5 colleges to have produced the most NBA Draft picks since 1989

#3 UCLA - 43

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is arguably the greatest college player in the history of the NBA.

The University of California Los Angeles basketball program ranks third among colleges to have produced the most NBA Draft picks (43) since the two-round draft format was introduced in 1989.

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, then Lew Alcindor, talking to the press after UCLA won the title in 1969 pic.twitter.com/AhDf6zAPsj

— Darren Rovell (@darrenrovell) March 21, 2015

Of these picks, 21 were selected in the first round (which is tied for fifth-most with Arizona). UCLA's 22 second-round draft picks are the most by any college since 1989.

Arizona has the most NCAA championships with 11, but only one of them came after 1989, which might have had an effect on the number of NBA Draft picks produced by the college during this period.

UCLA has had two players selected first overall in the NBA Draft: centers Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (then known as Lew Alcindor) in 1969 and Bill Walton in 1974.

Only three UCLA players have been selected in the top five of the NBA Draft since 2008: Kevin Love, Russell Westbrook and Lonzo Ball.

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#2 Duke - 53

Zion Williamson was the first pick in the 2019 NBA Draft.

Duke ranks second among colleges to have produced the most NBA Draft picks (53) since 1989; 39 of these players were chosen in the first round, which is the second-most by any college in the last 31 years.

Three players from Duke - Elton Brand, Kyrie Irving and Zion Williamson - have been selected first overall in the NBA Draft since 1989. Only Kentucky has had as many first overall NBA Draft picks during this period.

Mike Krzyzewski has coached Duke since 1980. He has imbibed a winning culture in players to have attended the college's basketball program. That is especially evident in the multiple players from Duke who have got selected in the NBA Draft since 2011.

Duke has won five NCAA titles with Krzyzewski at the helm; so it is not surprising to see the school produce a significant number of NBA players over the years.

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#1 Kentucky - 54

NCAA Men's Championship Game - Anthony Davis.

The University of Kentucky has produced incredible NBA talent in recent years, especially since 1989.

🏆 First-time champ with the @Lakers... Anthony Davis! #LakeShow AD becomes the 8th player to win the #NBAFinals, an Olympic Gold Medal, and an NCAA Championship. pic.twitter.com/8lPw1nngZt

— NBA (@NBA) October 12, 2020

NBA teams have selected 54 players from Kentucky in the NBA Draft since 1989, which is the highest from any college during this period.

Of these picks, 40 have been first-round selections, and three - John Wall, Anthony Davis and Karl-Anthony Towns - have been first overall picks in the NBA Draft. Kentucky are tied with Duke for the most number one picks since 1989.

Kentucky has had a storied basketball legacy; their tally of eight NCAA championships, which is the second-most by any college, is ample proof of the same.

Anthony Davis, Karl-Anthony Towns, Rajon Rondo, Devin Booker, Bam Adebayo, DeMarcus Cousins, Tyler Herro and De'Aaron Fox are some of the current NBA players who honed their basketball skills in Kentucky.

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