Since we are having fun with NKY and some Regional tall players....

 

 

Who are the Best 6'10" or taller players in the history of KY High School Basketball?

Tom Payne

J.R. Van Hoose. Paintsville. See semi finals v LexCath.

Mike Scott was pretty good.

:lol2: I don't think I've ever met a kid that tall. :lol2:

Tony Key from Russellville was probably the most dominant that I can remember seeing. Granted, my time only goes back to the late 90's. No questioning Key's talent though. I think Van Hoose was more skilled from a basketball fundamentals standpoint, but Key was just so physically imposing.

 

Will never forget going to the Sweet 16 and Russellville's fans wearing t-shirts that said "A Shattering Season" on the front and had a list of the dates and games that he'd broke backboards in that season. If I'm not mistaken, didn't he break like 6 backboards that year?

Felton Spencer

J.R. Van Hoose. Paintsville. See semi finals v LexCath.

 

Best I've ever seen.

Best I've ever seen.

 

Did you see Key? I definitely think it's debatable and that reasonable minds can differ on the question of which one of them was better. They played in the same era, but didn't have their best years (in Kentucky) at the same time.

Did you see Key? I definitely think it's debatable and that reasonable minds can differ on the question of which one of them was better. They played in the same era, but didn't have their best years (in Kentucky) at the same time.

 

I did. Key was more talented, but JR always brought it.

If you watched Key play, you knew he should be the best player on the floor. If you saw JR, you knew he was the best.

Melvin Turpin, Bryan Station?

 

Bret Burrows, North Hardin

 

Dan Hall, Betsy Layne?

How did we forget Mel Turpin?

 

Good call Hatz. As usual.

I did. Key was more talented, but JR always brought it.

If you watched Key play, you knew he should be the best player on the floor. If you saw JR, you knew he was the best.

 

Gotcha. I was in middle school when they played, so that probably had more to do with me being more impressed with Key too. I really think Key could be in the NBA if he'd stayed at Russellville and kept his head on straight.

Another name I can't believe I forgot:

 

Brandon Bender - Ballard

 

Remember, this is a guy who would have been drafted in the NBA after his Junior year in high school if he could have left.

 

 

Yet another:

 

Marquis Estill - Madison Central

Something that probably makes a difference on this list is how we evaluate "Best in KY High School Basketball History". If we're talking about high school careers, a guy like Van Hoose is way up there, but he's someone who you could see limits on his ceiling (i.e., you didn't see him and think "NBA talent"). Someone like Tony Key had NBA talent, but only a 3 year career in Kentucky and probably made some decisions that kept him from being as good as he could have been. Brandon Bender won a state championship and had some college years that didn't meet the expectations he had coming in. Estill had a nice high school career, a nice career at UK, and probably played a few years overseas (nothing to scoff at).