Chicago's Simeon H.S. (1984) Ben Wilson rated better than LeBron

[Austin/Dallas]

http://www.marchmadness.org/records/image/1984baa.jpg
Chicago (Simeon)
State Champions

Front row, left to right: Aurelia Davidson, Terrell Binlon, Pamela Shannon. Seated: Timothy Bankston, Rodney Hull, Edgar Chapman, Thomas Price. Third row: Coach George Stanton, Bobby Tribble, Daniel Patton, David Knight, Ronnie Doss, Head Coach Bob M. Hambric. Back row: Coach Bill Alderson, Terry Sampson, Kenneth Allen, Ben Wilson, Tony Rice.

"LeBron will eventually be able to play 1, 2 , and 3 man in the NBA"..the key word is 'eventually'... so I guess, 'eventually' he should be drafted. Tell me something...do you work? If so, did your employer hire you because of what you were able to do, or what you may 'eventually' do? See my point. No one is saying that LeBron won't be a great NBA player...but what about players such as Kwame Brown (Wizards) that was as great as LeBron...no one mentions him now nor has he lived-up to the hype, but he is still a good player. In other words, I'd rather have a PROVEN player such as Anthony or Collision, which can make an immediate impact, rather than pay someone millions on what they may 'eventually' do. It's sad that you have a high school player dominating against other kids and he may be #1 in the draft, and most people wouldn't even know who Anthony (who is the best player in college not high school) is if it weren't for the championship. Trust me, Anthony is the better player, regardless of whether or not Syracuse would have made a tourny run. Just makes you wonder how many other Carmelo Anthony's are out there, maybe even at the high school level, but most people wouldn't know since they have been Lebron-blinded by all the media hype!

PS: Ben Wilson (early '80's) fron Simeon was from the same mold as LeBron but was a better player in high school than LeBron. he was 6'9 and could handle the point, even with the flashiness of LeBron, but he actually had a consistent outside shot. Anyone who has seen both play will agree. Unfortunately, Wilson died from a gunshot wound in Chicago before he gradutated. My point being that most younger people only know of LeBron, but he isn't the 1st, nor the best, to ever play high school ball at the level he plays, He's just so happens to be the most recent. Bare in mind, we didn't have Satellite and ESPN covering high school games back in the day so a lot of players then didn't get the exposure and notoriety of James. I'm glad for the kid, and he seems as if he would be a success no matter what he decided to do with his life.

[ May 27, 2003, 01:41 PM: Message edited by: Austin/Dallas ]

[JR JAM]

Originally posted by Austin/Dallas:
http://www.marchmadness.org/records/image/1984baa.jpg
Chicago (Simeon)
State Champions

Front row, left to right: Aurelia Davidson, Terrell Binlon, Pamela Shannon. Seated: Timothy Bankston, Rodney Hull, Edgar Chapman, Thomas Price. Third row: Coach George Stanton, Bobby Tribble, Daniel Patton, David Knight, Ronnie Doss, Head Coach Bob M. Hambric. Back row: Coach Bill Alderson, Terry Sampson, Kenneth Allen, Ben Wilson, Tony Rice.

"LeBron will eventually be able to play 1, 2 , and 3 man in the NBA"..the key word is 'eventually'... so I guess, 'eventually' he should be drafted. Tell me something...do you work? If so, did your employer hire you because of what you were able to do, or what you may 'eventually' do? See my point. No one is saying that LeBron won't be a great NBA player...but what about players such as Kwame Brown (Wizards) that was as great as LeBron...no one mentions him now nor has he lived-up to the hype, but he is still a good player. In other words, I'd rather have a PROVEN player such as Anthony or Collision, which can make an immediate impact, rather than pay someone millions on what they may 'eventually' do. It's sad that you have a high school player dominating against other kids and he may be #1 in the draft, and most people wouldn't even know who Anthony (who is the best player in college not high school) is if it weren't for the championship. Trust me, Anthony is the better player, regardless of whether or not Syracuse would have made a tourny run. Just makes you wonder how many other Carmelo Anthony's are out there, maybe even at the high school level, but most people wouldn't know since they have been Lebron-blinded by all the media hype!

PS: Ben Wilson (early '80's) fron Simeon was from the same mold as LeBron but was a better player in high school than LeBron. he was 6'9 and could handle the point, even with the flashiness of LeBron, but he actually had a consistent outside shot. Anyone who has seen both play will agree. Unfortunately, Wilson died from a gunshot wound in Chicago before he gradutated. My point being that most younger people only know of LeBron, but he isn't the 1st, nor the best, to ever play high school ball at the level he plays, He's just so happens to be the most recent. Bare in mind, we didn't have Satellite and ESPN covering high school games back in the day so a lot of players then didn't get the exposure and notoriety of James. I'm glad for the kid, and he seems as if he would be a success no matter what he decided to do with his life. Class of 85'!!!! I remember him playing! Could handle the ball better than a point guard. He was in my Electric Shop Class. hail.gif

Unfortunately, Wilson died from a gunshot wound in Chicago before he gradutated. graemlins/mecry.gif :( I was in the lunch room when it happenend.

[Austin/Dallas]

It was a truley sad day.
Paul Robeson class on 84 graemlins/all_coholic.gif

[ChiJAM]

I never got the chance to see Benji play...How many years did Nick Anderson play with Benji at Simeon? I think Nick transferred from Crane, but he's not in the pic, so maybe he transferred the following year.

ChiJAM

[JR JAM]

Originally posted by ChiJAM:
I never got the chance to see Benji play...How many years did Nick Anderson play with Benji at Simeon? I think Nick transferred from Crane, but he's not in the pic, so maybe he transferred the following year.

ChiJAM If my memeory serves me right Nick came From Prosser.

[fred da warrior]

Had Benji not died, that would have been his senior year and I think Simeon won state in 1984 so they were the defending champions when Nick transfered from Prosser that next year and he would have been a junior during Benji's senior year.

[ May 27, 2003, 04:15 PM: Message edited by: fred ]

[AK]

Saw Benji play many times and loved his game. However, I wouldn't be so quick to say he was better than LeBron. He was definitely a better shooter, but not nearly the same strong body. Both could/can handle and pass very well. Anyway, a truly sad day indeed when Ben was shot.

[mhd]

Originally posted by AK:
Saw Benji play many times and loved his game. However, I wouldn't be so quick to say he was better than LeBron. He was definitely a better shooter, but not nearly the same strong body. Both could/can handle and pass very well. Anyway, a truly sad day indeed when Ben was shot. Word, my brother told me tonight that he coached Benji one summer maybe his sophomore year and that as good as Benji was he was not as good as Lebron

[Chip_E]

I went to grammar school with Benji.
I wasn't surprised when he was shot.
He may have been a thug with b-ball skills,
but he was still a thug.
There were a lot of people that I went to grammar school with that have been killed, or gone to prison. Martha Ruggles Elementary School wasn't known for turning out doctors and lawyers in the '80s (although there are a handful). We all had the same opportunities, and made our own choices. I had plenty of chances to put my life into the path of a bullet, but I've done my best to choose otherwise. There was no innocence lost. I feel sorry for his mother, because no mother should have to attend her child's funeral. Bottom line, he's not somebody I'd want my kids lookin' up to.

-e.

[Austin/Dallas]

Originally posted by Chip_E:
I went to grammar school with Benji.
I wasn't surprised when he was shot.
He may have been a thug with b-ball skills,
but he was still a thug.
There were a lot of people that I went to grammar school with that have been killed, or gone to prison. Martha Ruggles Elementary School wasn't known for turning out doctors and lawyers in the '80s (although there are a handful). We all had the same opportunities, and made our own choices. I had plenty of chances to put my life into the path of a bullet, but I've done my best to choose otherwise. There was no innocence lost. I feel sorry for his mother, because no mother should have to attend her child's funeral. Bottom line, he's not somebody I'd want my kids lookin' up to.

-e. Thanks for clarifying the myth that it was not "gang" related...The media did a good job covering up details..

[ChiJAM]

When Marcus Liberty was coming out, a lot of people made him out to be the "next" Ben Wilson. LeBron seems more like a Pippen-type player, i.e., slashing and cutting guard/small forward, whereas Liberty (and maybe Benji) seemed to be much better versions of Brian Cook, i.e., big men that can play inside our outside, can handle the rock, but don't take it to the rack like Pip and LeBron.

ChiJAM

[Mike Barnes]

Well, I remember seeing a 15 minute tape of Ben Wilson playing at Five Star Basketball camp in New Jersey in the summer of 1984, And i must say that Ben Wilson was VERY NICE(LOL), I agree with Alan King, I would not say Ben Wilson was better than Lebron James or Carmelo Anthoney, But just off of the little bit of footage that i seen, Ben Wilson was definitely the best player in the Country going into his Senior year in 1985, And the class of 1985 was stacked hard with cats like Rod Strickland(New York/Depaul)Boo Harvey(New York/St.John's)Pooh Richardson(Philadephia/UCLA),Jeff Lebo(Pennsylvania/North Carolina),Kenny Wilson(New Jersey/Villanova),Sherman Douglass(Washington,DC/Syracuse),Michael Porter(Virginia/St.John's), Ben Wilson will always be missed by those of us who love the craft(The Game of Basketball).
Later
Mike Barnes