Missouri NBA Players Making a Name for Themselves
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With the recent success of Missouri NBA players like Jayson Tatum and Josh Hart, it’s no surprise that more and more players from the state are making a name for themselves.
Bradley Beal
Bradley Beal shooting guard for the Washington Wizards is originally from Saint Louis Missouri. He played one year of college basketball at the University of Florida before being drafted by the Wizards in 2012. Beal has been named an NBA All-Star twice and was named to the All-NBA Third Team in 2019. He is currently one of the league’s most proficient scorers.
J.J. Redick
In his first season with the Philadelphia 76ers, J.J. Redick is making a name for himself as one of the best shooters in the NBA. The 34-year-old Missouri native is averaging 17.1 points per game and shooting 42.0% from three-point range both of which are career highs. Redick is also making an impact on the 76ers’ offense as a whole, as he is currently second on the team in scoring and third in assists per game
With his strong play this season, Redick is cementing his status as one of the best players to come out of Missouri in recent years He joins a prestigious group of Missouri NBA players that includes such names as Anthony Davis Bradley Beal and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar With his continued success, J.J. Redick is making a name for himself as one of the best players in the NBA today
Marvin Williams
Missouri has produced several NBA players over the years, and Marvin Williams is one of them. Williams was born in Monroe, Louisiana, but he moved to Missouri when he was eight years old. He played his High School basketball at Hazelwood Central high school in Florissant, Missouri. Williams then went on to play college basketball at the University of North Carolina After two years at UNC, he decided to declare himself eligible for the NBA draft He was drafted by the Atlanta Hawks with the second overall pick in the 2005 NBA Draft
Williams has had a solid NBA Career so far. He spent his first nine seasons with the Hawks before being traded to the Charlotte Hornets in 2014. He has averaged double-figures in scoring in eight of his eleven seasons in the league, and he is currently averaging 11.5 points per game for the Hornets. While he has never been an All-Star, Williams has been a consistent player throughout his career and is still going strong at age 32.
Anthony Tolliver
Washington Wizards Power Forward Anthony Tolliver is a Missouri native who is making a name for himself in the NBA. A career journeyman, Tolliver has found a home with the Wizards and is playing some of the best basketball of his career.
A native of Springfield, Missouri, Tolliver was a Standout Player at Hickman high school before going on to play collegiately at Creighton University. Undrafted out of college, Tolliver has bounced around the NBA, playing for eight different teams over the course of his 11-year career. He has also had stints in the G-League and overseas.
Tolliver signed with the Wizards prior to the 2019-20 season and has been a key part of their rotation, averaging 6.4 points and 2.9 rebounds per game while shooting 42.6 percent from three-point range. He has been particularly important during the 2020 playoffs, averaging 8.3 points and 3.7 rebounds while shooting 47 percent from three-point range as the Wizards have advanced to the Eastern Conference Finals.
At 34 years old, Tolliver is one of the older players on the Wizards roster, but he remains an important part of their team as they continue their playoff run.
Kent Bazemore
Kent Bazemore a product of Kelford, North Carolina sign with the Golden State Warriors after going undrafted in 2012. After playing sparingly his first two years in the league with the Warriors, Bazemore was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers in 2014. He would play a key role off the bench for the Lakers, before being traded back to the Warriors in 2016. Bazemore became a regular starter for the Warriors in 2017 and was a key member of their rotation during their run to the 2018 NBA Finals
Garrett Temple
Garrett Temple is one of several NBA players with Missouri roots who are making a name for themselves in the league.
A native of Baton Rouge Louisiana, Temple played College Basketball at LSU before being drafted by the Houston Rockets in 2009. He has since played for the Sacramento Kings Milwaukee Bucks San Antonio Spurs, and Washington Wizards He is currently in his second stint with the Wizards, having re-signed with the team in 2017.
Temple is known for his versatility and defensive prowess. He has career averages of 6.7 points, 2.5 rebounds, and 1.8 assists per game
Mike Conley
Former NBA All-Star and current Memphis Grizzlies point guard Mike Conley is originally from Missouri. He was born in Fenton and attended high school in Lawrence before eventually going on to play college ball at Ohio State In the 2007 NBA Draft Conley was drafted 4th overall by the Grizzles, and he’s been with the team ever since. Throughout his NBA career Conley has established himself as one of the best shooters in the league, and he’s also a very solid defender.
Ryan Anderson
Ryan Anderson, better known by his initials “RA”, is an American professional basketball player for the Houston Rockets of the NBA. He played College Basketball for two years with the University of California Berkeley before being drafted 21st overall in the 2008 NBA draft by the New Jersey Nets He was traded to the Orlando Magic in 2009. Anderson has also played for the New Orleans Pelicans
Anderson stands 6 feet 10 inches (2.08 m) tall and plays power forward and center positions. Anderson is a three-point specialist but can score effectively from mid-range as well.
Trey Burke
Trey Burke, a native of Columbus, Ohio, was drafted 9th overall by the Minnesota Timberwolves in the 2013 NBA draft He was then immediately traded to the Utah Jazz In his rookie season with the Jazz, Burke averaged 12.8 points and 5.7 assists per game and was named to the NBA All-Rookie First Team. The following season, Burke’s scoring average increased to 14.3 points per game but his play was limited by injuries, and he missed significant time due to a broken finger. In July of 2016, Burke was traded to the Washington Wizards as part of a three-team trade that also involved the Jazz and the Atlanta Hawks
Kris Humphries
Kris Humphries is an NBA player who is originally from Missouri. He was drafted by the Utah Jazz in the first round of the 2004 NBA Draft He has also played for the Atlanta Hawks Dallas Mavericks Phoenix Suns and Washington Wizards Humphries is currently a free agent