Texas may be known as a football state, but it's now become hoops heaven too. The train left Union Station over three decades ago, about the time the Mavericks set up shop at Reunion Arena.
A little while later, it started picking up steam when the UIL finally allowed Texas high school athletes to play in summer leagues. That's when the AAU boon in Texas was born.
And, it has now evolved into a high speed locomotive that's transformed Texas into the hottest basketball recruiting hotbed anywhere. There are several cases in point just this past week.
Basketball World Takes Notice
Announced Friday, the 14 finalists for this year's Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame class include five nominees from Texas.
Shaquille O'Neal told me in high school that his goal was "to get his college degree and then make $6.2 million a year playing basketball." Photo/KMOL-TV now WOAI-TV
- Sheryl Swoopes - Brownfield native led Texas Tech's Lady Raiders to the national championship in 1994
- Flying Queens of Wayland Baptist University (Plainview) - 10-time AAU national champion women's basketball team
The Hutcherson Flying Queens from Plainview, Texas (later Wayland Baptist Flying Queens), who flew by private jet to play games, won 131 straight games from 1953-58. Photo/flyingqueens.com
And also the two best high school basketball coaches anywhere:
- Robert Hughes - retired at Fort Worth Dunbar as the all-time winningest coach in the nation (1333 wins)
- Leta Andrews - retired at Granbury as the winningest basketball coach anywhere (1416 wins)
Hughes and Andrews are finalists for the second straight year. It would be only fitting if these two Texas coaching legends are immortalized in the Hall of Fame at the same time this year, especially since this year's class will be announced in April at the Final Four in Houston.
Basketball Nation Takes Notice
The Texas high school girls basketball playoffs get started on Monday and the #2 ranked team in the nation is perennial power Duncanville. The Pantherettes are playing in Region 1, which just so happens to also feature three of the top 8 players in the nation.
- Lauren Cox - a 6-4 forward who signed with Baylor, will lead Flower Mound into a bi-district matchup with Denton Guyer on Tuesday at 7pm at Lake Dallas. If the Lady Jaguars win, they will likely meet Duncanville next Friday in an area round matchup.
- Joyner Holmes - the #2 ranked recruit in the nation has signed with Texas. But before she plays for those Lady Longhorns, she'll lead the Cedar Hill Lady Longhorns against Colleyville Heritage in a first round game on Monday at 6pm in Mansfield.
- Natalie Chou - a 6-1 guard who will be teammates with Lauren Cox at Baylor, is the #8 recruit in the nation and will lead the Plano West Lady Wolves into a first round clash with Justin Northwest on Monday at 7pm in Coppell. Chou and Plano West are on a collision course to play Holmes and Cedar Hill in the third round, for a trip to the regional tournament in Fort Worth.
NBA World Takes Notice
This NBA All Star Weekend in Toronto tipped off last night with the Rising Stars Game. It featured two players who were playing high school hoops in North Texas only a few years ago. And the game should have included a third DFW product.
- Marcus Smart - 2014 1st round pick (#7) of the Boston Celtics is only four years removed from leading Flower Mound Marcus to three straight Class 5A state finals and back to back state titles in 2011-12.
- Emmanuel Mudiay - 2015 1st round pick (#6) of the Denver Nuggets scored 30 points in last night's game, exhibiting some of the electric offense that will surely propel this 19-year old former Arlington Grace Prep and Dallas Prime Prep star into an NBA All Star very soon.
- Myles Turner - 2015 1st round pick (#11) of the Indiana Pacers somehow was not selected for the Rising Stars Game. This 6-11 former Euless Trinity standout and Texas one-and-doner, like Mudiay, is only 19 years old. He set the Twitterverse into a frenzy last week with an incredible block of a LeBron James dunk attempt, and is quickly emerging as a force for the Pacers. Turner is averaging 15 points, 7 rebounds, and 2 blocked shots per game the last 13 games.
The HEB Takes Notice
However, the fact Turner was not invited to All Star Weekend allowed him to return home this weekend. He made great use of his time as he paid a visit to Central Junior High School in the HEB (Hurst-Euless-Bedford) ISD, where he was a student just five years ago.
Turner was honored by Euless Mayor Linda Martin, who proclaimed Thursday as Myles Turner Day. While speaking at a school pep rally, Turner gave credit to his parents, David and Mary Turner, who he says instilled a work ethic in him and "wouldn't let him play if he ever brought home a C on his report card."
Myles Turner speaks at Central Junior High School pep rally on Thursday. Photo/Bill Jones
Turner also revealed the winner of Central Junior High's first Myles Turner Player of the Year Award, given to the school's top student athlete, taking into account academics as well as athletics. Seventh grader Jaxson Kapellusch received free tickets to the Mavericks' March 12th game against Indiana, when Turner will play his first NBA game in his hometown.
The Myles Turner's, Natalie Chou's, and Jaxson Kapellusch's of the current Texas basketball world can thank Robert Hughes, Leta Andrews, and all those who, for decades, paved the way. The world has taken notice.