Scott Garceau: Baltimore's NBA Best
Many projected Baltimore's Will Barton to be a first round pick in Thursday nights NBA draft. The Conference USA's Player of the Year, who stared at Memphis, had to wait until the 10th pick of the second round when his name was called by the Portland Trail Blazers. He may not be a first round pick but the Baltimore kid who lead Lake Clifton to the State Championship will get his shot in the NBA.
So will former Randallstown prep star Kim English who was drafted four picks later by the Detroit Pistons. English honed his game at Baltimore's Cecil Kirk rec center and lead the Randallstown Rams to the Maryland State Championship in 2007. Like Barton, Kim English is a sweet shooting 6-6 guard, while Barton heads to the NBA after 2 years at Memphis, English had a terrific 4- year run at Missouri.
Among the undrafted who may get a shot in the NBA, Henry Simms who went from Mount St. Joe to Georgetown and the Terps Terrell Stoglin who lead the ACC in scoring last season.
The NBA left Baltimore in 1973 when the Bullets moved to the D.C. area but Baltimore has never left the NBA. From Towson's Gene Shue to current stars like Carmelo Anthony and Rudy Gay Baltimore area players have made their mark on "The Association." I've broken down some numbers to spotlight Baltimore's Best.
Carmelo Anthony who stared at Towson Catholic is Baltimore's all-time NBA scoring leader. Melo has scored nearly 16,000 points averaging just under 25 a game, and at age 28 he has plenty of time to add to his Charm City lead.
Dunbar's Sam Cassell is next on the scoring list. Sudden Sam scored 15,635 points. The NBA all-star won three championship rings. Gene Shue was a top notch NBA player (and later head coach) from 1955-1964 he's the only other Baltimore area player to score over 10-thousand points (10,068).
Rudy Gay has scored nearly 8-thousand points and is just entering his prime. If he stays healthy he could challenge Melo at the top of the Baltimore scoring list.
Former first round pick Muggsy Bogues was the little man with the WOW! game. The 5-3 guard who lead Bob Wade's incredible teams at Dunbar is Baltimore's NBA leader in assists (6,726) and steals (1,369). Muggsy may be the quickest guy in NBA history, a thrill a minute.
If you want defense and rebounding how about Edmondson high school and Morgan State's Marvin "The Human Eraser" Webster. From 1976-1987 he earned the "The Human Eraser" tag with 881 NBA blocked shots and a Baltimore's best 4,218 rebounds (Melo should pass him in rebounds next season).
Dunbar's Reggie Lewis scored nearly 8-thousand points and was an all-star with the Celtics when a heart attack ended his life at 27, he was destined for greatness.. His Dunbar teammates Reggie Williams and David Wingate had solid NBA careers and Cardinal Gibbons Quintin Dailey scored nearly 7,500 NBA points.
Calvert Hall's Duane Ferrell had a 12-year run in the league and The Hall's Gary Neal was bombing 3's in this years playoffs for the Spurs.
From Shue to Melo Baltimore has had a long tradition in the NBA, now Will Barton and Kim English get a shot to be part of it.
