Basketball

Which Colleges Produce the Most NBA Players?

In the world of sports, there are various rules and regulations implemented which vary according to each sport. One professional sports league that has its own requirements is the National Basketball League (NBA), which only accepts players that have finished high school at least one year ago prior to being allowed to play.

In this year, many potential professional basketball players decide to participate in college basketball in order to keep remaining in the basketball scene until they can enroll in the NBA. This trend begs the question if there is a connection between certain colleges and the volume of NBA players that have attended those colleges and if so, what colleges are they?

The Titans

Firstly, those who are active in the basketball scene are aware of how successful Kentucky has been in forging some of the best NBA careers for its players.

With around 80 of their college players subsequently being involved in an NBA team, this college has the reputation of producing the most NBA players out of any other college in the US.

In fact, this college can boast the start of the careers of Antoine Walker, Cliff Hagen and Dan Issel with current players consisting of John Wall, Rajon Rondo, Anthony Davis and other players who could become some of the game’s greats. The Wildcats have also been regarded globally as one of the top college basketball programs in the nation throughout the years, with Kentucky winning eight national championships.

For fans of sports and basketball in particular, witnessing young basketball players who have come from college basketball teams can be a rewarding experience, as they get to witness the journey that the player has had, from their humble beginnings in a college basketball team, to being a professional player in the NBA. NBA betting is extremely popular, however betting on college basketball is also quite common and this shows just how much fans get involved in the careers of these young prospects.

Another college that is widely known for cultivating successful NBA stars is UCLA, which boasts 76 of its college basketball players going on to play in an NBA team. Those who are familiar with the history of the NBA will draw the connection between Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, who has cemented a name for himself in the realms of professional basketball by playing 20 seasons in the National Basketball Association for the Milwaukee Bucks and the Los Angeles Lakers. Other players like Gail Goodrich, Reggie Miller and Kiki Vandeweghe have also originated from UCLA.

Theres More

When discussing successful college basketball teams, we cannot neglect crediting the Kansas which has gained the reputation of producing some of the greatest players in NBA history like Josh Jackson and Marcus Morris with a total of 53 players who have went on to play in the NBA.

Indeed, Wilt Chamberlain tops the list, with career averages of 30.1 points and 22.9 rebounds. North Carolina should also be given credit in producing 62 NBA playrs, including Michael Jordan who played for North Carolina before achieving tremendous success within the NBA. The notable years for North Carolina birthing NBA stars was primarily the 80s and 90s.

In addition to this, Duke has sent around 25 of its players to NBA teams and its success has been largely attributed to the fact that the Blue Devils were coached by Mike Krzyzewski from 1980-2022.

Although Duke has not been as successful as those colleges listed above, some notable stars that have acquired a good reputation are Grant Hill, Kyrie Irving, Jeff Mullins, Jayson Tatum, Carlos Boozer and Elton Brand.

Furthermore, the reason why so many of these stars have found success in the NBA is because there are many benefits to playing college basketball. Firstly, those who play college football are remaining active prior to enrolling in the NBA. At a young age they are being taught how to employ the best tactics and it also gives them a chance to build their fitness as well as working on their basketball skills.

On top of this, it ensures that they will build up a reputation for themselves in sporting circles and may even help them to get scouted. Those who are not players in college basketball are less likely to be successful in the NBA, as they have a sparse repertoire in the sport and they may not have as many connections in the industry as someone who has spent time developing bonds with those in similar circles.

In summary, there is a common trend for professional players in the NBA to have originated from playing in college basketball teams. In fact, colleges all over the US have produced a wide variety of professional sports players and in particular they have given rise to some of the most successful basketballs of all time, from Patrick Ewing to Ervin Johnson. These stars are just a handful of prosperous basketball players that have played for colleges before making a name for themselves in the NBA.