Ronnie Henderson
Encyclopedia
Ronnie Henderson a 6'4" (1.93m) shooting guard
, was an American basketball player.
A cousin of fellow Gulfport native and two time "Mr. Basketball" for the state of Mississippi Chris Jackson
a.k.a. Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf
, Henderson moved to Jackson, MS, where he was rumored to have scored 85 points in a thirty-two minute Junior High game and to have a 45" (1.14 m) vertical leap. He became a high school phenom and helped establish Murrah High School
as a national powerhouse in basketball.
The school had already produced Steve Galloway (Mississippi's Mr. Basketball, 1986), McDonalds All-American James Robinson
(Mr. Basketball, 1989) and NBA veteran Lindsey Hunter
. But the lineup Henderson starred in was the most formidable yet. Along with fellow future Southeastern Conference
(SEC) standouts Joezon Darby (Ole Miss) and Jesse Pate (University of Arkansas
), Henderson teamed with the number one recruit in the nation, Othella Harrington
(Mr. Basketball, 1991 and '92). Henderson was the leading scorer for the now legendary high scoring team that would routinely draw thousands of onlookers.
Despite dislocating his shoulder, Henderson was the nation's top rated shooting guard
in 1993. Then, despite former San Antonio Spurs
head coach Jerry Tarkanian
making the then unheard of declaration of drafting a high school player (Henderson would be his first pick if he'd enter the draft), he joined the nation's top point guard
, Randy Livingston
, at LSU. However, college basketball's most highly touted backcourt duo never lived up to expectations due to injuries to Livingston.
Ronnie Henderson did go on to lead the SEC in scoring two straight years (23.3 points per game as a sophomore, 21.8 ppg as a junior) despite suffering knee injuries of his own. He was a 1st team All SEC selection in 1995 and 1996.
Henderson chose to leave school after his junior year where he slipped far below most people's expectations to the 55th overall pick of the 1996 NBA draft
. Selected by the Washington Bullets, he never played a game.
Shooting guard
The shooting guard , also known as the two or off guard, is one of five traditional positions on a basketball team. Players of the position are often shorter, leaner, and quicker than forwards. A shooting guard's main objective is to score points for his team...
, was an American basketball player.
A cousin of fellow Gulfport native and two time "Mr. Basketball" for the state of Mississippi Chris Jackson
Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf
Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf is an American professional basketball player.-Life and career:Abdul-Rauf was born in Gulfport, Mississippi. After a record-setting college career at Louisiana State University, he was selected with the third pick in the 1990 NBA Draft by the Denver Nuggets...
a.k.a. Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf
Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf
Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf is an American professional basketball player.-Life and career:Abdul-Rauf was born in Gulfport, Mississippi. After a record-setting college career at Louisiana State University, he was selected with the third pick in the 1990 NBA Draft by the Denver Nuggets...
, Henderson moved to Jackson, MS, where he was rumored to have scored 85 points in a thirty-two minute Junior High game and to have a 45" (1.14 m) vertical leap. He became a high school phenom and helped establish Murrah High School
Murrah High School
Murrah High School is a public high school in Jackson, Mississippi . It is part of the Jackson Public School District.-Demographics:There were a total of about 1,600 students enrolled in Murrah High during the 2008-2009 school year. The gender makeup of the district was 56% female and 44% male...
as a national powerhouse in basketball.
The school had already produced Steve Galloway (Mississippi's Mr. Basketball, 1986), McDonalds All-American James Robinson
James Robinson (basketball)
James "Hollywood" Robinson is a former American professional basketball player, most notably in the NBA....
(Mr. Basketball, 1989) and NBA veteran Lindsey Hunter
Lindsey Hunter
Lindsey Benson Hunter, Jr. is a former American professional basketball player. He was a point guard in the National Basketball Association from 1993 to 2010, spending most of his career with Detroit Pistons...
. But the lineup Henderson starred in was the most formidable yet. Along with fellow future Southeastern Conference
Southeastern Conference
The Southeastern Conference is an American college athletic conference that operates in the southeastern part of the United States. It is headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama...
(SEC) standouts Joezon Darby (Ole Miss) and Jesse Pate (University of Arkansas
University of Arkansas
The University of Arkansas is a public, co-educational, land-grant, space-grant, research university. It is classified by the Carnegie Foundation as a research university with very high research activity. It is the flagship campus of the University of Arkansas System and is located in...
), Henderson teamed with the number one recruit in the nation, Othella Harrington
Othella Harrington
Othella Harrington is a retired American professional basketball player and current coach. After he finished his high school career at Murrah High School, he played in college at Georgetown University where he teamed with NBA superstar Allen Iverson...
(Mr. Basketball, 1991 and '92). Henderson was the leading scorer for the now legendary high scoring team that would routinely draw thousands of onlookers.
Despite dislocating his shoulder, Henderson was the nation's top rated shooting guard
Shooting guard
The shooting guard , also known as the two or off guard, is one of five traditional positions on a basketball team. Players of the position are often shorter, leaner, and quicker than forwards. A shooting guard's main objective is to score points for his team...
in 1993. Then, despite former San Antonio Spurs
San Antonio Spurs
The San Antonio Spurs are an American professional basketball team based in San Antonio, Texas. They are part of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association ....
head coach Jerry Tarkanian
Jerry Tarkanian
Jerry Tarkanian , also known as "Tark the Shark", is a retired college basketball coach known as one of the winningest coaches in college basketball history...
making the then unheard of declaration of drafting a high school player (Henderson would be his first pick if he'd enter the draft), he joined the nation's top point guard
Point guard
Point guard , also called the play maker or "the ball-handler", is one of the standard positions in a regulation basketball game. A point guard has perhaps the most specialized role of any position – essentially, he is expected to run the team's offense by controlling the ball and making sure that...
, Randy Livingston
Randy Livingston
Randy Livingston is a former American professional basketball player who last played point guard for the NBA Development League's Idaho Stampede. He stands 6 ft 4 in and weighs 209 lb...
, at LSU. However, college basketball's most highly touted backcourt duo never lived up to expectations due to injuries to Livingston.
Ronnie Henderson did go on to lead the SEC in scoring two straight years (23.3 points per game as a sophomore, 21.8 ppg as a junior) despite suffering knee injuries of his own. He was a 1st team All SEC selection in 1995 and 1996.
Henderson chose to leave school after his junior year where he slipped far below most people's expectations to the 55th overall pick of the 1996 NBA draft
1996 NBA Draft
The 1996 NBA Draft was the 50th draft in the National Basketball Association . It was held on June 26, 1996 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. The draft was broadcast in the United States on the Turner Network Television...
. Selected by the Washington Bullets, he never played a game.