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) /

28 of 50

(Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images) /

Nebraska: Bob Boozer

If you go by a couple of facts that I was unable to authenticate, then Kenny Sailors is the obvious choice. Sailors won the NCAA Most Outstanding Player in the tournament the same year he led Wyoming to a championship and was named to the All-American first team. He is also credited as making three All-American teams, which I could only find evidence of one, as well as being the consensus Player of the Year in 1943.

He was an All-American that year but George Senesky won the Helms Foundation Player of the Year and Andrew Philip won the Sporting News Player of the Year. In addition, I could not verify his All-American selection in 1946, so I am inclined to believe Bob Kurland was the consensus Player of the Year.

Sailors is also one of several individuals accredited with inventing the jump shot. Unlike other players, Sailors has never laid claim to being the first, so I tend to believe him for that exact reason. Inventing the jump shot would make him the best college player from Nebraska without a doubt, except he said he first did it when he was thirteen. If He would have broken out a jump shot for the first time ever in an NCAA game, then it would be case closed.

With so much uncertainty surrounding Kenny Sailors, the cold hard facts are that Bob Boozer averaged 22 points,11 rebounds in 77 career regular-season games at Kansas State, and averaged over 25 points in his last season. Boozer was also named to the All-Tournament team for his region (which many others have, but was not mentioned until now) and more importantly the two All-American first teams are enough to put Bob Boozer as top Nebraska born NCAA player.