Fansided

Best NCAA basketball players ever from every state

By Trevor Sinodhinos

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)
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 Elsa/Getty Images)
(Photo by Elsa/Getty Images) /

Iowa: Nick Collison

Talented high school kids from Iowa who play basketball in the late 90s into the early 2000s like playing in the Big 12 conference, just not for Iowa State. Nick Collison, Kirk Hinrich and Raef LaFrentz were all born and raised in Iowa but chose to attend Kansas.

Collison and Hinrich even came in together and compiled their stats while on the same team. The advantage that is going to put Collison ahead of the two others, is that his performance during the tournament improved in most categories.

All three won multiple conference awards and were selected to various All-Big 12 teams, to the point that it is useless to list each one-off. The one standout is how Collison managed to win the National Association of Basketball Coaches Player of the Year award when T.J Ford and Davis West split the others.

The regular season career averages between LaFrentz and Collison are one point away in each of the ‘ main categories’, except in free-throws where LaFrentz was 11 percent better. Come tournament time Collison averaged five more points, two more rebounds, two more assists, shot 10 percent better from the field and shot 43 percent from the free-throw line while LaFrentz shot 53 percent

Hinrich’s regular-season line of 12-4-5-49 FG-77 FT, remained almost identical as he and Collison made their March run. It is great that Hinrich stayed consistent into and beyond March, but Collison still gets the edge to make him the best from Iowa.