Vote on Treasure Coast's all-time best from boys basketball

There's nothing easy about the question: Who is the most important boys basketball figure on the Treasure Coast?

USA TODAY Sports will celebrate the 250 greatest American sports figures of all time in conjunction with the United States' 250th anniversary.

Additionally, the USA TODAY Network will highlight the roots of the country’s sports culture: the high school athletes and sports figures who shaped communities and defined their states. This will include trailblazers and trendsetters whose influence reaches beyond championships and statistics. First, we are going to take a look at athletes in their individual sports.

This week, we're honoring the stars of the hardwood. It was no easy task to narrow this list down with so many legendary figures hailing from the Treasure Coast.

Listed in alphabetical order, these players were all standouts at the high school level before moving on to even greater heights in college and the pros.

Don Wallen, legendary basketball coach at Martin County High School

Willie Redden (R) of Antibes makes a jump shot over Fassoulas Panagiotis (L) of Olympiakos during early action of their Champions' club match, Dec. 7, 1995.

Larry Sanders #8 of the Milwaukee Bucks runs up the court after dunking the basketball during the game against the Toronto Raptors at Bradley Center on November 2, 2013 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Indian River Community College president Ed Massey congratulates men’s basketball coach Mike Leatherwood after winning his 600th game on Nov. 23, 2004.

Cleveland Cavaliers forward Riley Minix (12) shoots during the second half against the Washington Wizards at Rocket Arena.

Vero Beach High School's boys basketball team finished 22-1 and won the Class B state title in 1944 despite not having a team the previous season. Team members included (front row, from left) Bob Radin, Eugene Ward, Herb Guy, Alvin Reeser, Felix Hinton, Kenneth Reams; (back row, from left) manager Buddy Cooksey, Max Allen, Raymond Scent, Bill Stobbs, Clay Buckingham, Chuck Stobbs, coach Harold C. Mossey.

Martin County High School head coach John Leon instructs his players against Ponte Vedra during the first half of their FHSAA Boys 6A championship game Saturday, March 5, 2022, at The RP Funding Center in Lakeland.

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Best photos: Treasure Coast's all-time best from boys basketball

Don Wallen, legendary basketball coach at Martin County High School

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Best photos: Treasure Coast's all-time best from boys basketball

Don Wallen, legendary basketball coach at Martin County High School

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Best photos: Treasure Coast's all-time best from boys basketball

Willie Redden (R) of Antibes makes a jump shot over Fassoulas Panagiotis (L) of Olympiakos during early action of their Champions' club match, Dec. 7, 1995.

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Best photos: Treasure Coast's all-time best from boys basketball

Larry Sanders #8 of the Milwaukee Bucks runs up the court after dunking the basketball during the game against the Toronto Raptors at Bradley Center on November 2, 2013 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

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Best photos: Treasure Coast's all-time best from boys basketball

Indian River Community College president Ed Massey congratulates men’s basketball coach Mike Leatherwood after winning his 600th game on Nov. 23, 2004.

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Best photos: Treasure Coast's all-time best from boys basketball

Cleveland Cavaliers forward Riley Minix (12) shoots during the second half against the Washington Wizards at Rocket Arena.

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Best photos: Treasure Coast's all-time best from boys basketball

Vero Beach High School's boys basketball team finished 22-1 and won the Class B state title in 1944 despite not having a team the previous season. Team members included (front row, from left) Bob Radin, Eugene Ward, Herb Guy, Alvin Reeser, Felix Hinton, Kenneth Reams; (back row, from left) manager Buddy Cooksey, Max Allen, Raymond Scent, Bill Stobbs, Clay Buckingham, Chuck Stobbs, coach Harold C. Mossey.

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Best photos: Treasure Coast's all-time best from boys basketball

Martin County High School head coach John Leon instructs his players against Ponte Vedra during the first half of their FHSAA Boys 6A championship game Saturday, March 5, 2022, at The RP Funding Center in Lakeland.

Here are our selections for the boys basketball who have defined the Treasure Coast:

Harold C. Mossey

Vero Beach High School's boys basketball team finished 22-1 and won the Class B state title in 1944 despite not having a team the previous season. Team members included (front row, from left) Bob Radin, Eugene Ward, Herb Guy, Alvin Reeser, Felix Hinton, Kenneth Reams; (back row, from left) manager Buddy Cooksey, Max Allen, Raymond Scent, Bill Stobbs, Clay Buckingham, Chuck Stobbs, coach Harold C. Mossey.

One can't talk basketball in Vero Beach without mentioning the only state championship in school history. Mossey led Vero Beach to the 1944 Class B state championship as head coach while the country was in the throes of World War II. Vero Beach, which practiced on outdoor courts due to its lack of an indoor gym, was described as "the biggest cage upset of the season" in newspaper coverage of the time.

Mike Leatherwood

Indian River Community College president Ed Massey congratulates men’s basketball coach Mike Leatherwood after winning his 600th game on Nov. 23, 2004.

Leatherwood is one of Florida's most accomplished junior college coaches of all time. He took over the head coach role at Indian River Junior College in 1970 at the age of 22. Across 37 years, he amassed more than 700 victories to become Florida's winningest JUCO men's basketball coach. Leatherwood led the Pioneers to a state championship in 1975 and was inducted into the NJCAA Men’s Basketball Hall of Fame.

John Leon

Martin County High School head coach John Leon instructs his players against Ponte Vedra during the first half of their FHSAA Boys 6A championship game Saturday, March 5, 2022, at The RP Funding Center in Lakeland.

Leon has establishing a winning standard as Martin County High head coach and etched himself into Treasure Coast history with a 2022 run to the FHSAA state championship. Hired as Martin County head coach in 2010, Leon owns a 317-75 career record and the best winning percentage in school history. The state title's was Martin County's first since 1979, earning Leon state Coach of the Year honors.

Chuck Loewendick

"Coach Loew" is emblazoned on the basketball court at Vero Beach High School for a very good reason. Loewendick won exactly 600 games in 29 seasons as Vero Beach's head basketball coach, including 12 district titles and four state semifinal appearances. He reached the state semifinals in three different decades. Vero Beach named its court in Loewendick's honor in January 2026.

Riley Minix

Cleveland Cavaliers forward Riley Minix (12) shoots during the second half against the Washington Wizards at Rocket Arena.

Minix enjoyed a late growth spurt in high school and has blossomed into a professional basketball player. The Vero Beach native parlayed success at NAIA Southeastern into an opportunity with Morehead State, where he was named the Ohio Valley Conference Player of the Year in 2024. Minix went undrafted but earned a chance in the NBA via two-way contracts, appearing in six total games for the Cleveland Cavaliers and San Antonio Spurs.

William V. Nixon

Nixon was the head coach for the two earliest recorded boys basketball state championships on the Treasure Coast. He led Lincoln Park Academy to FIAA state titles in 1930 and 1932. During segregation, the Florida Interscholastic Athletic Association organized sports competitions among Black high schools.

Willie Redden

Willie Redden (R) of Antibes makes a jump shot over Fassoulas Panagiotis (L) of Olympiakos during early action of their Champions' club match, Dec. 7, 1995.

Redden was one of the Treasure Coast's first successes in professional basketball. The Fort Pierce Central legend enjoyed a solid four-year career at South Florida before he was selected by the San Antonio Spurs in the 1982 NBA Draft. He enjoyed the bulk of his professional success overseas in France, where the press coined him "Never Nervous" for his poise on the court.

Larry Sanders

Larry Sanders #8 of the Milwaukee Bucks runs up the court after dunking the basketball during the game against the Toronto Raptors at Bradley Center on November 2, 2013 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Sanders is arguably the Treasure Coast's most accomplished NBA player. He got a late start in basketball at Port St. Lucie High but earned a chance in college basketball at VCU, where he won conference Defensive Player of the Year twice. He was the No. 15 overall pick in the 2010 NBA Draft by the Milwaukee Bucks and became one of the franchise's best-ever defensive players across his six-year NBA career. He led the NBA in blocks per game in 2013.

Don Wallen

Don Wallen, legendary basketball coach at Martin County High School

Wallen is an iconic figure on the Treasure Coast for his efforts as a basketball coach and as a cultural figure. He was Martin County's head basketball coach during its golden age, winning state championships in 1972, 1973 and 1979. Wallen won 541 games over 23 seasons as head coach and was the first high school coach inducted into the Florida Sports Hall of Fame. Off the court, he helped lead Martin County High through integration. The Don Wallen Athletic Complex at Martin County is named in his honor.

Eric J. Wallace is deputy sports editor for Treasure Coast Newspapers. He can be reached at ejwallace@usatodayco.com.

This article originally appeared on Treasure Coast Newspapers: Vote on Treasure Coast's all-time best from boys basketball