NCAA BASKETBALL
Who are the most famous NBA players from Arizona State?
Arizona State University’s men’s basketball team has produced several successful NBA players, including James Harden, Joe Caldwell, and Lafayette Lever.
Only a few college basketball teams have produced some of the NBA’s greatest players over the years. However, the Sun Devil men’s basketball team’s 2023-24 season recently ended after a 90-57 loss to Utah in the first round of the final Pac-12 Men’s Basketball Tournament.
Despite this setback, the ASU program has a history of producing great talent; in the future, many will be eager to recruit their next big star.
But who are the most famous NBA players from Arizona State?
There have been 43 players selected out of Arizona State in NBA draft history: nine in the first round (one during the last 10 years), 12 in the second round, and one among the top 3 picks. Last season was the most recent time a player was selected in the NBA draft out of Arizona State.
The NBA teams with the most players from Arizona State are the Phoenix Suns (10 times), Chicago Bulls (3), and Sacramento Kings (3).
James Harden- current
Known as the best shooting guard in the NBA, Harden was drafted by the Oklahoma City Thunder in 2009 and most recently joined the Philadelphia 76ers in 2022—the 32-year-old averages 34.3 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 7.5 assists per game. One of the league’s top players, Harden was ASU’s first consensus All-American and the third overall pick in 2009.
Joe Caldwell- 1964
One of the few All-Star players in both the NBA and ABA (American Basketball Association), Joe Caldwell was a two-time NBA All-Star and a two-time ABA All-Star.
In the early 1960s, Caldwell was a 1964 U.S. Olympic team member who won gold and was the No. 2 overall pick by the Detroit Pistons. The 6-foot-5 Arizona State graduate was a beast on the court.
Lafayette “Fat” Lever- 1982
A two-time All-Star, Lafayette Lever was considered one of the league’s best point guards during the late 1980s, playing for the Denver Nuggets. Lever averaged 16.3 points per game, 5.4 rebounds, and 3.9 assists and is considered one of the best defensive players in the Pac-10.
Because he played alongside Byron Scott, Lever was not given as much credit as his career deserves. As of the end of the 2021 regular season, Lever ranked 11th on the all-time list of the most triple-doubles in the regular season, ahead of players like Michael Jordan (28), Clyde Drexler (25), and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (21), with 43 over 11 seasons.
Lionel Hollins - 1956
Helming the guard position at the Portland Trail Blazers, Lionel Hollins won an NBA championship in 1977 and was named an NBA All-Star in 1978.
After leading the Sun Devils to an Elite Eight appearance in the ‘75 NCAA Tournament, he was the sixth overall pick by Portland in 1975, averaging 11.6 points per game, 2.4 rebounds, and 4.5 assists.
Byron Scott - 1983
Byron Scott was both a head coach and a player in the NBA, who won three NBA championships with the Lakers in the 1980s.
The L.A. guard averaged 14.1 points per game, 2.8 rebounds per game, and 2.5 assists per game. And while he was never an All-Star player, he’s one of only seven coaches in the NBA to earn the honor in the Eastern and Western conferences.
Former Arizona State players Currently in the NBA
There are currently three players in the NBA draft out of Arizona State. The latest is John Christopher, drafted by the Houston Rockets in 2021.
In 2019, Luguentz Dort was drafted by the Oklahoma City Thunder.
And finally, one of the league’s best, James Harden, has been playing in the NBA for 12 seasons: for Oklahoma (2009-2012), Houston Rockets (2012-2021), Brooklyn Nets (2021-2022), and currently with the Philadelphia 76ers.