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5 On Your Side Countdown: The 15 best St. Louis basketball players of all time

We ranked them. You debate them. Who's the greatest St. Louis basketball player off all time?

ST. LOUIS — We're doing some serious ranking here at 5 On Your Side.

Last week, we tackled the Blues all-time top 10. This week, it gets even more interesting. We're counting down the top 15 St. Louis area basketball players of all time. (Because it was just too hard to cut it down to 10)

5 On Your Side sports director Frank Cusumano has been presenting the list all week long in his sportscasts, with the final reveal coming on Friday night.

From Collinsville and Roxana, to St. Charles West and Crystal City, we didn't leave anyone out.

Here's our list. Let the debate begin.

Watch: The 15 best St. Louis basketball players of all-time

15. Bob Bone - Collinsville

Bone was stellar with the Kahoks and then went on to star at UMSL with one of the most impressive college careers by a St. Louis product.

A three-time All-American, Bone averaged 30 points a game his senior season. And 2,678 career points was the most ever scored at the collegiate level by a St. Louis area native.

Credit: UMSL

14. Ryan Robertson - St. Charles West

One of the few McDonald's All-Americans from the St. Louis area. Dominant in high school.

Robertson also scored 1,000 points at Kansas in just 145 games.

13. Napheesa Collier - Incarnate Word

The most decorated female basketball player in St. Louis history.

Three state titles at Incarnate Word, a McDonald's All-American, an NCAA All-American, an NCAA National Championship and the WNBA Rookie of the Year.

Credit: AP
Minnesota Lynx's Napheesa Collier, right, shoots while defended by Los Angeles Sparks' Candace Parker during the first half of a WNBA basketball game in Los Angeles, Sunday, Sept. 8, 2019. (AP Photo/Ringo H.W. Chiu)

12. Darius Miles - East St. Louis

Perhaps the most athletic player on the list.

Went straight from East St. Louis to the NBA when the Clippers took him with the No. 3 overall pick.

He made the all-rookie team in his first season.

Credit: AP
Washington Wizards' Michael Jordan (23) battles for the ball against Los Angeles Clippers' Darius Miles (21) during the third quarter, Tuesday, Jan. 8, 2002, at the MCI Center in Washington.(AP Photo/Nick Wass)

11. Anthony Bonner - Vashon

Won a state championship with the Wolverines and went on to have the best career of any SLU Billiken.

Career leader in points and rebounds with SLU. Had a 16-year professional career.

Credit: Associated Press
Saint Louis athletics director Doug Wollard, left, presents Anthony Bonner, an SLU standout from 1986-1990, with a framed jersey bearing Bonner's number during a ceremony at halftime of the Cincinnati-Saint Louis game Thursday, Dec. 16, 1999, at the Kiel Center in St. Louis. Bonner is SLU's leading scorer with 1,972 points. (AP Photo/Tom Gannam)

10. Harry Gallatin - Roxana

Younger folks might have never heard of "The Horse", but they should have.

He made seven NBA All-Star games and is a member of the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame.

Credit: AP
FILE- This Oct. 17, 1951, file photo, New York Knickerbockers' Harry Gallatin posing for a photo at the 69th Armory in New York. Gallatin, a member of the National Basketball Hall of Fame, passed away at the age of 88, Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville announced, Wednesday, Oct. 7, 2015. (AP Photo/File)

9. Laphonso Ellis - Lincoln

Led Lincoln to back-to-back state titles and became an All-American.

Ellis flourished at Notre Dame, scoring 1,500 points, 1,000 rebounds and 200 blocks.

He also had a nice 11-year NBA career.

8. Steve Stipanovich - De Smet

The best true big man to ever come out of St. Louis.

"Stipo" was one of the best players in the history of the University of Missouri and the highest draft pick ever for a St. Louis kid.

Stipanovich had a nice five-year career before injuries ended it.

Credit: ASSOCIATED PRESS
Los Angeles Laker guard Earvin Johnson (left) looks for someone to pass the ball to as Indiana Pacers Clint Richardson (center) and Steve Stipanovich (right) fall backward during first quarter NBA action in Inglewood, California on Friday, Feb. 14, 1987. Johnson scored 40 points as the Lakers defeated the Pacers, 113-108. (AP Photo/Bob Galbraith)

7. Larry Hughes - CBC

Maybe the most exciting St. Louis high school player ever.

Hughes led the Cadets to a state title and then led SLU to the NCAA Tournament.

In the NBA, Hughes had a long, 14-year pro career where he averaged in the 20s twice.

Credit: ASSOCIATED PRESS
Los Angeles Lakers' Kobe Bryant (24) drives the ball around New York Knicks' Larry Hughes (0) during the third period of an NBA basketball game Friday, Jan. 22, 2010, in New York. The Knicks defeated the Lakers 115-105. (AP Photo/Kathy Kmonicek)

6. David Lee - Chaminade

Lee is the first Chaminade star on the list.

A McDonald's All-American, a first round draft pick, a two-time All-Star and an NBA championship with the Golden State Warriors.

Credit: AP
Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry, top, carries the Larry O'Brien championship trophy behind forward David Lee after the team landed in Oakland, Calif., Wednesday, June 17, 2015. The Warriors beat the Cleveland Cavaliers to win their first NBA championship since 1975. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)

5. Bill Bradley - Crystal City

The most impressive overall resume on the list.

A Final Four at Princeton, two titles with the Knicks, a member of the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame, a Rhodes Scholar and United States Senator.

Credit: AP
William "Bill" Bradley, basketball player for Princeton University, is the first player chosed as the winner of the James E. Sullivan Award presentd by the Amateur Athletic Union to the most outstanding amateur athelete, Mar. 1, 1965. (AP Photo)

4. Jayson Tatum - Chaminade

Before it's all said and done, expect to see Tatum at the top of this list.

He's just 22, and already an All-Star. At 25, he might be the best player in the entire NBA.

Credit: AP
Fans reach out to Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum (0) as he leaves the court holding his son, Deuce, after the Celtics defeated the Los Angeles Clippers, 141-133, in a double overtime NBA basketball game, Thursday, Feb. 13, 2020, in Boston. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola)

3. Bradley Beal - Chaminade

The best shooter to ever come out of St. Louis.

Beal is the first area player to average 30 points in an NBA season. Beal did it this year, with the rest of the NBA regular season likely being lost to the coronavirus.

Credit: AP
Washington Wizards guard Bradley Beal (3) reacts after a basket during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Milwaukee Bucks, Monday, Feb. 24, 2020, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

2. Ed Macauely - SLUH

He led SLU to the NIT championship and was the college player of the year.

He was the MVP of the first NBA All-Star Game and helped the Hawks win a title in 1958.

There will only be one "Easy Ed".

Credit: ASSOCIATED PRESS
Ed Macauley, new player-manager of the St. Louis Hawks is as active on the bench as he is on the court. Here he is directing his 1957-58 champions against the Philadelphia Warriors in Madison Square Garden in New York, Nov. 25, 1958. Hawks lost 106-105 but retained western division lead. (AP Photo/Tom Fitzsimmons)

1. Jojo White - McKinley

A two-time All-American at Kansas, an Olympic gold medal, two world titles with the Celtics, a Finals MVP and seven All-Star games, White has the accolades.

He played 82 straight games over five consecutive years.

Jojo White is St. Louis' greatest player ever.

Credit: AP
Kansas University's JoJo White (15), moves fast around Colorado's Mickey Kern, left, in the Big Eight conference game at Lawrence, Kansas, Feb. 1, 1969. White was playing his last game for the Jayhawks. Kansas won, 80-70. (AP Photo/William P. Straeter)

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