Video: Way Back When - Shaquille O'Neal
See the best Texas high school basketball player of all time, Shaq Daddy, when he was at Cole High School.
Hands down, Shaquille O'Neal is the NBA's best player with Texas high school basketball roots.
Of the 172 Texas high school graduates that went on to play basketball at the highest professional level, 36 showed amazing staying power with careers lasting 10 years are longer.
At the top of the list is O'Neal, who spent 19 seasons dominating the paint with a career scoring average of 23.7 points per game. He played for six NBA teams with his longest and most distinguished stop in Los Angeles with the Lakers.
Before 7-1, 325-pounder was winning four world championship rings, O'Neal led Cole (San Antonio) to a UIL Class 3A state title in 1989.
Special recognition to Slater Martin, the first Texas high school product to play a decade in the NBA. The Houston ISD product went on to an 11-year NBA career with Minneapolis, St. Louis and New York from 1949-1960.
Texas UIL high school players with at least 10 NBA or ABA seasons
(High school attended and professional scoring average included):
1.
Shaquille O'Neal, Cole (San Antonio); 19 seasons (1992-2011); 23.7 scoring average
2.
Kurt Thomas, Hillcrest (Dallas); 18 seasons (95-13); 8.1
3t.
Rashard Lewis, Alief Elsik (Houston); 16 seasons (98-14); 14.9
3t.
Alton Lister, Wilson (Dallas); 16 seasons (81-98); 6.6
3t.
Ricky Pierce, Garland; 16 seasons; (82-98); 14.9
6t.
Chris Andersen, Iola; 15 seasons (01-current); 5.4
6t.
Clyde Drexler, Sterling (Houston); 15 seasons (83-98); 20.4
6t.
Kenyon Martin, Adams (Dallas); 15 seasons (00-15); 12.3
6t.
Bo Outlaw, Jay (San Antonio); 15 seasons (93-08); 5.4
10t.
Tony Battie, South Oak Cliff (Dallas); 14 seasons (97-12); 6.1
10t.
Craig Ehlo, Monterey (Lubbock); 14 seasons (83-97); 8.6
10t.
Dennis Rodman, South Oak Cliff (Dallas); 14 seasons (86-00); 7.3
10t.
Brian Skinner, Temple; 14 seasons (98-12); 4.7
10t.
David Wesley, Longview; 14 seasons (93-07); 12.5
15t.
Mookie Blaylock, Garland; 13 seasons (89-02); 13.5
15t.
Chris Bosh, Lincoln (Dallas); 13 seasons (03-16); 19.2
15t.
Jeff Foster, Madison (San Antonio); 13 seasons (99-12); 4.9
15t.
Kendrick Perkins, Ozen (Beaumont); 13 seasons (03-16); 5.4
15t.
Robert Reid, Clemens (Schertz); 13 seasons (77-91); 11.4
20t.
Zelmo Beaty, Woodville; 12 seasons (62-75); 17.1
20t.
Greg Kite, Madison (Houston); 12 seasons (83-95); 2.5
20t.
C.J. Miles, Skyline (Dallas); 12 seasons (05-current); 9.7
20t.
Spud Webb, Wilmer-Hutchins (Dallas); 12 seasons (85-98); 9.9
20t.
Deron Williams, The Colony; 12 seasons (05-current); 16.6
25t.
LaMarcus Aldridge, Seagoville (Dallas); 11 seasons (06-current); 19.2
25t.
Damon Jones, Ball (Galveston); 11 seasons (98-09); 6.6
25t.
Slater Martin, Jeff Davis (Houston); 11 seasons (49-60); 9.8
25t.
Greg Ostertag, Duncanville; 11 seasons (95-06); 4.6
25t.
Ronnie Price, Clear Brook (Friendswood); 11 seasons (05-16); 3.8
25t.
Terry Teagle, Broaddus, 11 seasons (82-93); 11.6
31t.
Greg Andersen, Worthing (Houston); 10 seasons (87-98); 7.3
31t.
Larry Johnson, Skyline (Dallas), 10 seasons (91-01); 16.2
31t.
Dwight Jones, Wheatley (Houston), 10 seasons (73-83); 8.1
31t.
Desmond Mason, Waxahachie; 10 seasons (00-10); 12.1
31t.
Jason Maxiell, Newman Smith (Carrollton); 10 seasons (05-15); 5.6
31t. Michael Williams, Carter (Dallas); 10 seasons (88-99); 11.0
