Highest-rated Class of 2026 men's basketball recruits from Connecticut

From the roaring crowd to squeaking sneakers on the hardwood, high school basketball is a beloved American pastime.

The sport's school roots date back to its 19th-century beginnings. After all, James Naismith invented basketball as a physical education activity. The concept of a state championship for high school basketball soon followed. Illinois, for example, held a state championship as early as 1908. Other states with early high school basketball championships include Indiana ( first championship in 1911 ) and Wisconsin ( 1916 ).

Now, the sport is etched into the ethos of the American high school. Almost 900,000 student athletes play on their high school basketball team, according to 2024-25 school year data

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