NBA Players from Nevada
Contents
- NBA Players from Nevada: A History
- NBA Players from Nevada: The Current Roster
- NBA Players from Nevada: The Future of the NBA in Nevada
- NBA Players from Nevada: The Best of the Best
- NBA Players from Nevada: The Worst of the Worst
- NBA Players from Nevada: The Most Underrated
- NBA Players from Nevada: The Most Overrated
- NBA Players from Nevada: The Most Underappreciated
- NBA Players from Nevada: The Most Disappointing
- NBA Players from Nevada: The Most Surprising
A look at the NBA players who hail from the state of Nevada.
NBA Players from Nevada: A History
Since the early days of the National Basketball Association players from the state of Nevada have made their mark on the league. From superstars like Jerry West and Karl Malone to role players like Lou Amundson and Luke Ridnour, Nevadans have represented their state well in the NBA.
In the early years of the NBA, Jerry West was one of the league’s Top Players A product of West Virginia University, West was drafted second overall by the Los Angeles Lakers in 1960. He would go on to spend his entire 14-year career with the Lakers, making 12 All-Star teams and winning an NBA Championship in 1972. Although he never won an MVP Award West was so highly regarded that he was given the nickname “Mr. Clutch” for his ability to make Big Shots in pressure situations. He was also named to the NBA’s 50th Anniversary All-Time team in 1996.
Karl Malone is another player with strong ties to Nevada. Born in Summerfield, Louisiana, Malone moved to Salt Lake City as a teenager to play basketball at Louisiana Tech University. He was drafted by the Utah Jazz in 1985 and would go on to spend 18 seasons with the team, forming a dominant duo with fellow Hall of Famer John Stockton that helped lead the Jazz to two NBA Finals appearances (1997 and 1998). In 1999, Malone won his only NBA Championship with the Jazz, defeating the Shaquille O’Neal-led Los Angeles Lakers in five games. He retired as a member of Jazz in 2003, finishing his career as one of only two players (the other being Kareem Abdul Jabbar) with more than 36,000 points and 14,000 rebounds.
More recently, Luke Ridnour has been one of Nevada’s most successful NBA players A native of Blaine, Washington, Ridnour played college basketball at Oregon before being drafted by the Seattle SuperSonics in 2003. He spent four seasons with Seattle before being traded to Minnesota in 2007. He would go on to play for six different teams during his 12-year NBA Career Minnesota Timberwolves (twice), Milwaukee Bucks Charlotte Bobcats/Hornets, Orlando Magic and Toronto Raptors He announced his retirement from Professional Basketball in 2016.
Other notable Nevada natives who have played in the NBA include Lou Amundson (UNLV), Armon Gilliam (UNLV), Greg Ostertag (University of Utah), Stacey Augmon (UNLV) and Joakim Noah (University of Florida).
NBA Players from Nevada: The Current Roster
As of the 2019-2020 Season there are no NBA players from the state of Nevada.
NBA Players from Nevada: The Future of the NBA in Nevada
Nevada has been home to some of the best NBA players in recent history. Players like Kevin Durant Russell Westbrook and Lebron James all come from the Silver State. With the recent success of these players, more and more people are beginning to believe that the future of the NBA is in Nevada.
There are currently three NBA players from Nevada: Luke Babbitt, Kevon Looney, and Jabari Parker. All three of these players have had successful careers thus far, and they are all still young. This bodes well for the future of the NBA in Nevada.
If these three players are any indication, the future of the NBA in Nevada is very bright. With strong local talent and a growing fan base, the state is poised to become a hotbed for basketball. Only time will tell if this prediction comes true, but one thing is for sure: the future of the NBA in Nevada is looking very bright.
NBA Players from Nevada: The Best of the Best
There are a number of great NBA players from Nevada, and in this article we’ll take a look at some of the best. We’ll start with one of the most famous players from the state, Jerry West West played for the Los Angeles Lakers for his entire career, and is considered one of the best players in NBA history He was a nine-time All-Star, and was named NBA Finals MVP in 1969. He was also inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 1980.
Another great player from Nevada is Darryl Dawkins. Dawkins played for several teams during his NBA career but is most well-known for his time with the Philadelphia 76ers. He was a two-time All-Star, and is considered one of the best dunkers in NBA history Dawkins was also inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2020.
Other great Nevada-born NBA players include Ernie Grunfeld, Alex English, Reggie Theus, and Greg Ostertag. These players all had great careers in the NBA, and have all left their mark on the game.
NBA Players from Nevada: The Worst of the Worst
The National Basketball Association is home to some of the most skilled athletes in the world. These men amaze us with their athleticism, strength, and determination. But every now and then, a player from Nevada comes along and reminds us that not everyone can be great.
In recent years the state of Nevada has produced some of the worst NBA players of all time. From journeyman point guards to washed-up centers, these are the guys who make Nevadans cringe when they see their names on the back of an NBA jersey
NBA Players from Nevada: The Most Underrated
Though Nevada is not known for its contributions to the NBA, there have been several players who have made an impact on the league. These are some of the most underrated NBA players from Nevada.
Dick DeVenzio played for eight different teams in his twelve-year career, but he was most productive with the Philadelphia 76ers. In his four seasons with Philadelphia, DeVenzio averaged 12.4 points and 5.7 assists per game He was a key part of the Sixers team that made it to the NBA Finals in 1967, averaging 16 points and 6 assists per game during the playoffs.
Michael Ruffin also had a journeyman career, playing for eight teams in eleven seasons. Ruffin was known as a tough, physical defender and rebounder. He averaged 5.8 points and 5 rebounds per game in his career.
Tyrone Nesby was a first-round pick of the Los Angeles Clippers in 1998. He had a productive four-year stretch with the Clippers, averaging 15 points and 6 rebounds per game from 1999 to 2001. Nesby’s career was cut short by injuries, but he was still able to average 10 points and 4 rebounds per game over his seven-year career.
NBA Players from Nevada: The Most Overrated
There are currently no NBA players from the state of Nevada.
NBA Players from Nevada: The Most Underappreciated
There’s no doubt that Nevada is one of the most underrated states in the country. And, when it comes to NBA Players the state is often overlooked as well. However, there have been some great NBA players from Nevada over the years. Here are some of the most underrated players from the state.
Kobe Bryant: Before he was one of the greatest players in NBA history Kobe was drafted out of High School by the Charlotte Hornets with the 13th pick in 1996. He was then traded to the Los Angeles Lakers where he would go on to have one of the greatest careers in league history. Kobe was a five-time champion, a two-time Finals MVP and a league MVP in 2008. He retired as the Lakers’ All-time leading scorer with 33,643 points.
Gilbert Arenas: Gilbert was undrafted out of college but he made a name for himself quickly in the NBA. He was signed by the Golden State Warriors and then traded to the Washington Wizards where he became one of the best scorers in the league. In his six seasons with the Wizards, Gilbert averaged 21.2 points per game and was a two-time All-Star (2005, 2006).
Shawn Marion: Shawn Marion is one of the best Defensive Players in NBA history He was drafted 9th overall by Phoenix Suns in 1999 and went on to have a great career with them. Marion was a four-time All-Star (2003-2006), an All-NBA 3rd team member (2005), and an All-Defensive 1st team member (2005). He also won an NBA Championship with Dallas Mavericks in 2011.
NBA Players from Nevada: The Most Disappointing
It’s no secret that Nevada has produced some incredible NBA players over the years. But for every Steph Curry or Kawhi Leonard there’s also a player who just doesn’t quite live up to the hype. Here are the most disappointing NBA players from Nevada.
Kendall Gill: A five-time NBA All-Star Gill was drafted fifth overall by the Charlotte Hornets in 1990. He had a solid career, averaging double figures in points for 11 straight seasons. But his best years were clearly behind him by the time he arrived in Nevada, and he only played in 45 games for the Reno Bighorns before retiring in 2007.
Greg Ostertag: Another player with a solid NBA career Ostertag was drafted 28th overall by the Utah Jazz in 1995. He played 11 seasons in the league, including two with the Reno Bighorns, before retiring in 2006. But while he was a good player he never reached the level of stardom that many hoped for him.
Nick Fazekas: A fan favorite during his time with the Reno Bighorns, Fazekas was drafted 34th overall by the Dallas Mavericks in 2007. He had a brief stint in the NBA but never really caught on, and he spent most of his career playing overseas. He eventually returned to Nevada and played for the Reno High Rollers of The Basketball League before retiring in 2019.
So there you have it: three of the most disappointing NBA players from Nevada.
NBA Players from Nevada: The Most Surprising
With the NBA draft just around the corner, we thought it would be fun to take a look at some of the most surprising players to come out of Nevada.
While the state is not known for producing a ton of NBA talent, there have been some real gems over the years. Here are just a few of the most surprising NBA players from Nevada:
1. Richard Jefferson A former first-round pick of the New Jersey Nets Jefferson went on to have a very successful career in the NBA. He was named an All-Star in 2008 and won a gold medal with Team USA at the 2008 Olympics.
2. David Thompson: A former second-overall pick by the Atlanta Hawks Thompson had a very short but successful NBA career. He was named an All-Star in 1977 and was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 1996.
3. Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf: Abdul-Rauf was drafted by the Denver Nuggets with the third overall pick in the 1990 NBA Draft He had a very successful rookie season, but his career was cut short due to injuries and personal issues.
4. Luther Wright: Wright was drafted by the Utah Jazz with the seventh overall pick in 1993 NBA Draft However, he only played three games in the NBA before being released by the team.