Pennsylvania's top all-time prep player: boys basketball

* Sam Bowie, Lebanon – 1975-1979
Averaged 28 points and 18 rebounds a game as a senior when he was a Parade and McDonald’s All-American and led the Cedars to the state final. Finished with 2,226 career points, averaging 23.7 points per game over four years. Went to Kentucky where he was a two-time All-American. Drafted No. 1 overall in the 1984 NBA Draft by the Portland Trailblazers. Played 10 years in the NBA.

* Kobe Bryant, Lower Merion (Ardmore) – 1992-1996
Two-time Parade All-American and Pennsylvania Player of the Year led Lower Merion to a 31-3 record and state title as a senior en route to being named the Naismith and Gatorade national player of the year and a McDonald’s Al-American. Finished with 2,883 career points. Averaged 31 points and 10.4 rebounds as a junior and 30.8 points and 12 rebounds as a senior. Entered 1995 NBA Draft straight out of high school and was selected 13th overall by the Charlotte Hornets who trade him to the L.A. Lakers. Spent all 20 years of NBA career in LA where he won five World Championships and was an 18-time All-Star. Ranks fourth in NBA history with 33,643 points.

* Wilt Chamberlain, Overbrook (Philadelphia), 1951-1955
Led Overbrook to a pair of city championships, three public titles and a 56-3 record during a career that ended with a then-state record 2,252 career points (averaged 37.4 points per game). Posted games of 74, 78 and 90 points as a senior. Mr. Basketball USA in 1955 (the award’s first recipient), he went to Kansas where he led the Jayhawks to the national championship game in 1958. Selected in the 1959 NBA Draft by the Philadelphia Warriors as a territorial pick. Wsas a 13-time All-Star, seven-time All-NBA first team pick and four-time MVP during his 14-year career. Retired as the league's all-time leading scorer with 31,419 points (currently seventh).

* Kenny Durrett, Schenley (Pittsburgh) – 1963-1967
Parade All-American as a senior when he averaged 26 points and 16 rebounds. Led the Spartans to a state title as a junior and their first city league title in 31 years as a sophomore. Only game Schenley lost his senior year was the Western final. Went to LaSalle where he led the Explorers in scoring and rebounding his three years on varsity. Drafted No. 4 overall in the 1971 NBA Draft by the Cincinnati Royals. Played five years in the NBA.

* Tom Gola, La Salle College (Wyndmoor) – 1946-51
Became the first player in state history to surpass 2,000 career points and finished with a then state-record 2,222. Went to LaSalle where he was a three-time first team All-American, NIT champion (1952) and NCAA champion (1954). Is still the NCAA’s all-time leading rebounder (2,201 boards). During an 11-year NBA career, he was a World Champion (1956 with the Philadelphia Warriors) and five-time all-star. Inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1976.

* Maurice Lucas, Schenley (Pittsburgh) – 1967-1971
After growing seven inches between his sophomore and junior season, was named Mr. Basketball USA in 1971 when he led a talented Schenly team to the state title. Went to Marquette where he helped the Warriors finish NCAAA runner-up in 1974 (lost to N.C. State). Drafted in the first round of the 1974 NBA Draft by the Chicago Bulls. Played two years in the ABA and 12 in the NBA. A four-time NBA All-Star, he won a World Championship in 1977 (Portland Trailblazers).

* Tom McMillen, Mansfield – 1966-1970
Touted as “The Best High School Player in America” on the cover of Sports Illustrated (Feb. 16, 1970) ended career as the state’s all-time leading scorer with 3,608 points. He now ranks second. Mr. Basketball USA in 1970. Averaged 35.4 points per game over 102 career games. Went to Maryland where he was a three-time All-American. Drafted in the first round of the NBA and ABA drafts in 1974. Played 11 seasons in the NBA. Played on the 1972 Olympic team (lost to USSR). Spent post-playing career in politics, where he was a member of congress (1987-1993).

* Gerry McNamara, Bishop Hannan (Scranton) – 1988-1992
Helped Bishop Hannon to three state finals and a state title his senior year. Team was state runner-up his freshman and sophomore seasons. Currently No. 7 in state history in career scoring (2,949 points). His 55 points (41 in the first half) in the Eastern Final his senior season (a win over Trinity) are the second most in state tournament history. A Parade All-American as a senior, he was the Lackawanna League Division II Player of the Year for four years, a three-time Pennsylvania Small School All-State First Team selection and was the AP's Pennsylvania State Player of the Year in 2001 and 2002. Went to Syracuse where he started all 135 games in he played in. Finished among the Orange’s career leaders in several categories, including points, assists, steals, minutes played and three-pointers made (and attempted). Four-time All-Big East selection.

* Larry Miller, Catasauqua – 1960-1964
Finished with 2,722 career points and 2,062 career rebounds en route to leading the Roughriders to four straight Lehigh Valley League titles and three straight District XI titles. Scored 911 points (averaged 35) his senior year. Key games that season included a 37-point, 37-rebound and 17-assist game against Slatington and a 65-point outburst against Stroudsburg. Went to North Carolina where he was a two-time All-American, two-time ACC player of the year, scored 1,982 points and helped Dean Smith get to the first two of his 11 Final Four appearances. Played eight years in the ABA and set the league record with 67 points in a game (against Memphis).

* A.J. Nastasi, Northern Bedford County (Loysburg) – 1994-1998
State’s all-time leading scorer with 3,833 points (broke McMillan’s record). Averaged 33.3 points over 115 games, including 40 as a senior. Played college football at West Virginia (receiver).

* Billy Owens, Carlisle – 1984-1988
Led the Bison to four state titles and averaged 25.5 points per game over his career (129 games) to finish as the state's second all-time (now third) leading scorer with 3,299 points. Averaged 34 points per game as a senior and dropped 53 in his final game while leading Carlisle to a 33-0 record. Two-time Parade All-American was Co-MVP of McDonald’s All-American game.  Played three seasons at Syracuse where he was the Big East Player of the Year as a junior. Was the No. 3 overall pick in the 1991 NBA Draft by the Sacramento Kings. Played 11 seasons in the NBA.

* Rasheed Wallace, Simon Gratz (Philadelphia) – 1989-1993
Two-time first team Parade All-American was Mr. Basketball USA and the USA Today National Player of the Year in 1993 when he led Gratz to a 31-0 record and national title (USA Today, Street & Smith’s and Parade). Led the Bulldogs to three public league titles and finished with 1,690 career points. Went to North Carolina where he was named All-American and helped Tarheels make the 1995 Final Four. Drafted No. 4 overall in the 1995 NBA draft by the Washington Bullets. Was a four-time NBA All-Star during 11-year career.