Top 5 colleges that have provided the best NBA players
Basketball in the United States of America follows a certain tradition of progression, with players who impress in high school scouted by the best colleges in the country for their teams.
A few big names have bucked this trend, with Kobe Bryant and LeBron James being ones who have had a standout career in the modern era, after declaring for the draft straight out of high school.
However, most players go through a college curriculum, with the option to declare for the draft after each year of their program. Playing for their college puts the youngsters through a proper regimen, and with the amount of coverage given to college basketball, it really sets them up for what they would face in the NBA.
Some colleges have established extremely competent basketball programs, with many of the NBA's legendary players having done their education specifically at certain colleges.
Here's a look at the top five colleges that helped provide some of the greatest players ever to have played in the NBA:
Honourable mention: Duke - One of the NCAA powerhouses, Duke have provided the NBA with a lot of players, thanks to their incredibly structured and well-run program. Coach Mike Krzyzewski has been at the helm of the program since 1980 and has seen players like Grant Hill, Kyrie Irving, Elton Brand, and Corey Maggette come through the program during his time.
#5 University of Kansas
Wilt "The Big Dipper" Chamberlain is the most famous NBA player to have come out of the University of Kansas, and dominated the association during his time.
A two-time NBA champion, Chamberlain was one of the most dominant players in history, averaging 30 PPG and 22 RPG, a historic number.
The college also helped develop guys like Bill Bridges and Jo Jo White, ensuring they made a lasting impact on the NBA.
In recent history, the best player to have performed in the NBA from Kansas was Paul Pierce, who won the championship with Boston Celtics in 2008.
Of the current players in the league, some of the better ones to come through the Kansas program are the Morris twins, Markieff and Marcus, Kelly Oubre Jr. and Andrew Wiggins.