High-scoring performances have become commonplace in the NBA this season with Luka Doncic posting 73 points, Joel Embiid notching 72, Giannis Antetokounmpo netting 64 and Devin Booker tossing in 62 just to name a few.
Surprisingly, however, few NBA players ever scored 60 or more points in a single game at the high school level. In fact, using a list of highest-scoring high school games compiled by
LuckyShow.org, we've been able to determine that a future NBA player has scored 60 or more points in a game 64 times over the past 75 years.
DaJuan Wagner of
Camden (N.J.) has the highest total with his 100-point effort in 2001. He also had an 80-point game in 2000, making him the only player on the list with two games of 80 or more. Wagner had a shortened NBA career due to illness after being drafted No. 6 overall by the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2002.
Current Charlotte Hornet point guard LaMelo Ball of
Chino Hills (Calif.) is next on the list with 92 points in 2017. Ball is joined in the 90s by Wilt Chamberlain of
Overbrook (Philadelphia). Chamberlain famously scored 100 points in an NBA game and he has three games of 70 or more points on this list.
LaMelo Ball drives to the basket during his 92-point game against Los Osos in 2017. (Photo: Louis Lopez)
Tom McMillen of
Mansfield (Pa.) has the most games with 60 or more points with six. However in his 10-year NBA career, McMillen scored over 30 points only twice and never averaged more than 9.9 points per game.
Not all future NBA players on the LuckyShow.org list were included on this list. We tried to corroborate every score from the site with a story from
Newspapers.com. In some cases, the scoring total was different or the date was incorrect. In other cases, we could not find a matching source.
A couple of those instances included a possible 67-point outing by Elvin Hayes of Britton, a segregated school in Louisiana in the earl 1960s. Terry Catledge of
Houston (Miss.) is also listed with a 61-point game in the early 1980s. Calvin Murphy is listed with a 66-point game at the Allentown Classic, however the total was actually 62 points and it was an all-star game.
Perhaps the most interesting entry was a 75-point game for Artis Gilmore, who played at Roulhac, a segregated school in Chipley, Fla., in 1966. While we never found a 75-point game, we did find a story that credits Gilmore with an incredible 72 rebounds. That will be story fodder for another time.
Players are listed with their point total, the opponent and score of the game, the date and any other pertinent stats (when available). Please let us know if we are missing anyone by emailing
kevinaskeland65@gmail.com.
Most Points Scored by Future NBA Players
100 — Dajuan Wagner, Camden (N.J.)
Score/Opponent: Def. Gloucester County Tech, 157-67
Date: Jan. 16, 2001
Other stats: 42-60 FG, 10 3's, 6-6 FT
92 — LaMelo Ball, Chino Hills (Calif.)
Score/Opponent: Def. Los Osos (Rancho Cucamonga), 146-123
Date: Feb. 7, 2017
Other stats: 7 3's, 37-61 FGs, 11-14 FT
90 — Wilt Chamberlain, Overbrook (Philadelphia, Pa.)
Score/Opponent: Def. Roxborough (Philadelphia), 123-21
Date: Feb. 17, 1955
Other stats: 36 FG
84 — Brian Taylor, Perth Amboy (N.J.)
Score/Opponent: Def. St. Mary's (Perth Amboy), 125-75
Date: Jan. 5, 1968
Other stats: 34-44 FG, 16 FT
81 — Travis Best, Central (Springfield, Mass.)
Score/Opponent: Def. Putnam Vocational Tech, 143-85
Date: Feb. 11, 1991
Other stats: 31-44 FG, 10-19 3's, 9-13 FT
80 — DaJuan Wagner, Camden
Score/Opponent: Def. Pennsauken Tech, 122-66
Date: Jan. 31, 2000
77 — John Drew, Shields (Beatrice, Ala.)
Score/Opponent: Def. Snow Hill Institute, 135-49
Date: Nov. 1971
76 — Len Rosenbluth, Staunton Military Academy (Va.)
Score/Opponent: Def. Ferrum Junior College, 108-71
Date: Feb. 20, 1953
Other stats: 32 FG, 12-18 FT
74 — Wilt Chamberlain, Overbrook
Score/Opponent: Def. Roxborough (Philadelphia, 127-50
Date: Jan. 11, 1955
Other stats: 36 FG, 2 FT
74 — John Drew, Shields
Score/Opponent: Def. Snow Hill Institute, 132-70
Date: Nov. 1971
72 — Monta Ellis, Lanier (Jackson, Miss.)
Score/Opponent: Def. Greenwood, 117-56
Date: Jan. 28, 2005
Other stats: 13-18 FG, 10-23 3's, 16-17 FT
71 — Wade "Swede" Halbrook, Lincoln (Portland, Ore.)
Score/Opponent: Def. Roosevelt (Portland), 90-53
Date: Feb. 22, 1952
Other stats: 32-43 FG, 7-8 FT
71 — Wilt Chamberlain, Overbrook
Score/Opponent: Def. Roxborough (Philadelphia), 114-51
Date: Jan. 14, 1954
Other stats: 29 FG, 13-17 FT
70 — Brian Taylor, Perth Amboy
Score/Opponent: Def. Madison Township, 120-70
Date: Jan. 31, 1969
Other stats: 31-63 FG, 8-12 FT
68 — Wallace "Wah Wah¨ Jones, Harlan (Ky.)
Score/Opponent: Def. Artemus, 100-21
Date: Nov. 30, 1943
Other stats: 32 FG, 4 FT
68 — Bob Sura, GAR Memorial (Wilkes-Barre, Pa.)
Score/Opponent: Def. West Side Vo-Tech (Kingston), 111-59
Date: Feb. 8, 1991
Other stats: 30 FGs, 7 dunks, 5-6 FTs, 3 3's
68 — Terry Rozier, Hargrave Military Academy (Chatham, Va.)
Score/Opponent: Def. Action Sports Academy (Ga.), 139-135 2 OT
Date: Jan. 26, 2013
Other stats: 19 FG, 8-14 3's, 22-24 FT
67 — Charley "Chico" Vaughn, Tamms (Ill.)
Score/Opponent: Def. Thebes, 106-29
Date: Dec. 11, 1956
Other stats: 23-41 FG, 21-25 FT
67 — Tom McMillen, Mansfield (Pa.)
Score/Opponent: Def. Elkland, 151-42
Date: Dec. 16, 1969
Other stats: Played 19 minutes
67 — Al Jefferson, Prentiss (Miss.)
Score/Opponent: Def. Tylertown
Date: Dec. 3, 2002
Other stats: 17 rebounds, 12 blocks
66 — Wade "Swede" Halbrook, Lincoln
Score/Opponent: Def. Molalla, 77-26
Date: Jan. 12, 1952
Other stats: 30-51 FG, 6 FT
66 — Bill Cartwright, Elk Grove (Calif.)
Score/Opponent: Def. Sacramento, 94-43
Date: Feb 21. 1975
Other stats: 30 FGs, 6-6 FT
66 — James Robinson, Murrah (Jackson, Miss.)
Score/Opponent: Def. Lawrence County, 105-60
Date: Dec. 28, 1988
Other stats: 30 rebounds
66 — Al Jefferson, Prentiss
Score/Opponent: Def. Forest, 74-57
Date: Feb. 27, 2004
Other stats: 30 FG, 6-8 FT
65 — Kelenna Azubuike, Victory Christian (Tulsa, Okla.)
Score/Opponent: Def. Cimarron (Lahoma), 96-62
Date: Dec. 28, 2001
Other stats: 25-48 FG
65 — Monta Ellis, Lanier
Score/Opponent: Def. Greenwood, 101-55
Date: Dec. 10, 2004
64 — Tom McMillen, Mansfield
Score/Opponent: Def. Canton, 100-46
Date: Dec. 5, 1969
Other stats: 28-39 FG, 8 FT
64 — Tom McMillen, Mansfield
Score/Opponent: Def. Liberty, 129-35
Date: Feb. 6, 1970
64 — Tracy Murray, Glendora (Calif.)
Score/Opponent: Lost to Menlo-Atherton, 89-83 (state finals)
Date: March 18, 1989
Other stats: 23-44 FG, 6-15 3's, 12-18 FT
64 — Allonzo Trier, Tulsa NOAH HomeSchool (Tulsa, Okla.)
Score/Opponent: Def. Bartlesville, 88-85 OT
Date: Dec. 21, 2012
Other stats: 20-32 FG, 7-15 3's, 17-18 FT
64 — Mac McClung, Gate City (Va.)
Score/Opponent: Lost to Dan River, 96-84
Date: Feb. 23, 2017
Other stats: 15 FG, 17-17 FT, 7 3's.
63 — Elgin Baylor, Spingarn (Washington D.C.)
Score/Opponent: Phelps Vocational, 91-48
Date: Feb. 5, 1954
63 — Jerry Lucas, Middletown (Ohio)
Score/Opponent: Def. Lima Senior, 105-48
Date: Feb. 14, 1958
Other stats: 23-29 FG, 17-20 FT
63 — Jim McDaniels, Allen County-Scottsville (Scottsville, Ky.)
Score/Opponent: Def. North Warren, 94-65
Date: Feb. 3, 1967
Other stats: 30-35 FG, 3-6 FT
63 — Leon Wood, St. Monica (Santa Monica, Calif.)
Score/Opponent: Def. Murphy, 90-82
Date: Dec. 20, 1978
Other stats: 26 FG, 11-12 FT
63 — Brandon Jennings, Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, Va.)
Score/Opponent: Def. Bonner Academy (Raleigh), 120-58
Date: Feb. 19, 2008
Other stats: 25-40 FG, 13-20 3's,
63 — Romeo Langford, New Albany (Ind.)
Score/Opponent: Def. Jennings County (North Vernon), 102-52
Date: Feb. 1, 2018
Other stats: 6 3's
63 — Emoni Bates, Lincoln (Ypsilanti, Mich.)
Score/Opponent: Def. Chelsea, 108-102 2 OT
Date: Feb. 18, 2020
Other stats: 21 rebounds
62 — Leonard Rosenbluth, Staunton Military Academy (Va.)
Score/Opponent: Def. Massanetten Military Academy, 104-76
Date: Jan. 17, 1953
Other stats: 28 FG, 6-13 FT
62 — Oscar Robertson, Crispus Attucks (Indianapolis, Ind.)
Score/Opponent: Def. Sacred Heart, 76-47
Date: Feb. 11, 1956
Other stats: 23-60 FG, 16-22 FT
62 — Calvin Murphy, Norwalk (Conn.)
Score/Opponent: Def. Roger Ludlowe (Fairfield), 126-53
Date: Jan. 14, 1966
Other stats: 27-44 FG, 8-11 FT
62 — Billy Ray Bates, McAdams (Miss.)
Score/Opponent: Lost to South Leake, 104-87
Date: Dec. 30, 1973
62 — Bill Cartwright, Elk Grove
Score/Opponent: Def. Sacramento, 101-62
Date: Jan. 11, 1974
Other stats: 25-33 FG, 12 FT
62 — James Robinson, Murrah
Score/Opponent: Def. Hinds County, 116-81
Date: Nov. 10, 1988
62 — Al Jefferson, Prentiss
Score/Opponent: Def. Magee, 104-78
Date: Feb. 3, 2004
Other stats: 21 rebounds, 11 blocks
62 — B.J. Mullens, Canal Winchester (Ohio)
Score/Opponent: Def. Our Savior New American (N.Y.), 79-69
Date: Jan. 21, 2008
Other stats: 28-34 FG, 6-12 FT
62 — Trae Young, Norman North (Norman, Okla.)
Score/Opponent: Def. Edmond Memorial, 103-67
Date: Feb. 10, 2017
61 — Jim Krebs, Webster Groves (Mo.)
Score/Opponent: Def. Marshall, 99-63 (Third-place game at state tournament)
Date: March 7, 1953
Other stats: 24 FG, 13 FT
61 — Billy Cunningham, Erasmus Hall (Brooklyn, N.Y.)
Score/Opponent: Def. Alexander Hamilton, 140-42
Date: Jan. 23, 1961
61 — Tom McMillen, Mansfield
Score/Opponent: Def. Elkland, 112-43
Date: Feb. 21, 1969
Other stats: 29 FG, 3 FT
61 — Tom McMillen, Mansfield
Score/Opponent: Def. Elkland, 106-39
Date: Jan. 27, 1970
Other stats: 24-32 FG, 13-14 FT
61 — Tom McMillen, Mansfield
Score/Opponent: Def. Wyalusing, 108-55
Date: March 3, 1970
Other stats: 28-33 FG, 5-6 FT
61 — Sam Vincent, Eastern (Lansing, Mich.)
Score/Opponent: Def. Waverly, 109-47
Date: Dec. 19, 1980
Other stats: 28-38 FGs
61 — Chris Paul, West Forsyth (Clemmons, N.C.)
Score/Opponent: Def. Winston-Salem Parkland, 117-71
Date: Nov. 2002
Other stats:
Scored the total in honor of his grandfather, who was killed at age 61
the week before. Paul even intentionally missed a free throw in final
seconds to keep total at 61.
61 — Sebastian Telfair, Lincoln (Brooklyn, N.Y.)
Score/Opponent: Def. Telecommunication Arts, 106-72
Date: Jan. 20, 2004
Other stats: 22-36 FG, 10 3's
60 — Larry Siegfried, Shelby (Ohio)
Score/Opponent: Def. Galion, 91-69
Date: Jan. 11, 1957
Other stats: 21-37 FG, 16-21 FT
60 — Billy Ray Bates, McAdams
Score/Opponent: Lost to South Leake, 96-95 2 OT
Date: Nov. 17, 1973
60 — Mitchell Anderson, Metro (Chicago)
Score/Opponent: Def. Clemente, 96-42
Date: Feb. 2, 1978
Other stats: 21 rebounds, 13 assists.
60 — Rick Carlisle, Lisbon Central (N.Y.)
Score/Opponent: Def. Parishville, 115-54
Date: Feb. 4, 1978
Other stats: 22 FG, 16 FT
60 — Voise Winters, Gage Park (Chicago, Ill.)
Score/Opponent: Def. Kelly, 94-47
Date: Jan. 6, 1981
Other stats: 24 FG, 12 FT
60 — James Robinson, Murrah
Score/Opponent: Def. Brandon, 95-60
Date: Jan. 31, 1989
Other stats: 25-34 FG, 4-7 3s, 6-7 FT
60 — Tracy Murray, Glendora
Score/Opponent: Def. El Camino, 87-67
Date: Jan. 5, 1989
60 — Danny Fortson, Altoona (Pa.)
Score/Opponent: Def. Bishop Guilfoyle, 74-61
Date: Feb. 7, 1992
Other stats: 26-35 FGs
60 — Trae Young, Norman North
Score/Opponent: Def. Yukon, 102-70
Date: Feb. 12, 2016
Other stats: 12-15 3's
