Shawnee County's basketball legends: Cast your vote for the best in history
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There aren’t many better places in Kansas to watch basketball than in Topeka. Some of the best players in the state’s history have started in the capital city. There have been so many outstanding players from the area and now is your time to vote.
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As the United States approaches its 250th anniversary, USA TODAY Sports will celebrate the 250 greatest American sports figures of all time.
Alongside that national recognition, the USA TODAY Network will spotlight the roots of the country’s sports culture: the high school athletes and sports figures who shaped communities.
Below are 10 players who performed at a high level in the Topeka area. Vote from this group of players or write in your own answer for the best basketball player in history from Shawnee County.
Shelley Foster, Seaman
Foster led the Vikings to the school’s first-ever state championship in 1991, when Seaman defeated Manhattan. Foster went on to have a hall of fame career with Washburn. She recorded 2,144 career points, which currently ranks No. 2 in program history. She was inducted into Washburn’s Hall of Fame in 2005 and into the MIAA Hall of Fame in 2014.
Nadira Hazim, Topeka West
The 1987 graduate helped the Chargers make the state championship game. She was an all-state selection in her senior season and is a 2000 Topeka West Hall of Fame inductee. She went on to play collegiately at Kansas State. Hazim ranks No. 9 in Kansas State’s all-time scoring chart with 1,670 points. In 1991, she was an honorable mention All-American selection.
Lon Kruger, Silver Lake
Before becoming a legendary college basketball coach, Kruger held Silver Lake’s all-time scoring record with 1,636. His record was snapped by Dayne Johnson this winter. Kruger went on to become a two-time Big 8 Conference Player of the Year with Kansas State. Kruger was also drafted by the Houston Astros out of high school opting to play for the Wildcats.
Delvy Lewis, Washburn Rural
The 1962 graduate led the Junior Blues to the 1960 state championship. During his time at Washburn Rural, the guard accumulated a 67-7 record across his career. In college, he was a first-team Big 8 member with the Kansas Jayhawks.
Jen Perine, Rossville
The 1996 graduate still holds Rossville’s all-time scoring list with 2,162 points. She is also the program’s all-time assist leader with 616 assists and steals leads with 520.
Brenda Shaffer-Dahl, Shawnee Heights
The 1986 Shawnee Heights graduate was a first-team all-state during her senior season. She led the Thunderbirds to the state championship with a win over Bishop Ward. After high school, she became Washburn’s greatest player. She scored 2,613 career points, which is still the most in school history. She also holds the record for most rebounds with 1,106, which is almost 200 more than anyone else on the list. Shaffer-Dahl was a 1999 Washburn Hall of Fame inductee.
Fred Slaughter, Topeka High
The 1960 Topeka High graduate led the Trojans to a state runner-up finish during his junior year. Slaughter was also a state champion track athlete for the Trojans. After high school, Slaughter went to UCLA, where he played for John Wooden. He would help UCLA win the 1964 National Championship, the first title under Wooden and the school’s first undefeated season. Slaughter still ranks No. 6 in UCLA history for rebounds per game and No. 16 in total career rebounds.
Mark Turgeon, Hayden
With the Wildcats, Turgeon helped the team win back-to-back state championships in 1982 and 1983. In college, Turgeon was the first KU player to feature in four consecutive NCAA Tournaments. He helped the Jayhawks reach the Final Four in 1986. He has gone on to an illustrious coaching career with Maryland, Wichita State and Texas A&M. Turgeon is the new UMKC coach. In 2021, Turgeon was part of Hayden’s inaugural Hall of Fame class.
Kyle Weems, Highland Park
The 2007 graduate from Highland Park led the Scots to an undefeated Class 5A State Championship in his senior season. Weems went on to have a fantastic career at Missouri State. He was the 2011 Missouri Valley Conference Player of the Year. He ranks No. 2 on the all-time Missouri State scoring record with 1,868 points. He has also played in the most games in Missouri State history. Weems was inducted into the Missouri State Hall of Fame this year.
Peyton Williams, Cair Paravel
Williams graduated from Cair Paravel in 2016, where she scored over 1,500 points in her career. She went on to have an outstanding two-sport career with Kansas State in basketball and volleyball. In 2019, she was a first-team all-Big 12 selection and played for Team USA in the Pan American Games. She owns the Kansas State record for most consecutive free throws made in a row with 38. She also ranks No. 11 on the all-time scoring charts with 1.553 points and No. 4 in all-time rebounds. Williams has enjoyed a strong professional career across Europe and Asia. This spring, she has featured for the Portland Fire and Phoenix Mercury in the WNBA.
Liam Keating covers high school sports and Washburn University for The Topeka Capital-Journal. Send stats or information to him at [email protected]
This article originally appeared on Topeka Capital-Journal: Vote for Shawnee County's best basketball player in history