Map Options

Metric:
Color Scheme:
Map Type:
Download SVG:
map placeholder
California
443
New York
441
Illinois
302
Pennsylvania
250
Texas
211
Ohio
206
Indiana
174
Michigan
170
New Jersey
155
North Carolina
152
Georgia
149
Florida
131
Louisiana
127
Kentucky
120
Tennessee
102
Alabama
97
Mississippi
93
Virginia
91
Maryland
82
Missouri
77
District of Columbia
76
Wisconsin
74
Minnesota
70
Washington
70
Arkansas
58
South Carolina
51
Oklahoma
50
Massachusetts
47
Kansas
41
Connecticut
39
Oregon
34
Iowa
27
Utah
27
Arizona
20
Colorado
20
Nebraska
16
Nevada
15
Rhode Island
12
Delaware
11
Montana
11
Wyoming
7
North Dakota
6
Idaho
5
South Dakota
5
Alaska
2
Hawaii
2
Maine
2
New Hampshire
1

Nba Players by State 2024

Nba Players by State 2024

Nba Players by State 2024

  • Players' "born in" states are clear. However, their "from" states were determined on a case-by-case basis, informed primarily by the player's state of birth and high school graduation location.
  • Example #1: Oscar Robertson was born in Tennessee, but moved to Indianapolis as a toddler and graduated from an Indiana high school, so he is categorized as being from Indiana.
  • Example #2: Kevin Garnett graduated from a Chicago, Illinois high school he only attended for his senior year, having spent the rest of his childhood in South Carolina, so he is considered a South Carolinian.
  • Example #3: Duncan Robinson is one of only two NBA players born in Maine. But he moved to New Hampshire at the age of 8 and considers himself a New Hampshirite, so he is slotted with New Hampshire.
  • Listed data include players up through the 2023-24 NBA season, but does not include players from the 2024 draft onward.
  • The "Best" player is a debatable and inherently subjective concept. Rankings are data-driven, with consideration given to titles won, points scored, individual awards and achievements, and overall contributions. However, those using different methodologies may come to different, equally viable conclusions.
  • Basketball is an increasingly global sport. Data shown do not include the 573 international players who have played in the NBA as of the 2023-24 season according to basketball-reference.com

48 states

State
# of NBA Players from State (through 2023-24 season)
Best Players from State
California443
  • Winner: Bill Russell
  • Runner-up: Jason Kidd
  • Honorable mention: Don Barksdale, Paul George, Gail Goodrich, Alex Hannum, James Harden, Dennis Johnson, Kevin Johnson, Marques Johnson, KC Jones, Kawhi Leonard, Damian Lillard, Reggie Miller, Gary Payton, Paul Pierce, Jim Pollard, Bill Sharman, Klay Thompson, Kiki VanDeWeghe, Bill Walton, Russell Westbrook, Paul Westphal, Sidney Wicks, Jamaal Wilkes, George Yardley
New York441
  • Winner: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
  • Runner-up: Julius Erving
  • Honorable mention: Tiny Archibald, Carl Braun, Bob Cousy, Billy Cunningham, Richie Guerin, Connie Hawkins, Bernard King, Bob Lanier, Chris Mullin, Dolph Schayes, Charlie Scott, Lenny Wilkens
Illinois302
  • Winner: George Mikan
  • Runner-up: Isiah Thomas
  • Honorable mention: Mark Aguirre, Nat Clifton, Maurice Cheeks, Doug Collins, Anthony Davis, Harry Gallatin, Tim Hardaway, Dan Issel, Red Kerr, Andy Phillip, Derrick Rose, Jack Sikma, Jerry Sloan, Dwyane Wade
Pennsylvania250
  • Winner: Wilt Chamberlain
  • Runner-up: Kobe Bryant
  • Honorable mention: Paul Arizin, Tom Gola, Richard Hamilton, Kyle Lowry, Maurice Lucas, Earl Monroe, Jameer Nelson, Guy Rodgers, Jack Twyman, Norm Van Lier, Rasheed Wallace
Texas211
  • Winner: Clyde “The Glide” Drexler
  • Runner-up: Chris Bosh
  • Honorable mention: Mookie Blaylock, Rashard Lewis, Kenyon Martin, Dennis Rodman, Deron Williams
Ohio206
  • Winner: LeBron James
  • Runner-up: John Havlicek
  • Honorable mention: Wayne Embry, Gus Johnson, Neil Johnston, Jerry Lucas, Nate Thurmond
Indiana174
  • Winner: Larry Bird
  • Runner-up: Oscar Robertson
  • Honorable mention: Dick Barnett, Louie Dampier, Clyde Lovellette, George McGinnis, Dick Van Arsdale, Tom Van Arsdale
Michigan170
  • Winner: Magic Johnson
  • Runner-up: George Gervin
  • Honorable mention: Archie Clark, Derrick Coleman, Dave DeBusschere, Draymond Green, Glen Rice, Rudy Tomjanovich, Chet Walker, Chris Webber
New Jersey155
  • Winner: Shaquille O’Neal
  • Runner-up: Rick Barry
  • Honorable mention: Tom Heinsohn, Kyrie Irving
North Carolina152
  • Winner: Michael Jordan
  • Runner-up: Stephen Curry
  • Honorable mention: Walt Bellamy, Walter Davis, Lou Hudson, Bobby Jones, Sam Jones, Bob McAdoo, Chris Paul, Charlie Scott, David Thompson, Dominique Wilkins, Buck Williams, James Worthy
Georgia149
  • Winner: Walt Frazier
  • Runner-up: Dwight Howard
  • Honorable mention: Dale Ellis, Horace Grant, Jeff Malone, Norm Nixon
Florida131
  • Winner: Tracy McGrady
  • Runner-up: Vince Carter
  • Honorable mention: Otis Birdsong, Darryl Dawkins, Artis Gilmore, Eddie Johnson, Truck Robinson
Louisiana127
  • Winner: Karl Malone
  • Runner-up: Bob Pettit
  • Honorable mention: Joe Dumars, Elvin Hayes, Bob Love, Robert Parish, Willis Reed
Kentucky120
  • Winner: Dave Cowens
  • Runner-up: Wes Unseld
  • Honorable mention: Joe Fulks, Cliff Hagan, Allan Houston, Frank Ramsey, Arnie Risen, Rajon Rondo
Tennessee102
  • Winner: Bailey Howell
  • Runner-up: Anfernee “Penny” Hardaway
  • Honorable mention: Corey Brewer, Tony Delk, Clyde Lee, Elliott Perry, Lorenzen Wright
Alabama97
  • Winner: Charles Barkley
  • Runner-up: Ben Wallace
  • Honorable mention: DeMarcus Cousins, Robert Horry, Larry Kenon, Chuck Person, Andrew Toney
Mississippi93
  • Winner: Spencer Haywood
  • Runner-up: Antonio McDyess
  • Honorable mention: Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf, Lindsey Hunter, Al Jefferson, Sam Lacey, Purvis Short, Slick Watts
Virginia91
  • Winner: Moses Malone
  • Runner-up: Allen Iverson
  • Honorable mention: Bobby Dandridge, Grant Hill, Alonzo Mourning, David Robinson
Maryland82
  • Winner: Kevin Durant
  • Runner-up: Carmelo Anthony
  • Honorable mention: Sam Cassell, Adrian Dantley, Steve Francis, Reggie Lewis, Gene Shue
Missouri77
  • Winner: Ed Macauley
  • Runner-up: Jo Jo White
  • Honorable mention: Bradley Beal, Bill Bradley, Jayson Tatum
District of Columbia76
  • Winner: Elgin Baylor
  • Runner-up: Dave Bing
  • Honorable mention: Austin Carr, Kermit Washington
Wisconsin74
  • Winner: Latrell Sprewell
  • Runner-up: Terry Porter
  • Honorable mention: Fred Brown, Caron Butler, Jim Chones, Devin Harris, Don Kojis, John Johnson, Wesley Matthews, Nick Van Exel
Minnesota70
  • Winner: Kevin McHale
  • Runner-up: Vern Mikkelsen
  • Honorable mention: Dick Garmaker, Mark Olberding
Washington70
  • Winner: John Stockton
  • Runner-up: Brandon Roy
  • Honorable mention: Jamal Crawford
Arkansas58
  • Winner: Scottie Pippen
  • Runner-up: Sidney Moncrief
  • Honorable mention: Michael Cage
South Carolina51
  • Winner: Kevin Garnett
  • Runner-up: Alex English
  • Honorable mention: Ray Allen, Pete Maravich, Larry Nance, Jermaine O’Neal, Zion Williamson
Oklahoma50
  • Winner: Blake Griffin
  • Runner-up: Mark Price
  • Honorable mention: Alvan Adams, John Starks, Wayman Tisdale, Trae Young
Massachusetts47
  • Winner: Patrick Ewing
  • Runner-up: Jimmy Walker
  • Honorable mention: Dana Barros
Kansas41
  • Winner: Lucius Allen
  • Runner-up: Antoine Carr
  • Honorable mention: Larry Drew, Earl Watson
Connecticut39
  • Winner: Calvin Murphy
  • Runner-up: Vin Baker
  • Honorable mention: Michael Adams, Marcus Camby, Andre Drummond, Rick Mahorn
Oregon34
  • Winner: Kevin Love
  • Runner-up: AC Green
  • Honorable mention: Danny Ainge, Terrell Brandon, Damon Stoudamire
Iowa27
  • Winner: Harrison Barnes
  • Runner-up: Kirk Hinrich
  • Honorable mention: Ricky Davis, Kyle Korver, Raef LaFrentz, Doug McDermott
Utah27
  • Winner: Tom Chambers
  • Runner-up: Shawn Bradley
  • Honorable mention: Travis Knight, Fred Roberts, Danny Vranes
Arizona20
  • Winner: Sean Elliott
  • Runner-up: Lafayette “Fat” Lever
  • Honorable mention: Mike Bibby, Richard Jefferson
Colorado20
  • Winner: Chauncey Billups
  • Runner-up: Micheal Ray Richardson
  • Honorable mention: Scott Wedman
Nebraska16
  • Winner: Bob Boozer
  • Runner-up: Ron Boone
  • Honorable mention: Mike McGee, Erick Strickland
Nevada15
  • Winner: Lionel Hollins
  • Runner-up: Greg Anthony
  • Honorable mention: CJ Watson
Rhode Island12
  • Winner: Ernie DiGregorio
  • Runner-up: Marvin Barnes
  • Honorable mention: Tom Garrick, Joe Hassett
Delaware11
  • Winner: Donte DiVincenzo
  • Runner-up: Terence Stansbury
  • Honorable mention: AJ English
Montana11
  • Winner: Larry Krystkowiak
  • Runner-up: Ed Kalafat
  • Honorable mention: Josh Huestis
Wyoming7
  • Winner: James Johnson
  • Runner-up: Kenny Sailors
  • Honorable mention: Vern Gardner
North Dakota6
  • Winner: Phil Jackson
  • Runner-up: Glenn Hansen
  • Honorable mention: Les Jepsen
Idaho5
  • Winner: Steve Hayes
  • Runner-up: Andy Toolson
  • Honorable mention: Gary Freeman, Dale Wilkinson
South Dakota5
  • Winner: Mike Miller
  • Runner-up: Eric Piatkowski
  • Honorable mention: Jared Reiner
Alaska2
  • Winner: Carlos Boozer
  • Runner-up: Mario Chalmers
  • Honorable mention: Trajan Langdon
Hawaii2
  • Winner: Red Rocha
Maine2
  • Both players born in Maine moved to another state as children (ages 1 and 8, respectively) and are considered "from" those states.
New Hampshire1
  • Winner: Matt Bonner
  • Runner-up: Duncan Robinson
  • Honorable mention: None
  1. 50 states, 100 NBA players: We select the best from New York to Hawaii - NY Times / The Athletic
  2. List of the Birthplaces of NBA and ABA Players - Basketball Reference

Sources