Best NCAA basketball players from every state

Best NCAA basketball players ever from every state

HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT - MARCH 23: Ja Morant #12 of the Murray State Racers attempts a free throw against the Florida State Seminoles in the second half during the second round of the 2019 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at XL Center on March 23, 2019 in Hartford, Connecticut. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images) /

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(Photo by Noel Vasquez/Getty Images for Ball Up) /

Hawaii: Cedric Ceballos

Ceballos pretty much wrapped up this distinction on Aug. 2, 1969, when he was born in Maui. The 6-foot-6 guard would end up playing high school basketball in Compton, then move on to play two years at Cal State Fullerton.

His stats in his second year are better than his two-year averages of 22 points, almost 11 rebounds, and a 44 field goal percentage, yet they were not enough to get Ceballos named to the All-American Second Team ahead of Bo Kimble, Doug Smith and Rumeal Robinson. Ceballos did find success in conference play.

Since Ceballos was in the Big West at the same time as Larry Johnson, who would win multiple Player of the Year awards the following year, and claim the Big West Player of the Year in Ceballos’ final season. Ceballos, however, was among the top five in scoring and field goal attempts in the Big West.

There are a handful of Hawaiin born players who had impressive enough college careers to move on to play basketball professionally in the Philippines and Ukraine. The one other to be drafted into the NBA was Red Rocha. Having participated in the NCAA in the late 1940s, stats are difficult to verify, so is the All-American selection that he is credited with on Wikipedia.org. Regardless, the stats that Ceballos obtained are enough to make him the best player born in Hawaii.