What NBA Players Went to Marquette?
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We all know that Marquette is a great basketball school, but did you know that some of the NBA’s biggest stars got their start there? Check out this list of Marquette alumni who made it big in the NBA.
Dwyane Wade
Dwyane Wade is a shooting guard who played college basketball for the Marquette Golden Eagles. He was drafted 5th overall in the 2003 NBA draft by the Miami Heat. He has played for the Heat his whole career.
His years at Marquette
After a successful high school career in Chicago, Illinois, Dwyane Wade accepted a basketball scholarship to Marquette University in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He played two seasons for the Marquette Golden Eagles before being drafted by the Miami Heat in the 2003 NBA Draft.
In his two years at Marquette, Wade averaged 21.5 points per game and was a two-time All-Conference USA selection. He helped lead the Golden Eagles to an Elite Eight appearance in 2003, where they lost to Kentucky. Wade was named the Most Outstanding Player of the Midwest Regional during that tournament.
His NBA career
Dwyane Wade was selected fifth overall in the 2003 NBA Draft by the Miami Heat. He was named to the All-Rookie team and quickly became one of the best players on the team. Over his career, he has been selected to 12 All-Star teams, including 10 consecutive selections from 2005-2014. He was named NBA Finals MVP in 2006 when he helped lead the Heat to their first ever NBA championship. In 2010 and 2012, he won Olympic gold medals as a member of the USA Basketball team. In 2016, he was traded back to the Miami Heat after spending one season with the Chicago Bulls.
Jimmy Butler
Jimmy Butler, small forward for the Chicago Bulls, is one of Marquette’s most famous alumni. He was drafted into the NBA in 2011 and has since been named an All-Star and Most Improved Player. Other famous Marquette alumni include Dwyane Wade and Jae Crowder.
His years at Marquette
Jimmy Butler attended Marquette University from 2008 to 2011, where he played college basketball for the Marquette Golden Eagles. He was named the conference’s Defensive Player of the Year in his junior season, and led Marquette to the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament. After declaring for the NBA draft, Butler was selected with the 30th overall pick in the 2011 NBA draft by the Chicago Bulls.
His NBA career
Jimmy Butler III (born September 14, 1989) is an American professional basketball player for the Miami Heat of the National Basketball Association (NBA). After playing one year of college basketball for Tyler Junior College, he transferred to Marquette University. He was drafted with the 30th overall pick in the 2011 NBA draft by the Chicago Bulls.
During his rookie season, Butler earned NBA All-Rookie Second Team honors. He continued to improve, becoming a key player for the Bulls and earning his first NBA All-Star selection in 2015. In 2017, he was named Most Valuable Player of the NBA All-Star Game after scoring a then career-high 33 points. That season, he was also named to the All-NBA Third Team and led the Bulls to their first playoff appearance since 2015.
In June 2019, Butler was traded to the Philadelphia 76ers. During his first season with Philadelphia, he helped lead them to an Eastern Conference Semifinals appearance. In 2020, he was traded mid-season to the Miami Heat. Butler has also played for USA Basketball, winning gold medals in both the 2014 FIBA Basketball World Cup and 2016 Summer Olympics..
Wesley Matthews
Wesley Matthews is an American professional basketball player for the Milwaukee Bucks of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college basketball for Marquette University before being drafted by the Utah Jazz in the 2009 NBA draft.
His years at Marquette
Wesley Matthews played for the Marquette Golden Eagles men’s basketball team from 2005 to 2009. He was a four-year starter and helped lead the team to the NCAA Tournament three times, including one Sweet Sixteen appearance. Matthews was named first-team All-Big East twice and was Marquette’s first consensus first-team All-American since 1977.
His NBA career
Wesley Matthews was born on October 14, 1986, in San Antonio, Texas. Matthews is the son of Wes Sr. and Cheryl Matthews. He has two older brothers, Wesley Jr. and Jason Matthews, and one younger sister, Jourdan. His father played basketball at Wyoming and his mother was a track star at Louisiana Tech University. Both his mother and father were All-American athletes. Matthews’ maternal grandfather is former NFL linebacker Woody Hayes. His cousin is Green Bay Packers linebacker Clay Matthews III
