Every high school basketball player who scored more points than LeBron James

01/21/2025 12:21 PM

LeBron James is one of the greatest NBA players of all time, and scouts knew he’d be a star long before he reached the professional level. James was regarded as the best draft prospect ever when he was just a high schooler at St. Vincent-St. Mary. While he is incredibly versatile, at the NBA level, he is perhaps best known for being the NBA’s all-time scoring leader. James has racked up 41,355 points and counting, as The King is still going strong at age 40 in what is his 22nd season (tied for a league record for seasons played).

James was certainly a bucket dating back to his amateur days, too, but he surprisingly isn’t the all-time high school scoring leader in the state of Ohio. In this article, we are going to take a look at the careers of the seven players who scored more high school points in Ohio than LeBron James did.

8. LeBron James (2,646 points)

The 2,646 points LeBron James scored in high school dwell in comparison to the 41,000-plus he has scored in the NBA. Even so, high school players are in elite company any time they surpass the 2,000-point mark in high school, and James cleared that mark by a long shot. James is 6-foot-9, 250 pounds. He is a man amongst boys at the NBA level, so you can imagine how freakish he was against kids who were taking algebra before their games.

Even back then, James did a lot more than just score, which is perhaps why seven players actually scored more in Ohio high school basketball history than he did. Even so, James could basically score whenever he wanted at St. Vincent-St. Mary. He averaged 18 points and 6.2 rebounds per game as a freshman when he was only 6-foot-2. His team even went 27-0 and won the Division III state championship.

James would continue to grow – both in height and as a player – before each of his succeeding high school seasons. He and his team’s popularity increased drastically during his sophomore season, forcing the team to play some of their games at the University of Akron. James’ numbers increased to 25.3 points, 7.4 rebounds, and 5.5 assists during year two, and St. Vincent-St. Mary again won the state title. James was named Ohio Mr. Basketball and a USA Today All-USA First Team member, making him the first sophomore to do either. The young star who was nicknamed “The Chosen One” went back-to-back as a state champion with his team this year.

The high IQ and incredible interior finishing that have highlighted James’ professional career were prevalent in high school, and by his junior year, his size caught up to his skill. He bloomed to 6-foot-7 before averaging 28 points, 8.9 rebounds, and 6 assists per game. James again won Ohio Mr. Basketball and was named to the USA Today All-USA First Team, but he also became the first junior to be named the Gatorade National Player of the Year. James was so good that he even petitioned to leave high school early for the NBA. Even so, his team actually lost the state championship this season.

The NBA bid was denied, but James once again showed off in his final year of high school. As a senior, James averaged 30.4 points, 9.7 rebounds, and 4.9 assists per game to become a three-time Ohio Mr. Basketball. He, of course, was named the Gatorade National Player of the Year again, too.

St. Vincent-St. Mary’s only loss on the season was a forfeited game that was the result of James accepting throwback jerseys in exchange for posting pictures. The controversy also resulted in James being suspended for two games, which contributed to some of the other players on this list surpassing him in career scoring.

7. Paul McMillan IV (2,658)

Considering the games that were canceled and the regulations that were put in place during the COVID-19 pandemic, becoming a 2,000-point scorer during that time was no easy feat. Surpassing LeBron James in career scoring is even more impressive. Paul McMillan IV did just those things.

McMillan started his high school career at Cincinnati Hughes from 2019-2020. He then transferred to Cincinnati Woodward and played there from 2020-2022. The 6-foot-3 guard averaged 31.3 points per game as a senior en route to winning Ohio’s Gatorade State Player of the Year award.

His teams won back-to-back CMAC Red Division titles, and he was even ranked the 126th best player in the nation according to Rivals.com. McMillan committed to NJIT out of high school, and as a true freshman, he averaged 5.8 points per game. With the transfer portal being a way of life in modern college basketball, McMillan transferred out of NJIT after one year to play at a bigger Division I school: Central Michigan. McMillan was a regular in the Chippewas’ rotation. He played in 31 games and averaged 8.3 points per game as a spark plug scorer off of the bench.

McMillan again transferred after one season, though, and he is now playing for Canisius. The Golden Griffins have given him an opportunity to thrive as one of their main options. He is putting up career highs across the board, including in minutes per game (35.9) and points per game (20.0).

Even with all of this on-the-court success, McMillan has thrived in the classroom, too. He was Woodward’s valedictorian, and he certainly has a bright future ahead of him, whether it is in basketball or something else.

6. Geno Ford (2,680)

Geno Ford was a local Ohio legend in the late ’80s and early ’90s. He played his high school basketball at Cambridge, where he collected 2,680 total points over his career. Ford still holds the records for single-season free-throw makes (288) and career free-throws (697). He got to the line often, and he was automatic once he got there.

Ford’s scoring prowess made him coveted as a recruit, but he decided to stay local and play for the Ohio Bobcats. After graduating from high school as the second-leading Ohio scorer ever, Ford’s scoring knack continued at the collegiate level. Ford scored 1,752 points in college, which was the fourth most in program history at the time of his graduation. He still ranks sixth all-time, which is where he ranks in Ohio high school scoring, too.

Ford’s free throw prowess followed him to college. The 19 charity stripe makes he put through the net on Feb. 2, 1997, are a program record. His 113 career starts were the most in Ohio history when he left the Bobcats program as well. After college, Ford spent time playing professionally for the Leicester Riders.

Now, Ford is a prolific basketball coach. He currently serves as the head coach at Stony Brook, and he has twice been the MAC Coach of the Year. Ford’s most notable gig was when he served as the head coach at Kent State from 2008-2011.

5. Quinn Kwasniak (2,771)

Quinn Kwasniak already has 2,771 career high school points in the state of Ohio, and that number is only growing. Kwasniak is a senior at Cornerstone Christian. If Kwasniak can score 433 more points, he’d become the all-time leader in points in the state’s history.

Kwasniak originally passed LeBron James with a 59-point outburst against Open Door. Kwasniak is committed to play his college ball at Army West Point. He is a 6-foot-2 guard who plays his club basketball for Indy Heat.

4. Jay Burson (2,958)

Jay Burson is the oldest player on this list. He played from 1981-85 for New Concord John Glenn. Burson led the entire nation in scoring as only a sophomore, as he averaged 44 points per game that season. The 2,958 career points Burson scored stood as a state record for 22 years.

Burson’s scoring acumen followed him to college, where he played at Ohio State. Burson averaged 22.1 points per game in his best season for the Buckeyes, but unfortunately, he suffered a career-altering injury (fractured vertebrae) when he collided with Ed Horton. The injury ended his college career and hurt his chances to thrive in the pros.

Even so, Burson did make an attempt to reach the NBA. He signed a three-year contract with the Houston Rockets after a rookie tryout camp, but he only lasted four preseason games before his NBA career ended. Burson did spend some time in the CBA, though. He was a first-round (seventh overall) pick by the Columbus Horizon, and he played for the Canadian team in their inaugural season. Burson averaged 13.6 points per game in his rookie season, and he was traded a year later to the San Jose Jammers.

3. Luke Kennard (2,977)

Perhaps the most recognizable name of the players who scored more high school points in Ohio than LeBron James is Luke Kennard. The former 12th overall pick is now in his eighth NBA season, and he is playing for a very good Memphis Grizzlies team. Kennard, who is nicknamed Nuke Kennard due to his explosive shooting ability, provides much-needed spacing and three-point expertise for the team led by Ja Morant.

He is currently averaging 9.1 points per game on .465 shooting from deep, which are numbers not far off from his career marks of 9.9 points and a .440 three-point percentage. Kennard, who has also played for the Detroit Pistons and Los Angeles Clippers, has twice led the NBA in three-point percentage.

Long before his NBA career, he was getting buckets at Franklin High School. He became the Parade National Player of the Year for the school located near Dayton, Ohio, and he was twice named Ohio’s Mr. basketball. The smooth shooting lefty had the ultimate green light in high school.

Kennard was ranked the 24th-best player in his class, which afforded him the opportunity to play for Duke, one of the most prestigious basketball teams in the nation. Kennard played two seasons for the Blue Devils, averaging as many as 19.5 points per game as a sophomore before making the jump to the NBA.

2. Zach Rasile (3,013)

Passing the 2,000-point mark (and LeBron James’ scoring total) is impressive in high school athletics. Passing the 3,000-point mark is almost unheard of, but Zach Rasile is one player who has done it. Rasile, who played at McDonald High School from 2016-20, averaged as much as 38 points per game as a senior.

The 6-foot-1 guard is the most prolific deep ball shooter in the state of Ohio’s history at the high school level. He made a record 485 shots from behind the arc over the course of his career, and that included a record 140 three-point makes in a single season.

Rasile played his college basketball at West Liberty. He played in 23 games for the Hilltoppers as a freshman, and his 6.8 point-per-game season included a 5-for-5 effort from deep against Fairmont. Because the COVID-19 pandemic ended his first season early, Rasile was granted an extra year of eligibility. In year two, Rasile put up similar numbers, averaging 7.7 points per game.

His numbers again saw a slight uptick in his sophomore year, as he averaged 9.3 points per game. Rasile played a key role in the national championship game for West Liberty. Rasile’s junior year during 2023-24 saw him score 11.3 points per game, but it appears Rasile didn’t return for 2024-25, which means his basketball career is likely over.

1. Jon Diebler (3,208)

LeBron James’ scoring mark was surpassed right after he left high school for the NBA. Jon Diebler played high school ball in Ohio from 2003 (James’ draft year) to 2007. He is Ohio’s all-time scoring leader in high school with 3,208 points to his name.

Diebler averaged 40.8 points per game during his senior year at Upper Sandusky (Diebler started his high school career at Fostoria). He is most known for scoring 77 points in a 105-100 win during his junior year. The Ohio Mr. Basketball winner was the 60th-ranked player in the nation before he commited to play for Ohio State. Diebler lost the state championship during his senior year despite scoring 48 points and playing through a broken nose.

Diebler had a great career for the Buckeyes. He started 115 games for the team in total as a marksman from deep. Diebler broke Ohio State’s three-pointers in a game record when he made 10 straight shots from deep. He also played 37.2 minutes per game in 2009-2010 during a season where he rarely came out of the game.

Diebler was drafted 51st overall in the 2011 NBA Draft by the Portland Trail Blazers. He never stepped foot on an NBA court, but he was technically traded for Carmelo Anthony, as Diebler’s draft rights were used in a trade with the Chicago Bulls that involved the NBA legend.

Diebler played his professional ball overseas. He played for seven different professional teams overseas until 2021, predominantly playing for teams in Greece and Turkey. In 2015, he was even the Turkish President’s Cup winner and a Turkish League champion. Now, Diebler is the director of recruiting at Butler.

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