Final Top 25 National Rankings
See who finished where in the final MaxPreps Xcellent 25 national boys basketball rankings.
Who is New York's best? You vote, you decide.
Below are our nominees (and a poll for you to vote on) for New York's top high school boys basketball player - ever. National players of the year, multiple Mr. Basketballs, NCAA National Champions and NBA MVPs, All-Stars and World Champions. New York's impact on hoops history is legendary. So too are the careers of those listed below. Which one takes the top spot?
Glens Falls 2019 grad Joe Girard III is NY's all-time leading scorer (4,763 points). He reached double figures in 123 of 124 career games.
Photo by Jim Redmond
New York's Top All-Time High School Boys Basketball Player
* Lew Alcindor, Power Memorial (Bronx) – 1961- 1965Two-time Mr. Basketball USA (1964 and 1965) is often regarded as the best high school basketball player ever – anywhere. Was the first three-time first team Parade All-American in history and led Power Memorial to three straight city titles, 71 straight wins and 96-6 record during his tenure (lost one game after freshman year). Finished as the No. 3 all-time leading scorer in New York history and the No. 1 player in NY Public Schools Athletic League (PSAL) history with 2,067 points. Went to UCLA where he won three NCAA titles and was a three-time college player of the year. Was drafted No. 1 overall in the 1969 NBA Draft by the Milwaukee Bucks. Spent 20 seasons in the NBA where he won six World Championships, six MVP awards, was a 19-time all-star and retired as the league’s all-time leading scorer (38,387 points). Changed name to Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in 1971. Inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1995.
* Kenny Anderson, Archbishop Molloy (Queens) – 1985-1989First player to be named All-City four times capped his career with a then-state record 2,621 points. Was the Naismith and Gatorade national player of the year and Mr. Basketball USA as a senior. Three-time Parade All-American and first team all-state New York Sports Writers Association (NYSWA) selection went to Georgia Tech. Two-time All-American was drafted No. 2 overall in the 1991 NBA Draft ay the New Jersey Nets. Played 15 seasons in the NBA.
* Elton Brand, Peekskill – 1993-1997Led Peekskill to two state titles and was named NY Mr. Basketball and a Parade and McDonald’s All-American as a senior when he averaged 25.9 points and 16.2 rebounds. Finished with 2,027 career points. Went to Duke where he led Blue Devils to the NCAA title game and was named college player of the year in 1999. Drafted No. 1 overall in the 1999 NBA Draft by the Chicago Bulls. Two-time NBA All-Star enjoyed a 17-year career.
* Joe Girard III, Glens Falls – 2015-2019New York's all-time leading scorer (4,763 career points) and the 10th highest scorer in high school basketball history. Is the only prep player ever to average more than 48 points per game in a season – twice. First team MaxPreps All-American and New York’s Mr. Basketball as a senior when he led the Indians to a 29-1 record and state title by averaging 48.6 points per game (scored 1,464 points as senior). His 69 points in a win over Schuylerville (N.Y.) broke the New York Section II single-game record of 67 set by Rich Campoli in 1964. As a junior he averaged 50 points per game, earned MaxPreps first team Junior All-American honors, set the then-state single-season points record with 1,149 in 23 games and broke the N.Y. all-time scoring mark set by Lance Stephenson (2,946 points at Lincoln). Played five seasons of varsity, averaging 21.7 points as an eighth grader, 33.9 as a freshman and 36.4 as a sophomore. He scored 31 points in his first game and 43 in his last. In between he reached double-digits in 121 of 122 tips. Currently a freshman at Syracuse.
* Albert King, Fort Hamilton (Brooklyn) – 1973-1977Mr. Basketball USA in 1977 finished his career with 2,071 points. One of his most memorable performances came against defending city champion Canarsie when he accounted for 72 of his teams 74 points (48 points, 22 rebounds, 12 assists and six blocks). Went to Maryland where he was a two-time All-American. Drafted No. 10 overall in the 1981 NBA Draft by the New Jersey Nets. Enjoyed an eight-year NBA career.
* Christian Laetner, Nichols (Buffalo) – 1984-1988Two-time Parade All-American and Western NY Player of the Year led Nichols to two state titles and a Final Four berth. Was a McDonald’s All-American as a senior and finished with 2,066 career points. Went to Duke where he was a two-time NCAA champion (1991 and 1992) and the 1992 college player of the year. Drafted third overall in the 1992 NBA Draft by the Minnesota Timberwolves. Spent 15 years in the NBA.
* Felipe Lopez, Rice (Manhattan) – 1990-1994Three-time Parade All-American was Mr. Basketball USA, Gatorade National Player of the Year, a McDonald’s All-American (game MVP) and NY Mr. Basketball as a senior when he led Rice to a 23-4 record and the Catholic High Schools Athletic Association title by averaging 26.7 points and 10.4 rebounds. Finished with 2,486 career points. Went to St. John’s where he finished fourth in school history with 1,927 points. Drafted in the first round of the 1998 NBA Draft by the San Antonio Spurs. Spent five years in the NBA.
* Connie Hawkins, Boys & Girls (Brooklyn) – 1956-1960Named All-City as a junior and senior while leading Boys & Girls to a pair of undefeated PSAL championships. Averaged 25.5 points as a senior and was a Parade All-American. Never played college basketball. Played for the Harlem Globetrotters for four years before a nine-year ABA and NBA career that included an ABA title and four NBA All-Star appearances (Phoenix Suns, LA Lakers and Atlanta Hawks).
* Stephon Marbury, Lincoln (Brooklyn) – 1991-1995Two-time first team Parade All-American was the Gatorade National Player of the Year, NY Mr. Basketball and a McDonald’s All-American in 1995 after averaging 27.4 points, 8.3 assists and three steals per game as a senior. Finished with 2,078 career points. Went to Georgia Tech where he was an All-American in his one season. Drafted No. 4 overall in the 1996 NBA Draft by the Milwaukee Bucks. Was a two-time NBA All-Star during 13-year career.
* Chris Mullin, Power Memorial (Bronx) and Xaverian (Brooklyn) – 1978-1982Attended Power Memorial his first two years before transferring to Xaverian as a junior and helping team win state title his senior year. McDonald’s All-American and NY Mr. Basketball went to St. John’s where he was a three-time Big East Player of the Year and All-American. Drafted No. 7 overall in the 1985 NBA Draft by the Golden State Warriors. Was an NBA All-Star five times during his 16-year career. Two-time Olympic Gold Medal winner (1984) and 1992). Inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2011.
* Lance Stephenson, Lincoln (Brooklyn) – 2005-2009PSAL’s all-time leading scorer and No. 2 in state history with 2,946 points. Led Lincoln to four straight PSAL titles and averaged 28.9 points, 10.2 rebounds and 3.9 assists as a senior en route to earning NY Mr. Basketball and McDonald’s All-American honors. Two-time Parade All-American named Big East Rookie of the Year after his one season at Cincinnati. Drafted in second round of 2010 NBA Draft by the Indiana Pacers. Spent nine years in the NBA. Currently playing in China.
* Sebastian Telfair, Lincoln (Brooklyn) – 2000-2004Three-time first team NYSWA all-state selection and two-time Parade All-American finished career as the all-time leading scorer in New York state history with 2,785 points (currently fourth). Led Lincoln to three straight PSAL titles. Averaged 33.2 points and 9.2 assists as a senior. Did not go to college. Was the No. 13 overall pick in the 2004 NBA Draft by the Portland Trailblazers. Played 10 years in the NBA.
