College basketball is as popular as ever, with thousands of kids dreaming of NBA professional careers after school. Of course, the National Basketball League (NBA) is looking for young talents long before their college years start. Still, its rules require a player not only to finish high school but to wait one year after the school graduation to be drafted. Now, such rules force some players to start their professional basketball careers elsewhere while others enroll in college and keep making a name for themselves.
The latter is always a good choice, considering how popular and powerful college basketball is today. Young players have a lot to learn within the four years of college. In fact, for some, college basketball teams represent the first real chance to get noticed by NBA recruiters. So, the more basketball-inclined college you go to, the higher the drafting chance you may have in the end. Needless to say, some schools take their basketball dedication to a whole new level. No wonder they have become the states’ biggest NBA players’ factories.
Let’s see what those schools are. These colleges have produced the most NBA players of all time.
University of Kentucky
Any aspiring basketball player dreams of hearing from Kentucky University. First, this college has produced the most NBA players in history. The recent count shows the NBA has drafted 119 Kentucky players. Secondly, this school is practically unbeatable on the field. Kentucky is a proud eight-time winner of national championships. It has also made 17 Final Four appearances.
Of course, such statistics say a lot about the Wildcats. They don’t only have the right eye for talent but know how to reveal their full potential. As a result, the Kentucky Wildcats gave the world such big players as Eric Bledsoe, Anthony Davis, and DeMarcus Cousins. As of today, 27 former Wildcats players are in the current NBA season. It is an absolute record.
Duke University, North Carolina
Another big name in the basketball industry, Duke, has already produced 97 players for the NBA. It is one of the biggest statistics among college basketball teams. However, it has been rising in number recently. For instance, Duke is the second university with the largest number of players drafted into the NBA. Twenty-four former Blue Devils players play in the current NBA season. By the way, Kentucky and Duke are the only two schools with more than twenty players in the professional league at the moment.
The Blue Devils have made it to the Final Four 16 times, winning five championships overall. In addition, Duke has participated in the Big Dance 41 times. Of course, such practice and constant challenges keep the players in shape, mentally and physically. Famous Duke players include Grant Hill, Zion Williamson, Johnny Dawkins, Kyrie Irving, and many others.
University of California, Los Angeles
UCLA produced two more NBA players than Duke, making it to 99 players. However, it holds the true record on the field. UCLA is an absolute legend in college basketball after bringing home 11 national titles. Of course, most of this success is due to such legends as coach John Wooden and Kareem Abdul-Jabaar (that’s quite a name drop, for sure). The years with these two on the team were the best for UCLA basketball achievements. However, the university is still going strong. Currently, 23 former California Golden Bears play for the NBA in the 2022-2023 season. Other big names in UCLA history are Bill Walton, Arron Afflalo, and Jason Kapono.
The University of North Carolina, Charlotte
UNC has always been among the top powerhouses in college basketball. During its history, UNC has produced 94 NBA players. The school has 48 participation in the NCAA Tournaments and 20 Final Four appearances, creating a national record. Overall, the school holds six titles so far. However, it is likely to expect more in the near future, considering that 3 out of 6 titles have been won recently. Today, UNC takes the third place in the overall count of national titles, losing only to Kentucky and UCLA. Still, Tar Heel players represent a big share of the current NBA team roster. Currently, there are ten former UNC players in the professional league. Of course, some of the most famous UNC players of all time include Michael Jordan, Jerry Stackhouse, and James Worthy.
To conclude
Only several schools have great powerhouse programs to produce excellent basketball players. Of course, the chances of an NBA career drastically improve after attending one of the schools on the list. Yet, history knows many players who went to different colleges – or no college at all and still made it to the NBA charts. We bet, right now, you think, “Who can I pay to do my homework so I can rewatch some of those legends again?” Indeed, this list has been nothing but inspiring.
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