Top Connecticut players never to play at UCONN

[Stew Crew]

Jeff Allen played for St. John's in the Chris Mullin era. Had a good senior year.
Ron Moye had a good career at UHart.
Kenny Green from Holy Cross went to URI and led NCAA Div 1 in blocks his senior year. He had the longest arms I've ever seen. He was 6'8" but played every bit like a 7 footer.

Green was overshadowed by Kelly Monroe at Holy Cross. Monroe went to BC but got caught up in a coaching change. I believe he was recruited by Gary Williams but he left and Jimmy O'Brien took over. Monroe transferred to Manhattan and I think had a couple of decent years.

 

[Horsebrnhil]

Rick Mahorn (Weaver)
Charles Smith (Harding)
Michael Adams (HPHS)
John Bagley (Harding)
Wes Matthews (Harding)
Marcus Camby (HPHS)
Vin Baker (Old Saybrook)
Tremont Waters (New Haven)
Chris Dudley (arguable)
Malcolm Huckaby (Bristol)
Keith Closs (HPHS)
Courtney Alexander (Masuk)
Will Solomon (East Hartford)
Aaron Jackson (Northwest Catholic)
Jordan Williams (Torrington)
Ryan Gomes (Wilby)
Tyson Wheeler (New London)
Kris Dunn (New London)
Donovan Mitchell (grew up in Greenwich)
Tremont Waters (New Haven)
Mustapha Heron (Sacred Heart, Waterbury)

Who Am I missing?

Sly Williams (Lee High, New Haven)
Bruce (Soup) Campbell (Wilbur Cross)
Super John Williamson (Wilbur Cross)
Maurice Williamson (Wilbur Cross)
Rocket Rod Foster (New Britain)
Phil Luckett (Waterbury)
Harold Pressley (St.Bernards)
John Pinone (Northwest Catholic )
GOING WAY WAY BACK.....
Bob Nash (HPHS)
Johnny Egan (Weaver)
OK, here's a few. Johnny Egan does go back to late 1950s, while the rest of them are 60's to 80s.

 

[Horsebrnhil]

Is Pressley actually from CT?

Yes, the Groton section of Mystic.

 

[Umami Zen]

Sly Williams (Lee High, New Haven)
Bruce (Soup) Campbell (Wilbur Cross)
Super John Williamson (Wilbur Cross)
Maurice Williamson (Wilbur Cross)
Rocket Rod Foster (New Britain)
Phil Luckett (Waterbury)
Harold Pressley (St.Bernards)
John Pinone (Northwest Catholic )
GOING WAY WAY BACK.....
Bob Nash (HPHS)
Johnny Egan (Weaver)
OK, here's a few. Johnny Egan does go back to late 1950s, while the rest of them are 60's to 80s.

Great additions. Pretty sure Pinone was South Catholic

 

[Horsebrnhil]

Bob Nash. Went to HPHS. Played for Hawaii 70=72. Was 9th overall pick in 72 NBA draft by the Pistons. Played in NBA till 78-79.

Nash was part of the great HPHS team of Middle 60's, that played in the infamous "slippery floor" CIAC tournament game in Willimantic against Norwich Free Academy. Public was defeated by Wilbur Cross in the finals that year.

 

[Horsebrnhil]

Great additions. Pretty sure Pinone was South Catholic

Not sure about that. I do think it was Northwest, but no matter. Few more that I forgot was Tom Roy (South Windsor), Dave Hicks Wilbur Cross early 60's, Greg Keith (NFA), and one that "initially" got away, but did end up @ UC., Chuck Alexsinas, WAMOGO, to Kentucky, but eventually to UC.

 

[CTHSHoops]

Jack Kvancz Harding, Johnny Egan Hartford Weaver. Both players were top in high school their senior year. Went to BCU and PC respectively.

Billy Evans, Hillhouse, played with Kvancz at BC coached by Cousy, played one year in the ABA with the Nets.

Jack Kvancz Harding, Johnny Egan Hartford Weaver. Both players were top in high school their senior year. Went to BCU and PC respectively.

 

[CTHSHoops]

Walt Luckett - averaged triple double his senior year at Kolbe - 39.5 points, 16 rebounds and 13 assists - named national HS player of the year

Barry McLeod, Bridgeport Central, played at Centenary with Robert Parish, 7th round draft pick.

 

[WhereYouAt]

Rick Mahorn (Weaver)
Charles Smith (Harding)
Michael Adams (HPHS)
John Bagley (Harding)
Wes Matthews (Harding)
Marcus Camby (HPHS)
Vin Baker (Old Saybrook)
Tremont Waters (New Haven)
Chris Dudley (arguable)
Malcolm Huckaby (Bristol)
Keith Closs (HPHS)
Courtney Alexander (Masuk)
Will Solomon (East Hartford)
Aaron Jackson (Northwest Catholic)
Jordan Williams (Torrington)
Ryan Gomes (Wilby)
Tyson Wheeler (New London)
Kris Dunn (New London)
Donovan Mitchell (grew up in Greenwich)
Tremont Waters (New Haven)
Mustapha Heron (Sacred Heart, Waterbury)

Who Am I missing?

Keith Closs never played at The Pub, he moved out of Hartford and the state in elementary school.

 

[LIUCHusky]

John

Not sure about that. I do think it was Northwest, but no matter. Few more that I forgot was Tom Roy (South Windsor), Dave Hicks Wilbur Cross early 60's, Greg Keith (NFA), and one that "initially" got away, but did end up @ UC., Chuck Alexsinas, WAMOGO, to Kentucky, but eventually to UC.

Pinole definitely played at South Catholic.

 

[FreeKlaiber]

fyi, Asked Chatgpt to rank connecticut natives in regard to NBA career. here is the top 10

Top 10 NBA Players from Connecticut (by Birth or Strong Ties)​

Rank	Player	Notable Highlights
1.	Calvin Murphy	Hall of Fame, 17.9 PPG career, all-time great FT shooter
2.	Vin Baker	4× All-Star, Olympic Gold, All-NBA, 15.0 PPG career
3.	Marcus Camby	Defensive POY, 12th all-time in blocks
4.	Andre Drummond (raised in CT)	2× All-Star, 4× rebounding leader
5.	Rick Mahorn	NBA Champion (1989 Pistons), 18-year career
6.	Michael Adams	All-Star (1992), nearly 10,000 points
7.	Charles Smith	14.4 PPG, solid NBA forward
8.	John Bagley	Steady 12-year point guard
9.	Scott Burrell	NBA Champion (1998 Bulls), multi-sport athlete
10.	Harold Pressley	Role player for Kings, standout at Villanova

 

[AD DB Burner]

Yes, the Groton section of Mystic.

Fieldcrest to be exact. Born in 89 so this was long before my time, but I was told he would regularly hoop at the neighborhood park that was directly behind the house I grew up in.

 

[Griggs]

Rick Mahorn (Weaver)
Charles Smith (Harding)
Michael Adams (HPHS)
John Bagley (Harding)
Wes Matthews (Harding)
Marcus Camby (HPHS)
Vin Baker (Old Saybrook)
Tremont Waters (New Haven)
Chris Dudley (arguable)
Malcolm Huckaby (Bristol)
Keith Closs (HPHS)
Courtney Alexander (Masuk)
Will Solomon (East Hartford)
Aaron Jackson (Northwest Catholic)
Jordan Williams (Torrington)
Ryan Gomes (Wilby)
Tyson Wheeler (New London)
Kris Dunn (New London)
Donovan Mitchell (grew up in Greenwich)
Tremont Waters (New Haven)
Mustapha Heron (Sacred Heart, Waterbury)

Who Am I missing?

"G-Man" from Masuk

 

[Jkiller]

Whenever I see top CT talent going out of state to play college bb I’m like “who hurt you?” Wouldn’t UConn be the dream for most hometown players?

 

[Horsebrnhil]

Great additions. Pretty sure Pinone was South Catholic

Pinone had a younger brother, who I think went to NWC. maybe that's where I got mixed up.

 

[UConniki]

Sly Williams (Lee High, New Haven)
Bruce (Soup) Campbell (Wilbur Cross)
Super John Williamson (Wilbur Cross)
Maurice Williamson (Wilbur Cross)
Rocket Rod Foster (New Britain)
Phil Luckett (Waterbury)
Harold Pressley (St.Bernards)
John Pinone (Northwest Catholic )
GOING WAY WAY BACK.....
Bob Nash (HPHS)
Johnny Egan (Weaver)
OK, here's a few. Johnny Egan does go back to late 1950s, while the rest of them are 60's to 80s.

John Pinone went to South Catholic.

 

[zmart]

So many great players! What has happened to Connecticut high school basketball the last 10 to 15 years?

 

[FreeKlaiber]

So many great players! What has happened to Connecticut high school basketball the last 10 to 15 years?

Donovan Clingan, Kris Dunn

 

[zmart]

That's it?

 

[HooperScooper]

So many great players! What has happened to Connecticut high school basketball the last 10 to 15 years?

I think most of the really good players go to prep school now. That wasn't the case before. Public high school coaches even encourage it. Alex Karaban played at our public high school for 1 season. After the season the coach spoke to the parents and Alex and told him he should go to a prep school because he was too good for this level (he was the Central Massachusetts Player of the Year as a freshman). The parents were against paying for school but these days the players get scholarships so no cost.

 

[zmart]

You are correct. Most of the better players end up at prep schools. That doesn't change the fact that we can't name more than a handful of players that came from Connecticut, went to prep schools and were of the caliber of player listed above.

 

[HooperScooper]

You are correct. Most of the better players end up at prep schools. That doesn't change the fact that we can't name more than a handful of players that came from Connecticut, went to prep schools and were of the caliber of player listed above.

Fair point. CT is a relatively small state (ranked 29th in population) but they must produce some talent. But I can't think of many players recently that are from CT, went to prep school, and then played high level DI basketball.

 

[SECONN]

James Cobb played football and graduated from Dartmouth with a History degree and was a long time teacher in Greenwich.
Gary Cobb also played baseball at USC

Did Michael Cobb, Ernie and Gary' younger brother go to Cornell and play football. I think their sister went to Wellsey (sp).

 

[FfldCntyFan]

Did Michael Cobb, Ernie and Gary' younger brother go to Cornell and play football. I think their sister went to Wellsey (sp).

Michael went to Cornell and played football there. Ernie was a cousin, Jim (Dartmouth) and Garry (USC) were brothers.

 

[FreeKlaiber]

That doesn't change the fact that we can't name more than a handful of players that came from Connecticut, went to prep schools and were of the caliber of player listed above.

andre drummond, tremont waters, mustapha heron, Kuran Iverson, desmond claude etc

ABDOU TOURE