Headline: Kentucky Continues to Dominate NBA Player Production as Duke and UCLA Follow Suit in 2024-25

For the 13th consecutive year, Kentucky kicked off the 2024-25 season as the institution boasting the most active NBA players. Duke followed closely behind with a few less, while UCLA held the third position.

Here’s an overview of the universities that have significantly contributed to the current NBA landscape, highlighting key players from each.

**Key Players: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Anthony Davis**

Gilgeous-Alexander is a front-runner in the Kia MVP race, nearing his first scoring title with an impressive average of 33 points per game, while steering the Thunder to a second consecutive No. 1 seed in the Western Conference.

Davis stands out as the most acclaimed among the current Wildcats, having earned ten All-Star nods and five All-Defensive accolades, in addition to being named one of the Top 75 all-time players. After making his debut with the Mavericks, the Dallas star has been sidelined for six weeks now.

**Key Players: Kyrie Irving and Jayson Tatum**

Irving’s season came to an end on March 3 due to a torn ACL, yet he remains the most prominent Blue Devil in NBA history, leading all Duke alumni in total points (18,433), assists (4,364), and All-Star appearances (nine).

Tatum entered the league six years after Irving and has only played approximately 200 games fewer. Now at the age of 27, he has about another decade to outpace Irving and most of his Duke predecessors regarding career achievements.

**Key Players: Russell Westbrook and Jrue Holiday**

Kevin Love referred to Westbrook as “the best athlete in the NBA” shortly after their 2008 draft, a statement that has held true. He earned the MVP title in 2017, becoming the only player since Oscar Robertson to average a triple-double, and he maintained that level of performance across three additional seasons.

Holiday, a defensive standout, spent the first eleven years of his NBA journey somewhat underappreciated. However, he made a significant impact by helping the Bucks secure a championship in his debut season in Milwaukee (2020-21) and replicated that success with Boston last year.

**Key Player: Lauri Markkanen**

In the realm of 7-foot players making three-pointers, Markkanen ranks second in NBA history, trailing only Dirk Nowitzki (1,982) who played 21 seasons. Markkanen, who has netted 1,142 three-pointers as of March 17, is wrapping up his eighth season.

**Key Player: Bobby Portis**

Mostly serving as a bench player throughout his decade-long career, the former No. 22 overall draft pick has averaged 19 points and 11 rebounds per 36 minutes and became a beloved figure during the Bucks’ championship run in 2021.

**Key Player: Domantas Sabonis**

The son of Hall of Famer Arvydas Sabonis, Domantas has recorded 384 double-doubles in his career, ranking fifth in the league since his arrival in 2016.

**Key Player: Joel Embiid**

One of the most famous “what-if” narratives in the NBA, the Sixers center has faced numerous injuries, averaging just 50 games played over the last nine seasons while missing his first two years altogether.

**Key Player: DeMar DeRozan**

On the verge of eclipsing 25,000 career points, a feat achieved by only 26 players in league history, DeRozan has scored significantly more than the next highest USC alumnus (Nikola Vučević) during his career.

**Key Player: Franz Wagner**

Selected eighth overall in the 2021 draft, Wagner has tallied over 20 points in 121 games and has already delivered 13 performances this season of at least 25 points, along with 5 rebounds and 5 assists.

**Key Player: Kevin Durant**

Renowned for his scoring ability, Durant has made 15 All-Star appearances and joined an elite group of only eight NBA players to achieve 30,000 points.

**Key Player: Taurean Prince**

Of the 31 NBA players produced by the school, 17 have emerged in the last decade, including Milwaukee’s Prince, who has connected on 38% of his three-point attempts while playing for six different franchises over his nine seasons.

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Steve Aschburner has been covering the NBA since 1980. You can reach him via email here, view his archive here, and follow him on X.

The opinions expressed on this page do not necessarily reflect those of the NBA, its teams, or Warner Bros. Discovery.