Arkansas Sports 360 - ArkansasSports360.com

3/30/2009 at 10:42am

Video has finally surfaced online of Basil Shabazz, the guy many folks in Arkansas consider the greatest high school athlete of all time.

Do yourself a favor and watch it.

If you saw Shabazz play high school football, this video will only affirm your belief that he was the greatest ever. If you never saw him play, this video will ease your skepticism and affirm that the hype was legit.

Pay close attention the run that begins at the 1:16 mark. It's breathtaking.

Shabazz (6-1, 192 pounds) never achieved the level of success most folks expected. He was a three-sport star at Pine Bluff, a third-round draft pick by the St. Louis Cardinals after just one season of high school baseball.

Nearly two decades after the fact, Shabazz still holds the state high school record in the 200 meters (20.8). His 6-foot-9 high jump in the state decathlon is still unmatched.

Of course the crowing achievement for the 1991 USA Today footabll all-American was his five-touchdown, 171-yard rushing performance in the AAAAA state title game against a Texarkana defense that had been allowing less than a touchdown per game.

Shabazz appeared destined for greatness.

Sadly, Shabazz never made it to the NFL. He took a break from football for $150,000 signing bonus with the Cardinals, peaking in AA with a .236 batting average before being cut for some off the field legal issues and his insistence that he be allowed to pursue a football career.

Eventually, he surfaced at UAPB, but was never able to recapture the magic.

Sure, knowing he never panned out in college or professionally makes it hard to believe the stories. ESPN did a great job of detailing his exploits in a 2002 Alan Schwarz column.

Shabazz is more than urban legend, though. He truly was as good as advertised on the high school level, even if that success didn't translate. It should have, it just never did.

Watch the video if you need proof.