DMV Basketball Players

For those that don't know I was born in a hospital in Washington DC, grew up in a home in Takoma Park, Maryland, and when I was 3 moved to Chevy Chase, Maryland where I live within a 5 minute walk of the border to Washington DC.  Needless to say I rep the D[M]V.  For all of you non-DMVers that stands for DC Maryland Virginia.  I put the bracket around the "M" because I am a Maryland guy. I have always been fascinated by the extreme basketball talent that comes from the DMV and I never pass up the opportunity to mention to my friends which College and NBA players went to a High School near me, or someone who I have played against in AAU.  As I get into this post I will write about the most known players that went to high school or are from the DMV and now play at a high level of basketball or will be playing at a high level soon.  From this post I want readers to realize that the DMV is the best place for up and coming basketball players.

One thing I like to look at is, the Washington Post's All-Metropolitan selections.  This consists of the best high school public and private school basketball players in the DMV.  The first team, as well as the other teams have some very impressive names.  I will start in the 1996-97 basketball season where the first familiar name might show up and then name more players until the last basketball season

Ruben Boumtje Boumtje

-Big man from Archbishop Carroll High School in DC went on to go to Georgetown and drafted in the second round by the Trail Blazers.

Keith Bogans

-Guard from Dematha Catholic in Hyattsville, Maryland.  Still plays in the NBA in his 11th season.  Curently playing for the Nets.

Roger Mason Jr.

-Guard from Good Counsel High School in DC, went to Virginia and is known in the NBA as lock down shooter.

Michael Sweetney

-Big man from Oxon Hill High School in Maryland.  Went on to have a great college career at Georgetown and a solid NBA career.  All-met player of the year 1999-00.

Delonte West

-Guard from Eleanor Rooselvelt High School in Maryland.  Went on to lead St. Joe's to some of their best seasons in history and still plays in the NBA.  All-met player of the year in 2000-01.

Chris McCray

-Guard from Fairmount Heights in Maryland.  Went on to play at Maryland and plays professionally overseas.

Travis Garrison

-Big man from Dematha Catholic in Maryland.  Went on to start for Maryland.

Linas Kleiza

-Swingman from Montrose Christrain in Rockville, Maryland.  Has played overseas and is also currently on the Raptors.

Folarin Campbell

-Guard from Springbrook High School in Maryland.  Part of the famous George Mason basketball team that made it to the final four in 2006.

Sam Young

-Swingman from Friendly High School in Mayland.  Starred at Pittsburgh for a couple years and now is still playing in the NBA on the Pacers.

Rudy Gay

-Swingman from Splading High School in Maryland.  Gay is currently one of the top swingmen in the NBA averaging just under 18 points per game in his NBA career.  Currently on the Raptors.

Jeff Green

-Big man from Northwestern High School in Maryland.  Went on to star at Georgetown, won Big East player of the year and now plays for the Celtics.

Roy Hibbert

-Big man from Georgetown Prep High School and originally from Bethesda, Maryland.  Starred at Georgetown before becoming one of the top big men in the NBA with the Pacers.

Dante Cunningham

-Big man from Potomac High School in Maryland.  All-met player of the year in 2005.  Went on to star at Villanova and currently plays for the Timberwolves.

Michael Beasley

-Big man from Riverdale Baptist in Maryland.  Went to Kansas State where he quickly became one of the most dominant players college basketball had scene.  Plays for the Suns now.

Marcus Ginyard

-Guard from O'Connell High School in Virginia.  Started for North Carolina for a bunch of their good years from 06-09.

Eric Hayes

-Guard from Potomac High School in Virginia.  Started at point guard for Maryland.

Jessie Sapp

-Guard from National Christian High School in Maryland.  Played college at Georgetown.

Chris Wright

-Guard from St. John's High School in DC.  Went on to star for Georgetown.

Dave Neal

-Big man from O'Connell High School in Virginia.  Had a huge senior season at Maryland where some announcers reffered to him as looking like someone who "you wouldn't pick for your YMCA squad".

Scottie Reynolds

-Guard from Herndon High School in Virginia.  Became a high scoring star for Villanova for 4 years.

Kevin Durant

-Guard from Montrose Christian in Maryland.  One of the NBA's best 3 players right now.  Youngest person to ever lead the NBA in scoring.  Currently playing for the Thunder.

Austin Freeman

-Guard from Dematha High School in Maryland.  Starred at Georgetown and now plays professionally overseas.

Greivis Vasquez

-Guard from Montrose Christian in Maryland.  Went on to star for Maryland.  Currently plays for the Hornets averaging just under 10 assists a game which is ranked third in the NBA. 

Jason Clark

-Guard from O'Connell in Maryland.  Went on to be a solid started for Georgetown.

Adrian Bowie

-Guard from Montrose Christian in Maryland.  Went on to be a starter for Maryland and currently plays overseas.

Austin Cooley

-Guard from my High School, Bethesda Chevy Chase in Maryland.  Senior year led school to State Championship.  One of my favorite players because he played with my brother and I got to watch most of his high school games since he was a freshman.  

Erick Green

-Guard from Millbrook High School in Virginia.  Currently plays at Virginia Tech and leads the NCAA in scoring averaging 25.3 points per game.

Rodney McGruder

-Guard from Carroll High School in Maryland.  Stars at point guard for top-25 ranked Kansas State.

Maurice Sutton

-Bg man from Largo High School in Maryland.  One of my least favorite players.  My high school (BCC) played his team two years in a row in the state playoffs at Comcast Center.  Currently plays for Villanova.

Terrell Vinson

-Foward from Montrose Christian High School.  Another one of my favorite players.  Now starts for UMass, where I go to school.  Great fundamental basketball players who has been a very solid and consistently good player for UMass since he came to the school 4 years ago.

Josh Hairston

-Guard from Courtland High School in Virginia.  Currently plays for Duke.

Jamal Olasawere

-Swingman from Springbrook High School in Maryland.  Currently is Long Island Universities best player leading them to two straight NCAA tournaments.

Terrance Ross

-Guard from Montrose Christian in Maryland.  Currently plays for the Raptors.

Tyler Thornton

-Guard from Gonzaga High School in DC.  Is the back up point guard at Duke.

Christian Webster

-Guard from Landon High School in Maryland, right down the road from where I live.  Currently plays for Harvard.

Mouphtaou Yarou

-Big man from Montrose Christian in Maryland.  Currently plays for Villanova.

Talib Zanna

-Big man from Bishop McNamara in Maryland.  Starts at center for Pittsburgh.

Dante Taylor

-Big man from National Christian in Maryland.  All-met player of the year in 08-09.  Plays for Pitt.

Quinn Cook

-Guard from Dematha Catholic in Maryland.  All-met player of the year in 09-10.  Starts at point guard for Duke.

Kendall Marshall

-Guard from O'Connell in Virginia.  Went on to star at North Carolina where is he was a terrific passer.  Plays for the Suns.

Victor Oladipo

-Guard from Dematha in Maryland.  Currently plays for Indiana and is my pick for National Player of the Year.

Markel Starks

-Guard from Georgetown Prep in Maryland.  Current starting point guard for Georgetown.  

Greg Whittington

-Foward from Oakland Mills High School in Maryland.  All-met player of the year in 10-11.  Started for Georgetown until he failed to show up for his fall semester finals, causing a suspension for potentially the rest of the season.  The Hoyas have won 7 of 8 without him.

Nate Britt

-Guard from Gonzaga High School in DC.  Rated as the the #11 point guard in his class and is already committed to North Carolina.

Treveon Graham

-Guard from St. Mary's Ryken High School in Maryland.  Currently is a big part of VCU's team this year.

BeeJay Anya

-Big man from Dematha in Maryland.  Commited to play for NC State next year, considered one of the best big men in his class.

Those are just some of the more well known talents from the Washington DC Metropolitan Area who were first team All-Met.  There are also several other players from the area not on the first team or are from the area who i will list below.  (I will make special note of my favorite players).

Thomas Robinson-Kansas then the Sacramento Kings

Jeremi Grant-Syracuse

James Robinson- Pittsburgh

Darion Atkins- Notre Dame

Jerian Grant- Notre Dame

Javorn Farrell- UMass.  My school, and great player

Isaiah Armwood- George Wasington

Joe McDonald- George Washington

Kris Joseph-Syracuse

CJ Garner-Long Island

Joe Alexander- West Virginia then Milwaukee Bucks

Zaid Hearst- Quinnipiac.  Starting point guard.  Went to elementary school and high school with him

Jerome Seagers- Rutgers.  Went to middle and high school with him.

Maurice Pearson- Ohio.  Went to same high school as him.

Maxie Esho- UMass.  My school and great athleticism

Raphaiel Putney-UMass.  My school and great shooter with length.

Ty Lawson- North Carolina then Denver Nuggets

Carmelo Anthony-Syracuse, now the New York Knicks

Ed Davis-North Carolina, now the Memphis Grizzlies

Patrick Patterson- Kentucky then Houston Rockets

Josh Selby- Kansas then Memphis Grizzlies

Will Barton- Memphis then Portland Trail Blazers
Steve Francis- Maryland then good NBA career

Players that went/go/will go to the University of Maryland from the DMV and their High School grade on ESPN Top 100 (Grade stops before 2007 recruiting class):

Roddy Peters- District Heights, Maryland-86
Damonte Dodd- Centreville, Maryland-POST
Seth Allen- Fredricksburg Virginia-89
Nick Faust- Baltimore, Maryland-96
Pe'Shon Howard- Wytheville, Maryland-92
Sean Mosely-Baltimore, Maryland-96
Braxton Dupree- Towson, Maryland-96
Shane Walker- Rockville, Maryland- 93
Dino Gregory- Baltimore, Maryland-93
Adrian Bowie- Rockville, Maryland-92
Eric Hayes- Dumfires, Virginia
Bambale Osby- Richmond, Virginia
Greivis Vasquez- Rockville, Maryland
Dave Neal- Arlington, Virginia
Jared Gaither- Greenbelt, Maryland
James Gist- Wheaton, Maryland
Sterling Ledbetter- Laurel, Maryland
Will Bowers- Hanover, Maryland
Travis Garrison- Suitland, Maryland
John Gilchrist- Virginia Beach, Virginia
Dominique Richmond- Hagerstown, Maryland
Chris McCray- Capital Heights, Maryland

This is just a small list of the many basketball players from the DMV.  Many of these players were great Division 1 players, starting for their team or contributing in a solid way.  There are tons of other players I would put on this list but I, and maybe a select other few who would read this post, would be the only one who knows the player.  I want to prove that the DMV has the best basketball game over New
York, Pennsylvania, California, and Texas.

Austin Cooley from my High School,

Bethesda Chevy Chase High School

Second from Left, Top Row: Rudy Gay

Middle, Top Row: Jeff Green

Second from Right, Top Row: Sam Young

Second Row, Second from Left: Jessie Sapp

Second Row, Second from Right: Scottie Reynolds

Third Row, far Right: Marcus Ginyard

Third Row, Second from Left: Chris Wright

Top Row, Second from Left: Eric Hayes

Top Row, Third from Right: Dante Cunningham

Top Row, Second from Right: Michael Beasley