Detroit Pistons sharpshooter Duncan Robinson is an alum of Phillips Exeter, Governor’s and the Middlesex Magic. (Getty)
As boys basketball prospects all over New England chase their dreams, they have great examples of inspiration at the highest level of the sport.
In the NBA, there are many players who once played in their backyards and schools. As of August, there are 17 active NBA players who are either natives of New England or attended prep schools in the region. Most recently, that number includes this year’s No. 1 overall pick, AJ Dybantsa, and last year’s No. 1 pick, Cooper Flagg, who was named the NBA’s Rookie of the Year.
Reaching the NBA, of course, is an incredible accomplishment and the odds are unlikely. But all of these NBA players once played on the same courts and played on the same school and grassroots team that many of today’s prospects are now. They were once in their shoes, and they know what it takes to get to the next level from their humble beginnings in New England.
We caught up with a handful of active professional players – including Pat Connaughton, Georges Niang, Terance Mann and Duncan Robinson – from New England. Our conversations centered around a variety of topics about their grassroots experiences and what they learned from a young age.
Here’s Part 1, featuring the pieces of advice today’s NBA players from New England would give to today’s prospects.