Former Big 5 star Terence Stansbury, a long-time friend from Temple, asked me recently to compare the careers of the players who stayed local and played in the Big 5 from its inception in 1956 and those high school stars from the Philadelphia area who went away to school. Obviously both 7-0 Naismith Hall of Fame center Wilt Chamberlain from Overbrook, who attended Kansas;from 1956-58 and guard Walt Hazzard, another Overbrook legend who was the star of UCLA first natonal championship team in 1964, would have been on this list, but they was both territorial draft picks by the Phladelphia Warriors and the Los Angeles Lakers. Ditto forward Howard Porter of Villanova from Sarasota, Fla., the MOP of the 1971 Final Four who signed with the ABA before his eligibility ran out.
On reflection the biggest surprises to me while doing this research were the fact neither Gene Banks, a 6-7 generational player from West Phladelphia and Duke and guard Wali Jones from Overbrook and Villanova were first round picks. Banks was selected by the San Antonio Spurs in the second round in 1981 and Jones was drafted by the Detroit Pistons in the third round in 1965.
Locals who became Big Five first round draft picks from the inception of the Big 5.
1958 Guy Rodgers, Temple (Northeast)
1965 Jim Washington, Villanova (West Catholic).
1966 Matty Goukas, St. Joseph’s (St. Joseph’s Prep).
1969 Larry Cannon, La Salle (Lincoln).
1973 Mike Banton, St. Joseph’s (Roman Catholic).
1974, Joe Bryant, La Salle (Bartram).
1980 Michael Brooks, La Salle (West Catholic)
1984 Terence Stansbury, Temple. (Newark, Del.)
1988 Tim Perry, Temple (Freehold, N.J..
1990 Lionel Simmons, La Salle (Southern)
1992 Randy Woods, La Salle (Franklin).
1994 Aaron McKie, Temple (Grtaz0.
2004 Jameer Nelson, St. Joseph’s (Chester).
2006 Kyle Lowrey, Villanova (Cardinal Dougherty).
2006 Mardy Collins, Temple (Gratz).
Philadelphia players who went elsewhere who were first round picks
1959 John Richter, NC State (Frankford).
1961 Ray Scott, Portland (West Philadelphia).
1962 Wayne Hightower, Kansas. (Overbrook)
1967 Earl Monroe, Winston-Salem (Bartram).
1970 Geoff Petrie, Princeton (Springfield Delco).
1974 Mike Sojourner, Utah (Germantown).
1986 Billy Thompson, Louisville (Camden).
1987 Dallas Comegys, DePaul (Roman Catholic).
1989 Pooh Richardson, UCLA (Franklin).
1995 Rasheed Wallace, North Carolina (Simon Gratz).
1996 Kobe Bryant, Lower Merion High
1997 Adonal Foyle, Colgate (Cardinal O’Hara)
1999 Richard Hamilton, UConn (Coatesville).
2001 Eddie Griffin, Seton Hall (Roman Catholic).
2002 Dejuan Wagner, Memphis (Camden).
2002 John Salmons, Miami (Plymouth-Whitemarsh).
2005 Hakim Warrick, Syracuse (Friends Central).
2008 Jason Thompson, Rider (Lenape, N.J.).
2009 Tyreke Evans, Memphis (American Christian of Chester).
2009 Gerald Henderson, Duke (Episcopal).
2009 Wayne Ellington, North Carolina (Episcopal).
2011 Markieff Morris, Kansas (Prep Charter).
2011 Marcus Morris, Kansas. (Prep Charter).
2012 Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, Kentucky (St. Patrick’s/lived in Camden).
2012 Dion Waiters, Syracuse (Life Center from South Philadelphia).
Big Five players outside the city who were first round picks
1971 Kenny Durrett, La Salle (Pittsburgh Schenley).
1972 Corky Calhoun, Penn.(Waukegan, Ill.)
1974 Bobby Bigelow, Penn (Winchester Mass.),
1982 Stewart Granger, Villanova (NYC Nazareth).
1985 Ed Pinckney, Villanova (NYC Stevenson).
1986 Mo Martin, St. Joseph’s (Liberty, N.Y. Central).
1994 Eddie Jones, Temple (Pompano Beach, Fla).
1996 Kerry Kittles, Villanova (New Orleans St. Augustine’s).
1997 Tim Thomas, Villanova (Paterson Catholic).
2001 Michael Bradley, Villanova (Worcester, Mass. Burncoat).
2004 Delonte West, St. Joseph’s (Greenbelt, md. Roosevelt).
2006 Randy Foye, Villanova (Newark Eastside).
