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There may not be that many major league sports teams in the local vicinity but Washington, North Carolina has always been a big sports town. The local high school teams are very well supported and residents can take their pick from the multitude of college programs to get behind in the region.

But we are not just passive consumers of sports here in Washington. We may sit on the bleachers to watch local teams, avidly take in all the big leagues on TV, and utilize the North Carolina betting apps to get behind our favorites, but we have produced a fair few star athletes over the years as well.

As many of the pro leagues gear up for the run to the playoffs – or get ready for opening day, when it comes to baseball – we thought we would take a moment to highlight the sporting heroes that have called the original Washington home. Here are five of the best from the best place on Earth.

 

Bam Adebayo

This two-time NBA Finalist was actually born in Newark, New Jersey but moved to North Carolina as a seven-year-old – so we can definitely claim him as our own! Adebayo played high school hoops in Pinetown and then High Point and was named North Carolina Mr. Basketball in 2016.

As a five-star recruit, Adebayo committed to Kentucky and helped the Wildcats make it all the way to the Elite Eight and was named in the SEC All-Freshman Team in 2017. The pro game was calling though and, making himself eligible for the NBA Draft, Adebayo was taken 14^th overall by the Miami Heat.

Adebayo played in 69 games in his rookie year and became a regular starter two years later. He had made a big impact on the defensive side of the Heat and helped Miami reach the finals in 2020, which they lost to the Lakers. Miami and Adebayo returned in 2023 but lost out again to the Nuggets. He may not have won a championship ring yet but Bam Adebayo has been named an All-Star on three occasions and continues to be one of the best players in the NBA.

 

Terrance Cooper

After graduating from Washington High in 2000, Terrance Cooper was the school’s career leader in receptions and receiving yards and won a scholarship to play at East Carolina University. His football talent continued to attract attention as a Pirate, where he never missed a game and was the first player in school history to receive All-Conference USA honors.

Even after excelling at college, Cooper went undrafted in 2004 and signed as a free agent with the Dallas Cowboys. He featured mainly on special teams during his two years in Texas and became an important member of that unit while in New Orleans, Baltimore, and Kansas City. He played his final game of his pro career for the Chiefs in 2013.

 

Dominique Wilkins

Another huge sports star who was born elsewhere but came to call Washington home, Dominique Wilkins is currently the Vice President of Basketball Operations at the Atlanta Hawks, the team he shined for in the 1980s and 1990s. Wilkins was actually born in Paris, France but his family moved to North Carolina and he grew a reputation as an elite hoops athlete while at Washington High.

After winning back-to-back championships here in Washington, Wilkins spent three years at Georgia, where he was named First Team All-SEC and SEC Tournament MVP in 1981. He left after his junior year for the NBA and was selected third overall by the Utah Jazz. He didn’t want to play there, however, and he made the switch to the Hawks where his legacy is still felt today.

Wilkins was instrumental in Atlanta’s rise to prominence in the 1980s and he finished his time in the NBA as a nine-time All-Star and twice the winner of the NBA Slam Dunk contest. Nicknamed “The Human Highlight Reel”, Wilkins’ #21 was retired by the Hawks in 2001 after he had finished his career winning more titles in Greece. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2006 and there is now a statue of his likeness in front of the State Farm Arena in Atlanta.

 

Ryan Zimmerman

Born in the original Washington in 1984, Zimmerman played his entire 17-year Major League Baseball career with the Washington Nationals and became affectionally known as “Mr. Nationals” by the fans. Maybe he should also have been called “Mr. Washington” for his obvious affinity to the place name.

Zimmerman actually played high school baseball in Virginia Beach and then became a Cavalier athlete for the University, He was selected as the fourth overall pick by the Nationals in the 2005 draft and played right up until a few years ago for the same ball club. He was well-known for coming through in high-pressure situations and had a particular fondness for walk-off hits.

During his esteemed career, Zimmerman was a Golden Gloves Award winner, a Silver Slugger twice, and was also named as an All-Star twice – eight years apart. His most memorable moment came in 2019, however, when he was part of the first-ever Washington Nationals championship-winning team. He was actually the first player from the organization to hit a World Series home run in the process. He finished playing in 2021 and was the franchise leader in a number of categories, including hits. He then received the ultimate honor of becoming the first Nationals player ever to have his number retired.

 

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