NBA draft: West Linn, Oregon Ducks point guard Payton Pritchard poised to end Oregonians’ draft-day drought

The NBA will steal the spotlight from football for a while this week with the 2020 NBA draft Wednesday, and Oregon point guard Payton Pritchard (West Linn High School) is widely projected to be selected.

Most mock drafts have Pritchard going in the second round, but there are rumors out there that he has a first-round promise. John Canzano also interviewed someone who sees Pritchard as a possible first-rounder.

If Pritchard is selected as expected, he’d be the first Oregon high school alum to get picked since 2012.

Here’s a list of the former Oregon high school stars who have been drafted, but we’ll start the list with a player picked in 2017 who grew up in Happy Valley and would have gone to Clackamas High School, but he transferred to Findlay Prep in Nevada before his ninth-grade year.

—

Nigel Williams-Goss, 2017 draft

Picked No. 55 overall by the Utah Jazz, the Gonzaga star didn’t stick with the team and signed to play in Serbia. After playing from 2017-19 in Serbia and Greece, Williams-Goss signed with the Jazz and played in the recent coronavirus-shortened season. He averaged five minutes per game in 10 regular-season games with the Jazz and got in one playoff game. Before he moved to Nevada to play high school basketball, he was known as a Portland basketball prodigy as a seventh-grader.

—

Terrence Ross (Jefferson High School), 2012 draft

Ross went No. 8 overall to the Toronto Raptors but started just two games as a rookie. He’s had a solid career playing for Toronto and Orlando, and his past two seasons with the Magic have arguably been his best two. He averaged 14.7 points this past season and 15.1 in 2018-19 as one of the best sixth men in the league.

—

Terrence Jones (Jefferson High School), 2012 draft

Jones went 10 picks after his Jefferson teammate (and fellow Terrence) when Houston selected the athletic big man. He played in the NBA for eight seasons, averaging 10.4 points and 5.7 rebounds per game. He starred in the Philippines in 2019 and reportedly signed a deal last month with a team in Puerto Rico.

—

Kyle Singler (South Medford High School), 2011 draft

The Pistons selected Singler in the second round (No. 33 overall), but he played his first professional season in Spain. He returned to Detroit in 2012 and played there until 2015, when he was traded to the Oklahoma City Thunder, where he played until 2018. He played one more year in Spain after that and retired from professional basketball in October 2019.

—

Kevin Love (Lake Oswego High School), 2008 draft

Minnesota took Love with the No. 5 overall pick and he quickly thrived in the NBA game. He averaged over 26 points a game twice in his six seasons with the Timberwolves and over 10 rebounds a game five times. His scoring and rebounding averages went down after being traded to Cleveland, but he’s averaged at least 11 points and at least 9 rebounds in all 12 seasons in the NBA. The five-time All-Star won an NBA championship with Cleveland in 2016.

—

Maarty Leunen (Redmond High School), 2008 draft

Taken in the second round (No. 54 overall) by the Houston Rockets, Leunen never played in the NBA. He’s played all over Europe since 2008 and currently plays for Cantu in Italy.

—

Salim Stoudamire (Lincoln and Lake Oswego high schools), 2005 draft

Stoudamire just missed the first round, getting selected by the Atlanta Hawks with the No. 31 overall pick. He averaged 8 points per game in three seasons with the Hawks and has been out of professional basketball since 2013.

—

Luke Jackson (Creswell High School), 2004 draft

Cleveland took Jackson with the No. 10 overall pick, but he played only 46 games in his first two seasons with the Cavs. He played in 27 more games with three teams until his NBA career ended in 2008. His last season as a pro was 2011 in Israel, and he went on to coach the Northwest Christian (now Bushnell University) men’s basketball team from 2013-17.

—

Fred Jones (Barlow High School), 2002 draft

Jones went in the first round (No. 14 overall) to the Indiana Pacers and had his best year in 2004-05, averaging 10.4 points per game for Indiana. He also won the slam-dunk contest during All-Star weekend that year. Jones played for five teams in his eight-year NBA career — one in Portland — averaging 7.5 points per game. He finished his professional basketball career playing one year in Italy and one in China.

—

Mike Dunleavy Jr. (Jesuit High School), 2002 draft

Golden State picked Dunleavy No. 3 overall, and he’s now an assistant general manager with the Warriors. Dunleavy played 15 seasons in the NBA, averaging at least 10 points per game in 10 of them. On Wednesday he’ll help decide whom the Warriors select with the No. 2 overall pick.

—

Michael Doleac (Central Catholic High School), 1998 draft

Doleac played 10 seasons in the NBA after being selected in the first round (No. 12 overall) by the Orlando Magic. He averaged 4.9 points and 3.3 rebounds per game and won an NBA championship with the Miami Heat in 2005-06 as Shaquille O’Neal’s backup at center. He’s now a high school science teacher in Park City, Utah.

—

Damon Stoudamire (Wilson High School), 1995 draft

Selected No. 7 overall by the Toronto Raptors, Stoudamire exploded onto the NBA scene and was named rookie of the year after averaging 19 points and 9.3 assists per game. Nicknamed Mighty Mouse, Stoudamire was a fan favorite playing for his hometown Portland Trail Blazers from 1997-2005. He retired in 2008 with a career scoring average of 13.4 points per game and assists average of 6.1 per game. He’s now the head coach of the Pacific Tigers, where he was named West Coast Conference coach of the year in the coronavirus-shortened 2020 season.

—

Terrell Brandon (Grant High School), 1991 draft

Brandon was a first-round pick (No. 11 overall) by the Cleveland Cavaliers who started his career as a backup to All-Star point guard Mark Price. Once Price was traded and Brandon became the starter, he became an All-Star in 1996 and 1997. In addition to leading the Cavs in points, assists and steals in 1997, he earned the NBA sportsmanship award for his work with underprivileged youth. Brandon finished his career averaging 13.8 points, 6.1 assists and 1.58 steals per game, and came within six points of scoring 10,000 in his career. He returned to Portland after retiring in 2004, and he runs Terrell Brandon’s Barber Shop on Northeast Alberta Street, which is frequented by NBA players.

—

Anthony Taylor (Beaverton High School), 1988 draft

Atlanta selected Taylor in the second round (No. 44 overall), but he never played for the Hawks. He played one season for the Miami Heat in 1988-89, averaging 6.9 points per game. He also played one season in Italy.

—

Randy Schiff (Lake Oswego High School), 1986 draft

The Blazers picked Schiff in the seventh round (No. 152 overall), but he never played in the NBA.

—

Steve Woodside (Parkrose High School), 1986 draft

Indiana selected Woodside in the seventh round (No. 141 overall), but he never played in the NBA.

—

A.C. Green (Benson Tech), 1985 draft

The L.A. Lakers picked Green No. 23 overall, and the player who would go on to be known as “Iron Man” blended beautifully with the “Showtime” Lakers. He won three NBA championships in L.A., and he still holds the record for most consecutive regular-season games played with 1,192. He averaged 9.6 points and 7.4 rebounds per game in a 17-year NBA career and was an All-Star in 1989-90.

—

Charlie Sitton (McMinnville High School), 1984 draft

Sitton went in the second round (No. 38 overall) to the Dallas Mavericks, with whom he played for one year, averaging 2.1 points per game. He played professionally for four years in Europe after that.

—

Mark Radford (Grant High School), 1981 draft

The Seattle Sonics took Radford in the third round (No. 53 overall), and he played two years in Seattle, averaging 3.6 points and 1.7 assists per game. His daughter, Nina Radford, also starred at Grant and was the third-leading scorer at Northern Arizona last season.

—

Danny Ainge (South Eugene High School), 1981 draft

The Boston Celtics whiffed with their first-round pick (Charles Bradley) but struck gold in the second round (No. 31 overall) with Ainge. He made only one All-Star team but won two NBA championships with the loaded Celtics. Ainge played for the Blazers from 1990-92. He finished his playing career with 11,964 points (11.5 points per game), and has been equally successful in the front office as the Celtics’ general manager, earning himself the nickname “Trader Danny.” He’s won one NBA title as an executive with Boston, in 2008, and was named executive of the year that year.

—

Ray Blume (Parkrose High School), 1981 draft

Taken five picks after Ainge by Indiana, Blume never played for the Pacers. He played one year in the NBA for the Chicago Bulls, averaging 4.6 points per game. After playing professionally in Europe, Blume returned to Portland to work for the Multnomah County Roads Department.

—

Richard Washington (Benson Tech), 1976 draft

The Kansas City Kings took Washington with the No. 3 overall pick, and he played seven successful years in the NBA for four teams, averaging 9.8 points and 6.3 rebounds per game. He founded Richard Washington Construction, a general contracting company, in the Portland area in 1993.

—

Bayard Forrest (Bandon High School), 1976 draft

The Sonics chose Forrest with the second pick of the second round, but he never played for Seattle. He averaged 4.1 points and 4.1 rebounds in a two-year career with Phoenix. He’s been a Christian minister for over 30 years.

—

Nick Jones (Marshall High School), 1967 draft

The San Diego Rockets picked Jones in the third round (No. 31 overall), and he played three years in the NBA for San Diego and San Francisco/Golden State, averaging 5.3 points per game. He’s the younger brother of the late Steve “Snapper” Jones, who went undrafted in 1964.

—

Jim Jarvis (Roseburg High School), 1965 draft

Jarvis didn’t play in the NBA after being drafted in the sixth round (No. 45 overall), but he played three years in the ABA, averaging 5.8 points per game. He won an ABA championship with the Pittsburgh Pipers in 1967-68. Jarvis coached the Idaho Vandals in the 1970s before returning to Oregon to work in real estate in Bend.

—

Mel Counts (Marshfield High School), 1964 draft

The Boston Celtics chose Counts with the No. 7 overall pick, and the 7-footer with an excellent outside shot won two NBA championships with Boston. He also played for the Bullets, Suns, Lakers, 76ers and Jazz in a 12-year NBA career in which he averaged 8.3 points and 6.0 rebounds per game. After his playing career he returned to Oregon and worked in real estate.

—

Dave Gambee (Corvallis High School), 1958 draft

Gambee went No. 6 overall to the St. Louis Hawks to start his 12-year NBA career with eight different teams. He averaged 10.6 points and 6.2 rebounds per game in his career and won an NBA championship with Wilt Chamberlain’s Philadelphia 76ers in 1967.

—

Swede Halbrook (Lincoln High School), 1956 draft

The Syracuse Nationals selected the 7-foot-3 Halbrook with the No. 83 pick in the draft, becoming the tallest player in NBA history. He kept that distinction until the 7-foot-4 Chuck Nevitt and Mark Eaton were picked in the 1982 draft. Halbrook played just two years in the NBA, averaging 5.5 points and 6.6 rebounds per game. He worked a variety of odd jobs in Portland after his playing career, including as a circus clown. He died of an apparent heart attack in 1988 on a Portland city bus at age 55.

———

©2020 The Oregonian (Portland, Ore.)

Visit The Oregonian (Portland, Ore.) at www.oregonian.com

Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.