TITLE: Los Angeles Prep Standouts Who Shaped Basketball Since 2000
SLUG: los-angeles-top-high-school-basketball-stars-since-2000
CONTENT:
The NBA returns to Southern California for Sunday’s 2026 All-Star Game at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, shining a spotlight once again on a region that has produced a steady stream of elite talent. Looking strictly at high school résumés compiled since 2000, the following group of former L.A. area stars could challenge almost any lineup assembled this weekend.
LaMelo Ball – Chino Hills High School
Ball’s prep legend peaked during his sophomore year when he scored 92 points in a single game. That season he averaged 27.5 points, 9.6 assists and 4.2 rebounds. One year earlier, he teamed with brothers Lonzo and LiAngelo to guide Chino Hills to a 35-0 record and a state championship. Before entering the NBA, he played professionally in Lithuania and Australia.
Kawhi Leonard – Martin Luther King High School
Ranked No. 56 nationally in 2009, Leonard closed his senior campaign averaging 22.6 points, 13.1 rebounds, 3.9 assists and three blocks. His performance earned him the California Mr. Basketball award.
James Harden – Artesia High School
Harden led Artesia of Lakewood to consecutive state titles, posting 18.8 points, 7.9 rebounds and 3.9 assists as a senior in 2007. The McDonald’s All-American finished No. 14 in the SC Next 100 for his class.
Tyson Chandler – Dominguez High School
Dominating in the paint, Chandler averaged 26 points, 15 rebounds and eight blocks while steering Dominguez of Compton to a state crown as a senior. Ranked No. 4 in 2001, he bypassed college and became the No. 2 overall pick of the LA Clippers.
DeMar DeRozan – Compton High School
DeRozan checked in at No. 8 nationally and poured in 29.2 points with 7.9 rebounds during his final season, a performance that secured a berth in the 2008 McDonald’s All-American Game.
Jrue Holiday – Campbell Hall School
Holiday guided Campbell Hall to a 31-5 record and a state title thanks to averages of 25.9 points, 11.2 rebounds, 6.9 assists and 4.8 steals. Those numbers helped him capture the 2008 Gatorade National Player of the Year award and the No. 4 spot in the rankings.
Jordan Farmar – Taft High School
Farmar surpassed 2,000 points in two varsity seasons. As a 2004 senior, the future UCLA guard averaged 27.5 points and 6.5 assists while delivering Taft of Woodland Hills its first city championship. He was named a McDonald’s All-American.
Klay Thompson – Santa Margarita High School
Thompson paced Santa Margarita to a 30-5 mark and a trip to the Division III state final, scoring 21 points per game as a senior in 2008. He finished No. 53 in the national rankings.
Lonzo Ball – Chino Hills High School
The oldest Ball brother directed Chino Hills’ 35-0 run in 2016, averaging 23.9 points, 11.3 rebounds and 11.5 assists. A McDonald’s All-American and the No. 4 player in his class, he capped his prep career with a state championship.
From dominating scoreboards to collecting national honors, these nine athletes underscore why greater Los Angeles remains one of basketball’s richest pipelines.
Source: ESPN
