New Jersey has a strong tradition of producing top high school athletes across a variety of sports.
Many of the Garden State's finest went on to professional careers or shined on the Olympic stage.
MaxPreps is looking back at the best the state has produced this century, beginning with the graduating class of 2001. Selections were based primarily off high school resumes.
1. Mike Trout, Millville 2009
Sport: Baseball
Resume: From tossing a no-hitter as a junior to a state-record 18 home runs as a senior, Trout was destined to shine. He was drafted No. 26 in 2009 in the first televised MLB Draft and has won three American League MVP awards with the Anaheim Angels. Instead of retiring his number, Millville honors Trout by giving it to each year's team captain.
2. Sydney McLaughlin, Union Catholic (Scotch Plains)
Class: 2017
Sport: Track
Resume: A two-time Track and Field News High School Athlete of the Year, she still holds state records in the 200 and 400 meters as well as the 300- and 400-meter hurdles. She is an Olympic gold medalist and owns the world record in the 400 hurdles.
3. Dajuan Wagner, Camden
Class: 2001
Sport: Basketball
Resume: New Jersey's career scoring leader with 3,462 points, Wagner also holds the state single-game record after scoring 100 points in a game against Camden County Tech. He was a two-time high school All-American before becoming the the sixth overall pick in the 2002 draft. A serious illness ended his NBA career after four seasons.
Class: 2010
Sport: Basketball
Resume: Irving began his high school career at Montclair Kimberley Academy, winning a state title as a sophomore. He won a Tournament of Champions crown as a junior after transferring to St. Patrick. He was a MaxPreps All-American as a senior. A nine-time NBA All-Star, Irving was the the No. 1 overall pick in 2011 by Cleveland.
Class: 2024 Sport: Basketball
Resume: The second overall pick in this year's NBA Draft, Harper was the 2023-24 MaxPreps National Player of the Year after averaging 22.3 points per game in a 29-3 season and guiding the Ironmen to a Non-Public A state title. Harper spent one season at Rutgers before opting for the NBA Draft. He is one of two New Jersey players to win MaxPreps' top basketball honor, joining 2021 winner Kyle Anderson.
Class: 2007
Sport: Baseball
Resume: Porcello went 10-0 with 103 strikeouts while earning national POY honors as a senior. He was the No. 1 high school prospect going into the 2007 MLB Draft and taken 27th overall by Detroit. He won the AL Cy Young and Comeback Player of the Year in 2016 with the Red Sox.
Class: 2012 Sport: Basketball
Resume: Anderson was the MaxPreps National Player of the Year
in 2011-12 and compiled a 119-6 record (93-1 in his final three years)
over his four-year career. After his sophomore season at Paterson
Catholic, the versatile wing transferred to St. Anthony where he would
go on to lead the Friars to a 65-0 record with a pair of state and
national titles.
2014
Sport: Basketball
Resume: Averaged 20.9
points, 13.9 rebounds and 6.1 blocked shots per game as a senior in leading St. Joseph to a 30-2 record and its
first Tournament of Champions title. He was the No. 1 overall pick by the Timberwolves in 2015 after one year at Kentucky. He is a five-time NBA All-Star.
Class: 2003 Sports: Football, track and field
Resume: A USA Today All-American as a senior, the five-star recruit had 73 catches for 1,474 yards and a school record 27 touchdowns. He also placed second in the shot put as a senior at the Meet of Champions with a throw of 59.15 feet while also competing in the 100 meters, discus and javelin. Started for Miami as a sophomore and was drafted in the first round in 2007 by the Chicago Bears. Spent 13 years in the NFL, earning three Pro Bowl nods before becoming a color commentator.
Class: 2001 Sport: Soccer
Resume: One of the most decorated American soccer players, she was a standout first at Delran. She scored 26 goals as a senior as the Bears went 18-3. She was the player of the year and all-state for multiple publications before going to Rutgers. Won Olympic gold in 2008 and 2012 in addition to a pair of World Cups.
