[DC 86]

I thought it was Swen Nater, who never started but played behind Bill Walton at UCLA.  Supposedly Nater was terrible at first, but playing against Walton every day he really improved.  Never started at UCLA, was the 16th overall selection after having played against Walton in practice for four years.  Walton, to his credit, said Nater was the toughest guy he played against in college.

Looked up the answer.  Not Nater.

I like this answer more than the actual answer. There have been plenty of high schoolers who went directly to the NBA but Swen Nater's career was remarkable:

1. Raised in an orphanage in the Netherlands, reunited with his mother as part of a television show at age nine.
2. Didn't play high school basketball; not being able to afford shoes may have been a factor in being cut during tryouts.
3. Averaged 3 points and 3 rebounds as a senior at UCLA.
4. Drafted by both the ABA and NBA, became ABA rookie of the year.
5. Played four years in the ABA and eight years in the NBA. Finished with cumulative averages of 12 ppg and 12 rpg, leading the ABA and NBA in rebounding one season each.

Unlikely to see another career like this one.

P.S. He only played two seasons at UCLA and he'd been a Community College All America before that so he probably wasn't terrible, but practicing against Walton every day surely served him very well even though his court time in games was limited.

[DC 86]

I thought it was Swen Nater, who never started but played behind Bill Walton at UCLA.  Supposedly Nater was terrible at first, but playing against Walton every day he really improved.  Never started at UCLA, was the 16th overall selection after having played against Walton in practice for four years.  Walton, to his credit, said Nater was the toughest guy he played against in college.

Looked up the answer.  Not Nater.

I like this answer more than the actual answer. There have been plenty of high schoolers who went directly to the NBA but Swen Nater's career was remarkable:

1. Raised in an orphanage in the Netherlands, reunited with his mother as part of a television show at age nine.
2. Didn't play high school basketball; not being able to afford shoes may have been a factor in being cut during tryouts.
3. Averaged 3 points and 3 rebounds as a senior at UCLA.
4. Drafted by both the ABA and NBA, became ABA rookie of the year.
5. Played four years in the ABA and eight years in the NBA. Finished with cumulative averages of 12 ppg and 12 rpg, leading the ABA and NBA in rebounding one season each.

Unlikely to see another career like this one.

P.S. He only played two seasons at UCLA and he'd been a Community College All America before that so he probably wasn't terrible, but practicing against Walton every day surely served him very well even though his court time in games was limited.