5 Colleges that produce the best NBA players

Despite there currently being more than 350 schools participating in Division I college basketball, a select handful of elite colleges repeatedly produce the best players. While a lottery pick occasionally comes from a lesser known University, the general rule is that the best players come from the best colleges.

Due to this, a number of college basketball programmes have amassed an incredibly impressive list of alumni that have gone on to play in the NBA, and here we will count down the five best colleges for producing NBA players.

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#5 Kansas

Andrew Wiggins was selected as the number 1 pick in the 2014 draft

In total, Kansas has produced 53 players that have made it to the NBA, and the college has also produced a number of notable names in the past few years. After playing just a season of college ball with the Jayhawks, Andrew Wiggins was selected as the No.1 overall pick in 2014, and both Joel Embiid and Kelly Oubre Jr. have also sported a Kansas uniform in the last five years.

In the past, the Jayhawks have also helped to propel the careers of some of the best players in NBA history, as both the legendary Wilt Chamberlain and longtime Celtics hero, Paul Pierce, spent multiple years with Kansas.

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#4 North Carolina

Michael Jordan spent three years with the Tar Heels between 1981 and 1984

North Carolina has consistently produced top NBA stars, however, none come close to Michael Jordan. Jordan spent three years with the Tar Heels before declaring for the 1984 draft, and MJ's incredible NBA career resulted in him widely being viewed as the greatest player of all time.

While there has been a decline in North Carolina players entering the league in recent years, the college has still produced more than 60 NBA stars, and Raymond Felton, Harrison Barnes, Wayne Ellington, and Danny Green are among the Tar Heels alumni currently playing.

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#3 Duke

Zion Williamson forms part of Duke's current roster, which has been called the best for decades

Duke's ability to produce NBA players has come into focus once again this season due to Blue Devils' current exciting crop of players. Zion Williamson, RJ Barrett, and Cam Reddish are all projected to be top 5 picks in the upcoming NBA draft, a feat that has rarely happened in the history of college ball.

A number of current NBA stars also used to call Duke home. Kyrie Irving spent a year with the team before being selected by the Cleveland Cavaliers with the first overall pick in the 2011 draft, while the promising duo of Brandom Ingram and Jayson Tatum have also represented the Blue Devils in recent years.

Other ex-Duke players include Jabari Parker, Rodney Hood, J.J. Reddick, Austin Rivers, and Seth Curry, and overall, Duke has sent nearly 60 players to the NBA.

#2 UCLA

Russell Westbrook is among the notable UCLA alumni currently starring in the NBA

The Bruins are the most successful team in the history of March Madness with 11 titles, so it is no surprise that its former players have flooded the NBA over the last five decades. The legendary Kareem Abdul-Jabbar spent multiple years at UCLA, and fellow Lakers hero Gail Goodrich also spent four years at the college.

While UCLA has had less success on the court in recent years, their legacy of producing top-class NBA players has continued. In the last decade, Russell Westbrook, Kevin Love, Zach LaVine, Jrue Holiday and Lonzo Ball have all been selected as first round picks, and Westbrook went on to win the 2017 MVP award.

There was even a time in 2007 when Darren Collison, Luc Mbah a Moute, Love, and Westbrook were playing on the same Bruins team, and few college teams have ever assembled a team with so much talent.

#1 Kentucky

Anthony Davis led Kentucky Wildcats to the National Championship in 2012

In terms of both quality and quantity, no other college comes close to the success of the Kentucky Wildcats. There are currently 25 former Kentucky players on active NBA rosters and since the team's inception, nearly 80 former players have made it to the NBA.

Anthony Davis, DeMarcus Cousins, John Wall, and Rajon Rondo all spent time playing for the Wildcats, and each player went on to make multiple All-Star appearances. Davis has also been widely backed to be named a future MVP.

Over the last five years, De'Aaron Fox, Malik Monk, Devin Booker, Karl Anthony Towns, Willie Cauley-Stein and Jamal Murray have all been selected as first-round draft picks, and the college continues to have a number of highly rated youngsters in its ranks. Ultimately, Kentucky is undoubtedly the best college for producing talent in the NBA, and it looks unlikely to change anytime soon.