Cazzie Russell

Cazzie Lee Russell, born June 7, 1944, in Chicago, Illinois, is an American former professional basketball player and coach. He attended Carver High School in Chicago, where he was named All-State in two seasons. During the 1961–62 season, his junior year, he averaged 25 points per game and became the first player from Illinois to be named Mr. Basketball USA, and was also named the Chicago Sun-Times Boys' Player of the Year. That same season he led Carver to the final game of the Illinois High School Association state championship tournament. After winning its first three tournament games, Carver lost the championship game 49–48 to Stephen Decatur High School, a school with double Carver's student population, in the final moments. Russell scored 24 points in that game, finished as the second leading scorer in the tournament, and was named to the All-Tournament Team.

Russell was selected by the New York Knicks with the first overall pick of the 1966 NBA draft. He became an NBA All-Star and won an NBA championship with the Knicks in 1970.