Fansided

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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Mar 4, 2016; Memphis, TN, USA; Memphis Grizzlies guard Mario Chalmers (6) dribbles around Utah Jazz guard Rodney Hood (5) at FedExForum. Memphis defeated Utah 94-88. Mandatory Credit: Nelson Chenault-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 4, 2016; Memphis, TN, USA; Memphis Grizzlies guard Mario Chalmers (6) dribbles around Utah Jazz guard Rodney Hood (5) at FedExForum. Memphis defeated Utah 94-88. Mandatory Credit: Nelson Chenault-USA TODAY Sports /

Alaska: Mario Chalmers

The Last Frontier predictably doesn’t offer much in terms of quantity, but produced a player responsible for one of the most memorable shots in championship game history.

Chalmers attended Bartlett High School in Anchorage, where he was named a McDonald’s All-American as a senior in 2005. Despite coming from a remote part of the country, Chalmers was recruited by just about everybody, and eventually chose Kansas over the likes of North Carolina and Arizona.

A three-year starter for the Jayhawks, Chalmers averaged 12.2 points and 3.8 assists per game while being regarded as one of the best defensive guards in college basketball. Chalmers will always have a place on NCAA Tournament highlight reels after hitting a game-tying three in the dying seconds to help Kansas beat Memphis in overtime in the 2008 National Championship Game.

That performance earned Chalmers Most Outstanding Player honors for the 2008 tournament, and Kansas recently retired his No. 15. Chalmers has since enjoyed a solid career in the NBA between the Miami Heat and Memphis Grizzlies, and has a pair of rings at the professional level.

The Last Frontier is more well-known around college basketball for being home to the Great Alaska Shootout rather than producing players. Carlos Boozer and Trajan Langdon are among the other Alaska basketball standouts.