilson was shot and killed, sending shockwaves through the city of Chicago and the rest of the country. Top Basketball States. She has amassed more than 10 thousand followers on her Instagram site. 5. Thornton, which played in the second game against King, had its team loaded with athletes that year, featuring future college stars Melvin Ely (Fresno State power forward), Antwaan Randle El (Indiana quarterback) and Napoleon Harris (Northwestern linebacker). Graham made a spot start for the Spurs on Thursday, finishing with 18 points on 5 of 10 shooting. I remember he dunked the ball so hard on a fast-break, the portable goal just collapsed to the ground. 3 ranked played in the Class of 2001 and had a solid year in college as he averaged over 21 PPG for Memphis. Below is our take on the 30 greatest basketball players to never play in the NBA. Bennett was an unmitigated bust in the NBA and became the first No. He dominated the Georgia basketball scene that year, leading. The Trail Blazers saw Oden's career dwindle, with his knees never being able to hold up. McDonald's All-American. The Capital Centre didn't react with an "ooohhhhh,"but with an explosion of "WHOAAAAAAA! (This time, it included me, as I was again seated behind the same basket he slammed on). Lopez left school ranking sixth all-time in Big East history in points but when you are on the cover of Sports Illustrated as a teenager, more was expected of him. Two state marks, including the 5A record for most points scored in a game and most 3-pointers made in a game, are held by the young athlete. It should be noted that the tragic tales of the likes of Hank Gathers and Benji Wilson will be left off the list, as their circumstances went far beyond anything basketball related. Cooke was apparently so intent on going pro after high school that he never even bothered taking the SAT or ACT which are required for college. Follow Us On Social Media!Twitter: http://bit.ly/2zHv7dJInstagram: http://bit.ly/2inVlI4Facebook: http://bit.ly/2zNPZNQ Top opponent: Jason Drake Jr., Ferndale. All that you've heard about his ability is true, except that it may be incomplete. 1 entry. First with the Timberwolves, where he never quite had the supporting cast to go all the way, and then with the Celtics, where he teamed with Paul Pierce and Ray Allen to bring the C's their 17th championship. Lopez stayed local with his college choice at went to St. Johns where he was solid but unspectacular. Except now he's got Magic Johnson's head on Karl Malone's body, and it's even more frightening." He was named NBA Rookie of the Year and went on to be named an All-Star six times, earning $161 million over a 14-year career. Our editorial content is not influenced by any commissions we receive. Like the last one, Chris Andersen in 2006, Mayo will get the chance to apply for reinstatement after two years. You cant find her Wikipedia article on the internet. That's how real it was." First player in Chicago history to ever be named top high school player in the nation in 1983-84. Fast forward to the Capital Center in Landover, Md., in late March, at the Capital Classic. Mike DeCourcy. Unless youre a diehard basketball fan, you probably dont know about the majority of these players. The scant highlight clips available in those prehistoric days for videoshowed a kid who looked like the next evolutionary stage of the game. When he was just 14 years old, legendary Indiana coach Bobby Knight declared that Bailey was better than any point guard his college team had. 3 min read Chet Holmgren, the top high school player in the country, has been named the 2021 Morgan Wootten Boys High School Basketball Player. When I was a freshman at Independence HighJamison was a senior at Providence, our archrival in just about every sport. A Lamborghini is a Lamborghini, and Williamson is a Murcilago with a 6.2 L V12 engine. The fact that Bennett went to three different high schools should have been the first sign of trouble but he excelled in basketball at all three. Almost literally, because he resembled no player more than he did Shaquille O'Neal. Telfair also had various run-ins with the law including multiple arrests for possession of weapons. However, he can thank Calipari for not giving him the option of returning to Memphis as Wagner made over $8 million in the NBA and he wouldnt have made a dime had he gotten sick while in college. In fact, in a summer league game, Lewis dropped 52 points against a bunch of Los Angeles Lakers he was still in high school at the time. Charlie fouled Brunson from behind, pushing him into the brick wall, and he fractured his wrist. How good could Wilson have been? Hell, he wasnt even the next Ray Jackson or Jimmy King. News on all your favorite celebs, reality TV, and movies. 18 pick in the 1973 draft, yet on account of a contract dispute, Lewis never played a single game in the NBA. Manning ended up winning the MVP with 20 points; Washburn scored 18. There weren't. Viraj is a Content Editor currently working at Whistlernews.com, He intended to write on the most recent developments of Entertainment, Sports to News from his own unique angle. His unstoppable offensive drives, clutch defense, dominating physicality and sheer will to win are an almost incomparable combination; and only playing some great Spurs and Warriors teams in the NBA Finals over the years has prevented "The King" from owning more than three crowns at this point in his career. That's like saying a Lamborghini isn't as impressive because it's sharing the road with Volvos and Subarus. I had the unfortunate pleasure of guarding her while I played for Dorman High School. 1 forward in the Class of 2012 while attending Findlay Prep in Nevada. He was on top of every national all-America team and recruiting ranking, along with Manning and John Williams (later known, after a blown-out knee and massive weight gain, as Hot Plate). I'd never seen such a blend of speed, power and ferocity on the court. Dwight Howard's decision to forego college was influenced by KG, who went from high school stardom in Chicago at Farragut Career Academy directly to stardom in the pros. Daniel Tippit, New Palestine: The senior hit a 30-footer in New Palestines 61-31 win over Greenwood on senior night as the Dragons finished off a 21-2 regular season. Instead he went to the NBA, where he was a memberof the final iteration of the Seattle SuperSonics (2007-08) before they became the OKC Thunder. When you've put on the "classic" uniform of basketball franchises like Lokomotiv Mineralnye Vody and Bnai HaSharon, who needs the Celtics or the Lakers? Howard practically fulfilled the selection by taking the 2008-09 Magic all the way to the NBA Finals. Philadelphia's other former top picks who have had to sit out their first yearNerlens Noel, Ben Simmons, and Joel Embiidhave recovered and blossomed into fine young NBA players, and odds are that Fultz will do the same. Bennett ended the 2016-17 season in Turkey but was cut after his team won the championship. Believe me, I tried. Although he never strutted his stuff in the NBA, Haynes played in two separate stints for the Harlem Globetrotters, mesmerizing the crowd with his style, pizzazz, and insane handle. Demetrius Hook Mitchell may have only been 5-foot-9, but the man who could jump over a Volkswagen was a legend on the playgrounds of Oakland. He was one of the most-touted players to come out of New York in years and won the Mr. Basketball USA award in 1994. Maggette, a Fenwick (Oak Park, Ill.) star on his way to Duke and the NBA, dominated Deerfield with 27 points, 15 rebounds and three steals. Unfortunately, once Wagner reached the NBA his body started to fail him as he was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis and ended up having to remove half his colon. Our two best players wound up signing with Florida State and East Tennessee State. She has gained recognition for her exceptional gaming senses. How Tall Is Basketball Player Caitlin Clark? Led the Tigers to a 28-5 record heading into the Class 4A sectional final. Bryant lead the "Aces" to the Pennsylvania state title in '96, and in 2010, the school named their new gymnasium for the hoops legend. The volume of his talent is staggering, even breathtaking. Those Spurs went on to win the 2007 NBA title, defeating LeBron in his first Finals appearance. He played for eight different teams and was traded six different times including in the deal that sent Kevin Garnett to Boston. We take an in-depth look at the greatest high school hoopers ever, and how their stats compare. Caitlin won the IPSWA Miss Iowa Basketball award in 2020. You were drawn to Estaban. Williamson, at the time, was still considering South Carolina as a college commitment, so as a Gamecocks fan who had seen the YouTube videos, my friend was all in for a trip to see Spartanburg Day play in the first round of the state playoffs. Telfair was arguably the most famous basketball player in the New York City area in the early 2000s. Buta lack of inner motivation proved to be a distraction, and the closest Ryan ever came to the NBA was a tryout he had with the then-New Jersey Nets in 1990. These are players we continue to talk about; continue to use as a measuring stick for any and all players who take the hardwood at the games highest level. Since he was never a senior, we dont have his senior rankings but he was ranked the 7th best junior in the nation and had college offers from UNC, Louisville and UCLA. Smith dominated at Chicago's Martin Luther King high school as power forward/center, and was drafted by the San Antonio Spurs with the 29th overall pick in the 1999 NBA Draft, but was immediately traded to the Dallas Mavericks. In his 1985 recruiting class he was perceived to be better than Glen Rice, Danny Ferry, Sean Elliott, Pervis Ellison, Rod Strickland and Roy Marble - all who went on to have NBA careers. As the top-ranked recruit in his class, Ward was expected to be the next Chris Webber but he wasnt even the next Juwan Howard or Jalen Rose. Some players found themselves a little too drawn to the hustler lifestyle. Candler was 12-for-17 from the field and 4-for-5 from the free-throw line to finish with 28 points, eight rebounds and three assists. Sean Deveney. Oden was already being called the next Patrick Ewing or the next Tim Duncan when he was just 16 years old. How Tall Is WWE Beast Cody Rhodes? Only twice has a player won the award two times: LeBron James and Greg Oden. Behind Bates, Ypsi Prep Academy begins the season ranked No. He was a very good player for the Hoosiers, was a four-year starter and left the school sixth on Indianas all-time scoring list. In addition, she also retains the award of Iowa Gatorade Player-of-the-Year in 2019 and 2020. Avon defeats Danville 61-49 on Friday, February 24, 2023. Who is IHSAA boys basketball player of the week? Oden was already being called the next Patrick Ewing or the next Tim Duncan when he was just 16 years old. The bleachers at the Sumter Civic Center were full by the time Williamson's team took the floor for pregame warm-ups. Needless to say they did it without Butler, who never did learn much about that work ethic. Back in the late '90s and early 2000s, there were far fewer, readily accessible media outlets that covered prep sports beyond a local level. Aside from throwing down monster dunks, he was also known for blocking the shots of opponents much bigger than him. Montverde Academy . For us, we remember when we saw these players for the first time. I was in the hunt for the starting point guard slot, a battle I'd eventually lose a couple games into the state AAU tournament at Disney's Wide World of Sports in Orlando. 9 in the next summer's NBA Draft. Swift then transferred to the dully named Highland High School where he had to win a court battle to be eligible to play. AIKEN For the first time in its history and in coach Fran Campbell's 39-year stint at the school, the Wren boys . It was impossible to watch anybody else on the court. I was not on the basketball team at Lynn English, my high school, but my friend, Charlie Leslie, was a forward for the team. For this particular list, we take a look at those basketball phenoms that are termed "Prep-to-Pro," meaning thatno college was deemed necessary for this or that particular player to achieve success in the National Basketball Association. Brent and Anne Nizzi-daughter Clark's Caitlin is a Clark. Initially, he committed to Louisville after a stellar run at Abraham Lincoln High School in Brooklyn, but extenuating circumstances prompted him to change his mind and declare for the 2004 draft. 7 recruit in his class would average all of 3.7 PPG in two seasons with the Gators and declared for the 2015 NBA Draft. They either flamed out in college or flamed out in the pros which means the highpoint of their basketball careers came as teenagers. The WCAC was the best high school league in the country, as at least 3 teams were nationally ranked. The Tigers coach, John Calipari, then revoked Wagners scholarship after the season to force him to go to the NBA so Coach Cal was pulling the one-and-done long before he got to Lexington. He played a total of 15 games in the NBA and played in now-defunct leagues such as the IBL and BSN. However, since breaking Duke's all-time scoring. There was asixth-grader in Columbus who could dunk, and his name put it over the top. Wagners hype reached epic proportions when he was billed as a bigger, stronger Allen Iverson right after the former Sixer won the 2001 MVP award. The game meant something to us, but it was everything for him. There was no Ball is Life, Overtime or Mars Reel. Pee Wee Kirkland, another legend of Rucker Park, made a name for himself in two highly distinct ways: as a drug kingpin and superstar basketball player. 1 prospect, was outplayed by an unknown player named LeBron James who would then supplant Cooke as the top player in the country. There's almost nothing else to remember from Chris Washburn's basketball career, except him posing with Len Bias after they were picked back-to-back in the 1986 NBA Draft, or maybe him lounging on the Warriors' bench before or after one of his suspensions. At 26.6 points per game, Caitlin set the Iowa freshman record and led NCAA Division I scoring in 202021. Caitlin Clark Early Life. Since then hes spent his time in the coaching ranks in both Indiana high schools and for the Butler womens basketball team. Jordan really didn't top that one until the 1988 NBA dunk contest maybe. With five players ranked in the 2023 ESPN 100 and four more ranked in the 2024 ESPN . She also won awards including Iowa Miss Basketball, Gatorade State Player of the Year, and the McDonalds All-American title. Walker thought that his play in high school would warrant a draft selection in the pros but that wasnt the case and he ended up lasting just one month as an undrafted free agent with the Rockets. Perhaps, but Earl's "Goat" handle may have several other origins, including his surname ending with "-gault". These guys peaked in high school as they were great players who just werent able to translate their skills to the pros. That is, until July 1, 2016 when he was banned from the league for two years for drugs. The third-ranked player, Korleone Young, played 3 NBA games. As a sophomore in 201718, Caitlin averaged 27.1 points, 6.5 rebounds, 4.0 assists, and 2.3 steals, leading her squad to a 204 record and the state quarterfinals. Here's a Butler that no NBA team wanted serving them. Unique lists featuring pop culture, entertainment and crazy facts. Like many of the players on this list, Cisse switched schools, finishing up at St. Jude Catholic High. MORE: Have you seen the legend of Mac McClung? He would play only 103 games in the NBA and his career was over by the age of 23. There is no comparison to me, Gary Payton, Antonio Davis, Greg Foster or Brian Shaw.. Basketball scorers start young. Fans of 1A boys basketball may feel a sense of dj vu as last year's top contenders, region rivals Panguitch and PIute, are set to face off again. J.J. Redick was one of the best players in Duke basketball history, and he was one of the kings of the college basketball world at the time. We understand this problem because we have gone through the entire Best High School Basketball Player That Never Made It research process already, which is why we have put together a comprehensive list of the Best High School Basketball Player That Never Made It available in the market today. Caitlin keeps her focus on her goal at all times. No descriptions of Caitlins future boyfriend have emerged on the internet. Follow Nonstop Sports Instagram - https://instagram.com/nons. Unfortunately, while Los Angeles offered Hammond $50,000 to sign as a rookie, there was just one problem: Hammond was making more money than that on the street, dealing drugs and shooting dice. Despite being an unathletic, overweight and undersized power forward, the Cavs thought he was worthy of the top pick of the 2013 draft. The first high school player to be drafted straight out of high school was Tim Duncan of Rock Hill High School in South Carolina. At O'Dea, Wrenn averaged astronomical per-game-numbers for an entire season; 22 points, over eight boards and seven assists. A knee injury wiped out his entire third season and by the time he was healthy, the SuperSonics were becoming the OKC Thunder and Kevin Durant was the young superstar. 2 overall pick in the 1986 draft and that was as close to the NBA as Bias would ever get. Oden lived up to his billing in college, leading the Ohio State Buckeyes to the National Championship game. The streets run ripe with ball players who had the talent but never played in the NBA for various reasons. Kody Clancy, Scottsburg: The junior guard had 28 points and four steals on 13-for-16 shooting in an 83-47 win over Mitchell and had 15 points in a 50-45 loss to Jennings County. It featured Rashad Anderson, UConn's all-time leading 3-pointer shooter and former USC standout and first-round NFL Draft pick wide receiver Mike Williams, but he was easily their best player. Sean Marbaugh, Cathedral: The student manager got a chance to suit up on senior night and made the most of it by scoring a basket in the fourth quarter of a 67-55 win over Zionsville. Unfortunately, Gathers also had an abnormal heartbeat and it proved to be something even he couldnt overcome. Dominique Murphy, East Chicago Central: The 6-5 sophomore scored 34 points on 13-for-19 shooting with six rebounds and two steals in a 76-58 win over Andrean. When Roselle Catholic boys basketball coach Dave Boff originally envisioned his team for the 2021-22 season, he thought he would have at least two of the top players in the state -- if not the nation. There are other players like J.R. Smith, Kendrick Perkins and Monta Ellis who also went the prep-to-pro route and churned out serviceable NBA careers. Bill Bender is a national college football writer for The Sporting News. How Tall is POP Star I Cant Breath Singer Bebe Rexha? Although he played college ball at Cal State LA, Lewis is most notable forbeing arguably the greatest California streetball legends of all time. The 'Punks'section of Slam Magazine and maybe ESPN's 'SSA'were the primary ways we caught wind of big-time hoopers elsewhere. Eventually, Wrenn ran into legal troubles, thus ending his bid at the pros. Damon Bailey was LeBron James before LeBron James, in the sense that he was so hyped up as a high school prospect and he drew tens of thousands of fans to see him play. There might be a player or two in here you've never heard of. Seconds after throwing down a vicious alley-oop during the 1990West Coast Conference tournament championship game, Gathers unexpectedlycollapsed. Everyone remembers the Fab Five of Michigan but did you know there was a Fab Five II? He played college basketball at Norfolk State and was even drafted by the Chicago Bulls in 1968, yet chose to return to the more lucrative operations he ran in Harlem. Considering he is often credited with inventing the cross-over as well as the spin move to the bucket, we truly wish he had chosen the other life. These four players, and many more, skipped college to jump straight from high school to the NBA to great results. Jerryd Bayless 4. She therefore embraces her subject of interest with zeal and determination, which is why she is currently becoming more well-liked among basketball fans. My friend gave me the kind of look one would expect from a person who had just seen a human defy physics. They will all be in the Hall of Fame one day and are considered some of the greatest players in NBA history. Two significant NCAA Division I freshman of the year honours, the USBWA Tamika Catchings Award and the WBCA Freshman of the Year award, were shared by her and UConns Paige Bueckers. And one more player was drafted but never made it to any teams -- he died at age 20 in his own bed while sleeping. Smith is the only prep-to-pro to ever be drafted by the Spurs as he was taken in the first round of the 1999 draft. Thus he didnt enroll until December 2013 but was then suspended 12 more games after it was revealed that he received improper benefits while in high school. When Bailey was 14 years old, Indiana coach Bob Knight saw him play and said, Damon Bailey is better than any guard we have right now.