Tatum, Beal, and 7 More: Missouri's Incredible High School Production of Current NBA Talent

Out of just 9 total players, 6 were first-round picks. See the surprising breakdown of the two schools that lead the pipeline

Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum was a star at Chaminade College Prep in St. Louis before becoming one of the NBA's best. / Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

When the NBA season tipped off this week, there were only nine former Missouri high school basketball stars scattered among the league. What the Show-Me State lacks in quantity, however, it certainly makes up for in quality.

Quality Over Quantity: The Six First-Round Picks With Missouri Roots

All nine of those players were drafted into the NBA, including six first-rounders - Ochai Agbaji, Ja’Kobe Walter, OG Anunoby, Landry Shamet, Bradley Beal, and Jayson Tatum.

The Chaminade Blueprint: Inside the Star-Making Machine that Forged Tatum and Beal

Jul 15, 2014; Hollywood, CA, USA; ESPN SportsCenter broadcaster Hannah Storm (left) interviews Washington Wizards guard Bradley Beal at the 2014 Gatorade high school athlete of the year awards ceremony at the Loews Hollywood Hotel. / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Tatum and Beal, both of whom attended Chaminade College Prep in St. Louis, were third overall picks in their respective drafts before going on to NBA stardom, earning multiple All-Star appearances and NBA championships.

Agbaji, born in Milwaukee but moved to Kansas City at a young age, was taken No. 14 overall out of Oak Park in Kansas City, while Walter, a Dallas native who also attended high school at McKinney (Texas) before transferring to Link Academy, was picked No. 19.

Toronto Raptors guard Ochai Agbaji (30) dunks against the Denver Nuggets in the first half at Rogers Arena. / Bob Frid-Imagn Images

Anunoby, who was born in London but moved to Jefferson City when he was 4 and attended Jeff City High, where he averaged nearly 20 points per game as a senior and was named Missouri’s top high school basketball player, was taken No. 23 overall. Shamet, who attended Park Hill High in Kansas City, was taken at No. 26 in his respective draft class.

Link Academy: The New Generation of Transfer Talent

Two Missouri schools stake claim to five of those nine players. Chaminade, of course, with Beal and Tatum, and Branson’s Link Academy, with three: Ja’Kobe Walter, Julian Phillips, and Jordan Walsh. Those three aren’t originally from Missouri but transferred to the postgraduate academy, which is known to sport some of the nation’s top high school prospects and plays a national schedule.

Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum (0), a St. Louis native, dribbles up court in front of New York Knicks forward OG Anunoby (8), from Jefferson City, in the second half during game four of the second round for the 2025 NBA Playoffs at Madison Square Garden. / Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

Phillips, a second-round pick by the Chicago Bulls, is a native of Killeen, Texas, who attended high school at Blythewood High (South Carolina) before transferring to Link Academy. Walsh, a five-star prospect in high school, is a Dallas native who attended Dallas Oak Cliff Faith Family Academy before transferring to Link Academy.

The Three-Way NBA Team Split: Which Franchises Bet on the Show-Me State?

Three pairs of former Missouri high school stars now play on the same team in the NBA. The Toronto Raptors have Agbaji and Walter, the New York Knicks have Anunoby and Shamet, while the Boston Celtics roster Tatum and Walsh.

The newest Missourian to start the season on an NBA roster goes to Ryan Kalkbrenner, a 7-foot-1 center and rookie second-round pick of the Charlotte Hornets who attended Trinity Catholic in St. Louis before playing collegiately at Creighton.

Charlotte Hornets center Ryan Kalkbrenner (11), who attended Trinity Catholic in St. Louis, and Dallas Mavericks forward Naji Marshall (13) battle for the rebound in the second half of a game at American Airlines Center. / Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images

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FULL Roster Breakdown: All Nine Former Missouri High School Stars in the NBA

Toronto Raptors

Ochai Agbaji, Oak Park (Kansas City)

Ja’Kobe Walter, Link Academy

New York Knicks

OG Anunoby, Jefferson City

Landry Shamet, Park Hill

Los Angeles Clippers

• Bradley Beal, Chaminade College Prep

Chicago Bulls

• Julian Phillips, Link Academy

Boston Celtics

Jayson Tatum, Chaminade College Prep

Jordan Walsh, Link Academy

Charlotte Hornets

• Ryan Kalkbrenner, Trinity Catholic

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