Rare high school footage shows two NBA standouts doing battle in high school.
Video: Joakim Noah vs. J.R. Smith High School Basketball HighlightsWatch the two future NBA stars go toe-to-toe in high school competition.The Bulls and Cavaliers play tonight in Game 6 of their series, with a trip to the NBA Eastern Conference Finals on the line.
The Bulls' Joakim Noah and Cavaliers guard J.R. Smith are both key pieces to their respective teams. Long before they were clashing in the NBA, the pair forged some memorable matchups in high school.
After spending most of his high school career at
Poly Prep Country Day (Brooklyn, N.Y.), Joakim Noah spent his final season at
Lawrenceville School (Lawrenceville, N.J.). It was there that the slender 6-foot-10 center encountered J.R. Smith, a bona fide star at powerhouse
St. Benedict's Prep (Newark, N.J.).
The two met twice, once in the regular season and once in the state finals. Noah's Lawrenceville squad came out on top in both games, carving out a place in New Jersey high school basketball lore.
Smith exacted a small bit of revenge later that winter, taking home MVP
honors in the EA Sports Roundball Classic in which they both
participated.
Check out highlights above.
