1996 McDonald's High School All-American Dunk Contest

Some of the younger posters on the board may not be familiar with this story, and some of the old timers may not even remember it. It's a great sports story, but since it has LSU ties it belongs on the Rant.

The year was 1996. The place was the Pittsburgh Civic Arena. The McDonald's High School All-American Dunk Contest featured can't-miss NBA prospects from Compton, CA; Paterson, NJ; Baton Rouge, LA; and Philadelphia, PA. All four were high fliers with equally eye-popping resumes on the hardwood.

The kid from Compton was a 6'6 leaper with a scholarship to Oregon State. He would later become a 1st round draft pick of the Chicago Bulls.

The kid from Jersey was a 6'10 big man who had averaged 25 points per game in prep ball and had a full ride to Villanova. The Nets would later select the homegrown product in the 1st round.

The kid from Baton Rouge was a 6'8 forward from Glen Oaks HS who would eventually sign with Dale Brown's LSU Tigers.

The kid from Philly was a 6'6 guard who was undecided about his plans after high school.

All four kids were impressive in the dunk contest. Basketball aficionados remember the 1996 high school dunk contest as one of the most memorable displays of raw athleticism. In the final round, the kid from Baton Rouge won over the crowd, and the judges, with an incredible dunk over a rack of basketballs. The champion's name was Lester Earl.

Earl would go on to battle injuries and off-the-court issues in his college career at LSU and Kansas and, despite a pro stint in Europe, never made it to the NBA.

The other kids? From Compton, Corey Benjamin. From Jersey was Tim Thomas, and from Philly was none other than Kobe Bryant.

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