During his time at Florida State, the team won the ACC championship, which was the first time in school history, and made it to the second round of the NCAA Tournament. In his first game, Cook scored 25 points on 10 of 13 shooting and five 3-pointers against the Sacramento Kings. He led Notre Dame to the NCAA Tournament each season and was named a Consensus All-American twice. According to people with knowledge of Joness thinking, Reggie Veney was his preferred choice to step in. Has gone on to a distinguished broadcasting career with FOX and CBS. Boston Celtics, Adrian Branch 81 2020 Graduates: Hunter Dickinson University of Michigan, Paul Smith Mississippi State University, Earl Timberlake Bryant University. I dont think anyone suspected Victor would grow to become an elite NBA player, Sego said. Coming out of Dematha High School, Jerami Grant was a four-star recruit by ESPN.com and was the 37th ranked recruit in the 2012 class. When those two traits come together, youve got something special.. He went on to play in college for the Indiana Hoosiers. Adrian Dantley then entered the NBA as the sixth overall pick in the 1976 NBA Draft to the Buffalo Braves (now Los Angeles Clippers). Thaire Vance Orlando Magic, John Jones 62 Head Girls Coach Bishop McNamara HS, Chris Parsons 91Al Two days later . "Let's be real," Indiana Pacers guard Oladipo told The Undefeated. Head Coach Riverdale Baptist HS, Frank Oliver 96 The United States Department of Education recognized DeMatha as a Blue Ribbon School in 1984 and 1991. He won a couple of city championships and went on to raise the standard of how the game is being played especially in his home state of Pennsylvania. Entering the 2014 NBA Draft, Jerami Grant was selected in the second round as the 39th overall pick to the Philadelphia 76ers. "It's almost like a college, really," Fultz said. We do this drill on a regular basis so our players learn expect and embrace contact, yet still finish plays around the basket. You have to check out this list! I for. Named after John of Matha, DeMatha is under the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Washington and is a member of the Washington Catholic Athletic Conference. Findlay never came short of producing NBA-caliber players with their list being headlined by Tristan Thompson, Avery Bradley, Dillon Brooks, Kelly Oubre, Christian Wood, Cory Joseph, and Allonzo Trier. Danny Ferry (1985) is a former NBA player with the Cleveland Cavaliers who won an NBA championship with the San Antonio Spurs. "[4], Sports Illustrated recognized DeMatha as the #2 high school athletic program in the United States in 2005,[5] and again in 2007.[6]. He broke many NCAA records in his time with Villanova including the record for career all-purpose yards (9,512). Cook is one of four former DeMatha High School players eyeing a World Championship. . You are who you are. Read John Feinstein on Daniel Snyder and the NFL. Having an example in Coach Jones and our assistants to look up to was HUGE in the development of our young men both on and off the court the past two decades.. They are Charles "Hawkeye" Whitney (16th in 1980), Jerrod Mustaf (17th in 1990), Joe Forte (21st in . Teammate LeBron James had a triple-double with 24 points, 10 rebounds and 12 assists. Cameron Wake led Dematha to a WCAC championship in his junior season in 1998 and was named Defensive Player of the Year by the Washington Post as a senior. He played college basketball for the Duke Blue Devils. DeWitt Clinton located within Bronx, New York was formerly the biggest high school in the world in the 1930s, with its student body exceeding 12,000 kids. DeMatha Basketball @DeMathaHoops . Additionally, since he started as a head coach at DeMatha, Jones has coached six athletes who went on to play in the NBA. One Black former DeMatha player suggested that hiring Strickland, on the heels of McGregor, signals the desire of the administration to reset the culture and return to the days when Wootten would leave victories and head over to Ledo in College Park and draw up Xs and Os over some pizza and Miller Lite. Following his time with Dematha, he ran track with the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets. The program was established by Morgan Wootten, the Hall of Fame basketball coach who never had a losing season in 46 years. Joshua Wallace Phoenix Suns, Victor Oladipo 10 But on Thursday, they'll be opponents for the first time. DeMathas administration needed to keep the continuity together moving forward and felt that Coach was the best choice to do that, said Blakeney, who was teammates with Jones, Veney and DeMatha assistant Kevin Cromer. In the NBA, Victor Oladipo has averaged 17.5 points, 4.6 rebounds, 4.0 assists, and 1.6 steals. But the move signals something larger, several parents and alumni said: that even amid a nationwide push for more diversity in leadership in sports but also in politics, media, entertainment and other industries DeMatha officials couldnt see the value of giving one of its current Black assistants a chance. This season, Fultz was ruled out after suffering a torn ACL in January. Strickland has his share of supporters, who tout his ties to the school, passion for the game and considerable experience. In an interview, Father James Day, DeMathas president, said the school plans to establish a search committee to find a full-time coach in the coming school year. And really its about being there when they need you. He went on to play eight of his nine seasons in the NFL with the Eagles. They didnt like that, I dont think. So far, in his seven seasons in the NBA, Grant is averaging 10.7 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 1.1 blocks. Kings, Bernard Williams 65 I rep DeMatha everywhere, Smith, who now works in insurance, said in a telephone interview, no longer believing that his love for the school is reciprocated. Still, the grassroots of basketball come at the youth level, where it's the second-most popular sport in United States high schools. Instead, Joe Wootten left to become the coach at Bishop OConnell, and Jones became the choice. When he retired in 2002, Woottens career coaching record stood at 1,274-192. Fultz joined a long list of stars who played at DeMatha that includes Ferry, Oladipo, Adrian Dantley, Adrian Branch and James Brown. Cook is a professional basketball player for the Sacramento Kings of the NBA. On the surface, DeMatha is an athletically renowned, all-boys college-prep private school located on a 10-acre campus in Prince George's County, Maryland. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc. The longtime head coach of a high school basketball powerhouse is heading to an ACC coaching staff as Maryland's DeMatha Catholic High School announced Monday that Mike Jones will join Virginia . Brian Westbrook entered the 2002 NFL Draft as the 91st overall selection in the third round by the Philadelphia Eagles. In 2016-17, Jones led his team to a 25-9 record. He is not anticipating he will get either. John Boal for The Boston Globe But as a sophomore, he was just 5-9 and had an awkward gait. University of Delaware, Heath Schroyer 90 The Debrief with Hugo Gurdon: Why nobody wants a rematch of Trump and Biden in 2024. Hardaway is the son of Memphis coach, Penny Hardaway, and spent last season playing at Duncanville HS (TX). In total, he played 11 seasons in the NFL recording 100.5 sacks, 99 tackles for loss, 224 QB hits, 22 forced fumbles, and 16 passes defended. Four other DeMatha players have been selected in the first round during the same period. In the NBA, Victor Oladipo has averaged 17.5 points, 4.6 rebounds, 4.0 assists, and 1.6 steals. Minnesota Timberwolves, Jarius Lyles 13 The Stags have had just two basketball coaches since 1956, and the previous hire had its share of controversy. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Imagine how that would be received in the news firing the physics teacher because we need a coach, said Day, adding that DeMatha doesnt allow parents of current students to be on its board. He has a wealth of experience and really is connected with the DeMatha mission, Day said. From Ernie Cage '58 and Adrian Dantley '73 to Victor Oladipo '10, Markelle Fultz '16, and Justin Moore '19, there have been many All-Americans who have played at DeMatha. As members of the Washington Catholic Athletic Conference (WCAC), they hold the record for the most conference championships in the following sports: football, basketball, baseball, lacrosse, wrestling, golf (tied with Gonzaga), and ice hockey. James Mason University (JMU), Elijah Hawkins DeMatha recruited Moore for basketball, and Mike Jones, the Hyattsville private school's basketball coach at the time, encouraged football coaches to pursue him, too. Brown is currently host of the NFL on Fox pregame show. Dematha grad Jordan Hawkins talks winning a National Championship with UConn, entering the NBA draft and more. In 25 minutes of action, he finished with five points, two assists and four rebounds. Mike Jones, a Black, has coached DeMatha's basketball team for the past 19 years. Injuries have prevented Fultz from reaching his full potential in the NBA so far as he has missed 189 of a possible 328 games in his career. Blakeney, who is Black, compares the transition to the one unfolding at his college alma mater, Duke, which announced a plan to have Jon Scheyer as coach-in-waiting for the retiring Hall of Fame legend, Mike Krzyzewski. Morgan Wootten began his career in 1956 at DeMatha Catholic High School. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. He was named Mr. Basketball USA, USA Today High School Player of the Year, Parade Magazine Prep Player of the Year, and was a two-time All-American. webmaster@hyattsvillelife.com. Paul Smith These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. Smiths love for DeMatha still runs so deep that before marrying his wife, Shena, Smith told her that any future sons could go anywhere from kindergarten through eighth grade but that DeMatha was the only choice for high school. Anytime there is an interim tag, you dont bring someone from outside the organization, said one member of last years staff, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to preserve his job prospects. Morgan Wootten, Mike Jones, Victor Oladipo, Quinn Cook, Jerami Grant, Markelle Fultz, Hunter Dickinson, Justin Moore, Jemari Young, Earl Timberlake. Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features. . Orlando Magic, Jerami Grant 12 A drian Dantley, Basketball, 1973 A two-time All-America at Notre Dame, a gold-medal winner at the Montreal Olympics in 1976 and a Basketball Hall-of-Famer after a 15-year NBA career.. After graduating from DeMatha last summer, Fultz played for USA Basketball's Under-18 team in a tournament in South America, where Kevin Ollie was an assistant under Shaka Smart. Right now, I cant look at DeMatha that way. But to Smith and others, it should have been taken into account immediately, whether Strickland ends up staying on the bench or not. Family and friends encouraged Quinn Cook to give up on his NBA dream. Aaron Roberson He led DeMatha to WCAC championships each year and helped lead the to the high school national championship in 1984. In 2008, Adrian Dantley was inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame. But not all high schools are created equal, and most of them are lucky to have a single player make it to the NBA. When Moore was in eighth. DeMatha Basketball Alumni History powered by SportsMarkit. Two Black coaches at the two most visible programs? . DeMatha Catholic High School (18 players) DeMatha Catholic High. Commanders draft Mississippi State CB Emmanuel Forbes with 16th pick, leaving after 19 years to become associate head coach at Virginia Tech, Kevin B. Blackistone on the war in Ukraine, Sally Jenkins on the USWNT settlement with U.S. Soccer, John Feinstein on Daniel Snyder and the NFL. He played at Iowa and Arkansas before attending Florida State. I feel like they let us down.. However, among those names, perhaps the biggest success story that came from Oak Hill was 10-time All-Star Carmelo Anthony who once shared the court against LeBron James St.Vincent-St.Mary High School back in December 12, 2002 before they jumped to the pros and became the NBA icons that are recognized by many today. Century and was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2000. He spent three seasons with Indiana averaging 10.7 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 1.5 steals. Justin Moore Dick Brown coached the pair prior to his death in 2006. He played his final high school season with Oak Hill Academy before going on to play his college career with the Duke Blue Devils. But Smiths plan for them has been shaken, he said, after his alma maters recent decision to replace Woottens Black successor, Mike Jones, with a White interim coach, Pete Strickland bypassing, without even interviewing, several Black assistants in the process. He was an All-ACC second team selection twice. He was named to two Pro Bowls, an All-Pro team, and led the NFL in yards from scrimmage in 2007. Adrian Dantley Basketball player, Coach Age: 68 Birthplace: Washington, D.C. Adrian Delano Dantley (born February 28, 1956) is an American retired basketball player who played 15 seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Happy Birthday to the All Time Winningest Player at DeMatha Justin Moore '19 . The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other. He got his chance in his junior year winning the WCAC Player of the Year award averaging 16.8 points, 7.9 rebounds, and 4.3 assists. Last month, a week after the hire was announced, the school organized a meeting between Strickland and parents. The school remains to be one of the go-to institutions for aspiring athletes today. Given that history, Day said, the school should get some benefit of the doubt. I didnt say, Get over it, Strickland said. All the quotations, except for Joe Segos, were taken from postgame press conferences. Thomas III, Charles ( So.) DeMatha Catholic High School/Charlotte 6-1 // 185 // Guard As a junior at Charlotte (2021-22): First Team All-Conference USA; First Team NABC All-District 11; Team MVP; Conference USA Player of the Week (12/27/21). Spring '19 graduate of Bowie State University with a B.S. Times have changed. Coach Jones is a proven leader with over 31 years of experience in the game of basketball as a player and coach. We did not want the student-athletes to feel as if theyre being abandoned. The 2018 NBA All-Star shot 11-for-19 from the field, including 6 of 9 from 3-point range. The Bowie resident said he didnt mind shuttling back and forth between Golden States parent and minor league clubs. His journey began at Dematha where he led the school to WCAC championships each year. We all know how DeMatha earned its place on the basketball map. Chase Young went on to become the second overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft selected by the Washington Football Team. Day said between 25 to 30 people contacted the school to express interest in the position the morning after Jones moved on.