2000 - 2002 Oakland Soldiers

Founder: Izzy Washington
Coach: Mark Olivier
Assistant Coach: Mark Andrews
Sponsor: Adidas
Players: LeBron James (NBA), Kendrick Perkins (NBA), Leon Powe (NBA), Demarcus Nelson (NBA), Chuck Hayes (NBA), Ayinde Ubaka (CAL), Marquis Kately (Cal), John Winston (UNLV), John Tofi (Utep), Rekalin Sims (Kentucky), Demarshay Johnson (Nevada), Dru Joyce (Akron)
Notable Tournaments: Pump-N-Run Best of Summer Classic, Slam-N-Jam Elite Tournament, Pump-N-Run Easter Tournament, Houston Kingwood Classic

How The Oakland Soldiers Were Built

How LeBron Became A Soldier

Oakland native Chris Dennis was living in Akron in 1998 when he went to see his brother play in a youth basketball league with other middle school kids. He noticed that one of his brother's teammates was not only bigger, but much more advanced skill-wise. He also already possessed a strong basketball IQ. "I saw a ranking of the top freshman of his class and LeBron wasn't in it," Dennis said. "I was like, 'I got to help change that for the kid.' He deserves much better than that."

That kid was James, and Dennis called Soldiers co-founder Calvin Andrews to tell him he had just found a star-in-the-making. It just so happened that Chris Dennis called his old friend Soldiers Coach Mark Andrews from Oakland, when James was in the 7th grade. The calls increased in frequency through middle school.Not giving up, Dennis brought a VHS video highlight tape of James after his freshman year in high school for Andrews and Olivier to see in the Adidas suite during the 2000 NCAA Final Four in Indianapolis. While the tape was being played, Andrews said Adidas' top basketball executive, Sonny Vaccaro, started watching.

"Sonny walks by and asks what we were watching," Andrews said. "Once we told Sonny it was a freshman from Akron, Ohio, he walked away very uninterested. The kid looked good, but no one was overly impressed."

After being pushed further by Dennis, Andrews said Keith Dambrot, then-University of California-Berkeley men's basketball coach Ben Braun, Andrews and Olivier eventually talked about what good could come from James playing for the Soldiers. Andrews agreed to make a Soldiers roster spot available for James at the Elite 8 Tournament in late July 2000, but would not pay for his travel. After Olivier agreed to host James and his high school teammate and friend Dru Joyce Jr., the trip was set.

LeBron's Arrival in Oakland

Just months later, Marc Olivier coach of the Oakland Soldiers AAU team, had a 15-year-old LeBron James in the back seat of his car one day in July 2000. While James was a local basketball star in Akron, Ohio, at that time, he was largely unknown to the rest of the nation. 

Olivier had picked up James and Drew Joyce from San Francisco International Airport and was struggling to get the boys to talk.

"I didn't know him and he didn't know me. He was quiet," Olivier said. "I had to kind of break the ice. When we got in the car we already were in San Francisco. So I said, 'Have you guys ever heard of the most crooked street in the world? …Y'all want to go?' "

Olivier took the boys to Lombard Street, and "that kind of broke the ice."

James and Joyce stayed with Olivier, Olivier's 8-month pregnant wife, Shelley, and his two preteen sons Marc Jr. and Lance at their suburban Oakland home. James and Joyce quickly felt at home with the family.

"They slept on the couches because I had a three-bedroom house with two kids," Olivier said. "My wife even took them to Berkeley to get some pizza." "It's amazing because that part of his life he never talks about publicly," Olivier said. "But I thought we had some good times and we still talk about it."

Soldiers forward and future NBA player Chuck Hayes said he and his teammates initially weren't that welcoming to James.

"Me and some of the older Soldiers players were kind of offended because he was younger, not from the Bay Area, let alone NorCal," Chuck Hayes said. "But after the first game, his game spoke for itself and we all came to the conclusion that this young fellah from Ohio was the real deal."

2000 Slam-N-Jam Elite 8x2 Tournament

Date: June 2000
Location: Berkeley, CA

James finally put on a Soldiers uniform to play with their under-17 team, during the 2000 Elite 8 tournament in Berkeley. Andrews said he could immediately tell James was special because of the way he quickly learned the plays and counter plays.

I was like, 'Wow, this kid is a freshman and he can do it like this,' " Andrews said. "He was like 6-4, decent build but wiry. His game consisted of jumpers, layups and solid basketball then."

At that time, Leon Powe was often viewed as the No. 1 player in the nation in the class of 2003. Powe also was a little bothered by James at first because James was playing on the under-17 team in a tournament while Powe was on the under-16 team. Powe said he and James talked trash to each other as both teams played in the championship game.

Slam-n-Jam San Francisco Tournament 2001

Date: May 2001
Location: San Francisco, CA

"That was the weekend that changed everything," Andrews said.

James' popularity was growing fast nationally. Nike had growing interested in James, Andrews said he and Adidas representative Chris Rivers tried several times to try to convince Sonny Vaccaro to come watch him play.

"Sonny told me, 'I'm not going to [expletive] Akron,' " Andrews said. "Me and Chris Rivers eventually convinced – the key word, 'convinced' – Sonny to see this kid."

Andrews, Rivers and Vaccaro decided to have the Soldiers put together an unpublicized two-game showcase at the University of San Francisco in May 2001. Andrews said Adidas paid for James and his family. Dambrot and another Saint Vincent-Saint Mary coach, Dru Joyce to come to the Bay Area. Vaccaro and his wife, Pam, also made the trip, as well as other Adidas basketball representatives.

The James crew and Vaccaro stayed at the Oakland Downtown Marriott, which also has a facility on the premise that hosts the Warriors' offices and practice court. The night before James played in front of Vaccaro, Andrews said he and Rivers visited him in his hotel room. Rivers also surprised James with his own personalized Adidas shoe that read "LBJ #23" on the back. Andrews believes that was the first personalized shoe ever made for a high school basketball player.

"Chris says, 'Let us show you how we roll,' " Andrews said. "He took one shoe and tossed it to the kid. LeBron caught it and said, 'Oh my God.' He was ecstatic. It had his initial and number on it. He couldn't believe it."

Vaccaro watched from the stands the next day as James took the court. But in the first game, James did not play well or look motivated. He also looked uncomfortable in his Adidas shorts.

"The first game he was fooling with his shorts, wasn't playing really hard and wasn't playing really good," Dambrot said. "I just remember going into the hallway and saying, 'LeBron, look, I am not going to tell you what to do. That's a pretty powerful guy watching and you are out there [expletive] around. You need to play a little bit.'

"He said, 'Coach, my shorts are bothering me.' I told him, 'You better stop playing with your shorts and start playing a little harder.' He went back out there and played like he is capable of playing. …I told him there is going to be a lot of money determined by what [Vaccaro] thinks of you."

The next morning, Andrews said Vaccaro secured an Adidas shoe and apparel contract for James' high school, the Soldiers and his in-state AAU team, the Northeast Ohio Shooting Stars. Andrews said Adidas also decided what tournaments the young phenom would play with the Soldiers and the Shooting Stars and paid for all his travel expenses. Gloria James was also a fixture on AAU road trips after that.

"After that, things were never the same," Andrews said. "Adidas stepped in and took everything to another level."

2001 Pump-n-Run Easter Tournament

Date: April 2001
Location: Los Angeles, CA

LeBron James' first major tournament for the Soldiers was during the Pump N Run Tournament in Los Angeles in March 2001. Andrews said James grew to 6-7 and was "jumping out the gym." Olivier said James' problem at that time was he was silly and didn't play hard all the time. But after James got fouled real hard in one game, Olivier said he started to dominate.

"That's when the world started seeing LeBron James," Andrews said. "LeBron put on a show."

At the Pumps’ Spring Premiere Tournament at Cal State Dominguez Hills, the Oakland Soldiers squared off against a stacked Pump N Run team in what would become one of the most memorable AAU matchups of the early 2000s. The first half was a back and forth showcase of elite talent, ending in a tie as both teams traded highlight plays and momentum. Spectators were buzzing. It was already being called a classic.

But no one was ready for what came next. In the second half, LeBron James took over. He overwhelmed future D1 signees, players bound for programs like Tennessee, Maryland, Kansas, UCLA, Texas and more, putting the Soldiers on his back and completely flipping the game’s energy. The Soldiers pulled away behind LeBron’s relentless scoring and playmaking, eventually winning by 20. And then came the dunk. An iconic, free throw line explosion that sent the gym into chaos. It remains one of the most jaw dropping plays ever seen at the high school level. LeBron was just 16, but in that moment, he looked like a pro.

"I just want to go out and play my game,” said James. “But when a lot of people come out to watch you and your team play, you gotta give them some kind of show.” 

2001 Adidas ABCD Camp

Date: June 2001
Location: Berkeley, CA

James and Powe were teammates during the prestigious 2001 ABCD camp in Teaneck, N.J., and considered the top two players of the class of 2003. Powe said after they lost their first three games he and James told their shot-happy point guard that he better pass the ball. James took over point guard duties after that and they won the rest of the way.

Lenny Cooke from Brooklyn, NY was listed as the No. 1 player at ABCD for the past three days, today's matchup with the consensus No. 1 player in high school in the country, LeBron James. The game resulted in the unofficial crowning of a new No. 1, and that probably means that if there ever was any doubt about who the current "best" player is, there isn't or at least wasn't today in the head-to-head matchup between the two. With his team trailing by two points, and only second remaining on the clock, James took the inbounds pass down at the far end of the court, sprinted to just across midcourt, and as the buzzer sounded, launched a three-pointer which swished in, giving his team the win and sending the assembled camp, including college coaches, counselors, media and the rest of the spectators into a frenzy. Cooke managed to get in his own licks a couple of times, but finished with only 9 points. 

King James teamed with Leon Powe and Adam Haluska, and the three of them combined for a total of 66 of the team's 84 points. James had 24 and he was just unstoppable in the second half. In the tradition of the camp, when two players of this stature go head-to-head, the coaches played them both for the entire 32 minutes.

2002 Slam-N-Jam Elite 8x2 Tournament

Date: June 2002
Location: Berkeley, CA

James and Powe played together with the Soldiers during the Elite 8 tournament at the Rec Center at Cal-Berkeley. By then, James was a mega prep star and lots of media were in attendance. With a sellout crowd watching, he led the Soldiers to the championship. Through three games of the Slam N’ Jam Elite 8x2 Tournament, the Oakland Soldiers had blown past over matched opponents. With the highlight reel not getting them anywhere, the Soldiers turned to Leon Powe and John Winston to get some easy points inside to regain the lead early in the second half. 

Powe started the half with a nice move that resulted in an easy dunk for the 6-foot-7 junior. He then tipped in a LeBron James miss to pull his team within two points. A couple of minutes later, he captured the lead for his squad with a score that was pure muscle, overpowering two Next Level defenders for a layup. 

“I knew I had to pull us through, even though I was a little tired,” Powe said. “But we had to win this one. You have to win your home tournament.” 

Then Winston got into the act. The Salesian High star got a putback on a DeMarcus Nelson miss, then made a three-point play the hard way, driving to the basket for a bucket and foul. He scored again off of penetration a minute later, and the Soldiers had a 48-43 lead that they would never relinquish.  

Powe led all scorers with 24 points, after only scoring 14 in the semi-final victory against the LA Paladins earlier on Wednesday. James had a fairly quiet 18 in the final, 

"We’ve got 10 of the best ballplayers in the country, and sometimes it’s a little hard to find the best five in any game,” Soldiers coach Mark Olivier said. “But we win with scoring by committee and by playing tough defense.” 

Houston Kingwood Classic 2002

Date: July 202
Location: Houston, TX

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.

The Chronicle ran a story on James in July 2001, when he was 16. He played with the Soldiers in a high-profile tournament at Cal; the piece described college coaches and NBA scouts watching James “move with disarming ease and flip passes with precise nonchalance.”

James would play his last tournament for the Soldiers in Houston of April 2002. The Soldiers assembled one of the greatest AAU teams of all time with James, Powe and Kendrick Perkins, along with several other top 100 players.

They opened with a 40-point win over the Atlanta Celtics — a predominantly 15-year-old group that included Dwight Howard, Josh Smith, Randolph Morris and Javaris Crittendon. James, who had only recently grown to 6-foot-7, scored 57 points.

"LeBron dropped like 55 points on Dwight Howard and them," Powe said. " He did fadeaways, step-backs, spin-around fadeaways, left fadeaways, 3-point fadeaway and get to the lane. He got on the fast break and did the East Bay funk dunk putting the ball through his legs. This dude was incredible. "

“When they saw that we had Kendrick on our roster, John Eurey came over to me,” Olivier said of the local tournament director. “He said, ‘How do you come all the way from California and get our best player on your roster?’ All I could say was that everyone wants to play with Leon Powe and LeBron James.”

Said Perkins: "He was just a physical specimen, but his IQ of the game at that time was through the roof. I knew at that time he was going to be a great pro."

Powe and James were teammates with the Cavaliers during the 2009-10 season and occasionally would reminisce about their Soldiers days.

"He would tell everybody, 'That was Leon's team, man,' " Powe said.

The Soldiers lost to a team called the D.C. Assault.

Though James and Powe remained AAU teammates, Perkins’ time as a Soldier ended after just one tournament.

“We beat a team with a young Dwight (Howard),” said Powe. “They called themselves the Atlanta Celtics. Some team, and we beat them by 40, and ’Bron went off for (57) in that game. I had a couple of games like 45, 30, 35; it was fun playing with all of them. The games were fun, packed, probably like no other games. Just being out there, not like a pro style atmosphere, but we were used to it because we were three of the top people in the country.”

“LeBron was doing miracles out there,” he said. “Back then it was more like folklore. It was before they started showing his games on (cable), or you could watch him on the internet. It was getting pretty crazy. People flocked to see our team. We were like The Beatles.”

LeBron "King" James

Small Forward 6'8 215
High School: St. Vincent St. Mary - Akron, OH
Recruiting Rank: #1 2003
NBA Draft: #1 Overall 2003
NBA Stats: 27.2 PPG, 7.5 RPG, 7.3 APG

LeBron James is one of the most accomplished basketball players of all time. He was the top-ranked player in the 2003 recruiting class, the first overall pick in the NBA Draft, a four-time MVP, and a five-time NBA Champion. He is considered the best small forward in basketball history.

His time with the Oakland Soldiers helped showcase his skills on a national stage at an early age. The tournaments he played in with the Soldiers helped build his growing reputation. Without that exposure, it is possible that James would not have received the same level of national attention as a junior. His first national feature appeared in Slam Magazine after he played for the Soldiers. His time with Oakland made it possible for both his High School St. Vincent St. Mary's and his traveling team the Ohio Shooting Stars to get an Adidas sponsorship.

James had a standout high school basketball career at St. Vincent St. Mary in Akron, Ohio. He joined the varsity team as a freshman and made an immediate impact, averaging 21 points and 6 rebounds per game while leading the team to a 27 and 0 record and a Division III state championship. As a sophomore, he averaged 25 points and 7 rebounds per game and helped secure a second straight state title. During his junior year, he was featured on the cover of Sports Illustrated and was recognized as the top high school player in the country.

In his senior year, James averaged 31.6 points, 9.6 rebounds, 4.6 assists, and 3.4 steals per game. He led St. Vincent St. Mary to a 26 and 1 record and their third state title in four years. Over his high school career, he scored more than 2,600 points, earned multiple national player of the year honors, and appeared in nationally televised games. His size, athletic ability, court vision, and maturity led many to compare him to professional players while he was still in school. He entered the 2003 NBA Draft as the most widely known high school basketball prospect of his era.

Leon "The Show" Powe

Power Forward 6'7 225
High School: Oakland Tech - Oakland, CA
Recruiting Rank: #9 2003
College: California
College Stats: 17.8 PPG, 10.3 RPG, 1.3 BPG
NBA Draft: #49 Overall 2006
NBA Stats: 6.2 PPG, 3.8 RPG

Powe is one of the most interesting men in America. He grew up alongside future icons LeBron James and Marshawn Lynch, was mentored by the legendary Oakland boxer Bernard Ward, and played with stars like Kevin Garnett on the 2008 champion Boston Celtics. During his time at Cal, he shared the campus spotlight with Aaron Rodgers and DeSean Jackson, making it feel like the school was stacked with future stars.

James always had greatness. What most forget or never knew was that the pre-surgery Powe may not have been far behind his friend from Akron.

“The pre-surgery Leon was Bernard King,” said Andrews. “The pre-surgery Leon would have been a lottery pick out of high school. You could give him information and he would process it immediately. One day he couldn’t make a left-handed layup, and a week later he would be dunking left-handed. He didn’t have the skills LeBron had, but prior to the surgery he could impact a game the same way.”

That’s the best thing about Leon, his loyalty,” says Mark Olivie.. “He’s an Oakland-based kid. The bigger he gets, he always knows where he came from. No doubt, he wants to play for the city of Oakland. His first game at Cal next year, it’s gonna be a sellout.”

Long-time Oakland Tech coach Hodari McGavock colorfully recalls, “When he came here, his downside was up and his upside was down. He was green and knock-kneed.” As an eighth grader, Leon recalls, he averaged 44 points in the only two middle school games he played before the season was cancelled. He might’ve had the chance to attend one of the Bay Area’s hoop factories, but instead he chose Tech, hype-free and close to home. And before too long, Leon’s potential began to be realized.

“When we had our first game, Coach gave me, like, 50 seconds. I was like, OK…” Leon says. “Next game, our big man got in foul trouble, and Coach looked down on the bench, looked at me, looked at the JV coach, and said, ‘Should I put him in?’ I only played like a half, and I had 18, 10 and like 9 blocks. And I still wasn’t really a go-to guy, just a third option.”

As a sophomore, Leon led Tech to a division title and a state semifinal berth. As a junior, he guided the Bulldogs to a CIF Regional championship and a place in the school’s first-ever state title game, where they dropped a five-point decision to SoCal power Westchester.

"The Show" was one of the better power forwards in high school basketball, regardless of class. Give him a lane and he would find a way to dunk. A strong rebounder, Powe has developed a nice mid-range shot, which he drains with good consistency. He's strong, physical and just a junior. And he's only getting better. He packed houses when he played with his High School team Oakland Tech.

They called him Leon “The Show,” because he played well above the rim before his injury late in his high school career. A strong, athletic 6-8, 240 with the wingspan of a 7-footer and a long jumper’s hops, Leon Powe is as talented as any player in America. If not for a torn ACL suffered in April and all the attention focused on that kid from Northeast Ohio, Leon might even be the most talked-about player in the class of ’03.

“Me and LeBron know each other real well,” Leon confirms, before addressing the obvious question.

“I think I could hold my own against him. He’s got the court awareness, and I give him the advantage on the passing and stuff, but otherwise, I’d hold my own. I’d tell anybody that.” - Leon Powe

Powe was often viewed as the No. 1 player in the nation in the class of 2003. Powe also was a little bothered by James at first because James was playing on the under-17 team in a tournament while Powe was on the under-16 team. Powe said he and James talked trash to each other as both teams played in the championship game.

"I was ranked No. 1 in my class," Powe said. "And then LeBron came I was like, 'He's cool. He's solid.' Then we played a couple games and I was like, 'Man, he's really good.' After four or more games went by, I said, 'Coach Marc, I need to talk to you for a second.'

"Coach Marc said, 'What's up big fellah?' I was like, 'This dude isn't in my class is he?' Marc said, 'Big fellah, I am afraid so.' "

Powe said he and James became friends quickly and hung out during his following Bay Area trips. Powe said he would take him to play pickup basketball and eat at restaurants in San Francisco and Oakland. James' silly side also entertained Powe.

He went on to averaged 27.4 points, 14.2 rebounds, and 3.1 blocks per game as a senior. He led the team to consecutive appearances in the CIF State Championships in 2002 and 2003 and helped secure the CIF Oakland Section title. Widely recognized as one of the top prep players in the country, Powe was named a first-team Parade All-American and Gatorade California Player of the Year. He also earned first-team all-state honors and was selected to the McDonald's All-American Game, where he recorded 15 points and 12 rebounds, becoming the first player from the Oakland Athletic League to compete in the event. During the 2002–03 season, he scored 40 or more points in three straight games and averaged 33 points and 14 rebounds during the state playoffs. As a junior, he was named a third-team Parade All-American after posting 28 points, 14.8 rebounds, and 3 blocks per game, while guiding Oakland Tech to a 28-4 record and another state title game appearance. Powe’s high school legacy was cemented when his No. 44 jersey was retired, making him the first Oakland Tech.

He had an excellent freshman year at Cal, e was named Pac 10 Freshman of the Year in 2004. He did not play in his sophomore year (2004–05) due to a serious knee injury. He returned from injury to earn first team All Pac-10 honors in 2006. The knee injuries led to Powe slipping to the 2nd round of the 2006 NBA draft, where he was selected by the Denver Nuggets and immediately traded to the Boston Celtics. Known for his toughness, rebounding, and efficient scoring around the basket, Powe played a key role off the bench during Boston's 2008 championship run. He had a standout performance in Game 2 of the NBA Finals against the Lakers, scoring 21 points in just 15 minutes. Injuries limited his career, but he remained a respected presence in the locker room. Powe also played for the Cleveland Cavaliers and briefly for the Memphis Grizzlies, finishing his NBA career with averages of 6.2 points and 3.8 rebounds per game over six seasons.

Kendrick Perkins "Big Perk"

Center 7'0 245
High School: Ozken High School - Houston, TX
Recruiting Rank: #9 2003
College: Straight to NBA
NBA Draft: 27th Overall 2003
NBA Stats: 5.4 PPG, 5.8 RPG, 1.0 APG

Perkins first met LeBron James in seventh grade while playing for Houston Hoops and competing against LeBron’s Ohio Shooting Stars. They later became teammates and friends at the ABCD Camp, where they played together on the Oakland Soldiers.

Perkins graduated from Clifton J. Ozen High School in Beaumont, Texas, in 2003. During his high school career, he led Ozen to four straight district championships and one state championship. As a senior, he averaged 27.5 points, 16.4 rebounds, and 7.8 blocks per game, guiding his team to a 33–1 record with the only loss coming in the state 4A championship game against Fort Worth Dunbar. After his senior season, Perkins was selected to play in the McDonald’s All-American Game.

Considered a five-star recruit by Rivals.com, Perkins was ranked the No. 3 center and No. 6 player nationally in 2003. Although he initially committed to Memphis, he chose to enter the NBA directly out of high school. Today, Big Perk is known as a star analyst on ESPN. While some may criticize his takes on LeBron James, it’s worth remembering their long-standing connection.

Even then, a young Perkins demanded a toll from anyone driving the lane.

“Kendrick was very aggressive,” said Olivier. “You never wanted to try and get around Kendrick. But off the court he was the nicest kid you would ever meet. I could see why he and Leon got very tight.”

Said Powe: “Perk was quiet, a good dude, worked hard down there in the paint. Wanted the ball every time, just like me, just like LeBron, just like everybody else. Our squad did a good job, especially ’Bron passing the ball, and then we had other players from the Bay Area. It was fun, cool, playing with them as a whole.”

DeMarcus Nelson "The Iceman"

Guard 6'3 210
High School: Vallejo High School, Vallejo, CA
Recruiting Rank: #18 2004
College: Duke
College Stats: 10.8 PPG, 4.9 RPG, 1.8 APG
NBA Stats: 4.1 PPG, 1.8 RPG, 1.0 APG

When LeBron first joined the Oakland Soldiers, DeMarcus Nelson was a freshman and the youngest player on the roster, widely seen as the next great phenom. He spent his freshman and sophomore seasons with the Soldiers before moving on to play for Belmont Shore.

DeMarcus Nelson started varsity basketball as a freshman at Vallejo High, where he quickly made an impact. He was also a top-10 recruit in football, starting at quarterback during his first two years. On the basketball side, Nelson played for nearly every major AAU team in California, including the Oakland Soldiers, EBO EA Sports All-Stars, Belmont Shore, and NorCal Elite. Known as “The Iceman,” the Vallejo native became California’s all-time leading scorer, finishing with a still-standing 3,462 career points.

Nelson often credits his father, Ron, for his success. In sixth grade, after his father asked what he wanted to do with his life, Nelson replied that he wanted to become a McDonald’s All American. His father told him that if he trusted him, he could help him get there. From that moment on, Nelson began training seriously every morning and night at a nearby gym at First Baptist Church, close to Lincoln Elementary. He knew that starting as a freshman was rare, but he prepared for two years and earned the opportunity thanks to coaches Vic Wallace and Duke Brown.

From 2001 to 2003, fans packed Vallejo’s Bottari Gym to watch Nelson play, and he rarely disappointed. He was an all-state selection in 2003 and named Mr. Basketball California in 2004. That same year, Nelson earned second-team All-American honors and was selected to the McDonald’s All American Game, where he led the West team with 22 points. After three seasons at Vallejo, he transferred to Sheldon High for his senior year and graduated in 2004. He then went on to play at Duke University under legendary coach Mike Krzyzewski. During his junior and senior seasons, Nelson averaged over 30 minutes and 14 points per game, and he served as team captain in 2008.

Although he went undrafted in the 2008 NBA Draft, Nelson was signed by the Golden State Warriors. He made history as the first undrafted rookie in NBA history to start on opening night, beating out established players like C.J. Watson and Marcus Williams. In 13 games with the Warriors, Nelson averaged 4.1 points and 1.8 rebounds per game, showcasing his potential as a tough, defense-minded combo guard.

Chuck Hayes "The Wall"

Forward 6'6 420
High School: Modesto Christian High School, Modesto, CA
Recruiting Rank: #46 2001
College: Kentucky
College Stats: 9.0 PPG, 6.9 RPG, and 2.2 APG
NBA Draft: Undrafted
NBA Stats: 3.7 PPG, 5.0 RPG, 1.2 APG

Chuck Hayes was a unique player who used his leverage and strength to compete in the NBA for more than ten seasons. Gritty and physical, he was known as an excellent post defender and rebounder throughout his career.

As a junior at Modesto Christian High School in Modesto, California, Hayes earned all-league and all-state honors. He set a California high school record across all divisions by grabbing 31 rebounds in the 2000 Northern California championship game. As a senior, he was named California’s Mr. Basketball and selected as a Parade All-American while leading his team to the state championship game. He was also an all-state football player as a sophomore.

The Modesto native played a key role in establishing the dominance of the Oakland Soldiers AAU program and helped turn Modesto Christian into a Northern California basketball powerhouse. Since his time with the Crusaders, the school has produced numerous Division I prospects, including Reeves Nelson (UCLA), DJ Seeley (Cal), David Paris (Cal), Richard Midgley (Cal), Adrian Oliver (San Jose State), Michael Porter (Kentucky), TJ Wallace (Pacific), BJ Davis (San Diego State), and Jamari Phillips (Oregon).

Hayes’ final season with the Soldiers came during LeBron James’ first summer with the team in 2000. He went on to play four years at the University of Kentucky, finishing his college career with averages of 9 points and 6 rebounds per game.

Chuck Hayes had a memorable NBA career defined by toughness, intelligence, and defense. Though undersized for a power forward or center at 6-foot-6, he earned respect as a dependable role player through effort and basketball IQ. Undrafted in 2005, Hayes secured a spot with the Houston Rockets, where he spent most of his career. He also played for the Sacramento Kings and Toronto Raptors. Over 11 NBA seasons, he appeared in 644 games and averaged 3.7 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 1.2 assists per game.

What made Hayes stand out was his ability to defend much larger players, box out for rebounds, and serve as a defensive anchor without requiring touches on offense. He was especially known for drawing charges, making smart defensive rotations, and being a leader in the locker room. His work ethic and basketball instincts helped him build a long, respected NBA career despite lacking ideal size or scoring ability.

The Greatest AAU Team Ever

This team was so dominant that it led to the creation of the 1,000 mile rule. The AAU decided that no player should be allowed to compete for a team more than 1,000 miles from their hometown. The rule became known nationally as the LeBron Rule. “We call it the Soldiers Rule,” said Olivier. This decision changed how AAU teams were built and had a major impact on the competitive circuit.

The Oakland Soldiers went on to win every major tournament they played in together. In California, people still remember the summer when LeBron joined the team and helped deliver an unforgettable run that gained national attention.

Olivier started out as a coach for the Oakland Soldiers and has never had a losing season. He led St. Mary’s High School to its first state championship and helped reshape AAU recruiting with his forward-thinking approach. In 2001, his team featuring LeBron James, Leon Powe, Kendrick Perkins, and other elite players directly influenced the creation of the 1,000 mile rule, which permanently changed AAU basketball.

He also organized two of the top ten teams in grassroots basketball history. During his time with the Soldiers, he helped athletes earn over six million dollars in college scholarship offers. He led the program to two Peach Jam championships and expanded the organization throughout the West Coast. His influence on youth basketball continues to grow today.