NBA: From Diaper Dandys to the Larry O' Brian Championship Trophy
Many of college basketball's former finest represent NBA heavyweights vying for the championship. This slideshow will take a look into the (often brief) college careers of some of these college studs turned pro stars.
I will be revisiting a key player on each remaining playoff team and reminiscing on his college roots.
Note: players are ordered based on their seeding and conference and stats are shown in a per game format.
East No. 1 Seed Derrick Rose
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Derrick Rose was an absolute phenom at Memphis. He catapaulted John Calipari to true national prominence and almost took home a championship had it not been for another NBA playoff rotation player (Mario Chalmers).
Rose pioneered Calipari's pipeline of preposterously gifted point guards and was an explosive college player. That said, he has improved greatly since his college days where he lacked any semblance of a real shooting stroke and relied solely on his superior athleticism to get to the basket. Rose has become a much better shooter, floor general and defender since his college days.
Best College Stats
14.9 PT, 4.5 REB, 4.7 AST, 1.2 STL
Current NBA Regular Season Stats
29.4 PT, 4.8 REB, 7.6 AST, 1.9 STL
East No. 2 Seed Dwyane Wade
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Dwyane Wade jump started the Marquette program and was an athletic freak in college. I will never forget the season he willed a scrappy Marquette team to the Final Four before ultimately falling to national runner-up Kansas.
Wade was an elite defender and scorer who could jump out of the gym. He was one of the leaders in steals that year and one of the best shot blocking guards in the nation. Thankfully, Wade has not lost any of this athleticism and has refined his raw talent.
He is arguably the best 2-guard in the league and has taken the potential he showed at Marquette and ran with it all the way to one NBA championship and a current bid for a second.
Best College Stats
21.5 PT, 6.3 REB, 4.4 AST, 2.2 STL, 1.3 BLK
Current NBA Regular Season Stats
25.5 PT, 6.4 REB, 4.6 AST, 1.5 STL, 1.1 BLK
East No. 3 Seed Paul Pierce
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A little bit of a throwback compared to the last two players, Pierce displayed his pro-ready game, deadly mid-range jump shot and poise under pressure at Kansas University.
Pierce was part of some of the most stacked college teams to not win a tournament, but was an undeniable game changer. His swagger, coolness under pressure and once again, devastating mid-range has allowed him to become the face of the Boston Celtics.
After languishing as a low playoff seed for the early part of his career, Pierce joined forces with Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen to establish the first big three, and he still highlights the attributes that made him a household name in college.
Best College Stats
20.4 PT, 6.7 REB, 2.6 AST
Current NBA Regular Season Stats
18.9 PT, 5.4 REB, 3.2 AST
East No. 5 Seed Joe Johnson
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Unlike the players that preceded him in this slideshow, Joe Johnson was not obviously a star in the making when he left Arkansas as a sophomore, sporting a lower scoring average than he had his freshman year.
However, it was always clear that Johnson had a pro-ready body and was a good enough scorer, with enough athleticism and length to thrive at the pro-level. Johnson put on a brilliant freshman campaign in college but struggled to truly find his groove in the NBA until he burst onto the scene in Phoenix and shortly after became the centerpiece of the Hawks franchise.
Johnson has proven to be better than he was advertised coming out of college and contract size aside Hawks fans have a star to be proud of.
Best College Stats
14.2 PT, 6.4 REB, 2.6 AST
Current NBA Regular Season Stats
18.2 PT, 4.0 REB, 4.7 AST
West No. 3 Seed Jason Terry
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Terry was integral in the Mavs sweep of LA, and with his college performance, we almost should have expected it. Terry was a force of nature at Arizona winning the 1997 championship and topping 20 points later in his career.
He teamed with Mike Bibby to make one of the fastest, most lethal backcourts college basketball has ever seen. His speed transitioned well to the NBA where he has become known as one of the best men off the bench and has been honored with the Sixth Man award.
He has been a game-changer since college, and even though he has logged quite a few minutes, he is still a burner and one of the most entertaining to watch players in the league.
Best College Stats
21.9 PT, 3.3 REB, 5.5 AST, 2.8 STL
Current NBA Regular Season Stats
15.8 PT, 1.9 REB, 4.1 AST, 1.1 STL
West No. 4 Seed Kevin Durant
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In his one year at the University of Texas under Rick Barnes, Kevin Durant displayed the smoothest shooting touch I have ever seen from a freshman and probably any college player outside of J.J. Reddick.
Durant was simply unstoppable. He could post up smaller defenders with ease, drive past slower players and shoot over shorter ones. His offensive game and scoring repertoire seemed complete when he entered college and was tearing the Big 12 to shreds, but he only improved it in the NBA becoming the youngest scoring champion in history.
Durant is the leader of a young, motivated, talented Thunder team and quickly led them from cellar-dweller to contender. Look for Durant to continue his meteoric rise to the upper echelons of the elite scorers in NBA history.
Also keep an eye out for his improved commitment to defense and becoming a more complete player. Durant has the drive and ability to become one of the greatest, and it all started not so long ago in Austin.
Best College Stats
25.8 PT, 11.1 REB, 1.9 STL, 1.9 BLK, 40 FG3%
Current NBA Regular Season Stats
27.7 PT, 6.8 REB, 2.7 AST
West No. 8 Seed Zach Randolph
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Z-Bo has been a great NBA player for years now but is finally getting the recognition he deserves thanks to the incredible playoff run he has led Memphis on. However, he started his development under renowned coach Tom Izzo at Michigan State and was as physically dominant there as he has shown he can be in the NBA.
That being said, he has become much more polished since his days in East Lansing and has learned a stunning array of killer post moves. He has also learned to channel his energy more positively and is working to overcome the knucklehead and lazy labels he has accrued in his time as a pro.
His talent, however, is undeniable and after a relatively unassuming year knocking around overmatched college big men, he started slow in the NBA until blowing up in his third year in Portland and establishing himself as a true offensive post presence.
Best College Stats
10.8 PT, 6.7 REB, 58.7 FG%
Current NBA Regular Season Stats
20.1 PT, 12.2 REB, 2.2 AST
