Indiana is still producing great talent but they haven't had a player come threw with Damon Bailey type hype since well umm Damon Bailey! Unless you have Lebron James coming threw your state I'm not sure the hype will be there like it used too. I will say this OJ Mayo was on the verge of having that type hype and yes I realize he was originally from W. Va.

How could I have forgotten to mention Troy McKinley - '81 grad of Simon Kenton?

 

Sensational high school player who put the Pioneers on his back to bring the very first ever state championship trophy back to the 9th Region.

 

He went on to play for a crowded talented Kentucky and never got to see the floor much.

 

It's probably a fantastic memory for him, but no doubt he would have been a better fit somewhere else where he could've continued to shine.

Indiana is still producing great talent but they haven't had a player come threw with Damon Bailey type hype since well umm Damon Bailey! Unless you have Lebron James coming threw your state I'm not sure the hype will be there like it used too. I will say this OJ Mayo was on the verge of having that type hype and yes I realize he was originally from W. Va.

 

Bailey was a legend. I saw him play in 9th grade and after the game he signed autographs for what must have been 30 minutes!! His senior year the state championship game drew over 40,000 which Im sure is still a high school record. But I would say recently Greg Oden was pretty hyped when he came out of Indianapolis a few years ago!! No one can match Lebron so I have to leave him out of the conversation.

I think the reason KY kids haven't been nationally known like the rest of the country in the last 15-20 years is the state of KY didn't have well regarded AAU teams. KY,for whatever reason, just resisted AAU club ball IMO. In the early 2000's kids were playing for Ohio or Indiana teams. Now in the last 5-6 years AAU teams(Travelers,Lville Magic,Hoop Dreams,etc) have showcased KY kids. Take Shelvin Mack. He wasn't highly recruited for one reason or another yet he's in the league. This summer Aric Holman had an offer from NKU as his only offer. Until he played with Hoop Dreams in Georgia....had he not went he would maybe still be an under recruited player with the same skill that eventually had Memphis,VCU,Xavier,Kansas St,etc offer.

Bailey was a legend. I saw him play in 9th grade and after the game he signed autographs for what must have been 30 minutes!! His senior year the state championship game drew over 40,000 which Im sure is still a high school record. But I would say recently Greg Oden was pretty hyped when he came out of Indianapolis a few years ago!! No one can match Lebron so I have to leave him out of the conversation.

 

 

Saw him play a couple of times. Once as a HS senior his BNL team played Madison; then again at the Derby Classic (or whatever they called it then) all-star game. Lots of talent on the floor in that one - Mashburn, Penny Hardaway; but the "man among boys" that night was Anthony Cade from Oak Hill.

Rondo?

I think Kelan Martin (Ballard) who is a FR at Butler could have played for Lville or KY. I think Tyler Brown (Owensboro Apollo) who went to Illinois St and averaged 18 in the Missouri Valley Conference could have played for Lville or KY. Antonio Slaughter (Shelby Co.) who had a fantastic career at WKU could have played for Lville or KY. We already know about Chris Lofton. Anthony Grundy (Lville Central/Warren Central) who ended up 1st team All ACC at NC State could've played for Lville or KY. Doelman from Ryle who ended up at Xavier could've went to Lville or KY. The Thornton kid from Lville Manuel that went to Vandy & Xavier was good enough to play for Lville or UK. David Graves. Bubba Wells. Mike Wells. Tyrone Hopson. Aaron Cosby. Elijah Pittman. Kameron Woods (Lville Eastern) Lead the Big East in rebounding last year at Butler.

Elijah Pittman?

Anthony Cade? Wasn't he supposed to go to U of L?

Elijah Pittman was dropping 20+ a game before being dismissed from Marshall. Obviously he had some issues off the court but he was super talented. 6'7 wing. Could shot and drive.

I think Kelan Martin (Ballard) who is a FR at Butler could have played for Lville or KY. I think Tyler Brown (Owensboro Apollo) who went to Illinois St and averaged 18 in the Missouri Valley Conference could have played for Lville or KY. Antonio Slaughter (Shelby Co.) who had a fantastic career at WKU could have played for Lville or KY. We already know about Chris Lofton. Anthony Grundy (Lville Central/Warren Central) who ended up 1st team All ACC at NC State could've played for Lville or KY. Doelman from Ryle who ended up at Xavier could've went to Lville or KY. The Thornton kid from Lville Manuel that went to Vandy & Xavier was good enough to play for Lville or UK. David Graves. Bubba Wells. Mike Wells. Tyrone Hopson. Aaron Cosby. Elijah Pittman. Kameron Woods (Lville Eastern) Lead the Big East in rebounding last year at Butler.

 

All good players and I agree could have played at the schools you listed but I'm talking more about talent in the 1970's, 80's that was almost cant miss NBA players. You knew Griffith, Chapman, Bennett, Allan Houston, Dirk Minniefield, Jeff Lamp with the normal growth would be NBA players, Shelvin Mack was a great high school player, I watched him play many times since we played at the same HS but very few would have projected him to make the NBA out of high school, all the players you listed above are nice players and could compete anywhere but very few I would say had cant miss NBA talent out of HS. Kentucky is producing nice players but not the elite level players out of HS, some might develop and make the NBA.

I'm thinking that it's the word "legend" that's at issue here. While I'm not a Kentucky native and I don't have the benefit of having seen many of these guys play high-school ball, it's my belief that of the names on the OP's list; Coleman and Griffith are true high-school legends; with Chapman, Houston and Farmer close behind.

 

It doesn't take NBA stardom to make a "high-school legend". Damon Bailey was a high-school legend. Chris Lofton was a high-school legend.

 

Heck, Ervin Stepp from Phelps may qualify. Of course, it didn't hurt that he took eleventy billion shots per game.

Anthony Cade? Wasn't he supposed to go to U of L?

 

I can't remember - there were a BUNCH of UK and UL commits in that game. He may have had scholastic issues. I know that he and Montross were the players of the game for their respective teams; and Cade ate Montross up and spit him out.

Jr Van Hoose - Paintsville

 

Antwain Barbour - E'town

 

More recently..

 

Mike Bush - Male 2003 - one of the top athletes in the country but played football.

 

Rajon Rondo - Eastern 2004 - he left KY to go to Oak Hills Academy but is a KY kid and is good or better than any player mentioned in this thread.

 

Chris Lofton - Mason County 2004 - one of the best shooters in the state & a guy that fits your description as HS legend.

Jr Van Hoose - Paintsville Antwain Barbour - E'town More recently.. Mike Bush - Male 2003 - one of the top athletes in the country but played football. Rajon Rondo - Eastern 2004 - he left KY to go to Oak Hills Academy but is a KY kid and is good or better than any player mentioned in this thread. Chris Lofton - Mason County 2004 - one of the best shooters in the state & a guy that fits your description as HS legend.

 

Tony Key - Russell

 

Brandon Bender

 

Larry O'Bannon - Male