Peyton Siva led Franklin to a win over Renardo Sidney, Solomon Hill and Fairfax of Los Angeles in front of a packed house at the University of Washington in this January 2008 game.
Photo by Juliann Tallino
One of the most highly-decorated and successful players eligible for the 2013 NBA Draft isn't even a lock to hear his name called Thursday night at Barclays Center in Brooklyn.
Clearly, that's not a reference to probable lottery picks and former high school All-Americans like Shabazz Muhammad, Nerlens Noel and Otto Porter, who won't have to wait long to find out where they will begin their NBA careers.
Putting aside recruiting rankings and projections for success at the professional level, the draft hopeful with the glossiest resume may be
Peyton Siva of Louisville and Seattle's
Franklin High School.
He's perhaps the most accomplished player through college to come out of the Puget Sound area — which has produced a steady stream of NBA talent over the last 15 years that includes Avery Bradley (who attended
Bellarmine Prep in Tacoma and later Findlay Prep), Jon Brockman (
Snohomish), Aaron Brooks (
Franklin), Jamal Crawford (
Rainier Beach), Spencer Hawes (
Seattle Prep), Nate Robinson (Rainier Beach), Brandon Roy (
Garfield), Rodney Stuckey (
Kentwood), Jason Terry (Franklin), Isaiah Thomas (
Curtis), Martell Webster (Seattle Prep), Marvin Williams (
Bremerton), Terrence Williams (Rainier Beach) and Tony Wroten (Garfield).
"When you look at his accomplishments, he has to be right up there in the top three or four," Rainier Beach head coach Mike Bethea said when asked to measure Siva against that group. "His will to win is what really set him apart. He reminded me a little bit of what Nate Robinson did for us (at Rainier Beach) in that regard."
Siva led Franklin to a 99-12 record and a pair of state championships from 2005 to 2009, earning a spot on the McDonald's All-American team following his senior year.
Siva helped Franklin win state titles in 2006 and 2009.
Photo by Juliann Tallino
He capped his Louisville career by winning a national title in April, leading the Cardinals in minutes, assists, steals and free throw percentage. Siva joined Patrick Ewing as the only player to be named Big East Conference Tournament MVP in back-to-back years.
Siva played a key role in one of the most epic games in Washington high school hoops history as a 150-pound freshman, sparking a reversal of fortune that helped forge his winning legacy.
Thanks to a 51-point eruption from aforementioned Sacramento Kings guard Isaiah Thomas, Curtis High School built an 18-point lead over Siva and the Quakers in the third quarter of the 2006 Class 4A semifinals. But Franklin fought back to win and capture the state title the following night.
Another claim to fame from his Franklin days was a 45-point masterpiece against rival Rainier Beach and Bethea as a junior in a 95-90 win at a major showcase event.
"He had the ability to put his team on his back," Bethea said. "I'm not sure if his supporting cast was quite as strong as some of the other really great ones that have come out of this area and that's what makes what he did really special."
Siva will have to be patient, but the experts do expect him to be drafted. CBSSports.com's
Matt Moore has Siva going with the 50th pick to the Atlanta Hawks. NBADraft.net has him going No. 51 to Orlando while DraftExpress.com predicts the Pacers to take him at No. 53.
