1. 1994 New Jersey Patterson AAU
Players: Kobe Bryant (NBA), Vince Carter (NBA), Tim Thomas (NBA), Rip Hamilton - (NBA), Kevin Freeman (Uconn)
Sponsor: Adidas
Considered by many to be the greatest AAU team ever assembled. They won 2 AAU national championships during their peak. While a lot of legend and myth surrounds this team, there is more than enough personal account to believe in its existence. Kobe Bryant played point with Hamilton & Carter at the off guards. The team also featured #1 ranked prospect in high school Tim Thomas. This New Jersey based team will forever live in AAU lore. It's hard to imagine they lost much.
2. 1996 Riverside Church NYC
Players: Ron Artest (NBA), Lamar Odom (NBA), Elton Brand (NBA), Eric Barkley (NBA), Reggie Jessie (St. Johns), Chutney Gray (St. Johns), Anthony Glover (St. Johns), Aki Thomas (Colorado)
Sponsor: Nike
A well balanced team that almost never lost. Featuring legendary NYC forwards Ron Artest and Lamar Odom, it was Elton Brand who started at Center for Riverside. Eric Barkley also played significant minutes at the point guard. Featuring three future NBA All Stars Riverside Church was the most dominant team in the 1990s. By far the best offensive front line in the history of high school basketball.
The Hawks went 69-1 that summer and won every tournament they entered. They won the Peach Jam title over Team DC Assault and they also won tournaments in Virginia, North Carolina, Florida, Ohio and California. The players mused about all going to the same college and keeping the magic together. ”We’re all good friends,” said Elton Brand. ”There was a strong camaraderie among everyone. We just played hard and played well. We just wanted to win."
Their only loss came against Team California in an opening round of the Slam-N-Jam Tournament in Long Beach. Team California was led by future NBA All-Star Baron Davis and the Collins twins – Jason and Jarron. The Hawks got their rematch in the championship game and won by 20. ”The big thing I’ll always remember about that team is the chemistry that they had,” said Riverside coach Ernie Lorch.
3. 1989 Super Friends Michigan AAU
Players: Chris Webber (NBA), Juwan Howard (NBA), Jalen Rose (NBA), Vashon Leonard (NBA), Shawn Respert (NBA), Emmanuel Bibb (University of Detroit), Tom Kleinschmidt (DePaul), Antonio Ragland (NFL), Chad Varga (NBA)
Sponsor: Converse
Before the Fab Five there was the Super Friends, which might have had more talent than Michigan's Fab Five. The Super Friends ran Michigan hoops in the late 80’s and early 90’s. Future NBA pros Chris Webber, Jalen Rose, Juwan Howard, Vashon Leonard, Shawn Respert and 5 other future division 1 players.
They won the 1989 national AAU tournament in Jacksonville, Florida with Chris Webber scoring 31 points to go with 15 rebounds in a 116-112 win over Indiana in the championship game. Chicago product Juwan Howard had 22 points in the game. They also won the 1990 AAU junior Olympics in Tallahassee, with Webber going for 38 points and 27 rebounds in a 121-115 win over Corliss Williamson's Arkansas Wings. Webber had 33 points in a 102-89 victory over BABC. In the Championship game they beat Richmond Metro, 95-75. They faced additional competition against the likes of Penny Hardaway’s Memphis YMCA, Randy Livingston’s Louisiana Spartans and Alan Henderson’s Indiana Team.
4. 2003 Atlanta Celtics
Players: Dwight Howard (NBA), Josh Smith (NBA), Randolph Morris (NBA), Jarvis Crittenton (NBA), Brandon Rush (NBA), Mike Mercer (Georgia)
Sponsor: Adidas
The most intimidating front line in the history of summer basketball. Future defensive Goliath's Josh Smith and Dwight Howard teamed to make the Celtics a dominant force. The often loaded Celtics featured 5 future NBA players, no one matched their talent level in 2003. They won the Adidas Big Time in Vegas, winning every game in the tournament (except 1) by 20 or more points. They set Big Time Tournament team scoring record and Dwight Howard & Josh Smith both shared the tournament MVP trophy. Randolph Morris and Mike Mercer were also named to the all-tournament team.
5. 2002 Oakland Soliders
Players: LeBron James (NBA), Kendrick Perkins (NBA), Leon Powe (NBA), Demarcus Nelson (NBA), Ayinde Ubaka (Cal)
Sponsor: Adidas
In the 2001 summer the Soldiers had the number 1 player in the West and South. Prep to Pros phenom Kendrick Perkins was a dominant factor inside for the Soldiers, while Leon "The Show" Powe was a rugged athletic force. When Lebron James showed up, it gave Oakland 3 of the top 10 players in the entire nation. The Oakland team went on to win every major tournament they played in together. People in California still talk about the summer LeBron teamed up with Oakland to give the whole country a show.
6. 2006 Southern California All-Stars
Players: Kevin Love (NBA), Brandon Jennings (NBA), Renardo Sidney (Mississippi State), Taylor King (Duke, Nova), Daniel Hackett (USC), Malik Story (USC)
Sponsor: Reebok
They lost only 2 games in 2006 and they both came without Kevin Love. Brandon Jennings scored 28 points in SCA's 65-54 win over Branch West Reebok for the title in the Las Vegas Easter Classic. They won just about every tournament, including the 2006 Big Time Tournament in Vegas. They had big wins over Derrick Rose’s Mean Streets team, Oj Mayo’s D-1 Greyhounds and Tyreke Evan’s Team Final. Brandon Jennings and Kevin Love dominated while Renardo Sidney complimented Love inside. Taylor King who was a grade school legend, lit up the outside for SCA. Daniel Hackett played big minutes at the off guard spot with Story coming off the bench.
7. 2004 Spiece Indy Heat
Players: Greg Oden (NBA), Josh McRoberts (NBA), Mike Conley (NBA), Daquan Cook (NBA), Eric Gordon (NBA)
Sponsor: Reebok
A loaded squad added Eric Gordon and Josh McRoberts in 2004, the team lost 4 times in 2004-2005 summer seasons. Led by number one center Greg Oden, this Indiana team was easily the best team ever assembled in the Midwest. With a bevy of NBA talent assembled almost entirely from Indianapolis. Featuring top 10 players from three classes. Oden, Conley and Cook would eventually team up at Ohio State and make it to the national championship game as freshman. They won the Reebok Big Time in Las Vegas by beating Team Breakdown for the title, Oden finished with a game high 26 points. They also won the prestigious tournament in 2005, defeating the D-1 Greyhounds led by OJ Mayo. Greg Oden was named tournament MVP both years.
8. 1986 Nike ARC Mid Valley M Squad
Players: Chris Mills (NBA), Darrick Martin (NBA), Don McLean (NBA), Sean Rooks (NBA) - Sean Higgins (NBA), Leroy Ellis (NBA), Dwyane Schintzius (NBA), Dwayne Bryant (Georgetown), Stevie Thompson (Syracuse), James Moses (Iowa), Kevin Franklin (Nevada), Mark Georgeson (Arizona), Doug Meekins (Washington)
Sponsor: Nike
The original premier AAU team was assembled by American Roundball Corporation boss Rich Villian. In 1986, Rich Boss compiled the “M Squad,” featuring Chris Mills, Don MacLean, Sean Rooks, Sean Higgins and Darrick Martin, all of whom made it to the NBA. Sponsored by Nike, the ARC’s Mid Valley “M” Squad was among the most loaded teams to grace California. If the 5 future NBA players didn’t scare you the team also had 5 other players that played at a high major division 1 university.
During the summer of 86 and 87 they only lost 2 games, capturing the AAU national championship. They faced off with a bevy of talent including the legendary New York Gauchos featuring Loyd Daniels and Rod Strickland. “Rich treated it as a team, not a collection of really good players,” says Don McLean, who played nine NBA seasons. “I think that’s why we won so much—we played together and we played to win.”
9. 1988 New York Gauchos
Players: Jamal Mashburn (NBA), Kenny Anderson (NBA), Eric Mobley (NBA), Conrad McRae (Syracuse), Adrian Autry (Syracuse), Arnold Bernard (Missouri State), David Cain (St. Johns), David Edwards Georgetown), Ron Arnold (St. Francis) Karlton Duncan Hines
Sponsor: Converse
The Gauchos of 1988 had future NBA first-round draft picks Kenny Anderson, Jamal Mashburn and Eric Mobley. They even had Parade magazine All-American and future NBA second-round pick Conrad McRae. Kenny Anderson The Gauchos 6’1 guard, was considered among the best high school players ever from New York City. Future Kentucky Wildcat Jamal Mashburn was the main scoring threat for the Gauchos. Inside the 6’9 Conrad “McNasty” McRae who would go on to star at Syracuse, would try to tear off rims all summer in 1988.
They beat a stacked New Jersey Roadrunner team led by Bobby Hurley. Kenny Anderson had 21 points, five rebounds, six assists and five steals. Hurley had 20 points and five assists. Helping Anderson were Jamal Mashburn with 15 and Conrad McRae with 14. They also took on a stacked Russian Junior National Team in the Bronx to a 99-88 victory.
10. 2018 Compton Magic
Players: Evan Mobley (NBA), Isiah Mobley (NBA), Onyeka Okongwu (NBA), Jaylen Clark (NBA), Johnny Juzang (NBA), Jaime Jacquez (NBA), Isiah Hill (Fresno State) Jarrod Lucas (Oregon State)
Sponsor: Adidas
Probably the most slept on team on the list. They featured 6 future NBA draft picks. They not only won the Adidas Gauntlet and Adidas Summer Championship but they also beat the winner of the Nike EBYL in the Ultimate Summer Showdown. The game was dubbed as a mythical national championship of sorts, Team Takeover was ranked No. 1 and Compton Magic No. 2 in the country by Prep Hoops. The Compton Magic basketball team would go on to defeat Team Takeover 81-79 in overtime contest at Bishop Gorman. At the end of the summer, the Magic compiled a 46-2 record was rated the No. 1 team in the nation by websites such as Prep Hoops and Prep Circuit.
The players on this team that stood out were senior forward Onyeka Okongwu, a USC commit (No. 15 by ESPN), forward Isaiah Mobley (No. 14 by ESPN), forward Jaime Jacquez, Jr., a UCLA commit (No. 79 by ESPN) and juniors such as forward Jaylen Clark (UCLA), forward Johnny Juzang (No. 22 by ESPN) and center Evan Mobley, who was rated as the No. 1 player nationally in the Class of 2020. With the likes of Okongwu and the Mobley brothers, this team had one of the best front lines in circuit history.
11. 1992 Hampton Roads / Boo Williams
Players: Allen Iverson (NBA), Joe Smith (NBA), Tony Rutland (Wake Forrest), Tarik Turner (St. Johns), Derrick Bryant (Norfolk State), Damon Bacote (Alabama), Aljamont Joyner (Wake Forrest)
Sponsor: Nike
Legendary coach Boo Williams coached this Hampton Roads team led by two future number 1 overall NBA Draft picks in Allen Iverson and Joe Smith. They won the 1992 17-and-under AAU national championship title.
They were able to beat a legendary Charlotte Sonics team led by future NBA players Jerry Stackhouse, Jeff McGinnis, and Jeff Capel. Allen Iverson had 25 and Joe Smith had 19 as Hampton Roads beat Charlotte 82-78. The rising junior guard Iverson was named the Most Valuable Player of the 57-team tournament. “Joe Smith in the middle was a big difference.” Smith, a 6-9 rising senior at Norfolk’s Maury High, made the 15-player all-tournament team. Hampton Roads, which went 8-0 in the tournament, trailed by as many as nine points in the first half. This was the second Boo Williams team to win the National Tournament. The first featured NBA Defensive Player of the Year in Alonzo Mourning and another future pro in Bryant Stith. Boo Williams would go on to be one of the most legendary coaches in circuit history.
12. 1997 DC Assault
Players: DeMarr Johnson (NBA), Keith Bogans (NBA), James White (NBA), Rodney White (NBA,) Joseph Forte (NBA)
Sponsor: Adidas
Perhaps the best layup lines in the history of AAU. DeMarr Johnson and James White were high wire acts that engulfed crowds across America. With 4 future NBA players the Assault simply overpowered and outclassed opponents to victory. Keith Bogans and DeMarr Johnson helped lead DC Assault to the 1997 Big Time Tournament crown in Las Vegas. DeMarr Johnson was named tournament MVP, while Bogans was named to the all-tournament team. They also went 8-1, winning the Slam-n-Jam National Invitational tournament in Long Beach.
“The summer going into my sophomore year, I got to play on the DC Assault AAU team with Keith Bogans, DerMarr Johnson and all these other great players,” says James White. “I knew I was a great dunker because even though I didn’t play one second the whole summer-not one second, and I went to tournaments with them in Vegas, California and D.C.-I was getting mail from all the top schools. Just because of what they had seen me do in warm-ups!." “We had Dermarr Johnson, Keith Bogans and Joe Forte; the list goes on and on,” White said. “We won games, but we didn’t win as many championships as we could because we didn’t come together at times.”
13. 2015 Team Loaded
Players: Bam Adebayo (NBA), Dennis Smith Jr (NBA), Caleb Martin (NBA), Cody Martin (NBA), Jordan Tucker (Duke), Shaun Kirk (NC State), Lamont West (West Virginia)
Sponsor: Adidas
This Adidas sponsored outfit featured two top 10 Seniors in America. Bam Adebayo & Dennis Smith Jr. were a dream combination, having their way in the Adidas Uprising. There pick and rolls were nearly impossible to deal with. Future NBA players Caleb and Cody Martin provided perimeter scoring. The lengthy Shaun Kirk was another featured player inside for Team Loaded, as he spent the summer throwing down his choice of vicious slams. They beat an Atlanta Celtics team led by Kobi Simmons and several others on there way to an Adidas Gauntlet Championship.
14. 1994 Team Michigan
Players: Kevin Garnett (NBA), Robert Traylor (NBA), Terrance Robertson (NBA), Albert White (Michigan), Jermaine Jackson (NBA), Desmond Ferguson (Missouri)
Sponsor: Converse
Team Michigan, a travel-based club comprising the state’s top talent, featured four of the nation’s most coveted blue-chippers. Detroit’s Robert “Tractor” Traylor and Saginaw’s Terrance Roberson, who is one of only four players to ever be named to the Parade All-American team three times, were the constant headliners. Jermaine Jackson and Michigan commit Albert White were next in the pecking order of the AAU team’s all-star cast. At 6’5 White was one of the Nations most sought after recruits. Desmond Ferguson, a sharpshooting swingman from Lansing who would start on nearly any other team in the state. All-World Prospect Kevin Garnett was the center piece for this loaded team. They won the Converse Cage Classic in Knoxville. They traveled to Tallahassee in May for the Super 8 Invitational, which they also won.
15. 2013 Houston Hoops
Players: De’Aaron Fox (NBA), Kelly Oubre (NBA), Justice Winslow (NBA), Justin Jackson (NBA), Kadeem Latin (Oklahoma), Will West, JT Trauber, De’Andre Davis, Leon Gilmore
Sponsor: Nike
Three small forwards in the ESPN Top 20 of 2014 rankings with #8 Justin Jackson, #15 Just Winslow, and #20 Kelly Oubre. The team also featured #61 ranked prospect in Center Kadeem Lattin. Juniors DeAaron Fox and Khaled Turner were both ranked in the top 20. In total the team had 4 future NBA lottery picks. The future Kentucky Wildcat Fox, had a breakout summer playing point guard for Houston Hoops.
They finished the Nike EBYL regular season with a 16-2 record. They would end up loosing to Team Final in The Peach Jam, but they finished with a record of 20-3 in the EBYL.
"Houston has a long list of guys who made it to the NBA," Justin Jackson said. "It's cool that I was able to play with some of them and that I will see them still."
16. 1999 Illinois Warriors
Players: Darius Miles (NBA), Dwayne Wade (NBA), TJ Cummings (UCLA), Odartany Blankston (Marquette), Brad Melton (San Diego), Matt Lottich (Stanford), Brian Cuttica (Chicago)
Sponsor: Nike
Led by future NBA stars Darius Miles & Dwayne Wade, this Nike based team won the AAU national title. They toyed with competition throughout the season, including a 84-36 victory over the storied program Riverside Church. Alongside the future NBA stars was future UCLA power forward T.J. Cummings, son of NBA great TJ Cummings. Odartey Blankston, Brad Melton and Matt Lottich.
Featuring future megastars in the explosive Dwayne Wade and Darius Miles. Miles could play just about any position he wanted, including running the point. He would go on to be the 3rd overall pick in the NBA draft after his Senior year of High School. Wade was the most underrated recruit in the country and would routinely give opposing teams fits. Brad Melton and Matt Lottich were excellent shooters that really stretched defenses beyond their comfort. The imposing TJ Cummings helped provide depth inside and Odartey Blankston provided an outside scoring threat. Coached by Larry Butler the program had a string of success from 1995 to 1999. They beat the Atlanta Celtics, a loaded CMH team, Riverside Church, DC Assault and more. The big knock on this team is they ended up loosing in the 1999 Peach Jam Finals to Riverside Church, but they also beat Riverside Church by 40 that summer.
17. 2004 Friends of Hoop Seattle
Players: Spencer Hawes (NBA), Martell Webster (NBA), Jon Brockman (NBA), Micha Downs (Gonzaga), Isiah Thomas (NBA), Mitch Johnson (Stanford)
Sponsor: Nike
Best team ever assembled in the great basketball state of Washington. Spencer Hawes was the most dominating center on the circuit at the time, dominating the inside scoring load. Sharpshooter Martell Webster helped to space the floor while Mitch Johnson and future King Isiah Thomas shared the PG responsibilities. Hard nosed forward Jon Brockman did the dirty work for FOH. They won two straight Las Vegas Main Event Championships. In 2004 they won the Las Vegas Main Event over Cecil-Kirk. Brockman stepped up again scoring 24 points and snagging 13 rebounds in the victory. In 2005 they won by holding off the D.C. Blue Devils led by Kevin Durant and Ty Lawson, 78-61.
18. 2012 Oakland Soldiers
Players: Aaron Gordon (NBA), Stanley Johnson (NBA), Jabari Bird (NBA), Shaqquan Aaron (Louisville), Trevor Dunbar (Washington State), Kendall Smith (UNLV)
Sponsor: Nike
Won the 2012 Nike Peach Jam behind the play of big 3 Gordon, Bird and Johnson. Went 6-3 in first 9 EBYL games but went 8-0 in Peach Jam. A long and athletic defensive team beat Nerlens Noel’s BABC, Andrew Wiggin’s CIA Bounce, Theo Pinson’s CP3 All-Stars and Julius Randle’s Texas Titans. Most of the Soldiers losses in 2012 came with leader Aaron Gordon out of the lineup.
19. 2000 SoCal All-Stars
Players: Tyson Chandler (NBA), Jamal Sampson (NBA), Josh Childress (NBA), Cedric Bozeman (UCLA), Isaiah Fox (Arizona), DeAngelo Collins (All-American)
Sponsor: Nike
Although the 2000 Michigan Mustangs might have had the most talent in the nation, the Southern Cal All-Stars could have made a strong case for being the No. 1 team in the nation. The team featured Southern California’s Fab Four with 7-footer Tyson Chandler of Dominguez High (Compton, Calif.), Mater Dei’s Jamal Sampson, the 7-foot-1 power forward, future UCLA commit Cedric Bozeman, as well as 6-foot-6 Josh Childress of Mayfair High. They ended up having 4 McDonald's All-Americans as DeAngelo Collins of Inglewood High occasionally played with the team as well.
Southern Cal played well at the Boo Williams Spring Invitational as well as the Blue Grass Classic in Kentucky. They took home the mythical National AAU Championship in Orlando at the end of summer.
20. 2009 All-Ohio Red
Players: Jared Sullinger (NBA), Aaron Craft (Ohio State), Adreian Payne (NBA), Juwan Staten (West Virginia), Jordan Sibert (Ohio State)
Sponsor: Nike
All-Ohio went 201-9 over a three-year stretch. One thing that holds All-Ohio back was the level of competition in their 2009 run. They never lost a single AAU game in the Midwest region. Featured a bevy of future Ohio State players. A tough and gritty team they were able to beat Belmont Shore, Dream Vision and Team Texas. They took home the Peach Jam title beating Team Final 62-53.
21. 1992 Lousiana Spartans
Players: Randy Livingston (NBA), Kerry Kittles (NBA), Scotty Thurman (NBA)
Sponsor: Converse
Livingston attended New Orleans' Isidore Newman School along with standout quarterback Peyton Manning, where he was named the High School co-player of the year in 1992 (with Jason Kidd) and again in 1993 (with Rasheed Wallace). He was ranked as the #1 player in the 1993 class, over Rasheed Wallace and Jerry Stackhouse. Livingston's college and professional careers were marked by a series of injuries that hampered his play. Before those injuries he was among the very best guards in the nation. Livingston had friends on the Spartans like future NBA lottery pick Kerry Kittles, future first round pick Scottie Thurmond.
22. 2001 North Carolina Gaters
Players: Raymond Felton (NBA), Carmelo Anthony (NBA), Rashad McCants (NBA), PJ Tucker (NBA), David Noel (NBA), Justin Gray (NBA), Eric Williams (Wake Forest), Trent Strickland, Richard Joyce
Sponsor: Reebok
Touted as the 72-0 National Champs in 2001. Under Vic Sapp’s guidance, the organization became one of the nation’s most prominent AAU programs, drawing star players from hundreds of miles away and receiving considerable funding from sneaker manufacturer Reebok.
The Gaters’ 19-under team that won the 2001 national championship read like an NBA roster: Carmelo Anthony, Raymond Felton, Rashad McCants, P.J. Tucker and David Noel. Anthony was among the most dynamic forces in the nation. Felton possessed a remarkable combination of speed and strength that created constant pressure on opposing defenses. Eric Williams, Trent Strickland and Richard Joyce, are role players in this bunch. The team would have been higher on the list, but Justin Gray and Rashad McCants split time with the Charlotte Royals. Carmelo Anthony also played with Baltimore Select and Raymond Felton split time with the Beach Ball All-Stars.
23. 2016 Mokan Elite Kansas City
Players: Trae Young (NBA), Michael Porter Jr (NBA), Derrick Walker (Tenn), Aaron Cook (Gonzaga), Patrick Muldoon (Kansas State), Brian Trimble (Missouri State), Rashad Davis (FIU)
Sponsor: Nike
One of the best AAU teams of recent times, Porter and Young were the best duo in the country as they combined for over 50 points a game in 2016. Porter also supplied 11.4 rebounds per contest to go along with Young’s 7.2 assists per game, making the duo extremely versatile. They were able to take home the legendary Nike Peach Jam title in South Carolina. In the Nike EBYL final they were able to defeat the PSA Cardinals, Team Takeover, and the Howard Pulley All-Stars. The star tandem combined for 60 points in the title game and finished their Peach Jam run with an unblemished 8-0 record.
24. 2000 Michigan Mustangs
Players: Kelvin Tolbert (NBA), Anthony Robertson (Florida), Paul Davis (NBA), Robert Whailey (NBA), Olu Famutimi (NBA), Matt Trannon (Michigan State), JaQuan Hart (Eastern Michigan), Ricky Morgan (UNLV)
Sponsor: Adidas
The Michigan Mustangs went wire to wire as the number 1 ranked team in the country. Led by national high school Player of the Year candidates Kelvin Torbert of Northwestern High (Flint, Mich.) and Robert Whaley of Benton Harbor High (Mich.). Also gracing the Mustangs' loaded roster was senior Anthony Roberson of Saginaw High (Mich.) and sensational Canadian transplant the 6-7 sophomore Olu Famutimi.
The Mustangs had nine Division I-caliber players. They did fall to the Atlanta Celtics (ranked No. 3) in the semifinals of the Blue Cross Tournament of Champions, they were without Torbert and Whaley. Prior to the Blue Cross tourney, the Mustangs won the Show Me Shootout, and the Double-Pump Easter Tournament in April, defeating an Illinois Gold featuring NBA Lottery pick Eddie Curry. The team also featured NBA lottery pick Jason Richardson in the 1998 season. That team would win the 1998 Big Time Tournament in Las Vegas behind the performance of MVP Richardson and Ohio State commit Brent Darby.
25. 2005 EBO/EA Sports All-Stars
Players: Brook Lopez (NBA), Robin Lopez (NBA), Quincy Pondexter (NBA), Derek Jasper (Kentucky), Trevon Willis (UNLV), Tim Shelton (SDSU), Joe Harden (Notre Dame)
Sponsor: Adidas, EA Sports
This Fresno based team was led by future NBA big men Brook and Robin Lopez, the team possessed unreal size. “Our point guard is 6-foot-6, our two is 6-foot-3, our three is 6-foot-8, and then we have two 7-footers, plus we have a 7-footer coming off the bench, too." said head coach Darren Matsubara. Besides the 7 foot twins, this team had plenty of firepower with future NBA player Quincy Pondexter and blue chip recruits Trevon Willis and Derek Jasper.
They won the 2005 Adidas Showtime Tournament, they won the Adidas Super 64 Tournament in Las Vegas, they won the 34th annual Adidas Derby Festival Basketball Classic in Louisville, they even won the Las Vegas Prep Showdown title with a victory over Nike’s Friends of Hoop Seattle. The first ever Las Vegas Prep Showdown title with a 81-70 nationally televised victory over Nike’s Friends of Hoop Seattle. Trevon Willis finished with a team-high 27 points and five assists. Brook Lopez scored 13 points but was handcuffed defensively because of fouls. But Robin was overpowering in the paint, with a game-high 17 rebounds and seven blocks.
2005 was the second year in a year, EBO won the Adidas Super 64 tournament. They beat a loaded Philly MJC at the Cox Pavilion on the campus of UNLV. Willis went off in the first half for 20 of EBO's 34 points. Derrick Jasper was named as the tournament MVP. 2004 saw EBO win the same tournament as they beat the vaunted Atlanta Celtics led by MVP Brook Lopez.
This organization also featured a loaded 1997 team led by the likes of and Matt Barnes (NBA), Carlos Boozer Jr. (NBA), Chris Jefferies (NBA) and DeShawn Stevenson (NBA) and UCLA commit Ray Young.
Honorable Mention
Not an easy list to create or research. The first teams left out of our list were the 1980 Louisiana First Progressive Bank Team, the 1992 Charlotte Sonics (pictured above), the 2006 Mean Streets Express and the 2004 Memphis YOMCA team. Drop us a comment and let us know who we missed.
Honorable Mention Teams: 1980 Louisiana First Progressive Bank (Karl Malone, Joe Dumars), 1988 San Antonio AAU (Shaq, Bo Outlaw), 1990 Indiana Municipal Gardens (Damon Bailey, Alan Henderson), 1992 Charlotte Sonics (Jerry Stackhouse, Jeff McGinnis), 1996 Team California (Baron Davis, Collins Twins), 1997 EBO All-Stars (Carlos Boozer, Matt Barnes), 1999 Atlanta Celtics (BJ Elder, DeSagana Diop), 1999 Bloomington Red (Chris Thomas, Sean May), 2001 Long Island Panthers (Charlie Villanueva, Jason Frazier), 2004 Memphis YOMCA (Thaddeus Young, Shawne Williams), 2004 DC Blue Devils (Kevin Durant, Ty Lawson) 2006 Mean Streets Express (Derrick Rose, Eric Gordon), 2010 Oakland Soilders (Jabari Brown, Brandon Ashley), 2011 BABC (Nerlens Noel, Georges Niang), 2012 Mac Irvin Fire (Jabari Parker, Jahlil Okafor), 2021 Team Final (Jalen Duran, Dereck Lively)
Click To Explore The Greatest High School Basketball Teams of All Time
97 comments
Roadrunner
One team no one knows about was the spring 2001 New Jersey Cyclones. That team was an outlier in that they were an independent team and not affiliated with any sneaker circuit. In only their third year of existence, all nine team members
went D-1. Two sophs on that team I believe. Watched them play the vaunted NJ Playaz on back to back nights that spring, with each team winning once. Playaz had 10 eventual D-1s. Not sure if there have ever been 19 Division 1 players on the floor in one game before or since. Playaz were legendary, but Cyclones were no flash in the pan program. They are still going today. I checked and they have had nearly 80 Division 1 players and over 100 scholarships overall since 1999. The spring 2001 team was:
Deng Gai – Fairfield
Eric Ferguson – Arkansas
Mike Goia – Vermont
Keenan Christiansen – Xavier
Eric Hazard – Rutgers/FDU
Russ Carter – Notre Dame
Terrance Todd – Fairfield
Sean Christiansen – VMI
Camel Drummond – west coast D1
BABC 94’95 Ask around
Memphis Idlewild 96 was a monster. All home grown talent.
No NC teams… Come on man! Jerry Stackhouses AAU team was legendary. I believe he played for two Raleigh Stars and a Charlotte team. LeVelle Moten was also a Raleigh Star. As many NC NBA players as there have been and are now… you gotta research some of them.