best players ever based on "potential" pre nba

[falcolombardi]

once in a while there are prospects that have that "once in a lifetime talent" hype to them (real or perceived)

kareem, lebron, wilt, shaq, guys that even before playing in the nba were clearly so talented that it was only a question if mentality and health allowing they would reach their all time potential

using a common baseline of lets say, up to their first college year or first adult year in a foreign league (like luka last season in europe), aka 19~ years or so

who were the most impressive prospects of all time ?

an example

tier 0: you look at him and feel he is the player with most potential that ever existed

tier 1: you look at him and even at that age you wonder if he is a potential goat level player

tier 2: you look at him as a prospect and wonder of he is a potential all time great

tier 3: you look at him and feel like he can easily become a hall of famer

the idea is to try not use hindsight to qualify them we know jordan is a goat tier player, maybe the goat, but try to look at young ncaa jordan and think how high you would be on him in 1983

[eminence]

They've obviously let NBA success influence them (lol KD 30 spots over Oden), but here's a decent starting place for American prospects: https://www.maxpreps.com/news/NVm4YT3_XECS6puyNzj-4A/top-50-high-school-basketball-players-of-all-time.htm

Wilt/Oscar/KAJ/LeBron would be my serious contenders for tier 0, and all at least tier 1.

[70sFan]

Wilt and Kareem are obvious choices, but I agree with Oscar mention - he was possibly the most NBA-ready player ever, certainly among perimeter players.

[penbeast0]

Have to have Walton in there, arguably more hype than anyone in my lifetime except for Kareem.

[70sFan]

Have to have Walton in there, arguably more hype than anyone in my lifetime except for Kareem.

Walton is another outstanding mention. I imagine he was like Tim Duncan on steroids in terms of expecting potential.

[sp6r=underrated]

If we're going by how they were considered entering their Freshmen Year, Does Wiggins make the list? Obviously in retrospect he doesn't get any consideration.

He had an insane amount of hype in High School. It did start dying down after his freshmen year.

[nate33]

ESPN was televising Lebron's high school games.

[Jaivl]

From Europe we have to consider obviously Doncic on tier 1/2, but also

<- this guy

on tier 3.

[penbeast0]

They've obviously let NBA success influence them (lol KD 30 spots over Oden), but here's a decent starting place for American prospects: https://www.maxpreps.com/news/NVm4YT3_XECS6puyNzj-4A/top-50-high-school-basketball-players-of-all-time.htm

Wilt/Oscar/KAJ/LeBron would be my serious contenders for tier 0, and all at least tier 1.

Not completely sure what they are doing; looks like best player in high school rather than pro prospect (which used to be only after they would have completed 4th year of college).

Speaking of which, Connie Hawkins was considered to be the next Elgin Baylor at 19 when he was barred from the NBA (but MVP over guys like Bill Bridges and Kenny Sears in the short lived American Basketball League). LeBron like hype for his day, not up to the Alcindor/Walton hype because of uncertainties about whether high school/Rucker greatness would translate to the NBA.

[falcolombardi]

From Europe we have to consider obviously Doncic on tier 1/2, but also

<- this guy

on tier 3.

i have heard that Rubio was really good at like 15 and already playing at pro level

how good was him? how hyped were spanish fans for him?

i have seen some spanish fans say he kinda underperformed his potential but i am unsure how much potential he was perceived to have

[BenoUdrihFTL]

Greg Oden was so highly regarded that there wasn't even a serious national discussion about whether Portland should consider taking Kevin Durant #1

[falcolombardi]

Greg Oden was so highly regarded that there wasn't even a serious national discussion about whether Portland should consider taking Kevin Durant #1

i was not following nba ar the time, what was greg oden like as a player?

[BenoUdrihFTL]

Greg Oden was so highly regarded that there wasn't even a serious national discussion about whether Portland should consider taking Kevin Durant #1

i was not following nba ar the time, what was greg oden like as a player?

He was raw offensively but displayed great basketball instincts on both ends of the floor. The real thing about him tho was that in terms of his physical/athletic profile, it was like he was engineered in a lab to be a historically dominant NBA center

[Slim Charlez]

From Europe we have to consider obviously Doncic on tier 1/2, but also

<- this guy

on tier 3.

i have heard that Rubio was really good at like 15 and already playing at pro level

how good was him? how hyped were spanish fans for him?

i have seen some spanish fans say he kinda underperformed his potential but i am unsure how much potential he was perceived to have

He was on the cover of Slam Magazine at 15 being hailed as the next Steve Nash.

[Jaivl]

From Europe we have to consider obviously Doncic on tier 1/2, but also

<- this guy

on tier 3.

i have heard that Rubio was really good at like 15 and already playing at pro level

how good was him? how hyped were spanish fans for him?

i have seen some spanish fans say he kinda underperformed his potential but i am unsure how much potential he was perceived to have

He was on the cover of Slam Magazine at 15 being hailed as the next Steve Nash.

Huge point guard for the time (6'4" in shoes), already renowned for being a master playmaker and lock-down defender (two skills usually related to savviness) before age 16. Already playing in the 2nd best national team in the world at that age, too. He attacked the rim with reckless abandon, and his shot was... about as good as it would be in the NBA, honestly, so people had faith it could improve enough to be the ultimate point guard. Constant comparisons to Maravich, Nash and even Magic, but adding elite defense to the mix.
(Funnily enough I can't remember any Kidd comparison, and that's what he would ultimately become, more or less).

At age 15, 16 he had more hype than 16-yo Doncic, for sure. But he seemed to stagnate a bit his last year in DKV and even looked regressed in Barcelona, he seemed to lose a bit of burst, shot got worse (!), and aged 18-19 he was "only" drafted #5, despite him not going to the US yet for another 1-2 years. His hype was THAT big circa 2007, 2008, that, despite the setbacks, he got drafted so high.

EDIT: Also around that age he dropped a gamewinner on the U16 European Final (he dropped 51 points, 24 rebounds and 12 assists that game) that is about as insane as it can be. Guy was a god back then.

Watch on YouTube

[Asianiac_24]

I remember there was a rumour of the Wolves offering up prime KG for #1 pick to take Greg Oden, and Portland turned it down. That's how good Greg Oden was projected to be.

[LewisnotMiller]

From Europe we have to consider obviously Doncic on tier 1/2, but also

<- this guy

on tier 3.

i have heard that Rubio was really good at like 15 and already playing at pro level

how good was him? how hyped were spanish fans for him?

i have seen some spanish fans say he kinda underperformed his potential but i am unsure how much potential he was perceived to have

Hey, I'm Aussie and I was hyped for Rubio. He was the youngest player ever to play Spanish League (from memory pre-15th birthday...!) and got early noise from the Spanish team.
He was playing EuroLeague as a junior and won FIBA young player of the year multiple times.

Not at LeBron levels or anything, but he was one of the most hyped pre-Luka Euros.
I love pass first points, though, so maybe that was just me...lol

[frica]

Greg Oden was so highly regarded that there wasn't even a serious national discussion about whether Portland should consider taking Kevin Durant #1

i was not following nba ar the time, what was greg oden like as a player?

He had to play with his wrong hand due to an injury and still dominated easily.

[frica]

i have heard that Rubio was really good at like 15 and already playing at pro level

how good was him? how hyped were spanish fans for him?

i have seen some spanish fans say he kinda underperformed his potential but i am unsure how much potential he was perceived to have

He was on the cover of Slam Magazine at 15 being hailed as the next Steve Nash.

Huge point guard for the time (6'4" in shoes), already renowned for being a master playmaker and lock-down defender (two skills usually related to savviness) before age 16. Already playing in the 2nd best national team in the world at that age, too. He attacked the rim with reckless abandon, and his shot was... about as good as it would be in the NBA, honestly, so people had faith it could improve enough to be the ultimate point guard. Constant comparisons to Maravich, Nash and even Magic, but adding elite defense to the mix.
(Funnily enough I can't remember any Kidd comparison, and that's what he would ultimately become, more or less).

At age 15, 16 he had more hype than 16-yo Doncic, for sure. But he seemed to stagnate a bit his last year in DKV and even looked regressed in Barcelona, he seemed to lose a bit of burst, shot got worse (!), and aged 18-19 he was "only" drafted #5, despite him not going to the US yet for another 1-2 years. His hype was THAT big circa 2007, 2008, that, despite the setbacks, he got drafted so high.

EDIT: Also around that age he dropped a gamewinner on the U16 European Final (he dropped 51 points, 24 rebounds and 12 assists that game) that is about as insane as it can be. Guy was a god back then.

Watch on YouTube

The Wilfred Benitez of basketball.

[cupcakesnake]

- Wilt, Lebron, Shaq, Kareem surprised no one by immediately becoming all-NBA level players and MVP level very quickly.

- Durant was seen as a generational prospect (i remember reading a very early comp for him being Kevin Garnett meets Tracy McGrady) but there was some questions about his skinny frame translating.

- Tim Duncan and David Robinson were some of the surest bets "pre NBA" but we got this extended look at them that was rare for their eras (Duncan staying 4 years despite being a top prospect in year 2. Admiral got his nickname from his extended time in the Navy.

- Len Bias had some real outlier abilities. His combination of size, strength, athleticism and touch was pretty jaw dropping at the time (even if his game would have been much more picked apart nowadays).

- I get the Ricky Rubio mentions. I had him #1 on my board that year. We had no idea that he wouldn't be able to regularly make layups in the NBA. You turn that Rubio weakness into something more normal and we get a generational playmaker and multipositional defender. He could have been point guard Ginobili.

- Anthony Davis also had a skinny frame, but looked like the absolute total package for a combo big. Crazy fluidity/mobility and athleticism, flashed the bare bones of an expansive skill set. He got plenty of comparisons to KG and Tim Duncan.

- Andrea Bargnani's combination of crazy quick-release shooting (he had the "no-dip" release), monster first step, supposed passing ability, and absolute tree trunk legs. Made him look like a transcendent offensive prospect. He looked very smart and fearless in his demeanor, pre NBA. We didn't know how his body was going to develop (it never developed), so it wasn't unreasonable to picture him putting on NBA strength in his upper body, eventually becoming an adequate defender/rebounder.

We all know what happened: didn't end up being a very good shooter in the long term, wasn't a passer at all, never improved, his "fearlessness" ended up being apathy.

But pre NBA prospect Bargnani, on a more normal NBA development curve, was pretty exciting.