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The US states which have produced the most players in the NBA 75

  • California is the state which has produced the most players in the NBA’s 75th Anniversary team
  • New York and Louisiana take second and third, respectively
  • Ohio, North Carolina, and Michigan also make the top ten
Photo: NBA

California has produced the most players in the NBA’s 75th Anniversary team, according to new research.

The study, conducted by odds comparison experts Sidelines.io, gathered each player’s birthplaces in the NBA 75 to see which states come out on top.

It found that California has produced the most players on the list, with 11 members of the 75th Anniversary team being born in the state. Home of the Warriors, Lakers, Clippers and Kings, the most notable players born in the state include James Harden, Kawhi Leonard and Damian Lillard. Three of the 11 from California were born in Oakland, making the city one of the best for the NBA 75.

New York comes in second place with nine NBA 75 players born in the state. Notable players from the state include Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, who has the most career points in NBA history, and Michael Jordan, who was born in Brooklyn before his family moved to North Carolina, where he began on the path to becoming the greatest basketball player of all time. New York City’s Rucker Park is one of the most prominent street basketball courts in the US, with some of the all-time greats in the NBA developing their skills on it at a young age.

With six players in the team born in the state, Louisiana comes in third place. Notable entries from Louisiana include Bill Russell, Karl Malone, and Bob Pettit. The state also has the highest amount of ‘NBA 75 players per 10 million people’ in the top ten because of its relatively small population of just 4.6 million people, compared to nearly 40 million in California, and nearly 20 million in New York.

 StateNo. of players in NBA 75State populationNBA 75 players per 10 million
1California1139,557,0452.78
2New York919,542,2094.61
3Louisiana64,659,97812.88
4Ohio511,689,4424.28
5Pennsylvania512,807,0603.90
6North Carolina410,383,6203.85
7Illinois412,741,0803.14
8New Jersey38,908,5203.37
9Michigan39,995,9153.00
10West Virginia21,805,83211.08

Falling just outside the top three with five players in the top 75 comes Ohio. Notable players from the state include Lebron James and Steph Curry, who remarkably were both born in the same Akron hospital and have become the NBA’s biggest stars, facing off against each other in four consecutive NBA Finals between 2015 and 2018.

North Carolina comes in sixth place in the top ten, with four members of the NBA 75 being born in the state, including Bob McAdoo, Chris Paul and Sam Jones. Chris Paul is widely considered one of the best point guards in NBA history, earning him the nickname ‘Point God’. The University of North Carolina’s Basketball team is also one of the US’ most prestigious, producing the likes of Michael Jordan and James Worthy.

Coming in at ninth place is Michigan, with three NBA 75 players being born in the state. Michigan’s entries consist of Magic Johnson, Dave DeBusschere and George Gervin.

Commenting on the findings, a spokesperson from Sidelines said: “The players in the NBA 75 have been selected for being pioneers that have helped shape, define, and redefine the game. It encapsulates the league’s proud heritage and it’s fascinating to see where these influential players hail from. California tops the list with 11 legends, but states with smaller populations like Louisiana and West Virginia make an impressive contribution to basketball history as well.”

The study was conducted by Sidelines.io, which offers betting odds comparison, analysis, and tools to help you make data-driven decisions.

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