Which Michigan Cities Produced the Most NBA Players?
The Olympics are the pinnacle of the athletic world but the next best thing is professional sports. Being an Olympic athlete is an honor that only a few get to hold and while you have better chances to be a professional athlete, it's only by a slight margin. One of the hardest sports to go pro in is basketball.
Now, there are multiple professional basketball leagues around the world but the National Basketball Association(NBA) is clearly seen as the best of the best. Many American teens and other players from around the world have aspirations of putting on an NBA jersey, but only a few are chosen. Michigan has gotten lucky and had a considerable amount of players in the NBA(including the ABA) over its existence.
There have been tons of Michigan-born players to find their way to the biggest stage in basketball, some had long careers and others were much shorter. Some went on to be superstars while others struggled to find their footing, either way, they were representations of the basketball talent in the Mitten state.
Some notable names from the NBA past that were born in Michigan are Don Boven, Art Spoelstra, Kevin Loder, George Gervin, Ricky Berry, Jay Vincent, and others who are from Grand Rapids, Detroit, Cassopolis, Kalamazoo, and other cities in the state. There are active players such as Isaiah Livers, Devin Booker, Xavier Tillman Sr, Draymond Green, Kyle Kuzma, and others who are from Michigan as well.
Below, is the list of the 166 all-time Michigan-born NBA players and how they are divided by birth city.