Best NCAA basketball players ever from every state

New Hampshire: Scott Drapeau

New Hampshire is home to the first free public library in the United States, a piece of information that often goes unrecognized. In that library, one can find some information on the impact that New Hampshire has had on the NBA. Whether one would use the microfiche or use the Dewey decimal system to look up a book, the section should not be very large, since Matt Bonner is the only New Hampshire born player to play in the NBA.

Bonner played 131 games at Florida University improving every year, going from not making any All-SEC team, to making the third and second teams until as a senior made the All-SEC first team. Bonner averaged 12 points, six rebounds and shot 50 percent from the field, and was a decent 74 percent from the free-throw line as  6-foot-10 forward who averaged 2.4 free-throws a game. Bonner managed to reach double digits in just two of his 11 tournament games.

Bonner’s inability to build upon his stats has led to Scott Drapeau being able to contend for the best New Hampshire college player. Drapeau would stay in-state and play for the New Hampshire Wildcats for two years. Over those two years, Drapeau would average 23 points and 10 rebounds, and he would average over 17 shots per game and would connect on just over 50 percent.

Drapeau was never able to lead the Wildcats to the tournament as the North Atlantic Conference only managed one tournament bid. Drapeau did do his part as New Hampshire’s leading scorer for his two years and winning the NAC Player of the Year. He would not contend with Joe Smith for National Player of the Year in ‘95, but his stats were similar, and his stats are good enough to be New Hampshire’s best college player.