On June 22nd, the National Basketball Association (NBA) conducted its annual amateur draft, during which 58 of the finest basketball players from around the world were selected by the NBA’s 30 teams. Notably, Broward County produced five players who were chosen in this draft.
The first pair of players from Broward County were the Thompson twins, who showcased their skills at Pine Crest School. Amen Thompson was picked as the fourth overall selection by the Houston Rockets, followed by his brother, Ausar Thompson, who was chosen by the Detroit Pistons in the subsequent pick.
Taylor Hendricks, who played for both University School and Calvary Christian, was selected as the ninth pick by the Utah Jazz. Jett Howard, hailing from University School, became the 11th pick, joining the Orlando Magic. Lastly, Toumani Camara from Chaminade-Madonna concluded Broward County’s representation by being selected as the 52nd pick by the Phoenix Suns in the second round.
The Thompson twins initially made the varsity team at Pine Crest in eighth grade and quickly rose to become two of the top players in the country. They led Pine Crest to a state championship during their junior year, both averaging over 20 points per game. After their junior seasons, Amen and Ausar decided to depart Pine Crest and join the professional Overtime Elite league in Atlanta.
Hendricks played alongside Barnes, Howard, and Vernon Carey Jr. at University School, forming a formidable team. He later transferred to Calvary Christian for his final two years of high school, where he won consecutive state championships. Afterward, he played one season at the University of Central Florida (UCF) and became the program’s first-ever first-round draft pick.
Howard, who was also part of the talented University School team, transferred to IMG Academy for his final two years of high school. Following his high school career, he played college basketball at the University of Michigan under the guidance of his father, Juwan Howard, a former 19-year NBA player who currently serves as the head coach for the Wolverines.
Notably, with the Orlando Magic, Howard will join forces with Jonathan Isaac, who attended the International School of Broward in Hollywood for two seasons.
Although Camara was born in Belgium, he moved to South Florida and played high school basketball at Chaminade-Madonna. He went on to play two years of college basketball at the University of Georgia before transferring to Dayton for an additional two seasons, where he earned recognition as an all-conference player. Camara’s selection in the NBA draft marks a significant milestone as he becomes the first-ever player from Chaminade-Madonna to be drafted into the NBA.
