Julius Randle to Brittany Griner: Ranking Texas’ top high school

In the spirit of the “SportsCenter” mission– modeled after the original 2005 “SportsCenter Throughout America”trip to hit all 50 states in 50 days– we’re highlighting a few of the top hoopers repping essential stops along the way.Editor’s Picks

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To rank the leading young boys’ and women’ basketball skill given that 2000, we’re placing a heavy emphasis on high school awards– state titles, national honors, specific awards– along with on-court dominance, long-term legacy, recognition and total impact on the game.In this edition, we’re headed to the Lone Star state of Texas.From Julius

Randle to Brittney Griner, these hoopers represent a few of the finest to ever play high school basketball in the area.

Young boys 1. Chris Bosh, Lincoln High School Class of 2002 Chris Bosh controlled as a senior, leading the Lincoln Tigers to a best 40-0 record and a Class 4A state championship. (Image by Damian Strohmeyer/ Sports Illustrated by means of Getty Images)

His case: As a senior, Bosh led the Lincoln Tigers to a best 40-0 record and a Class 4A state championship, averaging 21.8 points and 12.2 rebounds a game.Bosh, who finished ranked No. 13 in the 2002 ESPN 100, went on to be named Texas’Mr. Basketball before going to Georgia Tech and winning ACC Novice of the Year. He was likewise named to the All-ACC team after balancing 15.6 points a game. Bosh was selected fourth by the Toronto Raptors in the 2003 NBA draft.In his 13-year NBA career, Bosh made 11 NBA All-Star games and won 2 NBA titles.2. Julius Randle, Prestonwood Christian Academy Class of 2013

Julius Randle put up 32.5 points and 22.5 rebounds a game as a senior at Prestonwood Christian Academy. Getty Images His case: Randle’s No. 30 jersey hangs in the rafters at Prestonwood Christian Academy after he snagged three state title rings during his reign. As a senior, he balanced 32.5 points and 22.5 rebounds a game and finished ranked No. 3 in the 2013 ESPN 100. Randle took home Co-MVP hardware at the Jordan Brand name Classic before going to Kentucky, where he led the Wildcats to the Final 4, balancing 15 points and 10.4 rebounds a game. That earned him SEC Freshman of the Year and Final Four All-Tournament group honors.Randle was selected seventh by the Los Angeles Lakers in the 2014 NBA draft. Currently with the Minnesota Timberwolves, he has balanced 19 points, 9.1 rebounds and 3.8 helps over his 11-year NBA profession. Randle is a three-time All-Star and a two-time All-NBA choice.3. Marcus Smart, Edward S. Marcus High School Class of 2012

Marcus Smart starred at Oklahoma State after famous run in high school, going 115-6 in 3 years. (Image by Kelly Kline/Getty Images)His case: Smart had a famous high school run, leading the Marcus Marauders to a 115-6 record and 2 5A state titles in three years. As a senior, Smart averaged 15.1 points,

9.2 rebounds and 5 helps a game, ended up ranked No. 10 in the 2012 ESPN 100 and won his second Gatorade Player of the Year award for the state.Smart went on to star at Oklahoma State, balancing 16.6 points, 5.9 rebounds and 4.5 assists a game over two seasons, declaring Huge 12 Gamer of the Year and Freshman of the Year. Smart, who recently signed

with the Los Angeles Lakers, was picked 6th by the Boston Celtics in the 2014 NBA draft. Over his 11-year NBA profession, he has actually won Defensive Gamer of the Year and made 3 All-Defensive group selections.4. T.J. Ford, Willowridge High School Class of 2001 T.J. Ford made Naismith and Wood Player of the Year honors after his sophomore season at Texas.

Getty Images His case: Ford was a schoolboy legendat Willowridge High, where he led the Eagles to a 75-1 record– consisting of a 62-game winning streak– and back-to-back state titles in his junior and senior seasons. He ended up ranked No. 10 in the 2001 ESPN 100 and balanced 12 points, 9.4 helps and 7.8 takes a game en path to declaring Texas Gatorade Gamer of the Year.Ford, whose jersey was retired in Austin, went on to control at Texas, claiming National Freshman of the Year honors before leading the Longhorns to their very first Final Four appearance considering that 1947 as a sophomore. Ford was named Naismith and Wooden Player of the Year after the season, averaging 15 points, 7.7 helps and two steals a game for the Longhorns.He was picked eighth by the Milwaukee Bucks in the 2003 NBA draft. Over 8 NBA seasons, Ford balanced 11.2 points and 5.8 assists per game.5. De’Aaron Fox, Cypress Lakes High School Class of 2016 De’Aaron Fox declared Texas’Gatorade Gamer of the Year award after averaging 32.4 points, 7.7 rebounds and 4.2 helps a game.(Picture by Kelly Kline/Getty

Images)His case: Fox set up huge numbers for the Cypress Lakes Spartans, balancing 32.4 points, 7.7 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 2.7 takes and 1.6 blocks a game en path to declaringTexas Gatorade Gamer of the Year. Fox, who finished ranked No. 6 in the 2016 ESPN 100, won Co-MVP of the Jordan Brand name Classic before going to Kentucky and balancing 16.7 points, 4.6 helps, four rebounds and 1.5 steals a game and being named First Team All-SEC. Fox went on to be drafted No. 5 by the Sacramento Kings in the 2017 NBA draft. In 8 seasons in the league, he has actually been named Clutch Gamer of the Year, made an NBA Dream team, led the

league in takes and made an All-NBA team.Girls 1. Brittney Griner, Chester W. Nimitz Senior High School Class of 2009 Griner tape-recorded 52 dunks in 32 games for the Nimitz Cougars

. Getty Images Her case: Griner was a dominant force for the Nimitz Cougars, averaging33 points, 15.5 rebounds, 11.7 blocks, 3.4 steals and 3.1 helps as a senior. She finished ranked No. 1 in the 2009 ESPNW 100. For her high school profession, Griner totaled 3,114 points, 1,586 rebounds, 939 blocks, 268 steals and 198 helps. She claimed Texas Gatorade Player of the Year in that year and posted 52 dunks in 32 games.She continued that dominance at Baylor where she was named Huge 12 Freshman of the Year, Huge 12 Player of the Year three times, Naismith and Wooden Gamer of the Year twice and led the Bears to the nationwide title in 2012. Griner, who presently stars for the Atlanta Dream, was the No. 1 choice by the Phoenix Mercury in the 2013 WNBA draft. In 11 WNBA seasons, she has made 10 All-Star teams, won 2 league scoring titles, made Defensive Gamer of the Year honors twice and recorded a WNBA champion.2. Ariel Atkins, Duncanville High School Class of 2014 Atkins played alongside fellow Texas natives and future WNBA players Recee Caldwell, Brooke McCarty– her future Longhorns teammate– and game MVP

Brianna Turner in the 2014 McDonald’s Girls All-American Game. Getty Images Her case: Atkins was a Lone Star State legend, leading the Duncanville Panthers to a 148-10 record over 4 years, including a 105-game winning streak and two UIL Class 5A state titles. Atkins, who finished ranked No. 4 general in the 2014 ESPNW 100, was called Morgan Wootten Player of the Year as a senior. At Texas, Atkins was named All-Big 12 three times before being picked No. 7 by the Washington Mystics in the 2018 WNBA draft.Now dressing for the Chicago Sky, she has actually won one WNBA title in her 7 seasons and was the very first player in league history to make an All-Defensive group in each of her first 5 years.3. Moriah Jefferson, Texas Home Educators Sports Association Class of 2012 Before teaming up with

Breanna Stewart, the No. 1 possibility in the class of 2012, at UConn, Jefferson–

ranked No. 2– faced her in the 2012 McDonald’s All-American Game. Getty Images Her case: Jefferson, who played 5 university seasons with the Texas Home Educators Sports Association(THESA )Riders as a homeschooled athlete, completed her renowned high school profession with 5 National Christian HomeSchool Basketball Championships(NCHBC)nationwide titles. She also amounted to 3,354 points, 825 rebounds and 728 steals.She ended up ranked No. 2 in the 2012 ESPNW 100 and went on to star at UConn where she helped the Huskies win four-consecutive nationwide titles.

Throughout that run, Jefferson was called an All-American and Defensive Gamer of the Year.She was selected 2nd by the San Antonio Stars (now the Las Vegas Aces )in the 2016 WNBA draft. Jefferson last played for the Chicago Sky this season, which was her eighth season in the league.4. Alexis Jones, MacArthur High School Class of 2012 After her sophomore season at Duke, Jones moved to Baylor to be closer to home and debuted as a junior against UT-Arlington. Getty Images Her case: Jones won back-to-back Texas Gatorade Gamer of the Year and Miss Texas Basketball awards as a junior and senior. She published 22.8 points, seven rebounds, 5.9 assists and 4.4 takes a game in her senior campaign afterleading the MacArthur Cardinal to a state title the year prior.She completed ranked No. 3 in the 2012 ESPNW 100. In 2 seasons at Duke, Jones made the ACC All-Freshman Group and was called ACC Competition MVP in 2013. She transferred to Baylor after her sophomore year and in 2 years in Waco, Jones was called First Team All-Big 12,