Arkansas Nba Players
Contents
The NBA has been a staple of the American culture for decades, with its players and teams becoming icons in the United States However, some states have not seen an NBA team since the 1990s, which is why Arkansas has become one of the most popular destinations for basketball fans
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Arkansas’ NBA Players
Arkansas has produced a number of NBA players including Joe Johnson Ronnie Brewer, and Corliss Williamson. The table below lists all of the players from Arkansas who have been drafted by an NBA team
Name | NBA team | Draft Year
—--|———-|———--
Joe Johnson | Boston Celtics | 2001
Ronnie Brewer | Memphis Grizzlies | 2006
Corliss Williamson | Detroit Pistons | 1995
Where Are They Now?
Joe Johnson, Drafted 10th Overall in 2001
The only player on this list that is still active in the NBA, Joe Johnson was drafted 10th overall by the Boston Celtics in 2001. He played one season for the University of Arkansas before entering the draft. In his NBA Career Johnson has averaged 16 points per game He currently plays for the Houston Rockets
Michael Qualls, Drafted 56th Overall in 2015
Michael Qualls was drafted 56th overall by the Oklahoma City Thunder in the 2015 NBA draft He played two seasons for the University of Arkansas before declaring for the draft. In his NBA career Qualls has averaged 2 points per game He is currently playing for the Thunder’s G League affiliate, the Oklahoma City Blue.
Al Jefferson, Drafted 15th Overall in 2004
Al Jefferson was drafted 15th overall by the Boston Celtics in 2004. He played one season for Mississippi before declaring for the draft. In his NBA career Jefferson has averaged 16 points and 9 rebounds per game He is currently a free agent
Patrick Beverley, Undrafted in 2009
Patrick Beverley went undrafted in 2009 after playing one season of college basketball at Arkansas. He has had a successful NBA career, averaging 10 points and 4 assists per game Beverley is currently playing for the Los Angeles Clippers.
What They’re Doing Now
Joe Johnson (RHP) was selected in the 7th round of the 1986 MLB Draft by the Detroit Tigers but he did not sign and instead went to pitch for the University of Arkansas. He was selected in the 4th round of the 1989 MLB draft by the Atlanta Braves He played parts of two seasons (1990 and 1991) in the minor leagues before making his Major League debut with the Braves in September 1991. He pitched in the majors for parts of four seasons (1991-1994), last appearing with the Chicago White Sox in 1994. He then became a hitting coach, first in college (Arkansas-Little Rock) and then in High School (Shiloh Christian).
Michael Qualls was selected by the Houston Rockets with the 58th pick in the 2015 NBA Draft He played one season with the Rockets before being traded to Oklahoma City where he played for two years. He is now currently playing for Maccabi Tel Aviv of Israel’s Premier League
Also worth mentioning is Ronnie Brewer, who was a former 1st round pick of The Memphis Grizzlies (24th overall) in 2006. After 7 seasons in The NBA, he is now currently out of basketball, last playing for well-known Chinese Basketball Association team The Shanghai Sharks during the 2016-2017 season.
Where They Came From
In the table below, we take a look at the Arkansas NBA players and where they came from. We see that Joe Johnson was drafted in the 1st round by the Boston Celtics in 2001, and Michael Qualls was undrafted in 2015 but signed with the Oklahoma City Thunder
Player | Draft | Team
——-|——-|——
Joe Johnson| 1st round, 2001 | Boston Celtics
Michael Qualls| Undrafted, 2015 | Oklahoma City Thunder
How They Got Here
The following is a list of NBA players from Arkansas:
| Player | NBA Team | How They Got Here |
| — | — | — |
| Joe Johnson | Brooklyn Nets | Drafted 7th overall by the Boston Celtics in the 2001 NBA Draft |
| Ronnie Brewer | Chicago Bulls | Drafted 14th overall by the Memphis Grizzlies in the 2006 NBA draft |
| Corliss Williamson | Detroit Pistons | Drafted 13th overall by the Sacramento Kings in the 1995 NBA draft Played for the Toronto Raptors from 1997 to 2000. Was traded to the Detroit Pistons for Zeljko Rebraca, Pepe Sanchez, and cash considerations on August 3, 2000. Won an NBA Championship with Detroit in 2004. Retired in 2007.
| Al Jefferson | Charlotte Hornets/Bobcats Minnesota Timberwolves (traded to Charlotte on July 31, 2013) Utah Jazz (traded to Charlotte on June 25, 2010) Drafted 15th overall by the Boston Celtics in the 2004 NBA Draft Was traded to the Minnesota Timberwolves (along with Ryan Gomes, Gerald Green, Sebastian Telfair and two future first Round Draft picks) for Kevin Garnett on July 31, 2007. Was traded to the Utah Jazz (along with Kent Bazemore and cash considerations) for Tyrone Corbin, Odyssey Sims and two future second round draft picks on June 25, 2010. Was traded to the Charlotte Hornets (along with Dwight Howard) for Frank Kaminsky, Cody Zeller, rights to TamariKeywordsi Gibson and a future second round pick on June 26, 2013. Currently plays for the Indiana Pacers
| Michael Qualls | Oklahoma City Thunder Drafted 58th overall by the Houston Rockets in the 2015 NBA Draft His rights were subsequently traded to Oklahoma City as part of a three-team trade involving Houston and New Orleans on June 25, 2015.
What They’ve Achieved
Joe Johnson – NBA Player
Johnson was the 10th overall pick in the 2001 NBA Draft by the Boston Celtics He played college basketball at Arkansas, where he was named SEC tournament MVP in 2000. He has played for the Celtics, Phoenix Suns Brooklyn Nets Miami Heat and Houston Rockets He was an All-Star in 2005 and 2006, and has been named to five All-NBA teams He won an Olympic gold medal as a member of Team USA in 2010.
Michael Qualls – NBA Player
Qualls was drafted 58th overall by the Houston Rockets in the 2015 NBA draft He played College Basketball at Arkansas, where he was named SEC Co-Defensive Player of the Year as a senior in 2014-15. He has appeared in 23 games for the Rockets during his rookie season.
Joe Adams – NFL Player
Adams was drafted in the 4th round of the 2012 NFL Draft by the Carolina Panthers He played college football at Arkansas, where he was a two-time All-SEC selection. He has played for the Panthers and San Francisco 49ers during his NFL career.
What They’re Known For
There have been a total of three NBA players from the state of Arkansas. Joe Johnson is the most successful, having been drafted in the first round and playing for several different teams over the course of his career. Michael Beasley and Courtney Lee are the other two players from Arkansas to have made it to the NBA.
Their Legacy
In the history of the NBA draft 36 players from the University of Arkansas have been selected by NBA Teams Joe Johnson is the only player from Arkansas to be selected as an All-Star. Michael Qualls is the only player from Arkansas to have won an NBA Championship
In the history of Major League Baseball 14 players from Arkansas have been drafted in the first round of the MLB Draft including three in the top 10 picks. Lance Lynn is the only player from Arkansas to have been selected for an All-Star game
The following is a list of all basketball and baseball players from Arkansas who have been drafted in either sport’s respective professional league.
Fun Facts
Here are some fun facts about NBA players from Arkansas:
-Joe Johnson was the first player from Arkansas to be drafted in the NBA, in 2001 by the Boston Celtics
-Michael Qualls is the only player from Arkansas to have played in the NBA and MLB. He played one season of basketball for the Houston Rockets and one season of baseball for the New York Yankees
-Since 2000, there have been 11 players from Arkansas drafted in the NBA.
-Arkansas has had two players win NBA championships Joe Johnson (with the Miami Heat in 2013) and Bobby Portis (with the Chicago Bulls in 2016).
Quotes
“Arkansas has a great basketball tradition and I’m honored to be a part of it,” Joe Johnson said. “I want to thank all the Razorback fans for their support.”
“Michael Qualls has the potential to be a very good player at the next level,” Arkansas coach Mike Anderson said. “He’s a high-energy player that plays with a lot of heart and passion.”
“I want to thank the Arkansas Coaching Staff for giving me an opportunity to continue my career,” Rhys Butler said. “I’m looking forward to working hard and helping the team win.”
The “nba players from arkansas 2020” is a list of the top 20 NBA players that are from Arkansas.