Words. Austin Burton

There isn’t much that happens in the NBA that doesn’t trickle down to high school basketball – from choreographed player-intro dap and nerd-chic fashion to on-court moves and post-game quotes.

So I was a bit surprised when, during last night’s McDonald’s All-American Game, a smiling Alex Poythress (Northeast H.S., Tenn.) fouled out near the end of the West’s 106-102 win over the East and the announcers didn’t jump on his back for acting so laid-back when his team was losing and he was leaving. MORE >

Words. Austin Burton

So often do we fast-forward our child prodigies to the big leagues – and that covers the map from piano to pageants, not just sports – that it’s easy to forget they aren’t always looking so far into the future.

Trayvon Reed reminded me of this. The sophomore center at Shiloh High School (Snellville, Ga.) stands 7-feet tall and weighs 200 pounds – one serious weight-training regimen away from a pro-ready body – with a defense-first mentality that coaches on all levels love. His star potential pops off the printed page as explosively as it leaps off the YouTube screen. MORE >

Words. Austin Burton

Although he hardly cruises through the first three quarters, LeAntwan Luckett saves his best for the fourth. The Ridgeland (MS) senior shooting guard — averaging 18 points, 7 rebounds and 6 assists per game through Sunday — is one of the best clutch performers in the South.

“This summer alone, LeAntwan won or tied six games against big-time competition at the free throw line or with a last-second shot,” says Ted Hutchins, who coached Luckett for Mississippi D-1 Ambassadors AAU. “He’s incredibly humble off the court, but when he gets on that court, he’s a totally different person. He wants to take over.” MORE >

Words. Austin Burton

Trying to predict the outcome of an exhibition all-star game is an ultimately pointless venture — just one guy playing his hardest can swing the whole complexion of the game — but sometimes the rosters just look too lopsided to resist.

The rosters for the 2011 Jordan Brand Classic were released today, and the East squad is stacked with four of the arguably five best seniors in the country. Austin Rivers, Michael Gilchrist, Marquis Teague and Quincy Miller are all on the East roster, while Top-5 candidates Myck Kabongo and Brad Beal lead the West team. MORE >

Words. Austin Burton

Keonta Vernon had yet to make his mark on the national radar, until he literally wrecked shop to get some shine earlier this week. Vernon, a 6-4 shooting guard at Tulare (CA) Union H.S., broke the backboard and pulled the rim off during a game.

Words. Austin Burton

In a city where the Lakers, UCLA, and now Blake Griffin consistently hog the headlines, high school basketball in Los Angeles has been relatively overlooked compared to cities like New York, Chicago, or even more recent hotbeds Seattle and Houston.

But considering that high schools in L.A. proper have produced nearly 60 NBA players — not to mention schools in the metro area like North Hollywood and Compton producing dozens of pros — Southern Cali is deserving of a little more shine. MORE >