On April 7 in San Antonio, Texas, the next men’s college basketball national champion will be crowned. After Thursday and Friday’s results, there are 32 teams with hopes alive of being that team. Let’s take a look at the 10 best active players in the NBA who won a national championship while in college.
10 Best Active NBA Players Who Won A National Championship
1. Anthony Davis (2012 Kentucky)
It was just one season at Kentucky for Anthony Davis, but it saw him earn a national championship. He was named the National Player of the Year and Final Four Most Outstanding Player.
Selected first overall in 2012, the 6-foot-10 power forward/center is now in his 13th season. His accolades include 10 All-Star appearances, four All-NBA First Team nods, and a championship with the 2020 Lakers.
2. Jalen Brunson (2016 and 2018 Villanova)
Jalen Brunson didn’t win just one, but two national championships while at Villanova. He was the National Player of the Year in his junior season of 2018.
Despite an awesome college career, the 6-foot-2 point guard was a second round pick (33rd overall) in 2018. Brunson has truly shined with the Knicks, making the All-Star Game each of the last two seasons and being named to the All-NBA Second Team in 2023-24.
3. Al Horford (2006 and 2007 Florida)
The elder statesman on this list, Al Horford won back-to-back national championships way back in 2006 and 2007 with Florida.
That culminated in Horford being selected third overall in the 2007 NBA Draft. While he may not currently be the third-best player on this list, the 38-year-old is still valuable. He won his first championship last season with the Celtics and has been named an All-Star five times.
4. Mikal Bridges (2016 and 2018 Villanova)
Mikal Bridges was a teammate of Brunson’s on both the 2016 and 2018 teams. In his junior year of 2017-18, he won the Julius Erving Award as the nation’s top small forward.
Selected with the 10th overall pick in 2018, Bridges has remarkably yet to miss a game in his NBA career. In 2021-22, he was named to the All-Defensive First Team while finishing as runner-up for Defensive Player of the Year.
5. Josh Hart (2016 Villanova)
The third of four players from the 2016 Villanova team on this list, Josh Hart was a unanimous choice for First Team All-Big East that year as a junior.
Now in his eighth season, Hart was selected 30th overall in the 2017 NBA Draft. He is in the midst of his most productive season this year as a member of the Knicks. He has tied a franchise single-season record with eight triple-doubles.
6. De’Andre Hunter (2019 Virginia)
In 2019, De’Andre Hunter helped Virginia earn their first national championship. That season, he was named the ACC Defensive Player of the Year.
Hunter entered the 2019 NBA Draft where he was selected fourth overall. Now in his sixth season, the 27-year-old is having a career-best year and is one of the top candidates for Sixth Man of the Year.
7. Donte DiVincenzo (2016 and 2018 Villanova)
Here’s another member of last decade’s Villanova team in Donte DiVincenzo. Winner of two national championships, the 6-foot-4 guard was named Most Outstanding Player in the latter of those championship runs.
The 28-year-old was taken 17th overall in the 2018 NBA Draft. In 2021, DiVincenzo won a title with the Bucks (although injury prevented him from playing in the NBA Finals). Last season, he set a Knicks single-season record by connecting on 283 three-pointers.
8. Christian Braun (2022 Kansas)
Christian Braun’s national championship came in his junior year. He recorded a double-double of 12 points and 12 rebounds in the title game win over North Carolina.
That successful college season helped allow Braun to be chosen with the 21st overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft. Another championship was won in Braun’s rookie year with the 2023 Nuggets. He was a reserve that year, but now he is in Denver’s starting lineup and is having one of the most efficient seasons ever by a guard.
9. Tyus Jones (2015 Duke)
A 6-foot-1 point guard, Tyus Jones helped spearhead a championship run for Duke in 2015. After scoring 23 points in the national title game, he was named the Most Outstanding Player.
Selected 24th overall in the 2015 NBA Draft, Jones is currently in his 10th season in the league. He has been a steadying player who takes care of the ball. He has a career assist-to-turnover ratio of 5.4 in the NBA.
10. Stephon Castle (2024 UConn)
Let’s end the list with a current rookie in the NBA. Last season, Stephon Castle helped guide UConn to their second consecutive national championship as a freshman. He was named the Big East Freshman of the Year.
He then declared for the 2024 NBA Draft where he was selected with the fourth overall pick. Castle is becoming the heavy favorite to win Rookie of the Year as a member of the Spurs. He is posting averages of 14.0 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 3.7 assists.
Photo credit: © Patrick Breen/Arizona Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK
The post 10 Best Active NBA Players Who Won A National Championship appeared first on Last Word On Basketball.