NBA CONNECTION Volume 8...EAST BAY...OAKtown...the BAY...OAKLANDERS...BALLERS from OAKLAND CA

The NBA Connection back at it again this time we travel to the Left Coast and will stop in the East Bay Oakland California. Known for its rich Tradition in High School Football and Basketball...the Bay has some of the best players ever to play in the NBA especially at the guard slot.

Remember the Cities right outside of Oaktown that also count as being from the Bay when you make the biggest stage of them all the NBA. Some of these names didn't make the NBA but you have to put them into the mix because Oaktown Hoops wouldn't be talked about if it weren't for Few Street Ballers.

Is the East Bay as good as the LA Connection the Bluedude may think so in areas. L.A. is just so much bigger by population that Numbers and the Law of Averages would and should favor the City of Angels.

Some of the High Schools that have cranked out some of the best East Bay Talent on the Hardwood:

Oakland Tech HS
Oakland HS
Oaklnad Castlemont HS
Oakland Fremont HS
Oakland Skyline HS
Oakland McClymonds
Oakland Bishop O'Dowd
Concord CA De La Salle HS
Alemada County CA St. Jospeh Notre Dame HS

These are just some of the well-known High Schools not counting players form other high schools in the area.

Players that have played for the Logo and/or have had an impact in Basketball in the East Bay...

Bill Russell McClymonds Celtics the Greatest Celtic of All-Time
Gary Payton Skyline Sonics aka the Glove
Jason Kidd St., Joseph Notre Dame aka J-Kidd
Greg Foster Skyline Jazz/Hawks among others

Antonio Davis McClymonds aka Tone Pacers, Bulls, Raptors among others
Isiah Rider Encinal (Alameda CA) aka Easy Rider T'Wolves, Blazers among others
Demetrius Mitchell McClymonds aka Hook arguably Top 3 Ever out of the BAY
Drew Gooden El Cerrito (Oakland) aka D-Good Grizz/Magic among others

Leon Powe Tech HS aka the Powe Show Celtics, Cavs among others...
Paul Silas McClymonds aka the Silas One SuperSonics World Champ
Brain Shaw Bishop O'Dowd Ce'tocs/Lakers among others Current Nugs Lead Man

Barry Boys Concord (CA) De La Salle HS.....Sons of NBA HOF Rick Barry
Brent Barry Spurs, Sonics, Clippers among others the best of the Barry Boys
Jon Barry Bucks/Hawks/Lakers among others ESPN NBA Analyst currently
Scooter Barry the only Barry not to play in the LOGO
Drew Barry Sonics/ Hawks....

Phil Chenier Berkeley (CA) HS...Bullets, Pacers, Warriors played with Wes, Kevin Greivey, n Big E...all played on Bullets who lost to SUPERSONICS in '78-'79 Season

Eddie House Berkeley (CA) Hayward HS Heat, Clippers, Celtics among others
Cliff T. Robinson Castlemont HS (Oakland) 76ers, Nets, and Bullets among others
Jamaal Wilkes Berkeley (CA) Santa Barbara HS Lakers, Warriors, Clippers...

East Bay may have the best Point God ever in the LOGO in Jason Kidd and the "Glove"at least a Top 5 of All-Time and a Top 5 Player of All-Time in the great Bill Russell of the San Francisco University Dons and the Boston Celtics.

They also have one of the most documented Street Hoopers of all-time in Demetrius "HOOK" Mitchell who all the Hoopers around his time pay great respect to in the Bay like Easy Rider, the Glove, J-Kidd, and Tone.

Easily one of the hidden jewels in Hoops Lore the East Bay is unless your from there. Is it in the Bluedude's Top 10 of course and a arguably a Top 5...the Jury still is out on that one.

Big Ups to my guy born and raised in the East Bay and played for Bishop O'Dowd and we worked in the LOGO together Bart "Hella East Bay" E....holla back fool n send that text sooner.

Follow the Bluedude on Twitter @bluedudesports and on Google Plus put me in your circle AJ Harris Sports Blogger...this has been a Bluedude Sportstalk Exclusive...the NBA Connection!