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Best college basketball player from every state in America

By Nathaniel Reeves

Jul 28, 2016; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Former NBA player Kareem Abdul-Jabbar speaks during the 2016 Democratic National Convention at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Robert Deutsch-USA TODAY NETWORK
Jul 28, 2016; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Former NBA player Kareem Abdul-Jabbar speaks during the 2016 Democratic National Convention at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Robert Deutsch-USA TODAY NETWORK /
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Every member of the United States has contributed a legend to college basketball, with these 50 players standing out as the best.

With the NCAA Tournament right around the corner, players around the country will soon etch their names into the college basketball history books.

The final undefeated team in Division I is the Gonzaga Bulldogs, who have a legitimate shot at getting over the hump to reach the first Final Four in program history. Elsewhere, the Villanova Wildcats are in contention to become the first repeat champion in a decade, with perennial powerhouses like Kansas and Louisville also in the mix.

Those teams and players have a chance to join a growing and extensive list of college basketball legends while becoming heroes in their local communities. From New York City to Hawaii, every region of the United States has been home to at least one memorable player in the history of the sport.

The following 51 players stand out as the best from each member of the United States, plus Washington D.C.

Alabama: Fennis Dembo

While Alabama basketball can’t quite match the success of its football counterparts, The Yellowhammer State has been home to a few standouts.

Several players from Alabama went on to find more success in the NBA, but Dembo earns the top spot in state history for his strong career at the collegiate level. A native of Mobile, Dembo was lightly recruited out of high school and went on to play for Wyoming, one of the only schools to give him an offer.

The decision paid off for head coach Jim Brandenburg, as Dembo would go on to become the best player in the history of the Cowboys program. Dembo averaged 17.9 points and 7.4 rebounds per contest over his four-year career en route to becoming Wyoming’s all-time leader in both categories, and earned WAC Player of the Year honors in 1986-87.

Wyoming advanced to the Sweet 16 that season, a feat it has not matched since, with Dembo averaging 27.8 points per game in the NCAA Tournament. The Detroit Pistons selected Dembo early in the second round of the 1988 NBA Draft, and he won a championship the next season.

Of course, Charles Barkley stands out as the Alabama native with the best overall basketball career, but wasn’t quite as dominant during his days at Auburn. Tuscaloosa native Keydren Clark is also in contention after setting a number of scoring records with Saint Peter’s from 2002-2006.