Game Date: Mar 26th, 2043

La Verne Hall Of Fame

Hall Of Fame Players

#13 - Frank Stewart [ID #114739]     SG
Home Town: Los Angeles, California             High School: Lewis & Clark High School           SG sf
Hall Of Famer                     Years: 2022 - 2027                     Height: 6' 4"                     Skill Index: 178
Games 175, 19.1 ppg, 47.3% fgp, 3.8 3pg, 40.9% 3pp, 81.1% ftp, 1.5 spg, 28.6 mpg
Notes: Frank Stewart is the unlikeliest hero of all time. He started out as a minor recruit, only approached by the Leopards as a smokescreen to hide another recruit they were after. But Stewart proved to be a worthy player and the Leopards were glad to sign him. He started his first two years after a redshirt and was solid, but nothing could have prepared anyone for his next two years. Midway through his redshirt junior season, something clicked, and he began putting up points in bunches. Like 30, 40 points on the regular. In conference play he averaged 26ppg, and this was in LL2 no less. Promoting to legends, nobody would expect Stewart, who had been viewed as having not much potential, to give a repeat performance. And they were right, he came back even better. He led legends in scoring with 26.6ppg, garnering CPOTY for the second time in a row. What makes this even more impressive that he did this despite a 5 game slide towards the end of conference play, when the team was coasting. Stewart's career high was 53 points. His career high in threes made was 15. He leads the Leopards in scoring by a wide margin. For a guard categorized as having "11 potential" by scouts, he outperformed expectations by the widest of margins. What will stand out is the aggression with which he played, the quickness of his jump shot, his unlimited range, and his utter relentlessness. Truly, a Leopard.

#32 - Gregory Cooper [ID #116846]     C
Home Town: Valdosta, Georgia             High School: Central Valdosta High School           C
Hall Of Famer                     Years: 2022 - 2027                     Height: 7' ½"                     Skill Index: 185
Games 183, 16.3 ppg, 58.6% fgp, 8.9 rpg, 1.4 spg, 1.6 bpg, 25.7 mpg
Notes: Gregory Cooper was the man! The Leopards started recruiting him as a freshman, even though we were in LL6 and he was in Georgia. He was booming with potential though, and no other teams caught whiff of him, so we took the opportunity. He is possibly the most impactful Leopard of all time. Unstoppable at the rim, an excellent passer and shooter, who competed on defense and on the boards, Cooper was nearly flawless. He helped catapult the Leopards from the lower divisions all the way up to Legends, while winning Freshman of the Year, All-Conference 3x, and All-American. He was drafted to the Charlotte Hornets, where he has been a starter from day 1.

#33 - Monte Breaux [ID #108293]     SF
Home Town: Los Angeles, California             High School: King High School           SF pf
Hall Of Famer                     Years: 2020 - 2025                     Height: 6' 7"                     Skill Index: 180
Games 186, 12.3 ppg, 46.5% fgp, 1.6 3pg, 36.3% 3pp, 5.7 rpg, 1.3 spg, 28.6 mpg
Notes: Monte Breaux was the most exciting recruit the Leopards had gotten to that time. At 6'7" with a 7'2" wingspan, fast as lightning, and with an incredible ability to pass the ball, Breaux put on a show. He was never the kind of guy to take charge of a game offensively, but he did all the little things. He graduated as arguably the most talented overall Leopard of all time at that point.

#35 - Tory Garnett [ID #126977]     PG
Home Town: La Puente, California             High School: La Puente High School           PG SG sf
Hall Of Famer                     Years: 2024 - 2029                     Height: 6' 4"                     Skill Index: 196
Games 174, 11.8 ppg, 46.7% fgp, 2.1 3pg, 40.8% 3pp, 79.5% ftp, 3.3 apg, 1.2 spg, 24.2 mpg
Notes: Tory Garnett started his career as a super raw, unskilled high school freshman. He only made it onto the team out of charity. But he showed a work ethic that was beyond what anyone at the school had ever seen. He improved so rapidly that by the time he was a sophomore, he caught the eye of the Leopards. His improvement was so immense, in fact, that the Leopards withdrew a scholarship from a five star prospect to make room for him. No other team seemed to take interest in Garnett and he signed with La Verne uncontested. By the time he arrived on campus, he was one of the most promising young recruits in the nation. His college career was no different. His work ethic was so extreme as to warrant concern. By the time he was a redshirt junior he took the starting role, and went on to lead the team in scoring for the next two years. By the time he graduated he was one of the most powerful players the team had ever had, and he was drafted in the first round by the Orlando Magic. Garnett's story has been an inspiration to kids everywhere of what hard work and a little talent can do.

#35 - Herschel McCrary [ID #103737]     C
Home Town: Lancaster, California             High School: Roosevelt High School           C
Hall Of Famer                     Years: 2019 - 2023                     Height: 6' 11½"                     Skill Index: 152
Games 171, 15.8 ppg, 58.0% fgp, 11.3 rpg, 1.1 spg, 1.4 bpg, 29.0 mpg
Notes: Herschel McCrary was the Wilt Chamberlain of the La Verne Leopards. He was in the first class of commits for President Baggins, and signed after just four meetings. He made an immediate impact, averaging 17/12.4/1.4 as a true freshman. Over his career he averaged nearly 16/11/1.4 blocks. His career highs were 32 points and 20 rebounds. He was a beast! Moreover, McCrary dragged the Leopards team to prominence. Previously a doormat, McCrary backboned the defense and fueled the offense to winning their conference two years in a row and promoting to division 1 basketball, as well as two elite 8 appearances in a row. McCrary was an excellent defender and rebounder, an aggressive scorer, and the leader the Leopards needed. He embodied what being a Leopard means. He spent his senior season not only bulldozing on the court, but mentoring freshman center Gary Cooper off the court, which has paid off in the extreme, as Cooper is proudly carrying the torch now. Onward and upward!

#53 - Doug Sommer [ID #102593]     SF
Home Town: Lynwood, California             High School: Lynwood High School           SF sg pf c
Hall Of Famer                     Years: 2019 - 2023                     Height: 6' 3½"                     Skill Index: 144
Games 167, 6.8 ppg, 1.0 3pg, 39.0% 3pp, 20.5 mpg
Notes: Dougie Sommer was my first recruit and I was excited for him. He wasn't any good though.