Fansided

Picking the best NBA player from each state

By Brad Rowland

Apr 10, 2016; Denver, CO, USA; A general view of the American Flag being displayed prior to the game between the Denver Nuggets and the Utah Jazz at the Pepsi Center. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 10, 2016; Denver, CO, USA; A general view of the American Flag being displayed prior to the game between the Denver Nuggets and the Utah Jazz at the Pepsi Center. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
19 of 51
Next
Feb 14, 2016; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; NBA former players from left Yao Ming , Oscar Robertson and Bill Russell are honored during a timeout in the first half of the NBA All Star Game at Air Canada Centre. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 14, 2016; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; NBA former players from left Yao Ming , Oscar Robertson and Bill Russell are honored during a timeout in the first half of the NBA All Star Game at Air Canada Centre. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports /

Louisiana – Bill Russell

The fact that Karl Malone won’t appear on this list certainly appears criminal. After all, “The Mailman” is one of the best power forwards of all time, scoring nearly 37,000 (!!!) points and finishing his career as a (very) rare member of the ultra-prestigious 25-10 club. For as much as I would love to honor Malone and his contributions, though, he had the severe misfortune of being born in the same state as Bill Russell.

Russell won 11 (yes, 11) NBA titles over his 13-year career in the league, along with with five NBA MVP honors and 12 (consecutive) All-Star appearances. Still, even these gaudy numbers can’t do Russell’s career justice. He is, to bust even the old cliche, the ultimate winner, and is widely credited with creating the culture Boston used to claim its bucket-loads of titles.

Malone is the consummate “producer”, in that his stats are undeniably incredible, but taking the former Jazz great over Russell would be blasphemy. It is almost unfair that other NBA legends like Willis Reed, Elvin Hayes, Bob Pettit, Clyde Drexler, and Robert Parish are included in the mix here, but in what really is a two-player choice, I’ll go with Russell each and every time.

Next: Maine

Home/NBA