The NBA Finals matchup between the Boston Celtics and Dallas Mavericks features many players who won major awards in high school or were named to MaxPreps All-America teams.
Boston Celtics star Jayson Tatum was the MaxPreps National Sophomore and Junior of the year in 2014 and 2015 at
Chaminade (St. Louis, Mo.). As a senior he was a MaxPreps All-America first team selection.
Tatum is joined by Jaden Springer and Greg Brown III as players in the 2024 Finals who were on MaxPreps All-America squads all four years of high school.
Pennsylvania leads the way with three Finals participants on the list. Dereck Lively II and Derrick Jones Jr. each play important role for the the Mavericks while Amile Jefferson represents the Celtics as an assistant coach.
MaxPreps began naming All-America teams in 2006. Freshman, sophomore and junior squads were first selected in 2010. MaxPreps State Player of the Years have been chosen since 2020.
Boston CelticsJaylen Brown, Wheeler (Marietta, Ga.)- 2013 Sophomore All-America honorable mention
- 2014 Junior All-America third team
- 2015 All-America first team
J.D. Davison, Calhoun (Letohatchee, Ala.)- 2020 Junior All-America third team
- 2021 All-America second team
- 2021 Alabama Player of the Year
Sam Hauser, Stevens Point (Wis.)- 2016 All-America honorable mention
Jrue Holiday, Campbell Hall (North Hollywood, Calif.)- 2007 All-America honorable mention
- 2008 All-America first team
Amile Jefferson (assistant coach), Friends' Central (Wynnewood, Pa.)- 2011 Junior All-America third team
Payton Pritchard, West Linn (Ore.)- 2014 Sophomore All-America third team
- 2015 Junior All-America third team
- 2016 All-America second team
Jaden Springer, Rocky River (Mint Hill, N.C.)/IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.)- 2017 Freshman All-America second team
- 2018 Sophomore All-America third team
- 2019 Junior All-America second team
- 2019 All-America honorable mention
- 2020 All-America fifth team
Jayson Tatum, Chaminade (St. Louis, Mo.)- 2013 Freshman All-America second team
- 2014 National Sophomore of the Year
- 2014 All-America honorable mention
- 2015 All-America honorable mention
- 2015 National Junior of the Year
- 2015 All-America fourth team
- 2016 All-America first team
Xavier Tillman Sr., Forest Hills Central (Grand Rapids, Mich.)- 2015 Sophomore All-America honorable mention
Jordan Walsh, Link Academy (Branson, Mo.)2022 All-America third team
2022 Missouri Player of the Year
Dallas Mavericks Greg Brown III, Vandegrift (Austin, Texas)- 2017 Freshman All-America honorable mention
- 2018 Sophomore All-America first team
- 2019 Junior All-America third team
- 2020 All-America second team
- 2020 Texas Player of the Year
Josh Green, IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.)- 2019 All-America honorable mention
Jaden Hardy, Coronado (Henderson, Nev.)- 2018 Freshman All-America third team
- 2019 Sophomore All-America first team
- 2020 Junior All-America first team
- 2020 All-America fourth team
Kyrie Irving, Patrick School (Hillside, N.J.)- 2010 All-America first team
Derrick Jones Jr., Archbishop Carroll (Radnor, Pa.)- 2013 Sophomore All-America honorable mention
- 2014 Junior All-America honorable mention
Dereck Lively II, Westtown (West Chester, Pa.)- 2022 All-America third team
- 2022 Pennsylvania Player of the Year
P.J. Washington, Prime Prep (Dallas, Texas)/Findlay Prep (Henderson, Nev.)- 2014 Freshman All-America third team
- 2017 All-America third team
