What NBA Players Looked Like in High School

Before they were NBA stars, these basketball phenoms had to navigate high school like the rest of us.

We all go through our awkward phases as teenagers. Even the world’s greatest basketball players.

While most of them had a decidedly different experience in high school than the average teenager, NBA superstars still had to navigate hallways and homerooms of their hometown high schools (and prep schools) before they came into their millions.

This is what NBA stars looked like in high school compared to what they look like now. Talk about your all-time glow ups.

Washington Wizards: Kyle Kuzma

Kyle Kuzma shows us what NBA players looked like as teenagers

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Born: July 24, 1995 (Flint, Michigan)

High school: Rise Academy (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania)

College: Utah

Height/weight: 6-foot-9, 221 pounds

Career: 5 seasons (2017-present)

Teams: Los Angeles Lakers (2017-21), Washington Wizards (2021-present)

NBA highlights: NBA champion (2020), NBA All-Rookie Team (2018)

Note: For players who attended multiple high schools, only the final high school attended is listed.

Bottom Line: Kyle Kuzma

Jason DeCrow / AP Photo

Basketball was the way out of Flint, Michigan, for NBA star Kyle Kuzma, who attended local Bentley High before seeking out prep schools to play for as a senior.

Kuzma had a path to college athletics already laid out for him thanks to his mom, Karri, a champion shot putter, and eventually landed at Rise Academy in Philadelphia before picking the University of Utah over UConn, Iowa State, Tennessee and Missouri, among others.

Utah Jazz: Donovan Mitchell

Donovan Mitchell played for Brewster Academy High School

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Born: Sept. 7, 1996 (Elmsford, New York)

High school: Brewster Academy (Wolfeshire, New Hampshire)

College: Louisville

Height/weight: 6-foot-1, 215 pounds

Career: 5 seasons (2017-present)

Teams: Utah Jazz

NBA highlights: Three-time NBA All-Star (2020-22, NBA All-Rookie Team (2018), NBA Slam Dunk Contest champion (2018)

Bottom Line: Donovan Mitchell

Frank Franklin II / AP Photo

NBA All-Star Donovan Mitchell grew up around professional athletes. His father, Donovan Sr., was a longtime minor league baseball player who ended up as the director of player relations for the New York Mets.

Mitchell took that confidence learned in MLB locker rooms to the basketball court as a star for prep basketball powerhouse Brewster Academy, where he played his final two seasons and won back-to-back national championships.

Toronto Raptors: Fred VanVleet

Fred VanVleet, High School B-Ball Player

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Born: Feb. 25, 1994 (Rockford, Illinois)

High school: Auburn High School (Rockford, Illinois)

College: Wichita State

Height/weight: 6-foot-1, 197 pounds

Career: 6 seasons (2016-present)

Teams: Toronto Raptors

NBA highlights: NBA champion (2019), NBA All-Star (2022)

Bottom Line: Fred VanVleet

Jae C. Hong / AP Photo

Fred VanVleet led Auburn High in Rockford, Illinois, to the state semifinals and became a top 100 recruit nationally before signing with Wichita State — the only top 100 recruit to sign with a mid-major conference.

With VanVleet leading the show, Wichita State turned into a national powerhouse in his time there. Playing alongside fellow future NBA players in Cleanthony Early and Ron Baker, VanVleet helped lead WSU to four consecutive NCAA tournament appearances, including a Final Four in 2013 and a Sweet 16 appearance in 2015.

Perhaps the most successful undrafted player in NBA history, VanVleet won an NBA championship in 2019, signed a four-year, $85 million contract in 2020 and was selected to his first NBA All-Star Game in 2022.

Bet on yourself, indeed.

San Antonio Spurs: Dejounte Murray

Dejounte Murray played for Rainier Beach High School

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Born: Sept. 19, 1996 (Seattle, Washington)

High School: Rainier Beach High School (Seattle, Washington)

College: Washington

Height/weight: 6-foot-4, 180 pounds

Career: 6 seasons (2016-present)

Teams: San Antonio Spurs

NBA highlights: NBA All-Star (2022), NBA All-Defensive Team (2018)

Bottom Line: Dejounte Murray

San Antonio Spurs point guard Dejounte Murray

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Dejounte Murray is a product of one of the nation’s powerhouse high school basketball programs at Seattle’s Rainer Beach High School.

Murray led Rainier Beach to three Class 3A state basketball titles and was named Washington Mr. Basketball in 2015, following in the footsteps of former Rainier Beach stars Jamal Crawford, Doug Christie, Terrence Williams and Nate Robinson.

Sacramento Kings: De’Aaron Fox

De'Aaron Fox played basketball for Cypress Lakes High School

Gregory Payan / AP Photo

Born: Dec. 20, 1997 (New Orleans, Louisiana)

High school: Cypress Lakes High School (Katy, Texas)

College: Kentucky

Height/weight: 6-foot-3, 185 pounds

Career: 5 seasons (2017-present)

Teams: Sacramento Kings

NBA highlights: None

Bottom Line: De’Aaron Fox

Sacramento Kings point guard De'Aaron Fox

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Ranked as the No. 2 point guard in the nation in the Class of 2016 behind fellow future NBA player Lonzo Ball, De’Aaron Fox found a path to basketball stardom at Cypress Lakes High, deep in the heart of football-crazy Texas.

As a senior at Cypress Lakes, Fox averaged 32.1 points, 7.6 rebounds and 4.1 assists and scored over 50 points in a single game twice. He played one season for the University of Kentucky before he was selected No. 5 overall in the 2017 NBA draft.

Portland Trail Blazers: Damian Lillard

Damian Lillard played at Oakland Senior High School

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Born: July 15, 1990 (Oakland, California)

High school: Oakland Senior High School (Oakland, California)

College: Weber State

Height/weight: 6-foot-2, 195 pounds

Career: 10 seasons (2012-present)

Teams: Portland Trail Blazers

NBA highlights: Six-time NBA All-Star (2014, 2015, 2018-21), five-time All-NBA Team (2014, 2015, 2018-20), NBA Rookie of the Year (2013), NBA Citizenship Award (2019)

Bottom Line: Damian Lillard

Amanda Loman / AP Photo

Like a lot of players on this list, perennial NBA All-Star Damian Lillard went to a lot of different high schools. First, Arroyo High (in San Lorenzo, California), then St. Joseph Notre Dame Prep (Alameda, Calif.), the same school that produced Hall of Fame point guard Jason Kidd, before landing at Oakland High for his final two seasons.

Lillard’s school hopping while looking for playing time — which seems ludicrous now — was probably what contributed most to him being just a two-star recruit out of high school and signing with Weber State.

Phoenix Suns: Chris Paul

Chris Paul played for West Forsyth High School

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Born: May 6, 1985 (Winston-Salem, North Carolina)

High school: West Forsyth High School (Clemmons, North Carolina)

College: Wake Forest

Height/weight: 6-foot-1, 175 pounds

Career: 17 seasons (2005-present)

Teams: New Orleans Hornets (2005-11), Los Angeles Clippers (2011-17), Houston Rockets (2017-19), Oklahoma City Thunder (2019-20), Phoenix Suns (2020-present)

NBA highlights: Twelve-time NBA All-Star (2008-16, 2020-22), NBA All-Star Game MVP (2013), 10-time All-NBA Team (2008. 2009, 2011-16, 2020, 2021), nine-time NBA All-Defensive Team (2008, 2009, 2011-17), NBA Rookie of the Year (2006)

Bottom Line: Chris Paul

Ross D. Franklin / AP Photo

Any story about Chris Paul begins with one magical night during his senior year at West Forsyth High.

Paul, who was also the senior class president, scored 61 points in a single game in honor of his grandfather, 61-year-old Nathaniel Jones, who’d been murdered less than two months earlier.

Paul was fouled as he hit the basket to score his 61st point and just six points short of the North Carolina single-game scoring record. He airballed the free throw on purpose and exited the game.

Philadelphia 76ers: James Harden

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Born: Aug. 26, 1989 (Los Angeles, California)

High school: Artesia High School (Lakewood, California)

College: Arizona State

Height/weight: 6-foot-5, 220 pounds

Career: 13 seasons (2009-present)

Teams: Oklahoma City Thunder (2009-12), Houston Rockets (2012-present)

NBA highlights: NBA MVP (2018), 10-time NBA All-Star (2013-22), seven-time All-NBA Team (2013-15, 2017-20), NBA Sixth Man of the Year (2012), NBA All-Rookie Team (2010)

Bottom Line: James Harden

Ashley Landis / AP Photo

James Harden’s prodigious scoring talents weren’t really on display at Artesia High. He never averaged over 19 points per game in high school but was still a McDonald’s All-American.

Harden turned a moribund program at Arizona State into an NCAA tournament squad and was eventually named Pac-12 Player of the Year in 2009 before leaving school with one year of eligibility remaining.

Orlando Magic: Mo Bamba

Gregory Payan / AP Photo

Born: May 12, 1998 (New York, New York)

High school: Westtown School (Westtown, Pennsylvania)

College: Texas

Height/weight: 7-foot, 231 pounds

Career: 4 seasons (2018-present)

Teams: Orlando Magic

NBA highlights: None

Bottom Line: Mo Bamba

John Raoux / AP Photo

Mo Bamba is four seasons into his NBA career, and it’s fair to call the Orlando Magic center a bust.

The No. 6 overall pick in the 2018 NBA draft has yet to average in double digits for scoring or rebounding, has yet to play a full season, and has yet to average over 20 minutes per game. Bamba and the Magic haven’t made the playoffs in that time, either.

In high school, Bamba attended two different prep schools — Cardigan Mountain School in New Hampshire, then Westtown School in Pennsylvania.

Oklahoma City Thunder: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

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Born: July 12, 1998 (Toronto, Ontario, Canada)

High school: Hamilton Heights Christian Academy (Chattanooga, Tennessee)

College: Kentucky

Height/weight: 6-foot-6, 180 pounds

Career: 4 seasons (2018-present)

Teams: Los Angeles Clippers (2018-19), Oklahoma City Thunder (2019-present)

NBA highlights: NBA All-Rookie Team (2019)

Bottom Line: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

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Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is one of the NBA’s top up-and-coming stars. That’s no big surprise when you learn the Canadian-born guard grew up around an elite athlete. His mother, Olympic sprinter Charmaine Gilgeous, ran for Antigua and Barbuda in the 1992 Summer Olympics.

Shai’s high school journey took him all over the place. He attended two different high schools in his native Canada before he transferred to Hamilton Heights Christian Academy in Chattanooga, Tennessee, for his final two seasons.

New York Knicks: Julius Randle

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Born: Nov. 29, 1994 (Dallas, Texas)

High school: Prestonwood Christian Academy (Plano, Texas)

College: Kentucky

Height/weight: 6-foot-8, 250 pounds

Career: 8 seasons (2014-present)

Teams: Los Angeles Lakers (2014-present), New Orleans Pelicans (2018-19), New York Knicks (2019-present)

NBA highlights: All-NBA Team (2021), NBA All-Star (2021), NBA Most Improved Player (2021)

Bottom Line: Julius Randle

New York Knicks power forward Julius Randle

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Julius Randle won three state championships in four years playing for Prestonwood Christian Academy and was unstoppable the entire time. As a senior, he averaged 32.5 points and 22.5 rebounds.

Randle was a consensus top five national recruit and picked the University of Kentucky, where he played one season and led the Wildcats to the 2014 NCAA championship game, where they lost to UConn.

New Orleans Pelicans: Zion Williamson

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Born: July 6, 2000 (Salisbury, North Carolina)

High school: Spartanburg Day School (Spartanburg, South Carolina)

College: Duke

Height/weight: 6-foot-6, 310 pounds

Career: 3 seasons (2019-present)

Teams: New Orleans Pelicans

NBA highlights: NBA All-Star (2021), NBA All-Rookie Team (2020)

Bottom Line: Zion Williamson

New Orleans Pelicans power forward Zion Williamson

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Few high school recruits have captured the public’s imagination like Zion Williamson did at Spartanburg Day, where he became the nation’s No. 1 recruit in the Class of 2018 and surprised experts when he picked Duke over Clemson.

Williamson played one season at Duke before he was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2019 NBA draft by the New Orleans picks. He’s had an up-and-down career dogged by weight issues and missed the entire 2021-22 season with a foot injury.

Minnesota Timberwolves: Anthony Edwards

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Born: Aug. 5, 2001 (Atlanta, Georgia)

High school: Holy Spirit Prep (Atlanta, Georgia)

College: Georgia

Height/weight: 6-foot-4, 225 pounds

Career: 2 seasons (2020-present)

Teams: Minnesota Timberwolves

NBA highlights: NBA All-Rookie Team (2021)

Bottom Line: Anthony Edwards

Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards

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Anthony Edwards was the top shooting guard in the Class of 2019 and stayed in state to pick the University of Georgia, becoming the school’s top recruit to sign with the school since Dominique Wilkins signed with the school in 1979.

Edwards’ path to Georgia was laid long before he became a high school phenom. His two favorite players growing up were Dwyane Wade and Victor Oladipo. Both Wade and Oladipo were coached by former Georgia coach Tom Crean, which sealed the deal.

Milwaukee Bucks: Giannis Antetokounmpo

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Born: Dec. 6, 1994 (Athens, Greece)

Youth club: Filathlitikos (Athens, Greece)

College: None

Height/weight: 6-foot-11, 242 pounds

Career: 9 seasons (2013-present)

Teams: Milwaukee Bucks

NBA highlights: NBA champion (2021), NBA Finals MVP (2021), two-time NBA MVP (2019, 2020), six-time NBA All-Star (2017-22), six-time All-NBA Team (2017-22), NBA Defensive Player of the Year (2020), four-time NBA All-Defensive Team (2017, 2019, 2020, 2021), NBA Most Improved Player (2017), NBA All-Rookie Team (2014)

Bottom Line: Giannis Antetokounmpo

Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo

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Few paths to NBA stardom have been as epic as the one taken by Giannis Antetokounmpo, who spent part of his childhood hawking watches, handbags and sunglasses in the streets of Athens, Greece, in order to help his family make ends meet.

Giannis began playing professionally by the time he was 16 years old for Greek club Filathlitikos and was drafted by the Milwaukee Bucks with the No. 15 overall pick in the 2013 NBA draft. He made his NBA debut at just 18 years and 311 days old, making him one of the youngest players in league history.

Miami Heat: Jimmy Butler

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Born: Sept. 14, 1989 (Houston, Texas)

High school: Tomball High School (Tomball, Texas)

College: Tyler Junior College/Marquette

Height/weight: 6-foot-7, 230 pounds

Career: 11 seasons (2011-present)

Teams: Chicago Bulls (2011-17), Minnesota Timberwolves (2017-18), Philadelphia 76ers (2018-19), Miami Heat (2019-present)

NBA highlights: Five-time NBA All-Star (2015-18), four-time All-NBA Team (2017, 2018, 2020, 2021), five-time NBA All-Defensive Team (2014-16, 2018, 2021), NBA Most Improved Player (2015)

Bottom Line: Jimmy Butler

Matt Slocum / AP Photo

Jimmy Butler played high school basketball far from the spotlight at Tomball High, where he drew little to no interest from big-time colleges and landed at Tyler Junior College.

Butler turned that opportunity into a scholarship at Marquette, where he played his final three seasons.

Butler, who has been one of the NBA’s best players for most of the last decade, had his No. 1 high school jersey retired by Tomball High in 2017.

Memphis Grizzlies: Ja Morant

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Born: Aug. 10, 1999 (Dalzell, South Carolina)

High school: Crestwood High School (Sumter, South Carolina)

College: Murray State

Height/weight: 6-foot-3, 174 pounds

Career: 3 seasons (2019-present)

Teams: Memphis Grizzlies

NBA highlights: NBA All-Star (2022), NBA Rookie of the Year (2020), NBA All-Rookie Team (2020)

Bottom Line: Ja Morant

Brandon Dill / AP Photo

Basketball fans all over the world now know who Ja Morant is. The Memphis Grizzlies point guard has become an NBA sensation since he was the No. 2 overall pick in the 2019 NBA draft.

That didn’t seem like it was in the cards when Morant was coming out of Crestwood High in 2016, when he wasn’t rated by any of the major recruiting services and only held a handful of mid-major offers.

Morant eventually picked Murray State, where he became an All-American and left school with two years of eligibility remaining.

Los Angeles Lakers: LeBron James

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Born: Dec. 30, 1984 (Akron, Ohio)

High school: St. Vincent-St. Mary High School (Akron, Ohio)

College: None

Height/weight: 6-foot-9, 250 pounds

Career: 19 (2003-present)

Teams: Cleveland Cavaliers (2003-2010, 2014-2018), Miami Heat (2010-2014), Los Angeles Lakers (2018-present)

NBA highlights: Four-time NBA champion (2012, 2013, 2016, 2020), four-time NBA MVP (2012, 2013, 2016, 2020), four-time NBA Finals MVP (2012, 2013, 2016, 2020), 18-time NBA All-Star (2005-22), three-time NBA All-Star Game MVP (2006, 2008, 2018), 17-time All-NBA Team (2005-18, 2020-22), six-time NBA All-Defensive Team (2009-14), NBA Rookie of the Year (2004)

Bottom Line: LeBron James

Ron Schwane / AP Photo

It wouldn’t be accurate to call LeBron James the most coveted high school basketball recruit of all time. That’s only because there was never a chance of him ever playing college ball.

James was so good at St. Vincent-St. Mary High School that by the end of his sophomore year he was a lock to be the No. 1 overall pick in the 2003 NBA draft. James actually petitioned the NBA to be eligible for the 2002 NBA draft but was turned down.

Had the request been approved, he would have been the No. 1 pick in that draft as well.

Los Angeles Clippers: Paul George

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Born: May 2, 1990 (Palmdale, California)

High school: Knight High School (Palmdale, California)

College: Fresno State

Height/weight: 6-foot-8, 220 pounds

Career: 12 seasons (2010-present)

Teams: Indiana Pacers (2010-17), Oklahoma City Thunder (2017-19), Los Angeles Clippers (2019-present)

NBA highlights: Six-time NBA All-Star (2013, 2014, 2016-19), five-time All-NBA Team (2013, 2014, 2016, 2018, 2019), four-time NBA All-Defensive Team (2013, 2014, 2016, 2019), NBA All-Rookie Team (2011), NBA Most Improved Player (2013)

Bottom Line: Paul George

Los Angeles Clippers small forward Paul George

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Paul George grew up in Palmdale, California, just north of Los Angeles and in the shadow of the San Gabriel Mountains, where he was a star at Knight High before playing two seasons at Fresno State.

George had the path to being a big-time athlete laid out before him by his older siblings. Older sister Teiosha played basketball at Pepperdine, and older sister Portala played volleyball at Cal State San Bernardino.

Indiana Pacers: Buddy Hield

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Born: Dec. 17, 1992 (Freeport, Bahamas)

High school: Sunrise Christian Academy (Wichita, Kansas)

College: Oklahoma

Height/weight: 6-foot-4, 221 pounds

Career: 6 seasons (2016-present)

Teams: New Orleans Pelicans (2016-17), Sacramento Kings (2017-22), Indiana Pacers (2022-present)

NBA highlights: NBA All-Rookie Team (2017), NBA Three-Point Contest champion (2020)

Bottom Line: Buddy Hield

Michael Conroy / AP Photo

Buddy Hield was a basketball sensation as a teenager in the Bahamas before he was recruited to play for prep school powerhouse Sunrise Christian Academy in Wichita, Kansas.

Hield picked Oklahoma over Kansas and swept all of the National Player of the Year awards in 2016.

He’s on his third NBA team in six seasons after being traded to the Indiana Pacers in 2022.

Houston Rockets: Eric Gordon

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Born: Dec. 25, 1988 (Indianapolis, Indiana)

High school: North Central High School (Indianapolis, Indiana)

College: Indiana

Height/weight: 6-foot-3, 215 pounds

Career: 14 seasons (2008-present)

Teams: Los Angeles Clippers (2008-11), New Orleans Hornets/Pelicans (2011-16), Houston Rockets (2016-present)

NBA highlights: NBA Sixth Man of the Year (2017), NBA Three-Point Contest champion (2017), NBA All-Rookie Team (2009)

Bottom Line: Eric Gordon

David J. Phillip / AP Photo

Eric Gordon was a schoolboy hoops phenom at Indianapolis North Central High, where he was ranked as the No. 2 recruit in the Class of 2007 behind future NBA player Michael Beasley.

Playing in arguably the most basketball-crazy state in the country, Gordon led North Central High to the Class 4A state championship game, where they fell to future NBA player E’Twaun Moore and East Chicago Central High.

Golden State Warriors: Klay Thompson

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Born: Feb. 8, 1990 (Los Angeles, California)

High school: Santa Margarita Catholic High School (Rancho Santa Margarita, California)

College: Washington State

Height/weight: 6-foot-6, 215 pounds

Career: 11 seasons (2011-present)

Teams: Golden State Warriors

NBA highlights: Three-time NBA champion (2015, 2017, 2018), five-time NBA All-Star (2015-19), two-time All-NBA Team (2015, 2016), NBA All-Defensive Team (2019), NBA Three-Point Contest champion (2016), NBA All-Rookie Team (2012)

Bottom Line: Klay Thompson

Golden State Warriors guard Klay Thompson

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Klay Thompson grew up with the NBA as part of his life. His father, Mychal Thompson, was the No. 1 overall pick in the 1978 NBA draft and won a pair of NBA championships with the “Showtime” Los Angeles Lakers in 1987 and 1988.

Klay Thompson was a four-star recruit out of Santa Margarita Catholic High, and in a precursor of things to come, he set the state record with seven 3-pointers in the Division III state championship game his senior year.

Detroit Pistons: Cade Cunningham

Gregory Payan / AP Photo

Born: Sept. 25, 2001 (Arlington, Texas)

High school: Montverde Academy (Montverde, Florida)

College: Oklahoma State

Height/weight: 6-foot-6, 220 pounds

Career: 1 season (2021-present)

Teams: Detroit Pistons

NBA highlights: NBA Rising Stars Challenge MVP (2022)

Bottom Line: Cade Cunningham

Detroit Pistons point guard Cade Cunningham

Carlos Osorio / AP Photo

Cade Cunningham followed his father and brother as elite athletes on the Division I level. His father, Keith, played football at Texas Tech and his older brother, Cannen, played basketball for SMU and set the career record for games played.

Cannen paved the way for Cade’s path to Okahoma State when the Cowboys hired him as an assistant coach. Cade played one season there, and was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2021 NBA draft by the Detroit Pistons.

Denver Nuggets: Aaron Gordon

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Born: Sept. 16, 1995 (San Jose, California)

High school: Archbishop Mitty High School (San Jose, California)

College: Arizona

Height/weight: 6-foot-9, 235 pounds

Career: 8 seasons (2014-present)

Teams: Orlando Magic (2014-21), Denver Nuggets (2021-present)

NBA highlights: None (unless you include the “9 out of 10” video)

Bottom Line: Aaron Gordon

David Zalubowski / AP Photo

Aaron Gordon is one of the most heralded high school recruits in the last decade — a two-time California Mr. Basketball and the McDonald’s All-American Game MVP in 2013.

Born and raised in San Jose, Gordon was a star for Archbishop Mitty High and led his school to a state runner-up finish in the CIF Open Division as a senior. If you’re wondering what the CIF Open Division is we can break it down for you — it’s the toughest high school basketball division in the entire country.

So there’s that.

Dallas Mavericks: Luka Doncic

Lefteris Pitarakis / AP Photo

Born: Feb. 28, 1999 (Ljubljana, Slovenia)

Youth club: Union Olimpija (Ljubljana, Slovenia)

College: None

Height/weight: 6-foot-7, 230 pounds

Career: 4 seasons (2018-present)

Teams: Dallas Mavericks

NBA highlights: Two-time All-NBA Team (2020, 2021), three-time NBA All-Star (2020-22), NBA Rookie of the Year (2019)

Bottom Line: Luka Doncic

Matt Slocum / AP Photo

The son of Slovenian super couple Mirjam Poterbin and Sasa Doncic — a supermodel and a pro basketball player — Luka Doncic was playing professional basketball in Europe by the time he was 16 years old.

Doncic was a basketball prodigy in Europe. He was practicing with the under-14 squad on his father’s pro team, Union Olimpija, by the time he was 9 years old and signed to a five-year contract with Real Madrid by the time he was 18 years old.

He made his NBA debut with the Mavericks in 2018 at the age of 19.

Cleveland Cavaliers: Evan Mobley

Gregory Payan / AP Photo

Born: June 18, 2001 (San Diego, California)

High school: Rancho Christian School (Temecula, California)

College: USC

Height/weight: 7-foot, 215 pounds

Career: 1 season (2021-present)

Teams: Cleveland Cavaliers

NBA highlights: NBA All-Star Weekend Skills Challenge champion (2022)

Bottom Line: Evan Mobley

Cleveland Cavaliers power forward Evan Mobley

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Evan Mobley isn’t a household name yet, but NBA fans who have paid attention to his rookie year with the Cleveland Cavaliers know he’s about to be a superstar in the league.

Mobley was a five-star recruit in the Class of 2020 but didn’t see his name get out to the masses after his senior year was cut short because of the pandemic.

In one season at USC the 7-foot, 215-pound center was an All-American and the Pac-12 Player of the Year before the Cavs picked him No. 3 overall in the 2021 NBA draft — which is already looking like a steal.

Chicago Bulls: Demar DeRozan

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Born: Aug. 7, 1989 (Compton, California)

High school: Compton High School (Compton, California)

College: USC

Height/weight: 6-foot-6, 220 pounds

Career: 13 seasons (2009-present)

Teams: Toronto Raptors (2009-18), San Antonio Spurs (2018-21), Chicago Bulls (2021-present)

NBA highlights: Two-time All-NBA Team (2017, 2018), five-time NBA All-Star (2014, 2016-18, 2022)

Bottom Line: Demar DeRozan

Rick Scuteri / AP Photo

Already 13 years into his NBA career, DeMar DeRozan is playing the best basketball of his career for the Chicago Bulls in 2021-22. That’s pretty amazing considering he was a four-time NBA All-Star and two-time All-NBA pick by the time he joined the Bulls.

DeRozan first shot to prominence as a star at Compton High School in his hometown of Compton, California, where he was a McDonald’s All-American. He played one year of college basketball at USC before he was selected No. 9 overall by the Toronto Raptors in the 2009 NBA draft.

Charlotte Hornets: LaMelo Ball

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Born: Aug. 22, 2001 (Anaheim, California)

High school: Chino HIlls HIgh School (Chino Hills, California)

College: None

Height/weight: 6-foot-7, 210 pounds

Career: 2 seasons (2020-present)

Teams: Charlotte Hornets

NBA highlights: NBA All-Star (2022), NBA Rookie of the Year (2021), NBA All-Rookie Team (2021)

Bottom Line: LaMelo Ball

Charlotte Hornets point guard LaMelo Ball

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Widely thought to be the youngest American basketball player to ever sign a professional contract, 2021 NBA Rookie of the Year LaMelo Ball began playing pro basketball in Lithuania in 2018 when he was just 16 years old. He was the No. 3 overall pick in the 2020 NBA draft by the Charlotte Hornets.

Before LaMelo went pro, he was already a star at Chino Hills High, where he played with older brothers Lonzo and LiAngelo, teaming up to win the CIF Open Division state championship when LaMelo was a freshman.

Brooklyn Nets: Kevin Durant

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Born: Sept. 29, 1988 (Washington, D.C.)

High school: Montrose Christian School (Rockville, Maryland)

College: Texas

Height/weight: 6-foot-10, 240 pounds

Career: 15 seasons (2007-present)

Teams: Seattle SuperSonics/Oklahoma City Thunder (2007-16), Golden State Warriors (2016-19), Brooklyn Nets (2019-present)

NBA highlights: Two-time NBA champion (2017, 2018), two-time NBA Finals MVP (2017, 2018), NBA MVP (2014), 12-time NBA All-Star (2010-19, 2021, 2022), two-time NBA All-Star Game MVP (2012, 2019), 10-time All-NBA Team (2010-14, 2016-19, 2021), NBA Rookie of the Year (2008)

Bottom Line: Kevin Durant

Brandon Dill / AP Photo

By the time Kevin Durant landed at his third high school, Montrose Christian School, he was 6-foot-7 and headed into his senior year. He grew another two inches before his freshman year at the University of Texas and hit 6-foot-10 by the end of that season.

While Durant was one of the most coveted recruits in the country from the Class of 2006, the McDonald’s All-American Game MVP never held the top spot. That belonged to center Greg Oden, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2007 NBA draft. Just one spot ahead of Durant.

Boston Celtics: Jayson Tatum

Gregory Payan / AP Photo

Born: March 3, 1998 (St. Louis, Missouri)

High school: Chaminade College Prep (Creve Coeur, Missouri)

College: Duke

Height/weight: 6-foot-8, 210 pounds

Career: 5 seasons (2017-present)

Teams: Boston Celtics

NBA highlights: Three-time NBA All-Star (2020-22), All-NBA TEam (2020), NBA All-Rookie Team (2018)

Bottom Line: Jayson Tatum

David Zalubowski / AP Photo

Jayson Tatum had the path laid out to college and NBA stardom at Chaminade College Prep by NBA All-Star Bradley Beal, who preceded Tatum at the school by five years.

Tatum played one season at Duke before he was selected No. 3 overall by the Boston Celtics in the 2017 NBA draft. He’s found his footing in recent years and has made three consecutive All-Star teams through the 2021-22 season.

Atlanta Hawks: Trae Young

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Born: Sept. 19, 1998 (Lubbock, Texas)

High school: Norman North High School (Norman, Oklahoma)

College: Oklahoma

Height/weight: 6-foot-1, 164 pounds

Career: 4 seasons (2018-present)

Teams: Atlanta Hawks

NBA highlights: Two-time NBA All-Star (2020, 2022), NBA All-Rookie Team (2019)

Bottom Line: Trae Young

Carlos Osorio / AP Photo

Few players in recent NBA history have given us the “how did he do that?” like Atlanta Hawks guard Trae Young — a 6-foot, 165-pound scoring wonder who signed a five-year, $207 million contract extension with the Atlanta Hawks before the 2021-22 season.

Young grew up with basketball in his life. His father, Rayford Young, played at Texas Tech before playing pro ball in Europe. Trae starred at Norman North High, where he averaged 42.6 points per game as a senior and stayed close to home, signing with the University of Oklahoma.

He was the fifth pick in the 2018 NBA draft.