2002: Carmelo Anthony (Syracuse)
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It comes as no surprise to see Carmelo Anthony ranked as the top prep basketball player for his age group. Splitting his time between Baltimore and New York City, Anthony opted to play for college basketball power Syracuse. As a true freshman, Anthony led the Orange to a National Championship. His skill-set for an 18-year-old was phenomenal — in large part because he could bully smaller players in the post and take bigs off the dribble from the perimeter. Anthony’s footwork was also reminiscent of a 10-year NBA pro.
Denver selected him No. 3 Overall in the 2003 NBA Draft. As we saw throughout his professional career, Anthony is a walking bucket. He could score in any way possible. It led to him becoming a 10-time All-Star, one-time scoring champ, and a six-time All-NBA performer. A winner of three Olympic gold medals, Melo is a lock for the Basketball Hall of Fame.
Other noteworthy players from his H.S. class: Chris Bosh, Amar’e Stoudemire, Raymond Felton, Brandon Roy
