As of July 2, the 21st century is officially closer to the year 2050 than 2000. Let that sink in. For those that survived the Y2K panic, it's a reminder that time flies and we might be getting old.
But it also triggered a debate about who was the best high school athlete of the century. Today, we are attempting to not only identify the premier prep performer of the past 25 years, but the 100 best spanning every sport.
Beginning with the graduating class of 2001, members of the MaxPreps staff compiled a list of more than 200 candidates. Focusing primarily on their high school resume, a series of votes produced a top 25, then a top 100.
The No. 1 athlete on the list was identified as the best of the century by all five voters. No spoilers here, read on to find out who the unanimous pick was.
Moving down the list, there were some voting oddities. The top seven athletes were all males and the next seven all females. There was simply far less of a consensus on the female side with 11 different athletes garnering top 10 votes – but only two of those receiving multiple top 10 votes. Meanwhile, seven different male athletes received multiple top 10 votes.
Without further ado, we present the top 100 high school athletes of the 21st century (so far). Check back in 2050 for the updated list.
1. LeBron James, St. Vincent-St. Mary (Akron, Ohio) Class: 2003
Sports: Basketball, football
Resume: Wearing LeBron's jersey was a celebrity fashion statement
while he was still in high school. The jersey he was pictured in on the cover of
Sports Illustrated in 2002 sold at auction for $1.3 million last year to a buyer from Hong Kong. Nobody has ever generated the hype as a prep and then lived up to it quite like
James. In addition to putting St. Vincent-St. Mary on the map by leading
the Fighting Irish to three state titles in basketball, he was an
all-state selection in football as a sophomore before focusing on hoops.
2. Patrick Mahomes, Whitehouse (Texas)Class: 2014
Sports: Football, basketball, baseball
Resume: Before
making regular trips to the White House to celebrate Super Bowl titles, Mahomes was working his magic in three sports for the
Wildcats of Whitehouse. In addition to throwing for 8,458 career yards in
football, he scored 49 points in a basketball game and tossed a
no-hitter with 16 strikeouts in baseball. While many slept on Mahomes in high school, we aren't re-writing history – he was the MaxPreps National Athlete of the Year for 2013-14.
3. Kyler Murray, Allen (Texas)Class: 2015
Sports: Football, baseball
Resume: The
one game Murray didn't start during his three-year run as the varsity
quarterback at Allen is the one game the Eagles didn't win during a
dominant three-year run. Murray was 46-0 as a starter and twice earned
MaxPreps National Player of the Year honors. He wasn't too shabby in
baseball either, becoming the first athlete to ever be taken in the
first round of the NFL and MLB drafts.
4. Derrick Henry, Yulee (Fla.)Class: 2013
Sport: Football
Resume: He is known as "King Henry" for good reason. Dominant and imposing as a
6-foot-3 running back, Henry became high school football royalty when he
surpassed Kenneth Hall as the sport's all-time leading rusher as a
senior with 12,124 yards. He is poised to surpass that total in
the NFL as he begins the 2025 season with 11,423 yards.
5. Joe Mauer, Cretin-Derham Hall (St. Paul, Minn.)Class: 2001
Sports: Football, baseball
Resume: In
the 40 years that Gatorade has picked a national player of
the year for football, Joe Mauer is the only selection who has never played a
down of college football. Mauer, also the
Gatorade National Baseball Player of the Year, instead went on to a Hall of Fame
career in the Major Leagues. He is the first professional baseball
player selected to the HOF to play his entire career in the
21st century.
6. Terrelle Pryor, Jeannette (Pa.)Class: 2008
Sports: Football, basketball
Resume: Jeannette has won a total of three state championships in football
and basketball combined, which is only one more than the total won by
Pryor. The Jayhawk great had a senior year to remember, leading
Jeannette to state championship in both sports. He earned state MVP
honors in both sports and was also a Parade All-American in football
(first team) and basketball (fourth team).
7. Greg Oden, Lawrence North (Indianapolis, Ind.)Class: 2006
Sport: Basketball
Resume: No
Indiana high school basketball player had ever been named first team
Parade All-American twice until Oden did just that in 2005 and 2006.
With Oden anchoring the team at center, the Wildcats became just the
third Indiana large school to win three straight state championships. He also became the fourth Indiana Mr. Basketball to be taken No. 1
overall in the NBA Draft.
8. Elena Delle Donne, Ursuline Academy (Wilmington, Del.)Class: 2008
Sports: Basketball, volleyball
Resume: The
two-time WNBA MVP's selection to this list was about as sure a thing as
one of her free throws. The 6-foot-5 standout, who once made 80
straight free throws, won three straight state basketball championships
along with a volleyball state title at Ursuline Academy. The NCAA scoring leader
in 2012 also led the WNBA in scoring in 2015.
9. Missy Franklin, Regis Jesuit (Aurora, Colo.)Class: 2013
Sport: Swimming
Resume: At
one time, Franklin held state records in six of the eight events held
at the Colorado state championships. Of course that shouldn't
be too surprising since at the same time she held the world record in 200
meter backstroke. By the time she graduated in 2013, Franklin already
had four Olympic gold medals and then she added six more golds at the
World Championships that summer.
10. Candace Parker, Naperville Central (Naperville, Ill.)Class: 2004
Sport: Basketball
Resume: MVP
awards seem to come in twos for the Illinois all-time great. She was a
two-time national player of the year in high school and college and a
two-time MVP in the WNBA. She even won two awards her first year at the
pro level – Rookie of the Year and MVP (the only player to achieve that double). She also makes the short list of greatest players of
all-time at all three levels.
11. Joyce Edwards, Camden (S.C.)Class: 2024
Sports: Basketball, volleyball, soccer
Resume: Edwards
joined Missy Franklin (No. 9) and Alissa Pili (No. 15) as a two-time
MaxPreps National Female Athlete of the Year winner. A current member of Dawn Staley's powerhouse South Carolina program, Edwards scored 3,966 points in her high
school career but also excelled in volleyball (391 career kills) and
soccer (84 career goals).
12. Katie Ledecky, Stone Ridge School of the Sacred Heart (Bethesda, Md.)Class: 2015
Sport: Swimming
Resume: One
of just five female athletes to be presented the Presidential Medal of
Freedom, Ledecky won a gold medal at the 2012 Olympics at the age of 15.
The most decorated American female Olympic swimmer with 14 medals,
Ledecky also still holds two national high school records in the 200 and
500 freestyle – the oldest records in the books.
13. Brittney Griner, Nimitz (Houston, Texas)Class: 2009
Sport: Basketball
Resume: It's not just that Griner can dunk a basketball. It's that she dunks
a lot.
She didn't dunk just once during her senior year at Nimitz, she dunked
52 times – seven times in one game. She also blocks a lot of shots. She
holds the high school record for blocked shots in a game with 25 and she
once held the season national record with 318. The national high school
player of the year in 2009, she is a 10-time WNBA All-Star.
14. Maya Moore, Collins Hill (Suwanee, Ga.)Class: 2007
Sport: Basketball
Resume: As
Brian Kotloff wrote for the WNBA official site in 2017, all Moore does is
win. As a two-time national player of the year at Collins Hill, her
teams had a 125-3 record. While at UConn, her teams won 90 straight
games with an overall record of 150-4. In her seven years with the
Minnesota Lynx (at that time), a record of 222-70. A career record of
497-78, three prep state crowns, two NCAA championship and four WNBA
titles.
15. Alissa Pili, Dimond (Anchorage, Alaska)Class: 2019
Sports: Basketball, volleyball, track, wrestling
Resume: A
two-time MaxPreps National Female Athlete of the Year, Pili won 13
state championships in high school – four in volleyball, four in shot
put, two in discus and one in wrestling. And yet her best sport is
basketball, where she was a three-time Gatorade Player of the Year for Alaska and the state's all-time leading scorer. Currently plays in the WNBA
for the Lynx.
16. Adrian Peterson, Palestine (Texas)Class: 2004
Sports: Football, basketball, track
Resume: The nation's No. 1 recruit in 2004, there were newspaper articles and sports talk radio debates devoted to the idea that he was ready for the NFL straight out of high school. He ultimately went to
Oklahoma, nearly won the Heisman as a freshman and ranks fifth on the
all-time NFL rushing list with 14,918 yards. He also starred in
basketball and track while at Palestine, posting some of the top
100-meter times in the state as a senior.
17. A'ja Wilson, Heathwood Hall Episcopal (Columbia, S.C.)Class: 2014
Sport: Basketball
Resume: In
2024, Wilson became the third WNBA player to earn MVP honors three
times and just the second to be a unanimous selection. It all started at
Heathwood Hall where she led the Highlanders to a state championship as
a senior with a 24.7 points per game career scoring average and MaxPreps National
Player of the Year honors.
18. Trevor Lawrence, Cartersville (Ga.)Class: 2018
Sport: Football
Resume: Between
his freshman year of high school and his junior year at Clemson,
Lawrence lost just five games. The Hurricanes went 55-3 with two state
titles and 41 straight wins in his four varsity seasons. At Clemson,
Lawrence won his first 29 games and was 34-2 overall with a national
championship. The No. 1 pick in the 2021 NFL Draft has been touted in
some circles as the greatest high school quarterback of all-time,
including by
MaxPreps.
19. Mike Trout, Millville (N.J.)Class: 2009
Sport: Baseball
Resume: When
the MLB Network held its first televised draft in 2009, high school
All-American Mike Trout was the only player to show up to the studio. He
went No. 26 that day, but he has been all alone at the top of the 2009
draft class. Since setting a state record with 18 home runs in a season
with the Thunderbolts, Trout has won three American League MVP awards
with the Anaheim Angels.
20. Cameron Boozer, Columbus (Miami, Fla.)Class: 2025
Sport: Basketball
Resume: Boozer
is a rarity in high school basketball as he joined the likes of Lew
Alcindor and Earl Jones as a three-time first team All-American. He is also just the fourth player, joining Alcindor, Jerry
Lucas and LeBron James, to be a two-time national POY. The Florida forward did something none of those players ever did – win four
straight state championships.
21. Kevin Durant, Montrose Christian (Rockville, Md.)Class: 2006
Sport: Basketball
Resume: An
All-American as a junior at Oak Hill Academy in Virginia, Durant grew five inches
prior to his senior year at Montrose Christian and became a superstar.
The No. 2 player in the country behind Greg Oden, Durant was the NCAA
Player of the Year as a freshman at Texas, the first freshman to ever be
so honored. Heading into his 19th year in the NBA, he is still one of
the league's best and ranks No. 8 on the all-time scoring list with
30,571 points.
22. Gable Dan Steveson, Apple Valley (Minn.)Class: 2018
Sport: Wrestling
Resume: Named
after wrestling icon Dan Gable is a lot to live up to, but Steveson fulfilled those expectations and then some. He won four
straight state championships and 171 matches in high school and had a
record of 85-2 in college at Minnesota. In winning the super heavyweight
gold medal at the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo at the age of 21, he became
the youngest to ever to do so in that weight class.
23. Juju Watkins, Sierra Canyon (Chatsworth, Calif.)Class: 2023
Sport: Basketball
Resume: It
didn't take long for Watkins to rise to the top of the college ranks.
Just two years after winning MaxPreps National Player of the Year honors
as a senior at Sierra Canyon, Watkins won NCAA POY honors by multiple
organizations after a dominant sophomore season at USC. She scored
51 points in a game as a college freshman, topped only by the 60 points she scored
on senior night in her final home game in high school.
24. Clayton Kershaw, Highland Park (Dallas, Texas)Class: 2006
Sport: Baseball
Resume: It's
been 3,000 strikeouts since Kershaw was the No. 1 draft pick of the Los
Angeles Dodgers and the first high school player chosen in the 2006
draft. The national player of the year with a 13-0 record and 139
strikeouts, Kershaw has won three Cy Young Awards and recently became
the 18th player to join the 3,000 strikeouts club.
25. Bryce Harper, Las Vegas (Nev.)Class: 2009
Sport: Baseball
Resume: The
Las Vegas native had a short, but impressive high school career. He
left high school after an All-America sophomore season (.626, 14 home
runs) and was drafted No. 1 in the 2010 MLB Draft out of community
college. At the age of 23 in 2015, he became the youngest unanimous
National League MVP, an award he won again in 2021.
26. Tina Charles, Christ the King (Middle Village, N.Y.)Class: 2006
Sport: Basketball
Resume: The
second all-time leading scorer in WNBA history with 7,961 career
points, Charles played on one of the nation's greatest high school teams
when she led Christ the King to 57 straight wins, an undefeated season
and a national No. 1 ranking by USA Today in 2006. She led UConn to two
NCAA titles and was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2010 WNBA Draft.
27. Nneka Ogwumike, Cy-Fair (Cypress, Texas)Class: 2008
Sports: Basketball, volleyball
Resume: Nneka
paved the way for future Ogwumikes by earning MaxPreps National
Basketball Player of the Year honors, making the All-America team while
at Stanford, going No. 1 overall in the WNBA Draft and playing for the
Los Angeles Sparx – all things her sister Chiney would later accomplish
as well.
28. Ted Ginn Jr., Glenville (Cleveland, Ohio)Class: 2004
Sports: Football, track
Resume: If
not for football, Ginn might have been an Olympic hurdler. Coming out
of high school, Ginn had a time of 13.26 in the 110-meter hurdles, which
still ranks among the best times in high school history. However, Ginn
also excelled in football. Named the USA Today National Defensive Player
of the Year, he focused on football at Ohio State where he was a
three-time All-American. He has spent 14 seasons in the NFL.
29. Julio Jones, Foley (Ala.)Class: 2008
Sports: Football, track
Resume: Before
Jones was soaring high for passes in the NFL, he was soaring on the
high school track as one of the nation's best in the long jump and
triple jump. He was twice a state champion in both jumps and was the
Gatorade State Player of the Year as a senior. He was also a MaxPreps
All-American in football and ranks 16th in NFL history with 13,703
receiving yards.
30. Andrew McCutchen, Fort Meade (Fla.)Class: 2005
Sports: Baseball, football, track
Resume: Although
he was born in a small town, McCutchen was always big time. The 2013
National League MVP was the Florida Gatorade Player of the Year in
baseball after batting .709 with 16 home runs his senior year. He went
to the Pirates in the first round of the MLB Draft and reportedly turned
down a football scholarship to the University of Miami. McCutchen's
speed showed up on the track when he won a state championship in the
4x100 relay.
31. Chiney Ogwumike, Cy-Fair (Cypress, Texas)Class: 2010
Sports: Basketball, volleyball
Resume: Following
in her sister's footsteps, Chiney earned MaxPreps National
Player of the Year honors as a senior at Cy-Fair, just two years after
sister Nneka won the same award. She followed Nneka to Stanford
where she became the Pac-12's all-time leading scorer. The two-time
WNBA All-Star was also a standout in volleyball at the prep level,
earning All-American honors as a senior.
32. Bobby Witt Jr., Colleyville Heritage (Colleyville, Texas)Class: 2019
Sport: Baseball
Resume: Witt Jr., the 2019 MaxPreps National Player of the Year, isn't just
following in his dad's footsteps, he is one step ahead. Senior was
drafted out of college while Junior was selected right out of high
school. Senior was the No. 3 overall pick, Junior was No. 2. While
Senior never made an All-Star game in his 16-year career, Junior has
already made two All-Star Games at the age of 25.
33. Dorial Green-Beckham, Hillcrest (Springfield, Mo.)Class: 2011
Sports: Football, basketball, track
Resume: While
Green-Beckham's professional career was short-lived, his high school
career was amazing. He set a national record for career receiving yards
with 6,356 while earning MaxPreps National Athlete of the Year
honors. He also scored 2,098 points during his prep basketball career
and he was the Gatorade State Player of the Year in track and field as a
sophomore when he won state titles in the 100 meters and triple jump.
34. Vince Young, Madison (Houston, Texas)Class: 2002
Sports: Football, basketball, track, baseball
Resume: Before
winning Rose Bowl MVP honors and the national championship with a legendary win
over USC, Young was earning national player of the year honors
with 12,987 career total yards at Madison. He also averaged over 25
points per game in basketball, was all-state in the relay in track and
field and played two years on the baseball team.
35. Lonzo Ball, Chino Hills (Calif.)Class: 2016
Sport: Basketball
Resume: Few
have had the type of senior season that Ball had as MaxPreps National
Basketball Player of the Year at Chino Hills. The Huskies were the
consensus No. 1 team at 35-0 and rank as one of the greatest teams in
high school history. Ball averaged a triple-double with 23.9
points, 11.3 rebounds and 11.7 assists per game.
36. Scottie Scheffler, Highland Park (Dallas, Texas)Class: 2014
Sport: Golf
Resume: As
a junior in his first PGA event, Scheffler became the fourth amateur
since 1983 to hit a hole in one on the tour. And it's only gotten better since. He won three straight state individual championships for Highland Park. He has won two Masters titles, one PGA championship
and has been ranked No. 1 on the tour since March of 2022.
37. Allyson Felix, Los Angeles Baptist (Calif.) now Heritage Christian (Northridge, Calif.)Class: 2003
Sport: Track
Resume: The
most decorated female in Olympic track and field history, Felix has won
22 gold medals in the Olympics and World championships combined. She was
a five-time champion at the CIF state meet and was the female high
school athlete of the year by Track and Field News in 2003.
38. Sydney McLaughlin, Union Catholic (Scotch Plains, N.J.)Class: 2017
Sport: Track
Resume: McLaughlin
keeps breaking world records, mainly her own. She has broken her own
world record in the 400-meter hurdles three times, including once while
winning the Olympic gold medal in 2024. In high school,
McLaughlin was twice named the Track and Field New High School Athlete
of the Year. She still holds state records in the 200 and 400 meters and
the 300- and 400-meter hurdles.
39. Jalen Suggs, Minnehaha Academy (Minneapolis, Minn.)Class: 2019
Sports: Football, basketball
Resume: Suggs
is the definition of a grid-hoop standout. He is the only Minnesota
athlete to ever win the state's Mr. Football and Mr. Basketball awards
in the same year. He was also the MaxPreps National Athlete of the Year
and a MaxPreps All-American first team pick in basketball. Picked
No. 5 overall in the NBA Draft, Suggs is a defensive standout for the
Orlando Magic.
40. Kevin Love, Lake Oswego (Ore.)Class: 2007
Sports: Basketball
Resume: The
son of a NBA veteran (Stan Love) and nephew of a music icon (Mike Love
of the Beach Boys), Kevin Love has carved an impressive resume of his
own. A two-time Parade All-American in high school, Love finished his
career as the all-time leading scorer in Oregon with 2,628 points. He
was Pac-10 Player of the Year as a freshman and has played 18 years in
the NBA.
41. Tyreek Hill, Coffee (Douglas, Ga.)Class: 2012
Sports: Football, track
Resume: While
Hill was certainly a talented football player at Coffee, he excelled in
track and field during his high school career. He was the Track and
Field News High School Athlete of the Year after setting state records
in the 100 meters (10.19 seconds) and 200 meters (20.14). He has used that
outstanding speed to his advantage during his nine seasons in the NFL, earning eight Pro Bowl trips and gaining 11,098 career receiving yards.
42. Breanna Stewart, Cicero-North Syracuse (Cicero, N.Y.)Class: 2012
Sport: Basketball
Resume: If
there's a Lew Alcindor (Kareem Abdul-Jabbar) equivalent in women's
basketball, it might be Stewart. Both are from New York, both scored
over 2,000 career points in high school, both were three-time POY honorees in college, both won three NCAA titles (Stewart
actually won four) and both have won multiple MVP honors at the
professional level. Although Stewart isn't in the Hall of Fame like
Alcindor, that's just a matter of time.
43. Cat Osterman, Cypress Springs (Cypress, Texas)Class: 2001
Sport: Softball
Resume: Osterman
opened the 21st century as one of the greatest pitchers in softball
history and not much has changed since. She was the Gatorade National
Player of the Year as a senior when she threw 12 no-hitters, averaged 20
strikeouts a game and struck out 33 batters in a 14-inning contest. She
went on to be a three-time USA Softball College Player of the Year and
won Olympic Gold in 2004.
44. Sabrina Ionescu, Miramonte (Orinda, Calif.)Class: 2016
Sport: Basketball
Resume: Ionescu's
triple-double in the CIF state final against Chaminade was a sign of
things to come. The MaxPreps National Player of the Year went on to set
an NCAA record for triple-doubles with 26. A three-time Pac-12 Player of
the Year, Ionescu has been a WNBA All-Star the past four seasons.
45. Travis Hunter, Collins Hill (Suwanee, Ga.)Class: 2021
Sport: Football
Resume: Hunter
has been known for his versatility since his high school days with the
Eagles. He caught 48 touchdown passes in his high school career and also
had 19 career interceptions. In addition to earning the Heisman Trophy in his
junior year at Colorado, Hunter also won the Chuck Bednarik Trophy as
the NCAA's best defensive player and the Fred Biletnikoff Trophy as
the NCAA's best receiver.
46. Michael Porter Jr., Nathan Hale (Seattle, Wash.)Class: 2017
Sport: Basketball
Resume: Has
there ever been a more valuable high school basketball player than
Michael Porter Jr.? He only played at Nathan Hale for one season. That
year, the Raiders were 29-0 and were ranked No. 1 in the nation by
MaxPreps with Porter earning National Player of the Year honors. In the 19 seasons between 2006 and 2025, Nathan Hale has averaged just
eight wins a season.
47. Percy Harvin, Landstown (Virginia Beach, Va.)Class: 2006
Sports: Football, basketball, track
Resume: One
of the great football-track dual athletes ever, Harvin won five
individual events in track and field as a junior, becoming the first
Virginia athlete to do so in 69 years. In football, he scored 77 career
touchdowns and was the top recruit in the country while earning
National Junior of the Year. He was a two-time All-American in
college and the NFL Rookie of the Year in 2009.
48. Skylar Diggins, South Bend Washington (South Bend, Ind.)Class: 2009
Sport: Basketball
Resume: The No. 3 all-time leading scorer in Indiana with 2,790 points, Diggins won MaxPreps National Player of the Year honors and led the Panthers to a 102-7 record over four seasons with a state title in 2007. She finished her college career as Notre Dame's all-time leading scorer and went No. 3 in the WNBA Draft to the Shock. She is a seven-time WNBA All-Star.
49. Patrick Peterson, Blanche Ely (Pompano Beach, Fla.)Class: 2008
Sports: Football, track
Resume: Known as Patrick Johnson in high school, Peterson was the national defensive player of the year by USA Today as a defensive back at Blanche Ely. He was also one of the top sprinters in the state as a senior. The fifth overall pick in the 2011 draft, Peterson is an eight-time Pro Bowl selection.
50. Dwight Howard, Southwest Atlanta Christian (Atlanta, Ga.)Class: 2004
Sport: Basketball
Resume: Howard emerged as one of the top players in the nation as a senior with the Warriors when he led the team to a state championship and earned national POY honors by multiple media outlets. He ranks 11th all-time in NBA history in career rebounds with 14,627.
51. Paige Bueckers, Hopkins (Minnetonka, Minn.)Class: 2020
Sport: Basketball
Resume: It's been a good year for Bueckers. In addition to winning a national championship with UConn, she was taken No. 1 overall in the WNBA Draft and named to the All-Star team. In high school, she was a three-time Metro Player of the Year by the Star Tribune and the MaxPreps National Player of the Year as a senior.
52. Justin Upton, Great Bridge (Chesapeake, Va.)Class: 2005
Sport: Baseball
Resume: Like his brother B.J., Justin was a first round selection in the MLB Draft, making the Uptons one of five brother combinations to be drafted in the first round. Justin was the No. 1 overall pick by the Diamondbacks after earning national POY honors as a senior when he batted .519 with 11 home runs.
53. Kiki Rice, Sidwell Friends (Washington, D.C.)Class: 2022
Sports: Basketball, soccer
Resume: Winner of multiple state player of the year honors in both basketball and soccer for the Quakers, Rice earned MaxPreps National Athlete of the Year honors in 2022. She led Sidwell Friends to a No. 1 national ranking in basketball with a 28-0 record as a senior. She is a two-time all-conference selection at point guard for UCLA.
54. Cynthia Barboza, Woodrow Wilson (Long Beach, Calif.)Class: 2005 Sport: Volleyball
Resume: One of the youngest members of the United States women's volleyball team, Barboza played in the Pan American Games in 2003 and was an alternate for the Olympic team in 2004. In high school, she was a three-time All-American by PrepVolleyball.com and was the Gatorade Female Athlete of the Year. She went on to earn AVCA All-America first team honors three times while at Stanford.
55. Matthew Boling, Strake Jesuit (Houston, Texas)Class: 2019
Sport: Track
Resume: Boling
became a viral sensation when he broke the 10-second barrirer in the
100 meters with a wind-aided time of 9.98. He later set a wind-legal high school record of 10.13 at the Texas state championships. Also a
long jumper, Boling's leap of 26-3 was the longest by a high
school athlete in a decade. He went on to win four gold medals at the
Pan-American Games in 2019 and two golds at the World Championships in
2023.
56. Jordan Spieth, Dallas Jesuit (Dallas, Texas)Class: 2011
Sport: Golf
Resume: While
still in high school, Spieth won the US Junior Amateur twice, joining
Tiger Woods as the only golfers to achieve the feat. In high school, he
was a three-time individual champion and still holds state records for
lowest second round and margin of victory. He has won the Masters, US
Open and British Open
57. Michael Phelps, Towson (Md.)Class: 2003
Sport: Swimming
Resume: Phelps,
a 23-time Olympic gold medalist, might be much higher on this list if
not for the fact that he turned pro at the age of 15. According to the
New York Times, Towson did not have a swim team when Phelps attended
school there. He swam for the North Baltimore Aquatic Club, qualified
for the 2000 Olympic team at the age of 15 and became the youngest male
swimmer to break a world record.
58. Alan Webb, South Lakes (Reston, Va.)Class: 2001
Sport: Track
Resume: Any
time a runner breaks records once held by legend Jim Ryun, they
have to make the list. Webb did it twice, breaking Ryuns 36-year old
mile record with a time of 3:53.43 at the Prefontaine Classic. In the
same race, Webb surpassed Ryun's 37-year old 1500 meter mark with a time
of 3:38.26. Later that month, Webb won the 800 meters at the state meet
in 1:47.74, the fourth fastest time ever, and was named Track and Field
News Athlete of the Year.
59. Jadaveon Clowney, South Pointe (Rock Hill, S.C.)Class: 2011
Sport: Football
Resume: Clowney was a sack machine in his three seasons on the Stallion varsity squad. After 17 sacks as a sophomore, he added 23 as a junior and 29.5 as a senior. South Pointe went 38-6 during his three seasons and he was Mr. Football in South Carolina his senior year. He went No. 1 overall to the Houston Texans in the 2014 NFL Draft and is a three-time Pro Bowl selection.
60. Gerrit Cole, Orange Lutheran (Orange, Calif.)Class: 2008
Sport: Baseball
Resume: Drafted in the first round out of high school by the Yankees at No. 28 overall, Cole opted for college. After three years at UCLA, he was the No. 1 overall pick by the Pirates. Cole was a MaxPreps All-American for the Lancers striking out 121 batters as a senior. He was a unanimous choice for the National League Cy Young in 2023.
61. Jayson Tatum, Chaminade (St. Louis, Mo.)Class: 2016
Sport: Basketball
Resume: In just eight seasons in the NBA, Tatum has emerged as one of the top players in the league, earning All-NBA first team honors four straight seasons and winning a title with the Celtics in 2024. He got his start in Missouri where he scored 40 points in leading Chaminade to the state title while earning MaxPreps All-American honors.
62. Jordan Hasay, Mission College Prep (San Luis Obispo, Calif.)Class: 2010
Sports: Cross Country, track
Resume: The MaxPreps National Athlete of the Year in 2009, Hasay rarely lost in cross country or long distance running events. She was a four-time CIF cross country champion, a four-time Foot Locker West Regional champion, two-time national Foot Locker Cross Country champion and four-time CIF 3200 meter champion.
63. Dajuan Wagner, Camden (N.J.)Class: 2001
Sport: Basketball
Resume: Considered by some as the greatest high school basketball player in New
Jersey history, Wagner finished his career as the state's all-time
leading scorer with 3,462 points. He also holds the state single-game
record after scoring 100 points in a game against Camden County Tech. A
two-time high school All-American, Wagner was the sixth overall pick in
the 2002 draft, however a serious illness ended his NBA career after
four seasons.
64. Karl-Anthony Towns, St. Joseph (Metuchen, N.J.)Class: 2014
Sport: Basketball
Resume: Towns played just three seasons of high school basketball but led St. Joseph to three straight state championships. He was a MaxPreps All-American and regarded as the No. 3 prospect in the class of 2014. He left Kentucky after one sason and was the No. 1 pick in the 2015 NBA draft. He has since been named to the NBA All-Star game five times.
65. Calvin Johnson, Sandy Creek (Tyrone, Ga.)Class: 2004
Sports: Football, baseball
Resume: When
Johnson entered Georgia Tech, his hope was to play both football and
baseball with the Yellowjackets. He decided to focus on football
and the rest is history. Despite playing just nine seasons in the NFL, Johnson accumulated 11,619 career receiving yards and set a NFL record with 1,964
yards in a single season. He has been named to the College and Pro Football Halls of
Fame.
66. Montana Fouts, East Carter (Grayson, Ky.)Class: 2018
Sport: Softball
Resume: The
MaxPreps National Player of the Year, Fouts was a three-time
state player of the year while racking up 111 career wins, 1,483
strikeouts and 25 no-hitters. At the college level, Fouts has twice
earned national Pitcher of the Year honors and won gold at the World
Games in 2022 and Pan American Games in 2023.
67. Alex Morgan, Diamond Bar (Calif.)Class: 2007
Sport: Soccer
Resume: An
All-American in high school at Diamond Bar, Morgan has been an integral
part of the United States Women's National Team that won the FIFA World
Cup in 2015 and 2019 and the London Olympics in 2012. She also won a
bronze medal at the Tokyo Olympics in 2020. She has scored 123 goals in
her international career, which ranks fifth all-time.
68. Royce Lewis, JSerra Catholic (San Juan Capistrano, Calif.)Class: 2017
Sport: Baseball
Resume: After
earning All-Area Player of the Year honors from the Los Angeles Times
as a junior and MaxPreps All-American as a senior, Lewis went No. 1
overall to the Minnesota Twins in the 2017 MLB Draft. He has become a
home run threat with the Twins, tying a postseason team record with four
home runs in the 2023 AL Wild Card Series and belting four career grand
slams.
69. Spencer Lee, Franklin Regional (Murrysville, Pa.)Class: 2017
Sports: Wrestling
Resume: Named
the "Most Dominant College Wrestler" as a senior at Iowa, Lee was also
considered one of the nation's most dominant athletes, period. He got
his start in Pennsylvania, winning three state titles and 144 straight
matches. A three-time All-American with the Hawkeyes, Lee won a silver
medal at the 2024 Olympics in Paris.
70. Carmelo Anthony, Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, Va.)Class: 2002
Sport: Basketball
Resume: Not
many players can say they got the best of LeBron James in high school,
but Anthony can. Although James outscored Anthony 36-34, St. Vincent-St.
Mary lost to Anthony's Oak Hill Academy team, 72-66. Anthony earned
USA Today All-American honors and the next year he led Syracuse to a national championship. He spent his first two seasons at Towson
Catholic and was twice named the Baltimore Sun's All-Metro Player of the
Year.
71. Alix Klineman, Mira Costa (Manhattan Beach, Calif.)Class: 2007
Sports: Volleyball
Resume: Hailing
from high school volleyball powerhouse Mira Costa, Klineman twice
earned California Gatorade Player of the Year honors and was the national player of the year as a senior. She continued to excel at Stanford,
earning All-American honors four times. Switching to beach volleyball
after college, Klineman won the Olympic gold medal in Japan in 2020.
72. Ben Simmons, Montverde Academy (Montverde, Fla.)Class: 2015
Sport: Basketball
Resume: Montverde
Academy won three straight postseason national tournaments from
2013 to 2015 with Simmons leading the way. He was the MaxPreps National Junior of the
Year in 2014 and the MaxPreps National Player of the Year as a senior.
He went to the 76ers with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2016 NBA Draft.
73. Monta Ellis, Lanier (Jackson, Miss.)Class: 2005
Sport: Basketball
Resume: One
of the last high school players to go directly from high school to the
NBA, Ellis was a second round pick in 2005 for the Golden State Warriors.
He was a scoring machine in high school, averaging 38.4 points per game
while leading Lanier to a 35-2 record. He had single-game highs of 72
and 65 points and was the national player of the year.
74. Jeremiah Smith, Chaminade-Madonna (Hollywood, Fla.)Class: 2024
Sports: Football, track
Resume: Already
a national champion as a freshman at Ohio State earlier this year,
Smith joined the Buckeyes as one of the top-rated high school receivers
of all-time according to 247Sports. He was the All-American Bowl Player
of the Year as a senior. As a junior, he won the 110 and 400-meter
hurdles at the Class 2A state meet.
75. Galen Rupp, Central Catholic (Portland, Ore.)Class: 2004
Sport: Track
Resume: It
is rare for American male distance runners to medal at the Olympics, but
Rupp has done it twice, with a silver in the 10,000 meters in 2012 and a
bronze in the marathon in 2016. In high school, Rupp was the national
athlete of the year by Track and Field News after breaking the 3000
meter record with a time of 8:03.67, nearly seven seconds faster than
the previous mark.
76. Ryan Murphy, Bolles (Jacksonville, Fla.)Class: 2013
Sport: Swimming
Resume: Although
he didn't compete in the Olympics while in high school, Murphy has won
five Olympic gold medals in his swimming career and nine total. He was a
six-time gold medal winner in high school at the state meet and he
still holds the state record in the 100 backstroke, an event he won four
times. He is also a part of three other relay state records.
77. Kyle Snyder, Our Lady of Good Counsel (Olney, Md.)Class: 2014
Sport: Wrestling
Resume: In amassing a 179-0 record and three
state championships, Snyder reportedly gave up just one takedown. He
spent his senior year at the US Olympic Training Center and went on to
win a gold medal in the 2016 Olympics and three straight NCAA
championships.
78. Ryan Crouser, Barlow (Gresham, Ore.)Class: 2011
Sport: Track
Resume: Crouser
ranks as the greatest shot putter of all-time thanks to three gold
medals in the Olympics and multiple gold medals at the World indoor and
outdoor championships. In high school, Crouser set the national record
in both the shot put and the discus. Since 2016, he has been ranked No. 1
or 2 in the world in the shot put every year while twice setting the
world record.
79. Myles Garrett, Martin (Arlington, Texas)Class: 2014
Sport: Football, basketball, track
Resume: Garrett
played basketball and ran track in high school but he was the No. 1
defensive player in the country after racking up 19.5 sacks as a senior.
He was a MaxPreps All-American and went on to All-American honors at
Texas A&M. In just eight seasons, he already has 102.5 sacks in his
NFL career.
80. Jackson Cantwell, Nixa (Mo.)Class: 2026
Sports: Football, track
Resume: Although
he still has a year left in high school, Cantwell has already snagged
MaxPreps Male Athlete of the Year honors. During the 2024-25 year, he earned state MVP honors
in football as an offensive and defensive lineman and had the nation's best mark in the shot put.
81. Katelyn Tuohy, North Rockland (Thiells, N.Y.)Class: 2021
Sports: Cross Country, track
Resume: A
three-time Gatorade National Athlete of the Year in cross country,
Tuohy also won the award once in track and field. She was a three-time
Nike Cross National champion in high school and set national records in
the mile, 3000 meters indoor, 3200 meters and 5000 meters indoor. She also won four NCAA championships in track and field and cross country
combined.
82. Johnathan Gray, Aledo (Texas)Class: 2011
Sports: Football
Resume: Before
Derrick Henry made his assault on Ken Hall's all-time rushing mark,
Gray was thought to be the heir apparent to the storied mark. While Gray
ranks seventh all-time with 10,889 yards, he did set the national record
for career touchdowns with 205. The MaxPreps National Player of the
Year suffered from Achilles tendon injuries in both legs in college and
never played in the NFL.
83. Armand Duplantis, Lafayette (La.)Class: 2018
Sports: Track
Resume: Although
he has won two Olympic gold medals competing for Sweden, Duplantis soared
as a high school pole vaulter in Louisiana. His national high school
record of 19-5 1/2 is over 13 inches better than the No. 2
all-time mark. A two-time national athlete of the year by Track and Field
News, Duplantis has cleared 20 feet 31 times in his career.
84. Alicia Hollowell, Fairfield (Calif.)Class: 2002
Sport: Softball
Resume: A
strikeout machine for the Falcons, Hollowell once struck out 61 batters
in a 30-inning game that spanned two days. She ranks among the all-time
national leaders in career strikeouts (2,238), single-season strikeouts
(641), career shutouts (111) and career no-hitters (43). She finished
her college career at Arizona in the top 10 in career wins (144) and strikeouts
(1,768).
85. Mark Hall, Apple Valley (Minn.)Class: 2016
Sport: Wrestling
Resume: Winner
of six state titles in Minnesota, Hall ranks as one of the greatest
wrestlers in high school history. He was twice named the national
wrestler of the year by Intermat and the National Wrestling Hall of
Fame. He had a 278-5 career record before winning one gold and two
silver medals in the NCAA championships while at Penn State.
86. Dylan Bundy, Owasso (Okla.)Class: 2011
Sport: Baseball
Resume: Bundy
was a unanimous national player of the year honoree in 2011, earning
recognition from seven media outlets including MaxPreps. He struck out
158 batters with a 0.25 ERA. He went No. 4 overall to the Baltimore
Orioles and was in the Major Leagues by the following September. Multiple injuries curtailed his career.
87. O.J. Mayo, Huntington (W.Va.)Class: 2007
Sport: Basketball
Resume: While
LeBron James was "The Chosen One", Mayo was dubbed "The Next One" as a
freshman at
North College Hill (Cincinnati, Ohio). Mayo, an eight-year NBA veteran, holds the
unique distinction of being named all-state in three different states.
He was the first eighth grader to make all-state in Kentucky, he was Mr.
Basketball in Ohio as a sophomore and junior and the state player of the year as a senior in West Virginia.
88. Kyrie Irving, St. Patrick (Elizabeth, N.J.)Class: 2010
Sport: Basketball
Resume: Irving
began his high school career at
Montclair Kimberley Academy (Montclair, N.J.), winning a
state title as a sophomore. He transferred his junior year to St.
Patrick and won a Tournament of Champions crown in 2009. He was a
MaxPreps All-American as a senior. He is a nine-time All-Star in the NBA
and was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2011 draft by the Cavaliers.
89. Cooper Flagg, Montverde Academy (Montverde, Fla.)Class: 2024
Sport: Basketball
Resume: The
NBA's No. 1 overall pick in 2025, Flagg began his career in Maine,
where he was named the state's player of the year as a freshman. He
transferred to Montverde Academy and was honorable mention All-America
as a sophomore. He reclassified to the Class of 2024 and was a first team MaxPreps All-American. He was named national player of the year
in his one season at Duke.
90. Greg Paulus, Christian Brothers Academy (Syracuse, N.Y.)Class: 2005
Sports: Basketball, football
Resume: The
Gatorade National Athlete of the Year in 2005, Paulus led his school to
the state football championship as the team's quarterback and was the
No. 1 basketball recruit in the state. He spent four seasons on the Duke basketball team and then spent one season playing quarterback
at Syracuse.
91. Helen Maroulis, Magruder (Rockville, Md.)Class: 2009
Sport: Wrestling
Resume: It
might be difficult to consider any athlete in the 21st century as a pioneer but Maroulis certainly fits the bill. In the emerging
sport of girls wrestling, Maroulis was the first superstar. She became the first female to place at the boys state championship
tournament during her freshman year, earning Most Outstanding Wrestler
of the event. She became the first female gold medalist in
freestyle wrestling at the 2016 Olympics.
92. Zack Greinke, Apopka (Fla.)Class: 2002
Sport: Baseball
Resume: A
Cy Young winner in the Major Leagues, Greinke actually started his
baseball career as a shortstop in high school, hitting 31 career home
runs. It shouldn't be any surprise that he won two Silver Slugger
awards in the Major Leagues. He was the Gatorade National Player of the
Year as a senior with a 9-2 record and 118 strikeouts. Taken with the sixth
overall pick in the 2002 MLB Draft.
93. Jordyn Bahl, Papillion-LaVista (Papillion, Neb.)Class: 2021
Sports: Softball
Resume: Bahl's
performance as a senior in 2021 made her one of the few fall softball
players to ever earn national player of the year honors, which she did
from Gatorade and MaxPreps. She led the Monarchs to back-to-back 27-0
seasons, posted a 95-3 career pitching record and belted 20 home runs as
a senior. A member of two national championship teams at Oklahoma, Bahl
concluded her college career this spring at Nebraska while earning NFCA Player of the Year honors.
94. Jordan Larson, Logan View (Hooper, Neb.)Class: 2004
Sports: Volleyball
Resume: As
a member of four Olympic teams in a career spanning 15 years, Larson
secured her legacy as one of the sport's all-time greats. She got her
start at Logan View, where she earned all-state honors three straight
seasons and was named the Gatorade State Player of the Year as a senior.
She was a three-time All-American at Nebraska, leading the Huskers to a
national title in 2006.
95. Jabari Parker, Simeon (Chicago, Ill.)Class: 2013
Sports: Basketball
Resume: The
son of former NBA player Sonny Parker, Jabari made his mark early when
he became the first freshman to start at storied Simeon. He
was a two-time first team MaxPreps All-American by the time he
graduated. After a year at Duke, Parker was the No. 2 overall pick in
the NBA Draft by the Milwaukee Bucks.
96. Rick Porcello, Seton Hall Prep (West Orange, N.J.)Class: 2007
Sports: Baseball
Resume: The
No. 1 high school prospect going into the 2007 MLB Draft, Porcello was selected No. 27 overall. After an up-and-down career hindered by injury,
Porcello put it all together in 2016 when he was named the American
League Comeback Player of the Year and the Cy Young Award winner. As a
prep, Porcello went 10-0 with 103 strikeouts while earning national POY honors.
97. Mary Cain, Bronxville (N.Y.)Class: 2013
Sports: Cross Country, track
Resume: A
middle- and long-distance dynamo in high school, Cain once held national
records at four distances (800, 1500, 3000 and 5000 meters). As a senior she
earned Track and Field News Female Athlete of the Year honors. She went
on to win the World Junior Championships in the 3000 meters the
following year.
98. Delmon Young, Camarillo (Calif.)Class: 2003
Sports: Baseball
Resume: In
hitting his way to becoming the first overall pick in the 2003 MLB Draft, Young broke a number of Ventura County records set by his brother
Dmitri, who also played in the Major Leagues. Young hit 35 career home
runs to go with 150 RBI and 180 basehits. He played 10 seasons in the bigs, earning American League Championship Series MVP honors
while leading Detroit to the World Series in 2012.
99. Alex Shackell, Carmel (Ind.)Class: 2025
Sports: Swimming
Resume: The
latest MaxPreps National Female Athlete of the Year, Shackell racked up
15 state titles at high school swimming powerhouse Carmel while also
adding Olympic gold and silver medals in Paris during the summer. She
won four straight 100-meter fly titles and led the Greyhounds to four straight
state championships.
100. Aaron Graves, Southeast Valley (Gowrie, Iowa)Class: 2021
Sports: Football, basketball, wrestling, track
Resume: A
rare basketball-wrestling athlete, Graves scored over 1,000 points on
the hardwood and finished fourth in the state in wrestling. He was also a
fifth-place finisher in the shot put in track as a senior. Football was
where Graves excelled, however, racking up 221 career tackles with 37
sacks before heading to Iowa.