query: how many kentucky players have won an nba championship

pos: Kentucky Wildcats men's basketball Final Four appearances, captured 27 Southeastern Conference (SEC) regular season titles, and won 13 SEC tournaments. Rupp's Kentucky teams also finished ranked No. 1 on 6 occasions in the final Associated Press college basketball poll and 4 times in the United Press International (Coaches) poll. In addition, Rupp's 1966 Kentucky squad (nicknamed "Rupp's Runts", as no starting player on the squad was taller than 6'5") finished runner-up in the NCAA tournament, and his 1947 Wildcats finished runner-up in the NIT. Rupp's 1933 and 1954 Kentucky squads were also awarded the Helms National Championship, and his 1934 and 1947 teams were

pos: 1962 NBA draft MVP, 11 All-NBA Team selection, 13 All-Star Game selections and 8 All-Defensive Team selections. Walker, the 12th pick, won the NBA championship with the Philadelphia 76ers in 1967 and was selected to 7 All-Star Games. Zelmo Beaty, the 3rd pick, played in both NBA and American Basketball Association (ABA). He was selected to 2 NBA All-Star Games, 3 ABA All-Star Games and 3 All-ABA Teams. Dischinger and 4th pick Len Chappell are the only other players from this draft who have been selected to an All-Star Game. During his stint with the Detroit Pistons, Dischinger served as an interim player-coach

neg: Sports in Kentucky team of the 1990s, winning two national titles (1996 and 1998), with three straight trips to the NCAA Championship game and four total trips to the Final Four. UK's 1996 National Championship team is considered to be the best NCAA team of all time, as evidenced by the nine players on the roster who played in the NBA. For all their success in basketball, the Kentucky Wildcats have been unable to remain consistently competitive in football. The last two Kentucky football seasons have resulted in an embarrassing 2-10 record. Playing in the brutally competitive Southeastern Conference, the Wildcats won an

neg: Sports in Kentucky have been associated with programs in the state of Kentucky: Adolph Rupp (UK), Denny Crum (UofL), and Rick Pitino (both UK and UofL). Also, several successful NBA players played in the state, including Pat Riley, Wes Unseld, and Dan Issel. Only the UCLA Bruins have won more NCAA championships than the Kentucky Wildcats, with the Wildcats ranking first in almost every other significant measure of a successful program. In addition to UK and UofL, the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers are also a historically successful basketball program. In 2011, the University of Pikeville won the NAIA Men's Basketball National Championship, followed only

neg: Kentucky Wildcats men's basketball 2nd place all-time with UCLA), 12 NCAA Championship games, and has won 8 NCAA championships (second only to UCLA's 11). In addition to these titles, Kentucky won the National Invitation Tournament (NIT) in both 1946 and 1976, making it the only school to win multiple NCAA and NIT championships. Kentucky also leads all schools with sixty-two 20-win seasons, fifteen 30-win seasons, and six 35-win seasons. Throughout its history, the Kentucky basketball program has featured many notable and successful players, both on the collegiate level and the professional level. Kentucky holds the record for the most NBA Draft selections (125) as

neg: Serbia team won the European Championship in 2015 and Olympic bronze medal in 2016. A total of 31 Serbian players have played in the NBA in last two decades, including Predrag "Peja" Stojaković (three-time NBA All-Star) and Vlade Divac (2001 NBA All-Star and FIBA Hall of Famer). The renowned "Serbian coaching school" produced many of the most successful European basketball coaches of all times, such as Željko Obradović, who won a record 9 Euroleague titles as a coach. KK Partizan basketball club was the 1992 European champion. Recent success of Serbian tennis players has led to an immense growth in the

neg: Kentucky Wildcats men's basketball well as the most #1 NBA Draft picks (3). The Wildcats have also been led by many successful head coaches, including Adolph Rupp, Joe B. Hall, Eddie Sutton, Rick Pitino, Tubby Smith, and John Calipari. Kentucky is the only program with 5 different NCAA Championship coaches (Rupp, Hall, Pitino, Smith, Calipari). Three Kentucky coaches have been enshrined in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame: Rupp, Pitino, and Calipari. Former Wildcat players that have gone on to become head coaches include C.M. Newton, Pat Riley, Dan Issel, Dwane Casey, John Pelphrey, and Travis Ford. Records indicate that the first head

neg: 1995–96 Kentucky Wildcats men's basketball team 1995–96 Kentucky Wildcats men's basketball team The 1995–96 Kentucky Wildcats men's basketball team represented the University of Kentucky in the 1995–96 college basketball season. Coached by Rick Pitino, the team finished the season with a 34–2 record and won the NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship over the Syracuse University Orangemen, 76–67. Also known as "The Untouchables", nine players from the 95–96 team eventually played in the NBA. These players were Derek Anderson, Tony Delk, Walter McCarty, Ron Mercer, Nazr Mohammed, Mark Pope, Jeff Sheppard, Wayne Turner, and Antoine Walker. The 1995-96 Kentucky team is widely regarded as one of

neg: 1995–96 Kentucky Wildcats men's basketball team the greatest teams in NCAA Division I Men's Basketball history. !colspan=11 style="background:#EEEEEE;"| Exhibition !colspan=12 |Regular Season !colspan=12| 1996 SEC Tournament !colspan=12| 1996 NCAA Tournament (Tournament seeding in parentheses) 1995–96 Kentucky Wildcats men's basketball team The 1995–96 Kentucky Wildcats men's basketball team represented the University of Kentucky in the 1995–96 college basketball season. Coached by Rick Pitino, the team finished the season with a 34–2 record and won the NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship over the Syracuse University Orangemen, 76–67. Also known as "The Untouchables", nine players from the 95–96 team eventually played in the NBA. These players were Derek

neg: Skippy Whitaker total minutes in the NBA. Skippy Whitaker Lucian Cary "Skippy" Whitaker (August 29, 1930 – August 1990) was an American basketball player. He won an NCAA championship at the University of Kentucky in 1951 and played briefly in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Whitaker, a 6'1 guard, played collegiately at Kentucky for Adolph Rupp. As a junior, he was a member of the Wildcats' 1951 national championship team. He was drafted by the Indianapolis Olympians in the 1952 NBA draft. However, his only NBA action came playing three games for the Boston Celtics during the 1954–55 NBA season. Whitaker scored

neg: Antoine Walker Antoine Walker Antoine Devon Walker (born August 12, 1976) is an American former professional basketball player. He was drafted with the sixth overall pick in the 1996 NBA draft out of the University of Kentucky and played in the NBA from 1996 to 2008. Walker played for the Celtics, Mavericks, Hawks, Heat, Timberwolves, the BSN's Mets and the NBA D-League's Stampede before retiring from basketball in 2012. Walker, a three-time NBA All-Star, won an NCAA championship with Kentucky in 1996 and an NBA championship with the Miami Heat in 2006. Walker attended Mount Carmel High School, in Chicago, where he

neg: Robert Horry last professional season. Horry collected his seventh championship as a member of the Spurs in 2007. He is one of only nine players to have won seven or more championships in the NBA, and the only one who did not play on the 1960s Celtics. Horry was one of only four players to have won back-to-back NBA championships with two teams as of 2007. In 2005, he joined John Salley as the only players to win the NBA championship with three teams. At the time of his retirement, he was the all-time leader in playoff games played with 244 games

neg: Skippy Whitaker Skippy Whitaker Lucian Cary "Skippy" Whitaker (August 29, 1930 – August 1990) was an American basketball player. He won an NCAA championship at the University of Kentucky in 1951 and played briefly in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Whitaker, a 6'1 guard, played collegiately at Kentucky for Adolph Rupp. As a junior, he was a member of the Wildcats' 1951 national championship team. He was drafted by the Indianapolis Olympians in the 1952 NBA draft. However, his only NBA action came playing three games for the Boston Celtics during the 1954–55 NBA season. Whitaker scored 2 points in his 15

neg: Stephen Curry Stephen Curry Wardell Stephen Curry II ( ; born March 14, 1988) is an American professional basketball player for the Golden State Warriors of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Many players and analysts have called him the greatest shooter in NBA history. He is credited with revolutionizing the game of basketball by inspiring teams to regularly employ the three-point shot as part of their winning strategy. In 2014–15, Curry won the NBA Most Valuable Player Award and led the Warriors to their first championship since 1975. The following season, he became the first player in NBA history to be elected

neg: Honored Arizona Wildcats men's basketball players and most innovative personalities. Among them are one former Arizona players and one former Arizona head coaches. Players Coaches To have his number retired, a player must win one of the following six widely recognized player of the year awards: Players: The following 23 McDonald's All-Americans listed below have signed with Arizona. The following Arizona Wildcats men's basketball players have represented their country in basketball in the Summer Olympics: The following Arizona Wildcats men's basketball players have gone on to win an NBA championship. A Total of 18 NBA championships have been won by 7 former Wildcats players. Note:*Coach or

neg: 1967 NBA draft and Frazier both won the NBA championship with the Knicks in 1973. Three seasons earlier in 1970, Frazier was also a member of the Knicks team that won the NBA championship for the first time. Frazier was selected to seven All-NBA Teams, six All-Star Games and seven All-Defensive Teams, while Monroe was selected to one All-NBA Team and four All-Star Games. Walker and 19th pick Bob Rule are the only other players from this draft who have been selected to an All-Star Game. Daniels, the 9th pick, opted to play in the American Basketball Association (ABA) with the Minnesota Muskies.

neg: James Lee (basketball) James Lee (basketball) James Lee (born January 17, 1956) is a retired American basketball player. He won an NCAA championship at the University of Kentucky and was a second-round draft pick in the 1978 NBA Draft. Lee, a 6'5" swingman from Henry Clay High School in Lexington, Kentucky, played college basketball for his hometown Kentucky Wildcats. He was a key player for four years and averaged 11.3 points per game on 56% shooting as the sixth man on the Wildcats' 1978 national championship team. Coming off a championship year, Lee was drafted in the second round of the 1978 NBA

neg: K. C. Jones the NBA with the Boston Celtics, being part of eight championship teams from 1959 to 1966. Jones and Russell, and five others, are the only players in history to win an NCAA Championship, an NBA Championship, and an Olympic Gold Medal. In NBA history, only teammates Bill Russell (11 championships) and Sam Jones (10 championships) have won more championship rings during their playing careers. After Boston lost to the Philadelphia 76ers in the 1967 playoffs, Jones ended his playing career. K.C. Jones was enshrined in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1989. Jones began his coaching career at

neg: St. John's University (New York City) appearances (28), two John R. Wooden Award winners, 11 consensus All-Americans, 6 members of the College Basketball Hall of Fame, and has sent 59 players to the NBA. Even even as late as 1990 was said to not compare to other basketball powerhouses like Michigan State. However, of the top 5 teams, Kentucky, North Carolina, Kansas, Duke, and St. John's, St. John's is the only team not to win an NCAA championship for basketball, and currently holds the NCAA Division I record for most NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship appearances without a championship. St. John's men's basketball has won

neg: Billy Thompson (basketball) reached the semi-finals of the national championship his freshman year, where they lost to the University of Houston. In his junior year he led the Cardinals in scoring, rebounding and assists. His senior season the Cardinals won the 1986 NCAA national championship. In the 1986 NBA Draft he was selected 19th overall by the Atlanta Hawks. In a draft-day trade he was sent to the Los Angeles Lakers. He was a reserve on the Lakers teams that won back-to-back NBA Championships in 1986-87 and 1987-88. He is one of only four players to have won an NCAA championship and an

neg: Steve Kerr the San Antonio Spurs in a sign-and-trade deal with the Bulls, whereby Chuck Person and a first-round pick in the 2000 NBA draft was sent to Chicago. The Spurs reached 1999 NBA Finals and won their first NBA Championship with a 4–1 series victory over the New York Knicks. Kerr became one of two players to win four straight NBA titles without being a part of the 1960s Boston Celtics dynasty—the other being Frank Saul, who won four straight with Rochester and Minneapolis from 1951–54. Kerr and Saul are also the only two players in NBA history to have won

neg: Kansas Jayhawks men's basketball school. Kansas tied with Connecticut in 2006 and Florida in 2007. This record was broken in the 2012 NBA Draft by Kentucky. Players with an asterisk are players that have been assigned to the G-League. In the offseason, players who were signed to a team's summer league roster should not be included. This section is former Jayhawks that were on an NBA roster during the 2016-2017 NBA season but are not on an NBA roster. NBA teams can sign players to two–way contracts allowing them to easily transition back and forth from the NBA team and their G–League affiliate based

neg: Kentucky Wildcats men's basketball they defeated Kansas 67–59, winning UK's 8th NCAA championship, along with John Calipari's first NCAA Championship as a head coach. This Kentucky team had a record six players drafted in the 2012 NBA draft, including the first time two teammates have been chosen with the first two picks: Anthony Davis (1st overall), Michael Kidd-Gilchrist (2nd), Terrence Jones (18th), Marquis Teague (29th), Doron Lamb (42nd) and Darius Miller (46th). The 2012–13 season's recruiting class ranked either first or second by various recruiting experts led by top center Nerlens Noel, guard Archie Goodwin, forward Alex Poythress, and four-star center Willie Cauley-Stein. Kentucky

neg: Sport in Serbia (1995, 1997, and 2001, respectively), one FIBA Diamond Ball (2004) and two Olympic silver medals (in 1996 and 2016) as well. The women's national basketball team won the European Championship in 2015 and Olympic bronze medal in 2016. A total of 31 Serbian players have played in the NBA in last three decades, including Predrag "Peja" Stojaković (three-time NBA All-Star) and Vlade Divac (2001 NBA All-Star and FIBA Hall of Famer). The renowned "Serbian coaching school" produced many of the most successful European basketball coaches of all times, such as Željko Obradović, who won a record 9 Euroleague titles as

neg: NBA G League League, which are pro-rated according to the number of days the player is with his G League team, are based on an annual salary between $50,000 and $75,000, and while these players are with their NBA team, they will earn a pro-rated portion of the NBA minimum rookie salary (which was $815,615 in the 2017–18 season). Many former NBA draftees, waived players and undrafted players have played in the NBA D-League. Bobby Simmons and Aaron Brooks are the only former D-League players to win an NBA end-of-season award; both won the Most Improved Player Award with Simmons getting it with

neg: History of the Los Angeles Lakers with the Lakers eventually defeating the Kings in overtime and advancing to the NBA Finals. The championship series against the New Jersey Nets was a mere formality, as the Lakers swept all four games in one of the most lopsided NBA Finals ever. By securing their third straight NBA Championship, the Lakers of 2000–2002 earned their place in NBA history. O'Neal won his third consecutive Finals MVP award joining only Michael Jordan as players to have achieved such honors, and Jackson won his ninth championship as a head coach, tying Celtics legend Red Auerbach, while surpassing Pat Riley as the

neg: 1977 NBA draft five All-NBA Teams and three All-Star Games; and King was selected to four All-NBA Teams and four All-Star Games. Jack Sikma, the eight pick, won the NBA championship with the Seattle SuperSonics in 1979 and was selected to seven consecutive All-Star Games. Rickey Green, the 16th pick, Norm Nixon, the 22nd pick, and Eddie Johnson, the 39th pick, are the only other players from this draft who were selected to an All-Star Game. Two players drafted went on to have coaching careers in the NBA: 33rd pick Eddie Jordan and 53rd pick John Kuester. Jordan has coached three teams in

neg: Arizona Wildcats 25 consecutive years from 1985 to 2009. The Wildcats have reached the Final Four of the NCAA tournament in 1988, 1994, 1997, and 2001. In 1997, Arizona defeated the University of Kentucky, the defending national champions, to win the NCAA National Championship. Their championship team was led by future NBA players Mike Bibby and Michael Dickerson, as well as Final Four MVP Miles Simon. Bennett Davison and A. J. Bramlett rounded out the starting five. Other team members include Jason Terry, the Cats' sixth man who went on to a solid NBA career, John Ash, Eugene Edgerson, Donnell Harris, Jason

neg: Eligibility for the NBA draft the required year before leaving and entering the draft—a phenomenon known as "one and done". Some colleges have embraced this rule to their advantage, notably the University of Kentucky, among others. Many of their players have played the one mandatory year, leaving after their freshman season to enter the draft. The NBA G League (formerly Development League) is one alternative to college. Players can earn five-figure salaries, but the level of competition is possibly lower than in the Division I level in college. Some players, most notably Brandon Jennings, have also played overseas in lieu of college. However, in recent

neg: Dallas Mavericks players while the Miami Heat came in with a respectable 52–30 record and sported an aging but still strong Shaquille O'Neal as well as an up-and-coming Dwyane Wade. Dallas was favored by many in the media to win the series. The Dallas Mavericks won the first two games but Miami went on to sweep the next four and win the NBA championship for the first time in team history. Both teams saw success over the next few seasons and appeared in the playoffs multiple times, and would ultimately go on to have a rematch in the 2011 NBA Finals. It

neg: Manu Ginóbili Manu Ginóbili Emanuel David Ginóbili (born 28 July 1977) is an Argentine retired professional basketball player. Over a 23-season professional career, he became one of only two players to have won a EuroLeague title, an NBA championship, and an Olympic gold medal. A four-time NBA champion, Ginóbili was a member of the San Antonio Spurs for his entire NBA career. Along with Spurs teammates Tim Duncan and Tony Parker, he was known as one of the "Big Three." Ginóbili comes from a family of professional basketball players. He spent the early part of his career in Argentina and Italy, where

neg: Winston Bennett Pitino at the University of Kentucky from 1995 to 1997 and, later, under Pitino, with the Boston Celtics, during the 1997–98 NBA season. In 1996, while an assistant at Kentucky, the Wildcats won the NCAA Championship, defeating Syracuse, 76–67. The following season, UK finished as the runner-up, losing to Arizona in the championship game, 84–79. In May 2000, he was named head men's basketball coach at Kentucky State University, a Division II university in Frankfort, Kentucky. In his first season with the Thorobreds, he led the team to a conference championship. But on November 6, 2003, less than a week

neg: Michael Jordan Abdul-Jabbar has won more, with six), six Finals MVPs (NBA record), and three All-Star Game MVPs, Jordan is the most decorated player in NBA history. Jordan finished among the top three in regular-season MVP voting 10 times, and was named one of the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History in 1996. He is one of only seven players in history to win an NCAA championship, an NBA championship, and an Olympic gold medal (doing so twice with the 1984 and 1992 U.S. men's basketball teams). Since 1976, the year of the NBA's merger with the American Basketball Association, Jordan and

neg: 1972 NBA draft Game selections and eleven NBA All-Star Game selections. Paul Westphal, the 9th pick, was selected to both the All-NBA Team and the All-Star Game; he had four All-NBA selections and five All-Star selections. He also won the NBA championship in 1974 with the Boston Celtics. After retiring as a player, he went on to coach three NBA teams, most recently with the Sacramento Kings. Two other players from this draft, 16th pick Jim Price and 34th pick Don Buse, were also selected to an All-Star Game. Chris Ford, the 17th pick, won the NBA championship in 1981 with the Celtics.

neg: Culture of Turkey players have also been successful in the NBA. In June 2004, Mehmet Okur won the 2004 NBA Championship with the Detroit Pistons, becoming the first Turkish player to win an NBA title. Okur was selected to the Western Conference All-Star Team for the 2007 NBA All-Star Game, also becoming the first Turkish player to participate in this event. Another successful Turkish player in the NBA is Hidayet Türkoğlu, who was given the NBA's Most Improved Player Award for the 2007–2008 season, on April 28, 2008. Women's volleyball teams such as Eczacıbaşı, Vakıfbank Güneş Sigorta, and Fenerbahçe Acıbadem have been the

neg: Bill Russell is credited with having raised defensive play in the NBA to a new level. By winning the 1956 NCAA Championship with USF and the 1957 NBA title with the Celtics, Russell became the first of only four players in basketball history to win an NCAA championship and an NBA Championship back-to-back (the others being Henry Bibby, Magic Johnson, and Billy Thompson). He also won two state championships in high school. In the interim, Russell won an Olympic gold medal in 1956. His stint as coach of the Celtics was also of historical significance, as he became the first black head

neg: John Stockton basketball team in 2010. Along with his teammate Karl Malone, Stockton is considered one of the best players who never won an NBA championship. Stockton, a 10-time NBA All-Star, holds a commanding lead for the NBA record for career assists with 15,806 (10.5 per game). Stockton also holds the record for assists-per-game average over one season (14.5 in 1990) and is one of three players who have logged more than 1,000 assists in one season, joining Kevin Porter (1,099 in 1979) and Isiah Thomas (1,123 in 1985) in the exclusive list. Stockton did this seven times, with season totals of

neg: Spencer Hawes Spencer Hawes Spencer Mason Hawes (born April 28, 1988) is an American professional basketball player who last played for the Milwaukee Bucks of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He was selected by the Sacramento Kings in the 2007 NBA draft and is the nephew of Steve Hawes, a retired NBA player. Hawes played center at Seattle Prep, an elite college-prep school in Seattle, Washington. The team won the state championship in the 2005–06 season and Hawes was named the tournament MVP. He might have entered the 2006 NBA Draft had the NBA not enacted a new rule requiring players to

neg: 1974 NBA draft Golden State Warriors. Walton, Wilkes, and 40th pick George Gervin have been inducted to the Basketball Hall of Fame. Both Walton and Gervin were also named to the list of the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History announced at the league's 50th anniversary in 1996. Walton won the NBA championship, along with the Finals Most Valuable Player Award, with the Blazers in 1977. Later in his career, he won another NBA title with the Boston Celtics in 1986. During that season, he also won the Sixth Man of the Year Award. Walton's other achievements include one Most Valuable Player Award

neg: Larry O'Brien Association as its commissioner until 1984. He went on to successfully direct the ABA–NBA merger and negotiate television-broadcast agreements with CBS Television while seeing game attendance significantly increase. After retirement, in honor of his service to the sport, the NBA Championship Trophy was renamed as the Larry O'Brien NBA Championship Trophy. However, his league was troubled by public relations issues, especially after the merger. The NBA was looked down on by many fans and reporters, who believed that most NBA players used illegal drugs as well as other racial stereotypes. O'Brien pushed for an anti-drug agreement with the NBA Players

neg: Larry O'Brien Championship Trophy an iconic status for the trophy. After the Detroit Pistons won the NBA Finals in 2004, the trophy was toured around the state of Michigan, marking the first time the trophy toured around the state of the winning team. In 2005, the NBA Legends Tour was launched in New York City. As part of the tour, the O’Brien Trophy was showcased in various cities—including those that were hosting the playoffs—for fans' autograph and photo sessions. It was escorted by many former players, including Julius Erving, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Bill Russell. In May 2007, the NBA unveiled the NBA Headquarters on

neg: 2003 NBA draft 2003 draft is known for having one of the most talented draft pools in draft history. Four of the top five picks are NBA All-Stars and "Redeem Team" Olympic Gold Medalists: Carmelo Anthony, Chris Bosh, Dwyane Wade, and LeBron James. Many players have been in the starting line-ups of their respective teams; nine have participated in an All-Star Game, Dwyane Wade was named NBA Finals MVP in 2006 and won the NBA All Star Game MVP in 2010. Luke Walton was a two-time NBA Champion in 2009 and 2010, Boris Diaw won the Most Improved Player Award in 2006, Jason

neg: 2015–16 Kentucky Wildcats men's basketball team chose Kentucky over Oregon. On August 20 it was announced that Humphries would reclassify from the 2016 class to the 2015 class to join the team for the season. The earliest preseason predictions were made the day after the 2015 NCAA Tournament on April 7, before final decisions by college players about declaring for the 2015 NBA Draft and before many high-school players signed a National Letter of Intent about their 2015 seasons. Despite the speculation that most of the 2015 roster would declare for the NBA Draft, ESPN ranked Kentucky as its top ranked team for the 2015-16 season.

neg: Marquette Golden Eagles men's basketball Tournament and having to travel. They were ranked 8th in the country at the time and were one of the favorites to win the NCAA championship. They were invited to the 1970 NIT which they won. The NCAA later instituted a rule which forbade an NCAA Division I level men's basketball team from spurning an NCAA bid for an NIT bid. An antitrust case by the NIT ensued over this issue, and the NCAA settled out of court. The following numbers have been retired by Marquette: Players currently or recently in the NBA Players formerly in the NBA List is

neg: Kentucky Colonels nemesis, the Indiana Pacers, in a dominant 4 games to 1 victory to win the 1975 ABA championship. Gilmore scored 28 points and grabbed an amazing 31 rebounds in the final game. That same season the Golden State Warriors won the NBA Title. Colonels owner, John Y. Brown, offered the NBA Champs a million dollars to play a one-game world championship. The Warriors and the NBA refused. The celebration of the 1975 season ended when John Y. Brown, Jr. dealt Dan Issel to the ABA's new Baltimore Claws franchise (which folded after a few preseason exhibition games, never taking the

neg: Kentucky Colonels many teams in the NBA but has always maintained (including in his Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame induction) that the 1974–75 Colonels were the best team he coached. Prior to the season the Colonels and the ABA's commissioner, Dave DeBusschere, challenged the NBA to have its champion, the Golden State Warriors, face the Colonels in a championship series, the winner of which would get $1 million. The NBA declined. Interest in ABA vs. NBA play extended beyond the two leagues' management. In 1976, CBS sought to establish a postseason playoff between the ABA and NBA, and to win the rights

neg: Oregon State Beavers made no NCAA Tournament appearances from 1992 to 2015 before returning in 2016. The program has reached the Final Four of the NCAA Tournament twice, the Elite Eight on six occasions, and 17 total tournament appearances. A number of former OSU players have gone on to have successful careers in the NBA, including 9-time NBA All-Star Gary Payton and "Iron Man" A. C. Green. OSU alumni have also won a total of 10 NBA championship rings and four Olympic gold medals. The team has defeated rival Oregon more times than any other team has beaten an opponent in a collegiate

neg: Hamidou Diallo Sacramento Kings. Diallo competed for the under-18 United States national basketball team that captured gold in the FIBA Americas Under-18 Championship game in 2016. He won bronze at the 2017 FIBA Under-19 Basketball World Cup in Egypt. Hamidou Diallo "Not to be confused with Amadou Diallo." Hamidou Diallo (born July 31, 1998) is an American professional basketball player for the Oklahoma City Thunder of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college basketball for the Kentucky Wildcats. He was a consensus 5-star prospect, and one of the top rated basketball players in the class of 2017. Diallo attended John Bowne

neg: 50 Greatest Players in NBA History announced his retirement after the 2010–11 season. Nelson was the only member to have never won a championship as a coach, even though he won five as a player. Wilkens was the only member of the coaches list to have been selected as a member of the players list. Nine of the ten coaches are also members of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame (only Bill Fitch is not). Also included in the NBA's 50th-anniversary celebration was the selection of the Top 10 Teams in NBA History. The list was compiled based upon unranked selection undertaken exclusively by members

neg: Derek Anderson (basketball) Derek Anderson (basketball) Derek Lamont Anderson (born July 18, 1974) is an American former professional basketball player. Anderson is a graduate of Doss High School and was a All-Star in the state of Kentucky. Anderson played college basketball at the Ohio State University and the University of Kentucky. In 1996, Anderson helped the University of Kentucky win the NCAA Men's Basketball Championship as part of a team that featured nine future NBA players under their coach Rick Pitino. Anderson went on to graduate from the University of Kentucky in 1997 with a degree in pharmacy. He was first selected by

neg: Death penalty (NCAA) the NBA and won a $10,000 judgment but still was not allowed to play. Following the point shaving scandal, the NCAA and Southeastern Conference opened an investigation into the Kentucky program. School officials hoped that barring Spivey from ever suiting up again would work in their favor. It was to no avail. In August 1952, the SEC barred Kentucky from conference play for the 1952–53 season. In October, in its first-ever formal enforcement action, the NCAA found that 10 Kentucky basketball players received impermissible financial aid. It also found that Rupp and his staff knew the players were ineligible and

neg: 1966 NBA draft seven All-Star Games. He became a politician after ending his playing career and won the election to become the mayor of Detroit in 2009. Russell won the NBA championship with the New York Knicks 1970. He later was named to the All-Star Game in 1972. Lou Hudson, the 4th pick, and Archie Clark, the 37th pick, have also been selected to both All-NBA Team and All-Star Game. Hudson was selected to six All-Star Games and one All-NBA Team while Clark was selected to two All-Star Games and one All-NBA Team. Three other players from this draft, 3rd pick Clyde Lee,

neg: Gene Rhodes Rhodes died on March 10, 2018 aged 90 in his hometown in Louisville, Kentucky. Gene Rhodes Eugene Stephen Rhodes (September 2, 1927 – March 10, 2018) was an American basketball player and coach. Rhodes played college basketball at Western Kentucky University. While Rhodes was a player, WKU won the Ohio Valley Conference championship in 1949, 1950 and 1951, playing in the National Invitational Tournament in each of those seasons. Rhodes played in the NBA for the Indianapolis Olympians. Rhodes was later head basketball coach at St. Xavier High School, leading that team to the 1958 Kentucky state championship. In 1964,

neg: Quinn Buckner Cory, Lauren and Alexsandra. Quinn Buckner William Quinn Buckner (born August 20, 1954) is an American former professional basketball player and coach. He played collegiate basketball for the Indiana University Hoosiers, and was selected by the Milwaukee Bucks with the 7th pick of the 1976 NBA draft. He had a ten-year NBA career for three teams (the Bucks, the Boston Celtics, and the Indiana Pacers). In 1984, he won an NBA title with the Celtics. Buckner is one of only seven players in history to win an NCAA Championship, an NBA Championship, and an Olympic Gold Medal. He also was

neg: Quinn Buckner Quinn Buckner William Quinn Buckner (born August 20, 1954) is an American former professional basketball player and coach. He played collegiate basketball for the Indiana University Hoosiers, and was selected by the Milwaukee Bucks with the 7th pick of the 1976 NBA draft. He had a ten-year NBA career for three teams (the Bucks, the Boston Celtics, and the Indiana Pacers). In 1984, he won an NBA title with the Celtics. Buckner is one of only seven players in history to win an NCAA Championship, an NBA Championship, and an Olympic Gold Medal. He also was a State Champion while

neg: Purdue University Indiana University is second with 22. The Boilermakers have reached two NCAA Tournament Final Fours and won a non-NCAA recognized National Championship for the 1932 season, awarded several years later by the Helms Athletic Foundation. It has sent more than 30 players to the NBA including two overall No. 1 picks in the NBA draft. Purdue shares a traditional rivalry with in-state foe Indiana University, and holds a 112-88 series lead. The Boilermaker men's and women's basketball teams have won more Big Ten Championships than any other conference school, with 27 conference titles. Purdue men's basketball has an all-time winning

neg: The Players Championship scoring records."<br> Sources Six players have won the tournament more than once: Nicklaus won in alternating years at three different venues, but never at the Stadium Course, where the rest won both titles. The shortest span between wins at the Stadium Course is six years (Elkington) and the longest is seventeen years (Sutton). The Players Championship The Players Championship (commonly known as simply The Players, stylized by the PGA Tour as The PLAYERS Championship) is an annual golf tournament on the PGA Tour. Originally known as the Tournament Players Championship, it began in 1974. For many years, the Players Championship

neg: Max Kase shaving scandal spread as players at Long Island University, the University of Kentucky and Bradley University were also implicated. It was ultimately shown that five players on Kentucky's 1949 NCAA championship team were involved or implicated in point shaving. Two of the players were suspended for life by the NBA, and Kentucky did not play the 1952–1953 season because of the scandal. The college basketball point shaving scandals uncovered by Kase were considered the most serious in American sports since the 1919 Black Sox Scandal. In 1952, Kase was presented with a Pulitzer Special Citation for his work on the

neg: Michigan Wolverines men's basketball players to have won a state high school championship, NCAA title and NBA championship. During the 1990s Michigan endured an NCAA violations scandal, described as involving one of the largest amounts of illicit money in NCAA history, when Ed Martin loaned four players a reported total of $616,000. Due to NCAA sanctions, records from the 1992 Final Four, the 1992–93 season, and 1995–99 seasons have been vacated. Throughout this article asterisks denote awards, records and honors that have been vacated. As a result of public and alumni demand for a basketball team, Michigan fielded a team of members of the

neg: NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament NBA executives have to decide how players' performances in a maximum of seven games, from the First Four to the championship game, should affect their draft decisions. A 2012 study for the National Bureau of Economic Research explores how the March tournament affects the way that professional teams behave in the June draft. The study is based on data from 1997 to 2010 that looks at how college tournament standouts performed at the NBA level. The researchers determined that a player who outperforms his regular season averages or who is on a team that wins more games than its seed

neg: 1974–75 Kentucky Colonels season champion Golden State Warriors to play the Colonels, offering to pay the NBA $1 million if the Warriors could defeat the Colonels. The Warriors and NBA declined. However, the two teams did meet on October 8, 1975, at Freedom Hall in Louisville. The Colonels won the matchup of the league champions, 93-90. 1974–75 Kentucky Colonels season The 1974–75 American Basketball Association season saw the Kentucky Colonels, led by Dan Issel, Artis Gilmore, Louie Dampier and coach Hubie Brown, win the 1975 ABA Championship. Following the 1973–74 Kentucky Colonels season, the Colonels fired head coach Babe McCarthy despite his winning the

neg: 1974–75 Kentucky Colonels season 1974–75 Kentucky Colonels season The 1974–75 American Basketball Association season saw the Kentucky Colonels, led by Dan Issel, Artis Gilmore, Louie Dampier and coach Hubie Brown, win the 1975 ABA Championship. Following the 1973–74 Kentucky Colonels season, the Colonels fired head coach Babe McCarthy despite his winning the 1974 ABA Coach of the Year award. Milwaukee Bucks assistant coach Hubie Brown was hired as McCarthy's replacement in June 1974. Like most ABA teams, the Colonels played several preseason exhibition games against NBA opponents. By September 29, 1974, the ABA had won all five of that season's ABA vs. NBA exhibition

neg: Kentucky Wildcats men's basketball title in 1997 by the torn ACL of shooting guard Derek Anderson. (Anderson tore his ACL in January against SEC foe Auburn; Kentucky lost the 1997 title game in overtime to the Arizona Wildcats.) The team Smith inherited sported seven players from the Arizona loss, and five from the 1996 championship team. However, since most of the players who had left after the 1996 and 1997 seasons were high NBA draft picks, his team had the lowest pre-season ranking since Kentucky came off probation in 1991. In his first season at UK, he coached the Wildcats to their seventh NCAA

neg: Allan Houston Allan Houston Allan Wade Houston (born April 20, 1971) is an American retired professional basketball player who played in the National Basketball Association (NBA) from 1993 to 2005. He is currently the assistant general manager for the New York Knicks and the general manager for Knicks' NBA G-League team, the Westchester Knicks. Houston was born in Louisville, Kentucky and played at Ballard High School in Louisville as they won the 1988 Kentucky state championship. He went on to play at the University of Tennessee (where he played under his coach and father Wade) and graduated in 1993 as the school's

neg: Ron Thomas career. He was part of the Colonels team that won the 1975 ABA Championship. Thomas died on July 14, 2018. Ron Thomas Ron Thomas (November 19, 1950 – July 14, 2018) was an American basketball player. He played at both the college and professional level in the United States. Thomas, a native of Louisville, Kentucky, graduated from Thomas Jefferson High School in Louisville, played college basketball at the University of Louisville. Thomas was drafted by the Seattle SuperSonics of the National Basketball Association (NBA) in the 6th round of the 1972 NBA draft. He instead signed with the Kentucky Colonels

neg: 1976 NBA draft Year Award in 1999 with the Portland Trail Blazers. He coached four teams in 17 seasons. Two other players drafted also went on to have coaching careers in the NBA: Dennis Johnson and seventh pick Quinn Buckner. The following list includes other draft picks who have appeared in at least one NBA game. On August 5, 1976, the NBA hosted a dispersal draft to select players from the Kentucky Colonels and Spirits of St. Louis, the American Basketball Association (ABA) franchises that were not included in the ABA–NBA merger. The eighteen NBA teams and the four ABA teams that joined

neg: Arizona Wildcats men's basketball with the in-state Grand Canyon and Northern Arizona. As well as out-of-state rivalries, including Kansas, Duke, San Diego State and Gonzaga. Source: Arizona 2017-18 Media Guide Current non-NBA professional players All time non-NBA professional players 12 different NBA Championships have been won by 10 Wildcats players. Since the NBA draft was shortened to two rounds in 1989, 41 Arizona players have been selected. Former Wildcats have had successful NBA careers, totaling over $1.3 billion in total contracts through the 2018–2019 NBA season Source: Arizona 2017–18 Media Guide A Total of 23 NBA championships have been won by 10 former Wildcats,

neg: 1970 NBA draft selections. Cowens won two NBA championships with the Boston Celtics in 1974 and 1976, one Most Valuable Player Award in 1973, and had three All-NBA Team selections and seven All-Star Game selections. Archibald won one NBA championship with the Celtics in 1981 and had five All-NBA Team selections and six All-Star Game selections. Lanier and Murphy were selected to eight and one All-Star Games respectively. Dan Issel initially opted to play in the American Basketball Association (ABA) with the Kentucky Colonels. He played six seasons in the ABA before finally joining the NBA with the Denver Nuggets when both leagues

neg: University of Texas at El Paso accent to go with the customary orange. UTEP was the first college in the American South to integrate its intercollegiate sports programs. This breakthrough was made in the 1950s. When Don Haskins became basketball coach in 1961, he aggressively recruited black players. In 1966, Haskins' Miners won the NCAA basketball championship, defeating an all-white Kentucky team in the final game. In 1966, at a time when many claimed black players lacked the mental and emotional "necessities" to compete at a high level, the UTEP Miners coach Don Haskins put his usual starting players in the Championship game. They were the

neg: Georgetown University Hibbert. Georgetown's NBA alumni are collectively among the highest earners from a single program. Ewing was selected by the NBA as one of the 50 greatest players in the league's history. The sailing team has won fourteen national championships since 2001, as well as one World Championship in match racing. Over that time they have graduated 79 All-Americans and 6 College Sailors of the year. Georgetown has been nationally successful in both cross country and track and field, and in 2011, the women's cross country team won Georgetown's only other team NCAA Championship. The rowing teams are perennial contenders as

neg: Bill Bradley Knicks retired his number 24 jersey; he was the fourth player so honored by the Knicks, after Willis Reed, Walt Frazier, and DeBusschere. He is one of only two players, along with Manu Ginóbili, to have won a EuroLeague title, an NBA championship, and an Olympic gold medal. Politics was a frequent subject of discussion in the Bradley household, and some of his relatives held local and county political offices. He majored in history at Princeton, and was present in the Senate chamber when the Civil Rights Act of 1964 was passed. Van Breda Kolff and many others who knew

neg: NBA Championship ring NBA Championship ring The NBA Championship ring is an annual award given by the National Basketball Association to the team that wins the NBA Finals. Rings are presented to the team's players, coaches, and members of the executive front office. Red Auerbach has the most rings overall with 16. Phil Jackson has the most as coach and Bill Russell has the most as a player (11 each) NBA Championship rings have been handed out since the first NBA Finals in 1947. In the modern era, the rings are handed to the defending champions during the team's first home game each

neg: Rodrick Rhodes same season (1995-96), and Prickett helped lead Kentucky to the NCAA title game the following season, earning more minutes than he would have on Kentucky's deep 1996 championship team. And the following season, Pitino redshirted senior-to-be Jeff Sheppard, who would return to lead Kentucky to its third straight Final Four and an NCAA championship in 1998. Rhodes played for the Rockets, Vancouver Grizzlies and Dallas Mavericks in three NBA seasons. His best year as a professional came during his rookie year as a member of the Rockets, appearing in 58 games and averaging 5.8 ppg. After leaving the NBA during

neg: Derek Anderson (basketball) weeks later, on November 28, he signed with the Charlotte Bobcats; Anderson played the final two seasons of his career for the Bobcats. Derek Anderson (basketball) Derek Lamont Anderson (born July 18, 1974) is an American former professional basketball player. Anderson is a graduate of Doss High School and was a All-Star in the state of Kentucky. Anderson played college basketball at the Ohio State University and the University of Kentucky. In 1996, Anderson helped the University of Kentucky win the NCAA Men's Basketball Championship as part of a team that featured nine future NBA players under their coach Rick

neg: Gene Littles the All-Rookie Team in 1970. He then played for one season (1974–75) with the Kentucky Colonels. With Kentucky, Littles was a member of the Colonels team that won the 1975 ABA Championship. After his playing career, Littles got into coaching, and became an assistant with the Cleveland Cavaliers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Littles then served as the Head Basketball Coach at North Carolina A&T from 1977 to 1979. Littles led the team to two stright MEAC Tournament Championships. He got his first taste of NBA head coaching when George Karl was dismissed at the end of the 1985–86

neg: 1992 NBA Finals later, the 1991–92 NBA season documentary "Untouchabulls" was released. Narrated by Hal Douglas, it recaps the Bulls' championship season. "Jam" by Michael Jackson was used as the theme song for the documentary. That same year, Jordan was featured in Jackson's music video for "Jam". The Bulls won their third straight championship in the season, winning 57 games and defeating the Phoenix Suns in the 1993 NBA Finals. In the offseason that preceded Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen played for the Dream Team that won the gold medal in the Barcelona Olympics, making them the first players to win NBA championship

neg: Kevin McHale (basketball) Prior to the 2007 NBA draft, McHale reportedly tried to work out a trade with Boston Celtics General Manager (and former Celtics teammate) Danny Ainge to trade franchise star Kevin Garnett (frequently named, at the time, the best active player to have never won an NBA championship) to Boston, in exchange for a draft pick and multiple players. Garnett's agent told the Timberwolves and the Celtics that his client had no interest in playing for Boston (even though the team was widely viewed as a major contender that was "just one player away" from being able to win the NBA

neg: Sport in Turkey stages of the tournament included. Fenerbahçe won the prestigious EuroLeague as the first and only Turkish club ever in the 2016–17 season. Turkish basketball players such as Mehmet Okur, Hidayet Türkoğlu and Ersan İlyasova have also been successful in the NBA. Women's volleyball teams, namely Fenerbahçe, Eczacıbaşı and Vakıfbank, have won numerous European championship titles and medals. Fenerbahçe also won the Club World Championship as the first Turkish club ever in 2010. Turkey Women's National Basketball team won the silver medal in the European Championship in 2011 while the Women's National Volleyball Team reached the 6th place in the World

neg: Gene Rhodes Gene Rhodes Eugene Stephen Rhodes (September 2, 1927 – March 10, 2018) was an American basketball player and coach. Rhodes played college basketball at Western Kentucky University. While Rhodes was a player, WKU won the Ohio Valley Conference championship in 1949, 1950 and 1951, playing in the National Invitational Tournament in each of those seasons. Rhodes played in the NBA for the Indianapolis Olympians. Rhodes was later head basketball coach at St. Xavier High School, leading that team to the 1958 Kentucky state championship. In 1964, Rhodes later returned to WKU as an assistant coach under John Oldham, to 1968.

neg: Phil Hankinson second round of the NBA Draft. He appeared in two seasons with the Celtics before a knee injury ended his playing career. Hankinson held NBA career averages of 3.9 points per game and 1.8 rebounds per game. He also won an NBA championship ring with the Celtics in 1974. In November 1996, Hankinson was found shot in his car in Kentucky, the victim of an apparent suicide. His father said that Hankinson had suffered from depression ever since his injury occurred. Phil Hankinson Phil Hankinson (July 26, 1951 – November 19, 1996) was an American basketball player. He was born

neg: 1984 NBA draft Defensive Player of the Year Awards, twelve All-NBA Team selections, twelve All-Star Game selections and nine All-Defensive Team selections. Olajuwon retired as the all–time league leader in total blocked shots with 3,830 blocks. The third pick, Jordan, achieved even greater success than Olajuwon. He won six NBA championships, six Finals Most Valuable Player Awards, five Most Valuable Player Awards, one Defensive Player of the Year Award, eleven All-NBA Team selections, fourteen All-Star Game selections, three NBA All Star Game MVP Awards, and nine All-Defensive Team selections. Barkley and Stockton never won an NBA championship, but both players received numerous awards

neg: Lute Olson basketball team to win in international competition. His team defeated the U.S.S.R. 87-85 in the gold medal game, the first time the U.S. had won the world championship in 32 years. Throughout the nineties and 2000s, Arizona under Olson was one of the top producers of NBA talent in terms of number of alumni playing in the league. Many of these players (such as Steve Kerr, Mike Bibby, Jason Terry, and Gilbert Arenas) were not highly regarded on a national level in high school but flourished under Olson's system to eventually become college stars and productive NBA players. The basketball

neg: Wooden Classic and featured four top 10 teams, including the first meeting in 20 years between UCLA and Kentucky, when they played for the 1975 NCAA Championship (won by UCLA), which marked John Wooden's 10th national title and the final game of his illustrious coaching career. The Wooden Classic grew to include a charity golf tournament and coaches banquet, which raised over $1 million for Children's Hospital and Special Olympics, two of Coach Wooden's favorite charities. The 1998 and 1999 events also included the John R. Wooden Classic High School Invitational, which featured future NBA players, Tyson Chandler (Dominguez), Keith Bogans (DeMatha

neg: Kentucky Wildcats men's basketball "Mardi Gras Miracle", a game where Kentucky trailed LSU 68–37 with 15:34 left, but outscored them 62–27 over the remainder of regulation to win 99–95. Starting in 1996, Kentucky would put together a string of Final Fours with help from 9 future NBA players. The "Untouchables" as they were nicknamed, would only lose twice, to Final Four bound UMass Minutemen (coached by current Kentucky coach John Calipari) and Mississippi State. It was with their overwhelming talent and chemistry that would win Kentucky their sixth national title in the 1996 NCAA Tournament, Kentucky's first NCAA championship in 18 years. The following

neg: 1964 NFL Championship Game winning Browns team received about $8,000, while Colts players made around This was about triple the amount for the players' shares in the AFL championship game. 1964 NFL Championship Game The 1964 National Football League Championship Game was the 32nd annual championship game, held on December 27 at Cleveland Stadium in Cleveland, Ohio. With an attendance of 79,544, it was the first NFL title game to be televised by CBS. The game marked the last championship won by a major-league professional sports team from Cleveland until 2016 when the Cleveland Cavaliers won the NBA Finals. The Baltimore Colts finished the

neg: Sports in Portland, Oregon Sports in Portland, Oregon Portland, Oregon, United States, is home to three major league sports teams — the Portland Trail Blazers of the National Basketball Association, the Portland Timbers of Major League Soccer, and the Portland Thorns FC of the National Women's Soccer League. The city also hosts a wide variety of other sports and sporting events. The Portland Trail Blazers have played in the National Basketball Association (NBA) since the 1970 season. The Trail Blazers have played in three NBA Finals (1977, 1990, 1992) and have won one NBA Championship (1977). Several of the Trail Blazers' former players are

neg: Tom Thacker (basketball) Tom Thacker (basketball) Thomas Porter Thacker (born November 2, 1939) is an American retired basketball player. He played in the National Basketball Association (NBA) for the Cincinnati Royals and the Boston Celtics from 1963 to 1968, and from 1968 to 1971, for the American Basketball Association's Indiana Pacers. He is the only player to have played on an NCAA championship team, an ABA championship team, and an NBA championship team. Thacker was born in and grew up in Covington, Kentucky across the Ohio River from Cincinnati, the son of William and Velma Arvin Thacker. He attended Our Savior's High School

neg: Denver Nuggets the first time. Eventually, they lost to the New York Nets and Julius Erving. They did not get a second chance to win an ABA league championship, as the ABA–NBA merger took place after the 1975–76 season. The Nuggets, Nets, Indiana Pacers and San Antonio Spurs were merged into the NBA. The Spirits of St. Louis and Kentucky Colonels were disbanded. The Nuggets and Nets had actually applied to join the NBA in 1975, but were forced to stay in the ABA by a court order. The Nuggets continued their strong play early on in the NBA, as they won

neg: 1960 NBA draft 1998. He became the third man to be inducted as a player and as a coach, after John Wooden and Bill Sharman. Two players from this draft, 3rd pick Darrall Imhoff and 5th pick Lee Shaffer, have also been selected to an All-Star Game. Tom Sanders, the 8th pick, won 8 NBA championships with the Boston Celtics in the 1960s. He later briefly coached the Celtics in 1978. Al Attles, the 39th pick, also had a coaching career. He coached the San Francisco/Golden State Warriors for 14 seasons, winning the NBA championship in 1975. The following list includes other draft

neg: Clifford Ray was eight years younger than Thurmond and additional fiscal stability. In 1975 the Warriors, led by Rick Barry and coached by Al Attles, won the NBA championship. Ray led the team in rebounding and anchored the defense, finishing second in minutes played per game, after Barry. The Warriors defeated Ray's former team, the Chicago Bulls, in the Western Conference finals before sweeping the Washington Bullets in the NBA Finals. Ray is one of a handful of players to have played at least ten seasons in the pros and to have recorded more rebounds (6953 over 784 games for an 8.9

neg: 1971 NBA draft five All-Star Games. He also won the NBA championship with the Los Angeles Lakers in 1980. During his first and only season in the American Basketball Association (ABA), he won the ABA Most Valuable Player Award, and was selected to the ABA All-Star Game and All-ABA Team. Smith was selected to one All-NBA Team and two All-Star Games. Artis Gilmore, the 117th pick, initially opted to play in the ABA. Gilmore spent five seasons with the Kentucky Colonels before finally joined the NBA in 1976 after both leagues merged. His achievements include ABA Most Valuable Player Award in 1972, five

neg: 2016 NBA Finals by the Cavaliers franchise. NBA Finals MVP winner LeBron James propelled the Cavaliers to the historic comeback. James had a historically great Finals performance, becoming the first player in NBA history to lead all players in a playoff series in points, rebounds, assists, steals and blocks. James' heroics coupled with the suspense of Cleveland's comeback have led many sports critics to deem the 2016 NBA Finals as one of the most exciting in NBA history. This was Cleveland's second consecutive trip to the NBA Finals, and third overall, seeking to win their first ever NBA championship. This would also be

neg: Rick Barry player, playing for Chinese club Hunan Jinjian Miye in the 2018–19 season. When his son Brent won the NBA Championship in 2005 with the San Antonio Spurs, Rick and Brent became the second father-son duo to both win NBA Championships as players, following Matt Guokas Sr. and Matt Guokas Jr.. Later, this would be repeated by Bill and Luke Walton, and Mychal and Klay Thompson. Jon and Brent have also moved to broadcasting after retirement. Jon currently serves as a game analyst on ESPN while Brent works as a studio analyst on NBA TV. Scooter won titles in the CBA

neg: Franklin Session adult leagues around Los Angeles before eventually competing in the Drew League, a pro-am summer exhibition league that many NBA players compete in, using his knickname "Frank Nitty". Session was named the MVP of the Drew League in both 2016 and 2017. In 2018, Session gained significant attention for scoring 44 points on Chicago Bulls player Denzel Valentine and won his third straight MVP while his team, Birdie's Revenge, won the Drew League championship. After his successful performance in the Drew League, Session was signed by the South Bay Lakers of the NBA G League. Session played with the team

neg: 1968 NBA draft awards in the same season, after Wilt Chamberlain in 1960. Hayes and Unseld have been inducted to the Basketball Hall of Fame. They were also named in the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History list announced at the league's 50th anniversary in 1996. Hayes and Unseld both won the NBA championship with the Washington Bullets in 1978. In the Finals, Unseld was named as the Finals Most Valuable Player. Unseld, who spent all of his 13-year playing career with the Bullets, was also selected to one All-NBA Team and five All-Star Games, while Hayes was selected to six All-NBA Teams

neg: Naomh Abán GAA The club helps to keep those traditions and members are involved in various aspects. Many of Naomh Abán's players have achieved highly on the county and national stage. Micheál O Scanaill won an All-Ireland Senior Football Championship medal in 1973, and he and Dónal Óg Ó Liatháin have won Sigerson medals. O Scannail has also won Railway Cup and Munster Championship medals on more than one occasion. Jerry Lynch has a league medal to his name. Many players have won All-Ireland Minor, U21 and Vocational schools medals. Father and Son Diarmuid and Jonathan McCarthy both won All Ireland minor and

neg: Bulls–Knicks rivalry peace in the rivalry, with Ewing, Jordan, and Pippen winning gold medals as members of the "Dream Team" at the 1992 Summer Olympics. Ewing, Jordan, and Chris Mullin are the only basketball players to win gold medals as amateurs and professionals, having won at the 1984 Summer Olympics. Jordan and Pippen, along with LeBron James in 2012, are the only players to have won an NBA championship and Olympic gold medal in the same year, though Pippen is the only player to accomplish this feat twice, as he played for the Bulls in and Team USA at the 1996 Summer

neg: Nicolas Batum Nicolas Batum Nicolas Batum (; born December 14, 1988) is a French professional basketball player for the Charlotte Hornets of the National Basketball Association (NBA). As a youngster, Nicolas Batum was considered one of the most talented young players in Europe, as he was ranked #17 among international players born in 1988, by the scouting website DraftExpress.com at the time he entered the 2008 NBA draft. Batum was part of the junior French national team that won the 2004 FIBA Europe Under-16 Championship. He was named the MVP of the 2006 FIBA Europe Under-18 Championship, as France won the gold

neg: Sports in Washington, D.C. ordered them removed. Following the departure of star players like Arenas, Antawn Jamison, and Caron Butler, the Wizards finished with the 5th worst record in the 2009-10 NBA season. The team subsequently won the 2010 Draft Lottery and selected Kentucky point guard John Wall with the first pick, whom new owner Ted Leonsis and team president Ernie Grunfeld would build the team around in the years to come. In the 2018–19 season, the District will have a team in the NBA's official minor league, the NBA G League. The Capital City Go-Go, owned by the Wizards, will play in a

neg: Don Barksdale the coach of the Phillips 66ers Omar Browning said, 'That son of a bitch is the best basketball player in the country outside of Bob Kurland, so I don't know how we can turn him down.' So they picked me, but Maggiora said he went through holy hell for it – closed-door meetings and begging." The 1948 Olympic team had five Kentucky Wildcats basketball players who had just won that school's first national championship in the 1948 NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament. The rest of the Olympic team, consisting of AAU Champion Phillips 66ers and Kentucky team members, later

neg: Larry Weinberg million to secure an NBA expansion team for Portland. Weinberg became president of the Trail Blazers in 1975, replacing Sarkowsky, who turned his attention to the NFL's Seattle Seahawks. Two years later, the Trail Blazers won an NBA Championship. Weinberg served as team president until 1988, when he sold the team to Paul Allen. The Trail Blazers honored Weinberg in 1992 by retiring a #1 jersey with his name. Five players have since received permission from Weinberg to wear #1: Rod Strickland, Derek Anderson, Jarrett Jack, Armon Johnson and Ike Diogu. In addition to his work in basketball and real