5 Best NBA Players Drafted Straight Out of High School

The 2006 offseason came with a monumental change for the NBA , when the league implemented the one-and-done rule into the NBA Draft .

The one-and-done rule meant that players were no longer allowed to go straight from high school to the NBA. As the name suggests, they would need to be at least one year removed from high school before they were eligible to enter the draft.

The 2005 NBA Draft was the last year players were free to go straight to the NBA. While that did not result in any future Hall of Fame talents, some quality NBA careers were born out of the players who made that leap.

Lou Williams and Monta Ellis are two notable names from that draft who had successful NBA careers without the need for college.

This rule also monumentally changed the landscape of the 2006 draft. Greg Oden and Kevin Durant headlined the 2007 NBA Draft, but both of those players could have passed on college and would have been headliners in 2006.

The one-and-done rule has been a touch controversial. While the idea is to protect young athletes from making decisions they could regret, there are certainly players every year who challenge the need for the rule’s existence.

Players like Victor Wembanyama and Zion Williamson are two more recent names that could have made the leap to the NBA one year sooner.

Even someone like Cooper Flagg, who is slated to go at or near the top of the 2025 NBA Draft, could have been a part of this year’s 2024 class. He would have been the easy selection to go first overall.

Before the rule was in place, there was undoubtedly more than a fair share of players who made that now-forbidden leap and had all-time great careers.

The names at the top of that list are likely recognizable to NBA fans.

5 Dwight Howard (2004)

Howard was the league’s best center for a long stretch of his career

Every single player on this list is either a future Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame player or has already been inducted.

If a bold soul would like to make the case that Dwight Howard will not be enshrined in Springfield, Massachusetts, one day, they would likely be laughed out of the room.

Howard passed on the opportunity to play college ball and immediately declared for the NBA Draft. He likely does not regret that decision in the slightest, having been selected first overall in the 2004 draft by the Orlando Magic .

It did not take long before Howard truly arrived on the scene. The Magic initially tried to play him at the power forward position before shifting Howard to the center spot.

That was the right move.

The 6-foot-10 big man’s incredible athleticism allowed him to dominate at center. The Magic reaped the rewards of that decision, with Howard leading the team to the NBA Finals in the 2008-09 season.

The 2008-09 season was also Howard’s first of three straight Defensive Player of the Year awards. His three trophies are the fourth-most of any player in NBA history, trailing only Dikembe Mutombo, Rudy Gobert and Ben Wallace.

During his best days, Howard took commanding control of the best center in the league title.

He would end up dealing with injuries throughout the prime of his career. Otherwise, Howard’s legacy could have been even more remarkable.

He eventually settled into being a good role player towards the end of his career, winning a ring with the L.A. Lakers in the 2019-20 season.

4 Kevin Garnett (1995)

Garnett was a unicorn during his prime

In 1995, Kevin Garnett came straight out of high school and was selected fifth overall by the Minnesota Timberwolves .

Many players have carried the label of unicorn, but Garnett is right up there with the best of them.

Garnett was one of those players fans could watch play and think, “He should not be able to move like that.” The South Carolina native is easily among the best and most versatile defensive players ever to play basketball.

Once his offense caught up to his defense, he was an MVP. It’s a shame he wasted so many great years with an underwhelming supporting cast on the Timberwolves.

Garnett would eventually receive the kind of team success that was deserving of his talents when he moved to the Boston Celtics . A big three of him, Paul Pierce and Ray Allen would win the championship in the 2007-08 season.

It resulted in one of the most iconic soundbites in NBA history.

It’s fair to ponder what a player as unique and versatile as Garnett could have done in the modern NBA. There are always players from the past who are fun to imagine thriving in today’s league.

KG is right near the top of that list.

3 Moses Malone (1974)

Moses and the ABA Draft counts, too

Is it cheating to have Moses Malone on this list when he was drafted by the ABA, not the NBA?

Perhaps it feels like that to some, but once the NBA and ABA merged in 1976, this decision became justifiable.

Malone was drafted in the third round of the 1974 ABA Draft. He would go on to have a tremendous career.

Malone continues to fly under the radar when discussing some of the greatest centers ever to play basketball.

Malone was dominant at the peak of his powers. His three MVP trophies have him tied for the sixth-most in NBA history. His accolades really do speak for themselves when reviewing why he is one of the best players to come straight out of high school.

2 Kobe Bryant (1996)

Bryant is one of the greatest of all-time

There are so many other lists out there that Kobe Bryant could be placed firmly at the top of. This list will have him in second place.

It’s fair to wonder how badly the Charlotte Hornets regret trading Bryant to the Lakers. By allowing them to pair Shaquille O’Neal with Kobe, they helped create a dynasty with the L.A. Lakers .

Even after O’Neal was gone, LA eventually found a way to retool around him and gave him another contender with which he could win championships.

Bryant became arguably the greatest Lakers player ever.

Not much really needs to be said here to justify this ranking. Everyone knows of the great legacy that Bryant had in the NBA. Very few players in league history come close.

1 LeBron James (2003)

The Chosen One did not need college

When ESPN has your high school games on national television, it is hard to justify even considering college. LeBron James was arguably the most highly touted prospect in league history.

James looked like a man among boys when playing at St. Vincent-St. Mary High School. Some argued back then that James could have been a lottery pick at 16 years old.

James has so many records and accolades that it is hard to know where to begin in making his case. That, in itself, makes his case for him.

LeBron has had a legendary career that few have matched throughout NBA history.

Many consider James to be the greatest player ever to play the game of basketball. While Michael Jordan and perhaps Kareem Abdul-Jabbar would want a word in that discussion, it is definitely not an unpopular pick anymore to believe James holds that crown.

It is mind-boggling that James is about to turn 40 in December and continues to play at an elite level. There was never a need for him to waste a year of his basketball career in college.

Stats are courtesy of Basketball Reference.

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