NBA Players From Maine
Contents
- NBA Players From Maine: A History
- NBA Players From Maine: The Current Roster
- NBA Players From Maine: The Future
- NBA Players: The All-Time Greats
- NBA Players From Maine: The Forgotten Men
- NBA Players From Maine: The Underrated
- NBA Players From Maine: The Unheralded
- NBA Players From Maine: The Journeymen
- NBA Players From Maine: The Rookies
- NBA Players From Maine: The Free Agents
A list of the top NBA players from the state of Maine, including names like Andrew Nicholson and Kaleb Canales.
NBA Players From Maine: A History
Maine has a long, proud tradition of producing some of the best basketball players in the world. From early pioneers like Chris Herren and Jim Cormier to modern-day stars like J.J. Redick and DeAndre Jordan, the state has consistently sent top talent to the NBA.
In this article, we’ll take a look at some of the most successful NBA players from Maine, tracing the history of the state’s basketball roots and highlighting some of its most illustrious alumni.
NBA Players From Maine: The Current Roster
Maine is not typically thought of as a hotbed for NBA talent, but there are currently two players from the state on NBA rosters.
The first is Gabe Levin, who was born in Portland and played his college ball at Loyola Marymount Levin went undrafted in 2016, but he has spent time with the Atlanta Hawks Los Angeles Clippers, and Milwaukee Bucks He is currently a member of the G League’s Maine Red Claws.
The other Maine native in the NBA is Duncan Robinson, who was born in York. Robinson played his college ball at Michigan, where he was a key player on the Wolverines’ 2018 NCAA championship team. He went undrafted that year, but he signed with the Miami Heat and has been a member of their rotation ever since.
So while Maine might not be known as a Basketball powerhouse it does have two representatives in the NBA at present.
NBA Players From Maine: The Future
The National Basketball Association (NBA) is a Professional Basketball league in North America The league is made up of 30 teams, 29 in the United States and 1 in Canada. Each team plays 82 games in the regular season The regular season starts in October and ends in April. The playoffs start in April and end in June.
Maine has not had an NBA player since 1983, but that may change soon. There are currently three players from Maine who re Playing in the NBA G League which is the NBA’s official minor league These players are:
-Terrence Clarke: A 6’7″ shooting guard who played college basketball for the University of Kentucky Wildcats He was drafted by the Boston Celtics with the 19th pick in the 2021 NBA draft He was then traded to the Oklahoma City Thunder on draft night. Clarke is from Boston, Massachusetts but attended High School in South Portland, Maine.
--Zach Collins A 7’0″ center who played college basketball for Gonzaga University. He was drafted with the 10th pick in the 2017 NBA Draft by the Portland Trail Blazers He is from Las Vegas Nevada but attended high school in Dover, New Hampshire.
-Jason Tatum: A 6’8″ small forward who played College Basketball for Duke University He was drafted with the 3rd pick in the 2017 NBA Draft by the Boston Celtics He is from St. Louis, Missouri but attended high school in Raleigh, North Carolina
All three of these players were born after 1993, which means they could have a long NBA Career ahead of them. At least one of them is very likely to someday be an NBA All-Star or even an MVP (Most Valuable Player). So Maine fans should keep an eye on these three young men as they continue their journey through professional basketball!
NBA Players: The All-Time Greats
There have been a handful of great NBA players from the state of Maine, including some all-time greats. Here are some of the best:
– Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf: A dynamic scorer and one of the best pure shooters in NBA history Abdul-Rauf was a star for the Denver Nuggets in the 1990s. He also played for the Sacramento Kings and the Vancouver Grizzlies
– Michael Cheeks: A mainstay in the Philadelphia 76ers backcourt for much of the 1980s and 1990s, Cheeks is one of the best point guards in franchise history. He also played for the San Antonio Spurs and New Jersey Nets
– Toni Kukoc A versatile forward who could score, rebound and pass, Kukoc was a key member of the Chicago Bulls teams that won three consecutive NBA titles in the 1990s. He also played for the Milwaukee Bucks Atlanta Hawks and Philadelphia 76ers.
NBA Players From Maine: The Forgotten Men
It’s no secret that the state of Maine is not known for producing a lot of NBA players In fact, there have only been two players from the state of Maine that have ever made it to the NBA: Tom Gola and Jim Boyd. Despite this, Maine has produced several other talented basketball players who have had successful careers in other professional leagues. Here is a list of some of the most notable NBA players from Maine.
Tom Gola: Gola was a 6’6” forward who played 11 seasons in the NBA. He was a five-time All-Star and was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1976. Gola is considered one of the best players in La Salle University history, leading them to an NCAA Championship in 1954. He spent his first nine seasons with the Philadelphia Warriors before finishing his career with the New York Knicks and Los Angeles Lakers
Jim Boyd: Boyd was a 6’7” forward who played four seasons in the NBA. He played for the Seattle SuperSonics and Portland Trail Blazers Boyd was drafted by the SuperSonics in 1974 and played two seasons with them, before being traded to the Trail Blazers in 1976. He averaged 4.4 points and 3 rebounds per game in his career.
Other Notable Players:
Vernon Maxwell: Maxwell was a 6’4” guard who played 15 seasons in the NBA. He was drafted by the Houston Rockets in 1988 and went on to have a successful career with them, playing 10 seasons and averaging 19 points per game Maxwell also played for the Atlanta Hawks Philadelphia 76ers, San Antonio Spurs,Golden State Warriors Denver Nuggets and Chicago Bulls
Franklin Session: Session was a 6’5” guard who played four seasons in the NBA. He was drafted by the Milwaukee Bucks in 1993 but only played one season with them before being traded to the Charlotte Hornets where he spent three seasons. Session averaged 5 points per game in his career
NBA Players From Maine: The Underrated
There are many underrated NBA players from Maine. These are some of the best.
NBA Players From Maine: The Unheralded
Maine has a rich Basketball History The state has produced a number of NBA players including some very notable ones. However, there are also a Number of players from Maine who have flown under the radar. These are some of the most underrated NBA players from Maine.
Fred Hoiberg: Hoiberg was born in Lincoln, Nebraska, but he moved to Maine when he was in elementary school. He went on to play College Basketball at Iowa State University He was drafted in the second round of the 1995 NBA draft by the Indiana Pacers Hoiberg spent 10 seasons in the NBA, playing for the Pacers, Chicago Bulls and Minnesota Timberwolves He was a solid role player and a knockdown shooter. He averaged 8.5 points per game for his career.
Gerald Wallace: Wallace was born in Childersburg, Alabama, but he moved to Maine when he was 11 years old. He played his high school basketball in Concord, Maine. Wallace went on to play college basketball at the University of Alabama before being drafted in the first round of the 2001 NBA draft by the Sacramento Kings He played for several teams during his NBA career including the Portland Trail Blazers and Brooklyn Nets Wallace was known for his versatility and athleticism. He was a two-time All-Star and he averaged 15 points per game for his career.
Ben Gordon: Gordon was born in London, England, but he grew up in Boston, Massachusetts and Mount Vernon New York. He played his college basketball at the University of Connecticut Gordon was drafted in the first round of the 2004 NBA Draft by the Chicago Bulls He spent nine seasons in the NBA, playing for the Bulls and Detroit Pistons Gordon was a talented scorer and he averaged 15 Points per game for his career
NBA Players From Maine: The Journeymen
Maine has a rich Basketball History dating back to the early days of the sport. However, the state has never produced an NBA player That may be about to change, as there are a few players with Maine ties who are making their mark in the league.
The most notable of these is Portland native Matt Bonner. Bonner was drafted by the Chicago Bulls in 2003, but was traded to the Toronto Raptors before ever playing a game for them. He became a fan favorite in Toronto, and was a key member of their 2006-07 team that won 47 games, their best season in franchise history. Bonner is currently in his tenth NBA season and is still going strong.
Another player with Maine ties is forward/center Joel Anthony. Anthony was born in Montreal, but moved to Portland when he was two years old. He played his high school basketball at Cheverus high school before moving on to play college ball at UNLV. Anthony has had a solid NBA career winning an NBA title with the Miami Heat in 2012 and being named to the NBA All-Defensive Second Team in 2013. He is currently playing for the Detroit Pistons
Finally, there is guard/forward Jeff Adrien. Adrien was born in Brooklyn, but moved to Westbrook, Maine when he was three years old. He played his high school basketball at Brewer High School before going on to play college ball at Connecticut. Adrien has had a journeyman NBA career playing for seven different teams over the course of six seasons. He is currently a free agent
NBA Players From Maine: The Rookies
Maine has a strong history of producing NBA talent, dating back to the early days of the league. In recent years the state has produced a number of high-profile rookies, including some who have gone on to have successful careers in the league. Here are a few of the most notable NBA players from Maine.
tempelton jones- Rookie of the year
stanley johnson – Stanley Johnson was born in Portland, Maine, and played his college basketball at the University of Arizona He was drafted by the Detroit Pistons in 2015 and went on to have a successful rookie season, averaging 8.1 points and 4.2 rebounds per game He has since established himself as a key player for the Pistons and is one of the team’s most promising young players
Jared Sullinger – Jared Sullinger was born in Toronto, but he moved to Ohio when he was young and played his high school basketball there. He then played his college basketball at Ohio State University before being drafted by the Boston Celtics in 2012. He had a promising start to his NBA career but he has since struggled with injuries and is currently out of the league.
Tyler Zeller – Tyler Zeller was born in Washington, D.C., but he grew up in Indiana and played his college basketball at the University of North Carolina He was drafted by the Dallas Mavericks in 2012 and spent two seasons with the team before being traded to the Boston Celtics He has since established himself as a solid role player for the Celtics and is a key part of their rotation.
NBA Players From Maine: The Free Agents
There are currently no NBA players from Maine.