Wagner attended Camden High School, where he played with the varsity team freshman year. and the Wagner basketball legacy before he starts his climb up the basketball pyramid. The Panthers had not won a state championship since Dajuan led them to the crown in 2000. But the crowd that filled the Sky Lounge, now, celebrated him for his off-court character and who he had become as a person. Wagner, take the court, wearing his fathers old No. 1 in the 2023 rankings, Wagner finishes ranked No. 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. And a trip back to Muggsys roots revealed the foundation for such a team. "Through three generations, they have all reached mountaintops that have pushed this city forward. The Panthers won their second straight Group 4 state title. NBA players, you manage their time. He wants everybody else to do well.. Under all the circumstances, all the hoopla, I think he played well. The 7-foot-1 star also ranks third all-time in field goal percentage (58.2). He basically shoots like me, maybe hes built like me but he plays like his dad because he attacks that basket, either hand.. 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. During his playing career, he was listed at 6'3" (1.91 m) tall and 175 lbs. 11 by MaxPreps, but that was not the reason Brunson felt compelled to return. He also broke the record for points in a single season for Memphis with 762. "Coach John Calipariwas always straightforward and honest with me," Wagner said. Coach Wade pounced on that, and preached teamwork and togetherness. [2] For his senior year he debuted on December 15 scoring 36 points against Eastern, followed by a 50-points performance against Bishop Eustace. "But it gives people here a sense of hope and pride that D.J. Wilt Chamberlain had 100. I would say I dont see anyone quite like the game I played but Patrick (Beverley) and Rondo are the closest.. He finished the season averaging 35.3 points per game,[2] and won the ESPN Sophomore of the Year award. "I think because there is so much negativity talked about in Camden, the game became more important," he says. D.J. College, you mentor them and they want, theyre like, yo, he was where I want to be, they listen to you. Bibby, who was born in Cherry Hill before moving to California as a child, played in 1,001 NBA games and averaged 14.7 points. All content 2000-2023 RealGM, L.L.C. [11] On November 14, 2022, Wagner committed to the University of Kentucky, deciding over Louisville. Our reasoning for presenting offensive logos. Wagner is considered a five-star recruit by 247Sports, ESPN and Rivals . Bogues went No. Boasting four future NBA players, the Poets took the life out of their opponents and their gyms. Thompson was considered the number one high school prospect in the land. The crowd exploded. Featuring four future NBA players, the Dunbar Poets from 1981-1983 have made their case to be the best high school basketball team of all time. Franco Harris, Joe Theisman and other stars. Milt Wagner scored 2,003 career points at Camden. the former Temple standout and NBA player, coached the Panthers, who . YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. He has stood at the top of his recruiting class since he started high school, but he carries himself with a quiet humility, even getting water for his teammates when he is on the bench. The top-ranked junior prospect is a front-runner for National MaxPreps Player of the Year honors after winning Sophomore MaxPreps Player of the Year last season. "That is just my personality," he says. Choose at least two teams from the menus below to start your trade. CBS Sports is a registered trademark of CBS Broadcasting Inc. And it was that disrespect that drew Muggsy to basketball. "I wear Camden on my chest wherever I go. 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. Taking it upon himself to win this game, Bogues led Dunbar to a dominating victory, 84-59. Its rumored that Coach Wade laid a punch or two on recruiters who tried to do his players dirty. Their legacy of producing four NBA players off the same team only makes the team's high school accomplishments more special as time passes. NBA Players Born In Camden (NJ), United States - RealGM. Camden closed last season on a 25-game winning streak, was named the South Jersey Team of the Year and. California residents do not sell my data request. [3], The following year he played in 28 games. 12 in the 1987 Draft and is the shortest player ever to play in the NBA. In one game against DeMatha, Muggsy went up for a layup, but was trapped by two defenders in mid-air. During the summer heading into his freshman season at Camden, Wagner was one of just three Class of 2023 prospects invited to the USA Basketball July mini camp in Colorado Springs. Add you thoughts in the comments section or send them directly to columnist Steve Politi atspoliti@njadvancemedia.com. With more eyes now looking to Baltimore, Coach Wade had put together a national schedule, and the Poets rolled to a perfect 31-0. So, on the fly, he did a 360-degree turn and threw an alley-oop pass behind his neck. On that night in 2015, in that high-rise lounge overlooking the city, Muggsy walked into his surprise birthday party and unexpected wedding. The former Camden star, who won an NCAA title at Louisville and an NBA title with the Los Angeles Lakers, watched his highly-touted grandson score 15 points in his debut for the Panthers. Meanwhile, D.J. And those are the legacies that last long after the shine of the hardwood fades away. Bucking a national trend, violent crime is down significantly in recent years and new jobs are emerging, particularly in health care. Select the fourth team from the drop down menu. He moved back to Camden, reconnected with The High and began training his son in the family business. The Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame honoree was a part of eight NBA championships with the Boston Celtics as a player and two more as a coach. Theyd have to toss aside former rivalries and childhood differences. He has languished on some bad teams during his 12 years as a pro, including the woeful Brooklyn Nets last season. CAMDEN, N.J. -- On a sunny Saturday just before the start of the school year, hundreds of people flock to Wiggins Waterfront Park for a block party. According to the report, the average cost to educate a student in the magnet schools attended by the basketball players is $22,348. The6-foot-11 center, nicknamed the Whopper, is a member of the ABA All-Time team. 3 in the nation at the Seagull Classic at Holy Spirit. He knows that to get the best of himself, he needs to be surrounded by other talented players who are going to match his competitive energy.". But we gave it a shot with the top baseball players in New Jersey history, so we'll do our best again. 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. During their run, Reggie Williams grew to be one of the best high school players in the country, and USA Today named him the High School Player of the Year. WHYY thanks our sponsors become a WHYY sponsor. [15] That one game that Wagner played with Golden State ended up being the only game he played in the 2006 - 2007 season and the final game of his NBA career. All rights reserved (About Us). Even more surprising, he didnt realize he was walking into a surprise wedding his own. Wagner's colitis condition was not amenable to medication and, after consulting with New York Knicks head coach Larry Brown, who referred him to a New York medical expert, he underwent surgery to remove half his colon on October 25, 2005, at Mount Sinai Hospital. In ESPN's initial mock 2024 NBA Draft, Wagner is projected as a top-10 pick. Milt Wagner said the expectations that surround D.J. [12], Wagner is the son of Dajuan Wagner and Syreeta Brittingham. He came up with the idea and got buy-in from his sponsor Nike and city officials, says his mother Syreeta Brittingham, who hopes the party will become an annual event "to honor D.J. At the time, they celebrated his on-court brilliance. The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame's Hoophall Classic annually features the top high school players and teams from around the country. The house would be packed with hundreds of onlookers to see Bogues, Williams, Wingate, and Lewis go at it. As recently as 1970, Camden was majority white, but the city is now 93% Black and Hispanic. It wasnt about the team, he said. Steve Politi | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com, Looking back on their departure to Brooklyn, Derek Jeter, Mike Trout and other stars top the list, He helped bring down an athletic department, Steve Pikiell's team showing signs of progress, Franco Harris, Joe Theisman and other stars. Carstarphen resigned after one season to focus on a run for Camden . Muggsy was the spark that made the whole team go, and his infectious energy led their fast-paced attack. Well, these have been two ridiculous seasons for the Piscataway native and St. Joseph's (Metuchen) star. The Franklin native, who went onto become one of the greatest players in Rutgers basketball history, played in 507 NBA games and scored 7,206 points. Brunson is back for this season and the foreseeable future. The. 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. Bogues had to spend his freshman year at Southern High an hour away from the Lafayette projects. Wagner scored 15 points, making a pair of three-pointers, as Camden beat a Gratz team that entered play with an 8-0 record. 's name. The first family of Camden basketball: Freshman guard D.J. That goes back the credit to his mom (Syreeta Brittingham) and dad, they raised him well. ET. All rights reserved. "That was big for me," Milt, now 59, says. The West Orange native was the No. High school career [ edit] He was the 14th overall pick by the Boston Celtics in the 1995 draft, playing for seven teams over 13 seasons. The slender 6-foot-5 shooting guard led the Panthers to the 1979 New Jersey state championship before going on to star for the Louisville Cardinals, leading them to three Final Fours and the 1986 national championship. The Blair Academy graduate played for 11 years in the NBA, most recently for the Dallas Mavericks in the 2015-16 season. Wiping out every opponent, Dunbar was so good that they felt their practices were more intense than actual games. "You've heard the clich that basketball is a religion. Logos were compiled by the amazing SportsLogos.net. He also won the event's 3-Point Contest, making 16 of 25 shots from beyond the arc on his homecourt at Camden on Thursday, becoming the second UK signee to win the event in the last three years, joining TyTy Washington, who won it in 2021. His backstory -- he was raised by a lesbian couple in the city -- became a compelling narrative after he was drafted in the first round in 2011. joined him at practice. He underwent surgery to have a portion of his colon removed, and by 2006 he was out of the league. "Class of 2023 recruiting rankings headlined by DaJuan Wagner Jr., Mikey Williams and Bronny James", "Son of NBA player ranked No. Camden named a street outside the school after the team's first big star, Ron "Itchy" Smith. Of all his achievements, Dajuan counts winning the state championship at Camden High as his most memorable basketball moment. But what no one knew at the time what no one dared dream . Tools and Resources Used by Real General Managers. 167 Players. [3] He was invited back to a second USA Basketball event several months later, before the start of the high school basketball season in New Jersey. The team was undefeated in his sophomore year, but the state championship tournament was again cancelled due to the pandemic. The Millstonenative and St. Benedict's Prep (Newark) graduate has had his ups and downs during his NBA career, but was named the league's Sixth Man of the Year in 2013. They hope to see him on top someday, the biggest star Camden has produced in its long line of prodigies. He led the Panthers to a 29-1 record in 2019-20, including a season-ending, 25-game winning streak. 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. 2005-2023 CBS INTERACTIVE ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Everyone's excited, happy. The Jersey City native became a college star at Duke, leading the Blue Devils to back-to-back NCAA titles as their floor general. 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