"This is a poor city; it was really, really bad at one time," says Kevin Cooke, who attended The High in the 1980s. This was Turner's last state championship team. The 5-foot-10 guard was lightly recruited out of Seton Hall Prep, but he went onto have an outstanding career at Stanford before becoming a reliable ball handler in the NBA who averaged 7.3 points and 6.1 assists a game during a 13-year career. 's name. Who did we miss entirely? Reggie Williams caught it in mid-flight and slammed it home. Hes a respectful kid. With Bogues and Williams from Lafayette, and Wingate and Lewis from Cecil, the bad blood was on display right away. D.J., a sleek, 6-3 combo guard, led a stacked Panthers squad to a state championship last season, averaging over 19 points a game. With more eyes now looking to Baltimore, Coach Wade had put together a national schedule, and the Poets rolled to a perfect 31-0. Saint Augustine College Preparatory School. [3], The following year he played in 28 games. After an introduction by the school board president, Wagner takes the microphone and thanks the crowd. I just jumped in with them, I made it, why cant you? Galis, a Union City native, had a brilliant career in Europe. There is a more holistic power Jimmy Butler has access to, involving his fearlessness and his great strategic intelligence but not limited to these things. Along the way, he played in nearly 800 games and twice played in the NBA Finals. Camden native now lives out of the spotlight. [11] Dajuan Wagner was the 6th pick in the 2002 NBA draft who made a huge name for himself in High School scoring 100 points in a single game. Indeed if Muggsy had never believed in himself, if he had never visualized what he could become he wouldnt be the player and man he is today. They always had each others backs something Muggsy didnt get elsewhere on the court because of his size. He averaged more than 27 points a game with the Carolina Cougars in the 1969-70 season, and then finished his career with the Portland Trail Blazers. The 6-foot-11 forward, who grew up in Sparta and starred at nearby Delbarton before becoming a college star at Notre Dame, averaged a double-doublein five of his 12 NBA seasons. Irving is a four-time All-Star who helped lead the Cleveland Cavaliers to an NBA title last summer, and two months later, Team USA to a gold medal in Rio. He unfurled one of the most famous performances in Camden basketball history as a senior in 1981, scoring 52 against a DeMatha (Md.) "This is your shot," he says in a video campaign. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. He carries a family name that brings pressure, built up over three generations, as well as the lofty expectations of a community that already salutes him as a star. High school: Camden (Camden, New Jersey) College: Louisville (1981-1986) NBA draft: 1986 / Round: 2 / Pick: 35th overall: Selected by the Dallas Mavericks: . At nearly every game, Charlie Miller, a . California residents do not sell my data request. In ESPN's initial mock 2024 NBA Draft, Wagner is projected as a top-10 pick. Basketball became a source of pride for kids in the inner city. The 6-10 forward with a soft-shooting touch from Paterson never quite lived up to the lofty expectations when he arrived in the NBA, but he played for seven different teams during a productive 13-year NBA career. He also cherished the connections he built with his players. 7. Dajuan Wagner, 39, is the leading scorer in New Jersey high school history. Eric Daniel Brunson [1] (born June 14, 1972) is an American basketball coach for the New York Knicks and former professional player. The Perth Amboy native is a two-time ABA champion who successfully made the transition to the NBA, where he averaged a career-high 17 points a game for the Kansas City Kings in 1976. Wagner attended Camden High School, where he played with the varsity team freshman year. But the crowd that filled the Sky Lounge, now, celebrated him for his off-court character and who he had become as a person. YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. The game is tentatively scheduled for the afternoon of Saturday, Jan. 16. He works for the NBA Players' Association as a regional representative. 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When Lewis went No. Milt Wagner scored 2,003 career points at Camden. I tell him thats what determines great players. This one is easy: The Newark native is one of the greatest centers in the history of the sport, a four-time NBA champion and a three-time NBA Finals MVP who scored 28,596 points in his career, more than all but seven players in league history. The first family of Camden basketball: Freshman guard D.J. He never started more than 20 games in a season after that, but he played through 2011 before retiring. In five years, Camden had lost only one game at home. If you have or know of an interesting story to tell, reach out on Twitter at @JFriedman57 or via email at jfriedman2@gannettnj.com. NBA writer + video department at ClutchPoints | Follow me on Twitter @CalFongNBA. But college recruiting was no easy field. He moved back to Camden, reconnected with The High and began training his son in the family business. (Photo credit: YouTube) Rick Brunson, the former NBA player and assistant coach, spent the last three years as the head basketball coach of the Camden High School Panthers. Modify, Export & Share Table. Camden's Cornelius Robinson puts up a shot during the 4th quarter of the boys basketball game between Lenape and Camden played at Camden High School on Tuesday, January 4, 2022. Wagner was named New Jersey's high school basketball player of the year. Today, many of its rowhouse neighborhoods are gap-toothed, marked by vacant homes and litter-strewn lots. When the small-of-stature Muggsy was announced in the starting lineup, the whole Camden High gym laughed and jeered. joined him at practice. He was born in Jersey City and played at St. Michael's High School in Union City, and in 1957 was named NBA Rookie of the Year ahead of teammate Bill Russell. They looked on with joy as Muggsy and Kim who met him at a Dunbar alumni game renewed their vows. Rutgers fans, however, will never forget his stint as part of the basketball staff, which led to the Mike Rice fiasco. He was one of the inaugural members of the FIBA Hall of Fame and, in 2017, the eight-time Greek League champion was inducted into the Naismith Hall of Fame. After being one of five finalists for Naismith Boys High School Player of the Year, Kentucky signee DJ Wagner was named Iverson Classic National High School Player of the Year. While the winter season is up in the air because of COVID, Brunson is thrilled to represent the purple and gold once again. He basically shoots like me, maybe hes built like me but he plays like his dad because he attacks that basket, either hand.. "There is no Camden High basketball without the Wagners," says Antoine Miller, a former teammate of Dajuan's, who runs the Camden Elite AAU program. A report by New Jersey Advance Media alleged that Camden violated state rules by recruiting the out-of-district players and offering them low-cost tuition deals unavailable to other students. High school, they give it all to you. Always ridiculed and looked over, he found that the sport could earn him the currency of the land: respect. We have tools and resources that can help you use sports data. became the linchpin in the effort to put The High back on top. His shirtless celebration after the Cavaliers won the 2016 championship -- with Smith starting all 21 playoff games -- became a big deal on social media. Dunbar won the Baltimore City Schools championship and went on to win the state title finishing the year a pristine 29-0. The Cavaliers did not exercise their option on his contract for the 200506 season and subsequently Wagner was out of the league. Through the decades, the school everyone here simply calls "The High" has won 12 state championships in boys basketball, the most of any public school in New Jersey, and been runners-up another 16 times. And that's what we're gunning for with this project. The Hudson Catholic graduate went from one of the finest college teams at North Carolina to some woeful NBA teams in his home state, playing for the Nets from 1980-86. They want you to mold them to be a man, and if they trust you, they give it. I would say I dont see anyone quite like the game I played but Patrick (Beverley) and Rondo are the closest.. The Panthers finally broke through last season, winning the 2022 state championship. And those are the legacies that last long after the shine of the hardwood fades away. But the pandemic halted the school's drive for a state championship. During games, he sat next to his father on the bench, cheering on the players, sharing in their victories and defeats and soaking in the city's passion. . He returned the embrace. He has languished on some bad teams during his 12 years as a pro, including the woeful Brooklyn Nets last season. The Roselle native was never an All-Star in the NBA but he was, for stretches of his career, a prolific scorer. Milt Wagner said his conversations with his grandson dont focus on any technical aspects of the sport. Select the fourth team from the drop down menu. DJ Wagner the No. He won an NBA title with the Los Angeles Lakers in 1988 before playing overseas. Through the decline and rebirth, the Panthers' dominance has been a constant and the team is woven through the fabric of the city. Data Provided By in that heritage. Take me, show me, lead me. Coach Bob Wade had found success as head coach of the Dunbar High Poets. He helped bring down an athletic department. Wagner is considered a five-star recruit by 247Sports, ESPN and Rivals . The annual HoopHall Classic, which brings together many of the . It's evidence of a family legacy that he has both inherited and made his own. The Elizabeth native, known for an ever-present headband after he suffered a serious head injury as a child, played for eight different teams during his 12-season career. The. Not many dispute it. Not many dispute it. "But to see a kid like that doing something for himself and doing something for the community is a great thing. [2][4] In his junior year he was already considered one of the top players of his class. The national player of the year honor is the latest accolade for Wagner, who, along with fellow future Wildcat Justin Edwards, was named Co-MVP of the Iverson Classic as Team Loyalty defeated Team Honor 131-124 at Kean University in Union, N.J. Saturday night. From 1981 to 1983, Dunbar High was the most powerful team in high school basketball. For the Suns to beat the Nuggets, let alone reach The Finals, they need Ayton to narrow his role - then thrive in it. ESPN grades are on a 100-point scale. During his playing career, he was listed at 6'3" (1.91 m) tall and 175 lbs. CAMDEN, New Jersey (WPVI) -- Rick Brunson is bringing the same fire and intensity he did as a star player at Temple University and in the NBA to Camden High School, as the new boys' basketball coach. 2. 5 min read. He led the Panthers to a 29-1 record and their first South Jersey Group 2 title since 2017. Ranking them is, of course, virtually impossible. NBA players, you manage their time. Same hype. Wagner. He went back to school at Columbia after finishing his NBA career to get his degree. Muggsy Bogues was a legend in Charlotte Hornets franchise history, and the engine of the greatest high school basketball team to ever play the game. The team started looking out for each other, and ego no longer was an issue. Few schoolboy players were more thrilling to watch than the Camden native, who scored 100 points in a game and led his public-school team to a state title. the former Temple standout and NBA player, coached the Panthers, who . During his tenure, Brunson boasted a 73-4 record and ignited the Panthers' resurgence on the national high school basketball scene. The Teaneck High graduate played in the NBA from 1984-97 and won a championship with the Detroit Pistons in 1988. Camden High School's new head basketball coach Maalik Wayns instructs his players during the boys basketball game between Camden and Rancocas Valley . West, a Teaneck native, has turned down millions in pursuit of the one thing he has lacked in his career: A championship ring. He wants to lead an NBA franchise. Camden is set to play Sierra Canyon of Los Angeles in a game that would match rising sophomores D.J. Harris was joking, of course. I was being, in my opinion, selfish. Verga went from St. Rose High School in Belmar to Duke, where he set a scoring record, to the ABA in 1967. Bogues told us he still watches the league today and is a fan. Murdock, who starred at Bridgewater-Raritan High, played 508 games in his NBA career and averaged 10.1 points a game. He averaged 8.2 points and 3.4 rebounds a game as pro. Brunson, who served as a substitute teacher at Camden High last year, fell in love working with high school students, something hed never done previously. Notes: Knox is the brother of former UK and current NBA player Kevin Knox; . But photos of him peer down from a line of banners strung from lampposts along the redeveloped waterfront, and white T-shirts bear his name in purple and gold letters. You got The High!" 167 Players. Brunson, a nine-year NBA veteran who served as an assistant with the Denver Nuggets, Chicago Bulls, Charlotte Bobcats and Minnesota Timberwolves before joining the Panthers, is the reigning South Jersey Coach of the Year. Distanced both physically and figuratively, Bogues was itching until the day he could rejoin his friends. Bogues went No. I wanted to go do something for me instead of doing something for them. Camden High School (Camden, New Jersey), with players competing under the Camden Avalanche name, was banned from the NJSIAA state tournament in the wake of an on-court brawl that ended a county championship game. J." He played nine seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA) and has also worked as an assistant coach for several teams. Youve lived your life. … It brought me to call Camden back and say I think I made a mistake. College, you mentor them and they want, theyre like, yo, he was where I want to be, they listen to you. Trust me, he got a lot of his dad, Milt Wagner said of his grandson. In one game against DeMatha, Muggsy went up for a layup, but was trapped by two defenders in mid-air. The Lenape High graduate went from Rider University to the first round of the 2008 NBA Draft. Wagner Jr. (born May 4, 2005) is an American basketball player who attends Camden High School in Camden, New Jersey. I love the spirit hell bring to practice every day, and I love that he wanted to be at Kentucky. It didn't end well for the big Plainsboro native, who the Los Angeles Lakers surprisingly made a first-round pick out of St. Joseph (Metuchen) in 2005. In the 1981-82 season, their biggest game came against the Camden High Panthers, the number-one ranked high school team in the nation. The Blair Academy graduate played for 11 years in the NBA, most recently for the Dallas Mavericks in the 2015-16 season. Josh Friedman has produced award-winning South Jersey sports coverage for the Courier Post and The Daily Journal for more than a decade. I think he did well, Milt Wagner said of D.J. 25. Thats what I noticed at Camden High.. Do you have a blog? The players either moved to the city or attended magnet schools as out-of-district students. Noticing that players would start to falter defensively in the second half, he would have his players hold bricks while doing their workouts and sprints. The Camden High Panthers ranked the best public school team in New Jersey and one of the top 20 high school basketball squads in America are entering the playoffs Tuesday after a 25-1 regular season, and their fans are cheering louder than ever. Coming into the tournament, the Scholars, which includes Wagner and three other Camden High players, is among the best on the summer circuit. Wagner was chosen with the sixth overall pick of the 2002 NBA draft by the Cleveland Cavaliers. Also: N.J.'s 50 greatest baseball players. Bogues, who was around 11 or 12 years old at the time, could keep up with all the older kids, despite the height disparity. to drum up support. He converted 42 of his 61 field goals (with 10 3-pointers) and 6 free throws: he scored 25 points in the first quarter, 21 in the second, 26 in the third and 28 in the fourth. On January 31, 2000 he scored 80 points (24 of which in the fourth quarter) in a 12266 win against Pennsauken Tech. He also has outstanding footwork, speed and balance. On Friday, Milt Wagner watched his grandson, D.J. And a trip back to Muggsys roots revealed the foundation for such a team. CAMDEN, NJ - The Camden High School community honored one of its best basketball players of all time on Friday night over 60 years after he graduated. He is the son of former University of Louisville and National Basketball Association (NBA) player Milt Wagner[1] and left the NBA early into his career because of debilitating health problems. "That was a big thrill.". Do you have a sports website? was the same.. Visualize it and stay on that path. His family and friends eagerly chanted his name. He finished with 999 career assists. Many recruiters were known to be corrupt, Bogues told us he still watches the league today and is a fan. Regardless of the investigation, Camden is ready for another championship, another season of glory for D.J. He has verbally committed to play at the University of Kentucky. Between games, he laughs with his teammates, peeks in on the competition and cheers on Scholars squads playing in younger age divisions. He became the second youngest player to enter a game in NBA history when he first stepped on the court in 1975, but skipping college out of Dwight Morrow High in Englewood might not have been the best decision. It just kind of flows over.". Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. He is also the answer to a trivia question: Who scored the first field goal in Miami Heat history? This page was last edited on 25 April 2023, at 22:03. CAMDEN, WHICH SITS on nine square miles just across the Delaware River from Philadelphia, was once renowned as a manufacturing hub, churning out products from Navy vessels and RCA Victor phonographs to Campbell's soup. Get the latest UK news sent straight to your inbox with our FREE email newsletter! Every Sports Reference Social Media Account, Site Last Updated: Monday, May 1, 4:39AM. In an area where most kids dont expect to live past 20, Bogues and Williams retreated to basketball. That time is now over. Use without license or authorization is expressly prohibited. The time off which was longer than the All-Star break and extended when the . Camden High School, Camden (NJ) Basketball Players - RealGM After college, Wingate, Williams, Lewis, and Bogues were all drafted and migrated to the NBA. "But it gives people here a sense of hope and pride that D.J. Everyone says thats your calling and Im like yeah, yeah, yeah, Brunson said. ", Flashback: Bronny dropped to floor by top 2023 prospect D.J. The River Dell High graduatestarted his long career in the ABA in 1970 with the New York Americans and finished it in 1985 with the Utah Jazz. Not only because of their overlapping histories, but because of their shared approaches. Wagner to make history, Men's college basketball rosters: Comings and goings for 2023-24, 2023 No. As recently as 1970, Camden was majority white, but the city is now 93% Black and Hispanic. Wagner and Bronny James, two of the top players in the class of 2023, according to a Masslive.com report. Steve Pikiell's team showing signs of progress. Updated on Jun 5, 2019, 12:14 p.m. MaxPreps has found 112 instances in which a player has averaged 40 or more points in a season at . The following year, in 1981, Bogues transferred for his junior season (high school for them was just three years). High school career [ edit] 1 prospect in the high school class of 2023 has made a decision. Wagner recorded 4 points and 1 assist. I got parents crying, he said. arrived on the Camden High squad in 2019 as it was going through a particularly frustrating stretch. He led the Panthers to a 29-1 record and their first South Jersey Group 2 title since 2017. Find out more. Unlike many of his peers, he posts sparingly on social media. (0:27). The Newark native's career began humbly at Burlington County College ended with 658 career games in the NBA. Join our linker program. The NBA might have deserted New Jersey a few years ago, but that doesn't mean the state has stopped producing many of its best players. Theyre great. [8][9], Wagner considered offers from Connecticut, Kentucky, Louisville, Memphis and Miami (FL),[10] and signed with Memphis in June 2000. All logos are the trademark & property of their owners and not Sports Reference LLC. Wagner, take the court, wearing his fathers old No. [1][2] He is the son of a former professional basketball player Dajuan Wagner and grandson of professional player "Ice Man" Milt Wagner. Attles is still an ambassador for the Golden State franchise. He said he is most proud of his grandsons team-first approach to the game. I didnt have a dad, I grew up without a dad so I can relate to these kids. Putting a list together like this is an inexact science. Averaging 40 points per game over the course of a season in high school basketball is hard. In 81-82, the Poets stars consisted of two pairs of close childhood friends. Use of and/or registration on any portion of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement (updated 4/4/2023), Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement, and Your Privacy Choices and Rights (updated 1/26/2023). Each era has its uniqueness. Sparrow, who starred at Eastside High in Paterson, had a productive 12-year career as a point guard in the NBA. The house would be packed with hundreds of onlookers to see Bogues, Williams, Wingate, and Lewis go at it. 1 and it isn't Bronny", "Son of former Memphis star Dajuan Wagner excels at USA", "Basketball is a Passion Three Generations in the Making for Dajuan Wagner Jr", "Boys basketball: D.J. 1-ranked recruit Wagner chooses Kentucky", "Can this 14-year-old phenom become the first third-generation NBA player? ET. Phil Anastasia prefers standing on the sidelines at high school football games on Friday nights to sitting in the press box at Eagles games on Sunday afternoons . They dont complain, theyre great. As Camden shrank and its tax base eroded, it became infamous for violent crime and blight. He played before the three-point shot was added to the high school game or his career-point total would have been much higher. Born in Caldwell, Henderson was the No. He wants everybody else to do well.. [6], Coached by former NBA player Rick Brunson,[7] Wagner helped lead Camden to 25 consecutive victories before the team's season was ended due to the COVID-19 pandemic. As a freshman, he once scored 45 points in a game and as a senior he went for 100. 3 in the nation at the Seagull Classic at Holy Spirit. So tell us: Who did we rank too low? Shorter than his peers, all he had to do was steal the ball a few times or drive right past a guy, and theyd look at him differently. Wagner was hampered by injuries and health problems thereafter. 1 basketball recruit in the country for the class of 2023, according to 247Sports[21] and selected as a McDonald's All American in 2023. "I am basically a shy person.". As the shortest player to ever play in the league, Bogues faced immense challenges at every level that he had to overcome. That's when not even he could take another game . City political leaders, including Mayor Victor Carstarphen, the school board president and a former member of the city council and state legislature, once wore the Panthers' purple and gold. The 6-11 center averaged 7.8 rebounds a game during his career, and used those long arms to become one of the league's most effective shot blockers. He grew up here or attended high school here. The crowd exploded. The Newark native has appeared in 752 games in the NBA during his career, averaging 10.3 points and 2.8 assists. They even crowded him for autographs afterwards. Bogues had to spend his freshman year at Southern High an hour away from the Lafayette projects. The goal was to build endurance, strength, and of course, character. The Knicks might want a return on the four-year, $72 million contract they gave him, though. He started all 20 games for the Miami Heat during their 2011 playoff run that ended with a loss to the Dallas Mavericks in six games. CAMDEN, N.J. - Pat Croce rarely saw anything that could ruin his feel-great spirit, but he would make an exception in the 1997 NBA offseason. [16][17] Averaging 8.3 points in six games, he returned to South Jersey after hurting his hip and reinjuring his knee in Poland. It kept hitting me, those kids dreams are more important than yours, Brunson said. Before D.J. He is the son of a former professional basketball player Dajuan Wagner and grandson of professional player "Ice Man" Milt Wagner.He is a consensus five-star recruit and one of the top players in the 2023 recruiting class.