He was the 14th overall pick by the Boston Celtics in the 1995 draft, playing for seven teams over 13 seasons. Noticing that players would start to falter defensively in the second half, he would have his players hold bricks while doing their workouts and sprints. D.J. worked out under his father's tutelage, learning some of the game's subtleties, and becoming a standout wherever he played. At 6-foot-5, Milt Wagner was a lanky guard with a smooth shooting stroke and an unflappable demeanor. The6-foot-11 center, nicknamed the Whopper, is a member of the ABA All-Time team. DJ Wagner the No. This was Turner's last state championship team. The crowd exploded. 3 in the nation at the Seagull Classic at Holy Spirit. [2] For his senior year he debuted on December 15 scoring 36 points against Eastern, followed by a 50-points performance against Bishop Eustace. They want you to mold them to be a man, and if they trust you, they give it. Wagner is one of the few players that have won national titles in high school, college and in the NBA. But Wagner can't stay in Camden forever. Visualize it and stay on that path. Sparrow, who starred at Eastside High in Paterson, had a productive 12-year career as a point guard in the NBA. He wants to lead an NBA franchise. All rights reserved. [11] On November 14, 2022, Wagner committed to the University of Kentucky, deciding over Louisville. List of basketball players who have scored 100 points in a single game, List of second-generation National Basketball Association players, List of people diagnosed with ulcerative colitis, "Wagner signs with Warriors after two years out of NBA", "Camden's Dajuan Wagner still hears about his 100-point game in 2001", Philadelphia local news, sports, jobs, cars, homes - Philly.com, "Too Slick, Too Loud, Too Successful Why John Calipari Can't Catch A Break", "Tryout over: Warriors release little-used guard Wagner", "Dajuan Wagner Continues Comeback Signs With AmeriLeague", "AmeriLeague Founder Revealed As Con Artist", "Intestinal Fortitude; After surgery for colitis, Dajuan Wagner is trying to resume a career that once showed such promise", "Class of 2023 recruiting rankings headlined by DaJuan Wagner Jr., Mikey Williams and Bronny James", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Dajuan_Wagner&oldid=1149170560, American expatriate basketball people in Poland, Basketball players from Camden, New Jersey, Parade High School All-Americans (boys' basketball), People from West Deptford Township, New Jersey, 21st-century African-American sportspeople, Short description is different from Wikidata, All Wikipedia articles written in American English, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 10 April 2023, at 15:41. Earlier this fall, state athletic officials banned a New Jersey high school from this year's football playoffs and placed it on a two-year probation for improperly recruiting a rival player. West, a Teaneck native, has turned down millions in pursuit of the one thing he has lacked in his career: A championship ring. He came up with the idea and got buy-in from his sponsor Nike and city officials, says his mother Syreeta Brittingham, who hopes the party will become an annual event "to honor D.J. Find out more. Each era has its uniqueness. CAMDEN, N.J. - Pat Croce rarely saw anything that could ruin his feel-great spirit, but he would make an exception in the 1997 NBA offseason. And it was that disrespect that drew Muggsy to basketball. The following year, in 1981, Bogues transferred for his junior season (high school for them was just three years). Theyre like coach, we need you, but were happy for you. Our reasoning for presenting offensive logos. The pride of Bloomfield carved out an impressive 10-year career in the NBA after playing collegiately for Notre Dame, scoring 12,142 points -- that's 17.2 a game -- while twice being chosen for the All-Star Game. He went back to school at Columbia after finishing his NBA career to get his degree. The Newark native has emerged as strong rebounding forward during the first six years of his career, averaging 11.9 points and 8.5 rebounds a game. This page was last edited on 25 April 2023, at 22:03. D.J., a sleek, 6-3 combo guard, led a stacked Panthers squad to a state championship last season, averaging over 19 points a game. Two of the team's star players were from 70 miles north of Camden, and one lived in a house owned by Wagner's father, Dajuan, a former Camden star and NBA lottery pick. Dalembert's journey took him from Haiti to St. Patrick's of Elizabeth to Seton Hall and then anywhere in the NBA where a GM needed a big body. Camden High School's new head basketball coach Maalik Wayns instructs his players during the boys basketball game between Camden and Rancocas Valley . At 17, D.J. "I got drafted but winning the state championship for my city, that was the best," Dajuan told SLAM Magazine in 2020. But college recruiting was no easy field. The Knicks might want a return on the four-year, $72 million contract they gave him, though. In an area where most kids dont expect to live past 20, Bogues and Williams retreated to basketball. 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Also: N.J.'s 50 greatest baseball players. He averaged 8.2 points and 3.4 rebounds a game as pro. It was just as big when Juannie came in, Milt Wagner said. In a stunning turnaround, the same crowd that had been laughing at his size just hours before was now chanting his name. That's when not even he could take another game . Only two players in NBA history have done it and they are both named Wilt Chamberlain. [4], In his first game, December 20, 2019, in front of a capacity crowd that waited more than an hour to try to get admission into the game,[5] Wagner scored 15 points despite missing 6 of his first 7 field goal attempts. He also broke the record for points in a single season for Memphis with 762. People of all ages pack the bleachers at home games and a large contingent of Panthers fans follows the team on the road. Even Camden star Billy Thompson was laughing along. and the Wagner basketball legacy before he starts his climb up the basketball pyramid. "Going to the NBA is almost like hitting the lottery," Miller says. Wagner has said he plans to attend college before going pro. became the linchpin in the effort to put The High back on top. He said he is most proud of his grandsons team-first approach to the game. RealGM Trade Checker Step 1: Select the Teams Choose at least two teams from the menus below to start your trade. . The national player of the year honor is the latest accolade for Wagner, who, along with fellow future Wildcat Justin Edwards, was named Co-MVP of the Iverson Classic as Team Loyalty defeated Team Honor 131-124 at Kean University in Union, N.J. Saturday night. "Once we got it started, I wasn't just representing the Wagner name, I was representing our city," Wagner says. Use of and/or registration on any portion of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement (updated 4/4/2023), Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement, and Your Privacy Choices and Rights (updated 1/26/2023). His shirtless celebration after the Cavaliers won the 2016 championship -- with Smith starting all 21 playoff games -- became a big deal on social media. They retired his No. The 6-11 center averaged 7.8 rebounds a game during his career, and used those long arms to become one of the league's most effective shot blockers. Whenever Lafayette and Cecil went up against each other, the whole city would come and fill the gym. Meanwhile, D.J. Unlike many of his peers, he posts sparingly on social media. I can relate to these kids. Wagner came of age as a player at a time when his city was in a downward spiral, and even then, he could sense that Camden High basketball was a civic lifeline. Join our linker program. Through the decades, the school everyone here simply calls "The High" has won 12 state championships in boys basketball, the most of any public school in New Jersey, and been runners-up another 16 times. The game was played on November 11, 2006 with the Warriors defeating the Detroit Pistons 111 - 79. This is tricky, because several great players such as Luol Deng only stayed in New Jersey briefly. could potentially make it.". It didn't end well for the big Plainsboro native, who the Los Angeles Lakers surprisingly made a first-round pick out of St. Joseph (Metuchen) in 2005. Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. You can also contact him at 856-486-2431. Take me, show me, lead me. CAMDEN, WHICH SITS on nine square miles just across the Delaware River from Philadelphia, was once renowned as a manufacturing hub, churning out products from Navy vessels and RCA Victor phonographs to Campbell's soup. Murdock, who starred at Bridgewater-Raritan High, played 508 games in his NBA career and averaged 10.1 points a game. He never started more than 20 games in a season after that, but he played through 2011 before retiring. The game is tentatively scheduled for the afternoon of Saturday, Jan. 16. Always ridiculed and looked over, he found that the sport could earn him the currency of the land: respect. Reggie Williams caught it in mid-flight and slammed it home. 50 years young and a family man, Tyrone Muggsy Bogues stepped into the 50th-floor lounge unassumingly. Wagner was chosen with the sixth overall pick of the 2002 NBA draft by the Cleveland Cavaliers. His advice to kids today? He appeared in more than 400 games, mostly with the Clippers, and averaged 8.2 points a game. Wherever he chooses, he has the potential to go further than both his dad and his grandfather, to become the biggest NBA star to come out of Camden yet. 1 basketball recruit in the country for the class of 2023, according to 247Sports[21] and selected as a McDonald's All American in 2023. The only place he wanted to be was Camden. Our reasoning for presenting offensive logos. Barry, who was named one of the NBA's 50 Greatest Players in 1996, is the only player in basketball history to lead the NCAA, the ABA and the NBA in scoring for a single season. He isn't a star, but he has proven himself to be a valuable bench player on eight teams. Born in Caldwell, Henderson was the No. J." ", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Dajuan_Wagner_Jr.&oldid=1151730067. The Camden (N.J.) 5-star combo guard is the second straight Kentucky signee to win the award, following Cason Wallace, who took home the honor in 2021. Help support local journalism with a Courier Post subscription. Milt Wagner said the expectations that surround D.J. They looked on with joy as Muggsy and Kim who met him at a Dunbar alumni game renewed their vows. When the small-of-stature Muggsy was announced in the starting lineup, the whole Camden High gym laughed and jeered. Send along your thoughts. He started all 20 games for the Miami Heat during their 2011 playoff run that ended with a loss to the Dallas Mavericks in six games. I think it helped elevate my profile.". Wiping out every opponent, Dunbar was so good that they felt their practices were more intense than actual games. Growing up, the two friends would always play on the same team together. Through the decline and rebirth, the Panthers' dominance has been a constant and the team is woven through the fabric of the city. CAMDEN The signals keep mounting that Joel Embiid will not be available for Game 1 of the NBA Eastern Conference semifinals Monday due to a sprained right knee ligament. In one game against DeMatha, Muggsy went up for a layup, but was trapped by two defenders in mid-air. The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame's Hoophall Classic annually features the top high school players and teams from around the country. Trust me, he got a lot of his dad, Milt Wagner said of his grandson. 1979 (25-4). He is seeking to become the first-ever third-generation NBA player.[13]. Wagner and Bronny James, two of the top players in the class of 2023, according to a Masslive.com report. 6 pick in the 2002 NBA draft, but injury and illness derailed his career. He debuted on December 19, 1997 against Highland High School, scoring 12 points. He wants to be a head college basketball coach. They always had each others backs something Muggsy didnt get elsewhere on the court because of his size. 1 prospect in the high school class of 2023 has made a decision. The man who had the unenviable task of replacing Bill Russell on the Boston Celtics eventually became a fan favorite in the city. Modify, Export & Share Table. There is a more holistic power Jimmy Butler has access to, involving his fearlessness and his great strategic intelligence but not limited to these things. Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. It's evidence of a family legacy that he has both inherited and made his own. Former NBA player and coach Rick Brunson will be hired as the new basketball coach at Camden High School pending board of education approval, The Inquirer has learned. I love the game today, he said. During his playing career, he was listed at 6'3" (1.91 m) tall and 175 lbs. Son: A long family lineage continues as father Dajuan Wagner scored 3,451 career points and his grandfather Milt Wagner scored 2,003 career points, with both resulting in state championships for Camden. Wagner is only a senior at Camden High School. He kept his composure and did what he had to do.. That is like all we got here: Camden High School basketball. But despite his NBA success, Bogues best memories playing basketball were actually long before. ; Step 2: Choose the . At the time, they celebrated his on-court brilliance. With a pastor and their family and friends present, there at the top of a high-rise apartment building, Bogues and his ex-wife, Kim, renewed their vows and were married again on January 9, 2015 some 30 years after they had first met and started dating. Theyre great. City political leaders, including Mayor Victor Carstarphen, the school board president and a former member of the city council and state legislature, once wore the Panthers' purple and gold. Its why he recently submitted his resignation as Camden High Schools boys basketball coach. Everyone says thats your calling and Im like yeah, yeah, yeah, Brunson said. D.J. Indeed if Muggsy had never believed in himself, if he had never visualized what he could become he wouldnt be the player and man he is today. He finished six points shy of 8,000 for his career, and then became one of the top players for the expansion Minnesota Timberwolves. Kentucky, led by his father's college coach John Calipari, and Louisville, where his grandfather played and was hired in May to head basketball player development and alumni relations, are widely seen as the front-runners. As recently as 1970, Camden was majority white, but the city is now 93% Black and Hispanic. The SPORTS REFERENCE and STATHEAD trademarks are owned exclusively by Sports Reference LLC. This page is not available in other languages. During the 2004-2005 season, he was hospitalized with ulcerative colitis. Milt Wagner grew up in Camden and played in the city's youth leagues. Featuring four future NBA players, the Dunbar Poets from 1981-1983 have made their case to be the best high school basketball team of all time. He led the Panthers to a 29-1 record and their first South Jersey Group 2 title since 2017. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. At nearly every game, Charlie Miller, a . The 2016 Rookie of the Year has started all of the 164 games in his career so far, and last season averaged 25.1 points and 12.3 rebounds for the Timberwolves. Many recruiters were known to be corrupt, Bogues told us he still watches the league today and is a fan. [15] That one game that Wagner played with Golden State ended up being the only game he played in the 2006 - 2007 season and the final game of his NBA career. 6 min read. ClutchPoints was able to. The goal was to build endurance, strength, and of course, character. His best season came in 2008-09, when he averaged 16.2 points and 6.7 rebounds a game for Milwaukee. The Millstonenative and St. Benedict's Prep (Newark) graduate has had his ups and downs during his NBA career, but was named the league's Sixth Man of the Year in 2013. On October 12, 2015, he attempted to return to basketball and planned to sign with the AmeriLeague. Saint Augustine College Preparatory School. 1987 (28-3). Well, these have been two ridiculous seasons for the Piscataway native and St. Joseph's (Metuchen) star. The explosive 6-foot-3 guard once scored 100 points in a game. 21 jersey in Camdens season-opener vs. Philadelphia Public League power Simon Gratz. He's played eight seasons in the NBA. NBA Players Born In Camden (NJ), United States - RealGM. Abandoned industrial sites dominate other parts of the city, and much of the downtown is eerily quiet, even during business hours. The Hudson Catholic graduate went from one of the finest college teams at North Carolina to some woeful NBA teams in his home state, playing for the Nets from 1980-86. Irving is a four-time All-Star who helped lead the Cleveland Cavaliers to an NBA title last summer, and two months later, Team USA to a gold medal in Rio. He has stood at the top of his recruiting class since he started high school, but he carries himself with a quiet humility, even getting water for his teammates when he is on the bench. And that meant so much to me. AAU Team: NJ Scholars. Attles is still an ambassador for the Golden State franchise. Coach Wade pounced on that, and preached teamwork and togetherness. Dajuan Marquett "D. J." Wagner Jr. (born May 4, 2005) is an American basketball player who attends Camden High School in Camden, New Jersey. David Wingate left for Georgetown at seasons end, and guard Gary Graham went to UNLV. The Panthers finally broke through last season, winning the 2022 state championship. Wade was willing to do whatever it took to protect his players from the hostile, greed-infested environment outside of their gym. in that heritage. 12 in the 1987 Draft and is the shortest player ever to play in the NBA. 25. Follow him on Twitter@StevePoliti. He unfurled one of the most famous performances in Camden basketball history as a senior in 1981, scoring 52 against a DeMatha (Md.)