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
32 of 51
Next
Mar 27, 2015; Atlanta, GA, USA; Atlanta Hawks guard Dennis Schroder (17) and forward Paul Millsap (4) cross the Atlanta Hawks logo in the first quarter of their game against the Miami Heat at Philips Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jason Getz-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 27, 2015; Atlanta, GA, USA; Atlanta Hawks guard Dennis Schroder (17) and forward Paul Millsap (4) cross the Atlanta Hawks logo in the first quarter of their game against the Miami Heat at Philips Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jason Getz-USA TODAY Sports /

New Mexico – Bill Bridges

The gap between the top player and everyone else in New Mexico is as high as any of the country’s 50 states. With that in mind, though, much of that is because the group after Bill Bridges is completely barren.

Current Oklahoma City Thunder forward Andre Roberson is on track to become easily the number two option on this list, and that comes after only three years of largely uninspiring play. Elsewhere, Rudy White and Damion James are in the mix and, well, most NBA fans have no idea who those players are — and for good reason.

As for Bridges, the long-time Hawks forward did earn inclusion here based on merit after a fantastic career. He played 13 seasons in the NBA, averaging a double-double with 11.9 points and 11.9 rebounds per game while accumulating more than 11,000 points and 11,000 rebounds in 926 career games.

Bill Bridges was a three-time NBA All-Star and two-time NBA All-Defense selection, but even if he was not quite at that level, he probably would have been the best player in the not-so-storied history of New Mexico basketball.

Next: New York

Home/NBA