Who’s the GOAT Chicago native?
25. Mark Aguirre
Mark Aguirre, who is commonly known as Ziggy, is another star that fans will often turn to when they think of the best ballers to hail from Chicago.
Aguirre made a bit of a name for himself in the basketball world at the high school and collegiate levels before deciding to turn pro. He attended George Westinghouse College Preparatory High School in Chicago and went on to study at DePaul University in Chicago. Ultimately, Aguirre became the No. 1 overall pick of the 1981 NBA Draft by the Dallas Mavericks.
During his professional career, Aguirre was a force to be reckoned with among small forwards in the league. He ranked among the top 20 in player efficiency rating for six seasons. Not to forget to mention Aguirre’s name came up at several times in talks for MVP consideration.
Aguirre spent a majority of his career as a Maverick and a Detroit Piston before joining the Los Angeles Clippers only to get waived by the team.
Aguirre has earned a number of accolades over the years. They include one McDonald’s All-American honor, two NCAA AP All-American honors, three All-Star Game nods and two NBA championship titles.
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24. Maurice Cheeks
Maurice Cheeks, who is commonly known as Mo and Little Mo, accomplished quite a bit as a Chicago native during his professional playing career in the NBA.
Among the accolades of note include getting inducted as a player into the Hall of Fame, four All-Star Game nods, five All-Defense Team selections and one NBA championship title.
Cheeks made his NBA debut in October of 1978. Around that time, he had already racked up a number of amateur accolades for his play at Du Sable High School in Chicago and West Texas A&M University in Canyon, Texas.
Cheeks spent a majority of his professional playing career with the Philadelphia 76ers. It is there he would help lead the team to an NBA championship title. Cheeks would also have a few shorter stints with the New York Knicks, San Antonio Spurs, Atlanta Hawks and New Jersey Nets.
Cheeks proved to be quite the floor general during his time in the league. As his track record shows, Cheeks was among the top 20 leaders in assists for six seasons. At the defensive end, Cheeks was shown to be equally, if not more, relentless in getting after his opponents to disrupt playmaking. He ranked among the top 20 in steals for 10 seasons.
Cheeks was not the type of star to be easily replaced. He had two seasons during his playing career where he found himself among the top 20 in games played.
Cheeks is currently an assistant coach for the Oklahoma City Thunder. He’s been assisting the team since the 2015-2016 season. Cheeks holds previous coaching experience with the 76ers, Portland Trail Blazers and Detroit Pistons.
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23. Hershey Hawkins
Hershey Hawkins, who is commonly known as Hawk, had his shining moments during his professional playing days in the NBA.
Notable accolades include one All-Star Game nod and one All-Rookie Team selection.
Hawkins made his NBA debut in November of 1988. Previously, he had attended high school at Westinghouse College Preparatory High School in Chicago and college at Bradley University in Peoria, Illinois.
Hawkins would suit up for a number of teams during his 13-year career in the NBA. They included the Charlotte Hornets, Seattle Supersonics and the Chicago Bulls.
Hawkins proved to be quite the reliable and durable veteran that teams could rely on to play night in and night out. He ranked among the top 20 in games played for seven seasons. In addition, Hawkins ranked among the top 20 in minutes played for three consecutive seasons. In fact, Hawkins proved to be the type of star that isn’t easily replaceable. He ranked among the top 20 in value over a replacement player for two seasons.
Why, you ask?
Hawkins was a bit of a two-way player making a difference at both ends of the floor. Hawkins ranked among the top 20 in points per game for two seasons. Efficiency was another key to his effectiveness at the offensive end. Hawkins was recognized among the top 20 in offensive rating for two seasons. At the defensive end, Hawkins ranked among the top 20 in steals per game for six seasons. Not to forget to mention he was among the top 20 in total steals for eight seasons.
Hawkins has a 0.6% probability of getting inducted as a player into the Hall of Fame.
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22. Isiah Thomas
Isiah Thomas, who is commonly known as Zeke, The Baby-Faced Assassin and Pocket Magic, is one of many shining examples of a Chicago native that turned pro.
Thomas made his NBA debut in October of 1981 after getting drafted with the No. 2 overall pick by the Detroit Pistons. He would prove his value by leading the team to have some postseason success.
Notable professional accolades include 12 All-Star Game nods, two NBA championship titles, two MVP honors and one Finals MVP honor.
The reasons for Thomas’ success are plentiful.
Thomas was among the top 20 in assists per game for 12 seasons. He was among the top 20 in points for four seasons. Not to forget to mention Thomas proved to be quite lethal from behind the three-point line. He charted among the top 20 in three-point field goals for four seasons. In addition, Thomas ranked among the top 20 in three-point field goal attempts for five seasons.
At the other end of the floor, Thomas ranked among the top 20 in steals for eight seasons. He was ranked No. 18 overall in defensive rating during the 1989-90 season.
Thomas was inducted as a player into the Hall of Fame in 2000.
Thomas attended college at the University of Indiana in Bloomington, Indiana and high school at St. Joseph High School in Westchester, Illinois prior to turning pro in 1981.
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21. Jeff Hornacek
Jeff Hornacek, who is commonly known as Scarecrow, achieved quite a bit during his 15-year playing career, which led him to suit up for the Phoenix Suns, Philadelphia 76ers and the Utah Jazz.
Hornacek made his NBA debut in October of 1986. He proved to be quite a valuable asset to his team, so much he received an All-Star Game nod in 1992. Around that time, Hornacek’s ability to stretch the floor made him a bit of a hot commodity.
Why, you ask?
Hornacek was viewed by many around the league as a threat from behind the three-point line, which shouldn’t surprise anyone when looking at the statistics. He was among the top 20 in three-point field goal percentage for nine seasons. Hornacek’s ability to stretch the floor made him nearly impossible to replace. He ranked in the top 20 in value over replacement player for three seasons.
A short time after his professional playing career ended, Hornacek transitioned to coaching by becoming the assistant coach for the Utah Jazz. More recently, he has picked up opportunities to serve as a head coach for the Phoenix Suns and New York Knicks.
Hornacek was born in Elmhurst, Illinois, a suburban community located in the western suburbs of Chicago. He attended high school at Lyons Township High School in La Grange, Illinois and went on to college at Iowa State University in Iowa City, Iowa.
Hornacek has a 0.7% chance of getting inducted as a player into the Hall of Fame.
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20. Tim Hardaway
Tim Hardaway, who is commonly known as Tim Bug, is another Chicago native that fans will often turn to when they think of the best ballers to hail from the city.
Hardaway stands out for many, in part, because of his size. At 6-feet tall, Hardaway was considered small in comparison to some of his opposing defenders. Still, he managed to have an impact on the game in more ways than many people could only dream of.
Among the accolades of note are five All-Star Team nods, one All-Rookie Team selection and five All-NBA Team honors. Not to forget to mention Hardaway ranked among the top 20 in assists for 10 seasons.
Hardaway made his NBA debut with the Golden State Warriors in November of 1989. During the span of his career, he would ultimately suit up for a number of different teams, including the Miami Heat, Dallas Mavericks, Denver Nuggets and Indiana Pacers.
Hardaway has a 79.2% chance of getting inducted as a player into the Hall of Fame.
Hardaway was born in Chicago. He attended high school at Carver Military Academy High School in Chicago and went on to enroll in college at the University of Texas at El-Paso in El Paso, Texas.
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19. Kendall Gill
Kendall Gill, who is commonly known as KG, made his hometown proud when he turned pro.
Born in Chicago, Gill proved to be a very serviceable guard/forward during his 16-year career. It all started when he made his NBA debut with the Charlotte Hornets in November of 1990.
Gill’s game translated well when his services were later called upon by the New Jersey Nets, Chicago Bulls, Milwaukee Bucks and the Miami Heat. He provided teams with quality, two-way ability that some could only dream of possessing. For one thing, Gill ranked among the top 20 in steals per game for seven seasons.
At the other end of the floor, Gill wasn’t the type of star to be snubbed, either. He ranked among the top 20 in points for two seasons.
Gill showed his value to many teams during his career, which is why he ranked in the top 20 for games played for four seasons. Not to forget to mention he was among the top 20 in minutes played during the 1996-1997 season.
Among some of Gill’s most esteemed accolades are an All-Rookie Team selection and the NCAA AP All-American award.
Gill has a 0.1% chance of getting inducted as a player into the Hall of Fame.
Currently, Gill works as a TV basketball analyst for NBC Sports Chicago. It is there he helps provide both pre-game and post-game coverage of the Bulls.
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18. Juwan Howard
As a native of Chicago, Juwan Howard has been making big moves since his playing days in the NBA ended several years ago.
Howard currently works for the University of Michigan Men’s Basketball program as its head coach. It is there he was excelling in providing team leadership. The University of Michigan Men’s Basketball program, under the coaching of Howard, amassed a winning record of 19-12 before coronavirus concerns prompted the end of the team’s plan to try its hand at March Madness. The team had been gearing up to make some noise in March Madness until officials decided to cancel it.
Still, the reasons for Howard’s early coaching success are easy for many to pinpoint.
How, you ask?
It is clear that Howard continues to show night in and night out how valuable his professional playing experience was. Professional excellence in the NBA is leading to success at the collegiate level.
It all started in November of 1994 when Howard made his NBA debut with the Washington Bullets. The playing time he earned early on helped him become a serviceable veteran for many years.
During his 22-year career, Howard suited up for a number of teams. They included the Dallas Mavericks, Denver Nuggets, Orlando Magic, Houston Rockets, Charlotte Bobcats, Portland Trail Blazers and the Miami Heat.
Howard has earned a number of professional accolades, including one NBA championship title, one All-Star Game nod, one All-NBA Team selection and one All-Rookie Team selection.
Howard was born in Chicago. He went to high school at Chicago Vocational Career Academy in Chicago before enrolling in college at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, Michigan.
Howard has a 0.1% probability of getting inducted as a player into the Hall of Fame.
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17. Antoine Walker
Antoine Walker, who is commonly known as Toine and Cyber Toine, is one of several Chicago natives to win at least one NBA championship title during his professional playing career.
Other notable accolades include one All-Rookie Team selection and three All-Star Team nods.
Walker made his NBA debut with the Boston Celtics in November of 1996. He made the most of his opportunities early on allowing him to become a serviceable veteran for many years.
During the span of his 13-year career, Walker played for several teams, including the Atlanta Hawks, Dallas Mavericks, Miami Heat and the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Walker was a force to be reckoned with when it came to rebounding. He ranked among the top 20 in defensive rebounds for six seasons. In addition, Walker ranked among the top 20 in offensive rebounds for two seasons. This does not mean that Walker was a big man of singular talents. He could get buckets whenever he wanted for the most part. Walker ranked among the top 20 in points for four seasons.
Walker was born in Chicago. He went to high school at Mount Carmel High School in Chicago and attended college at the University of Kentucky in Lexington, Kentucky.
Walker has a 1.5% chance of getting inducted as a player into the Hall of Fame.
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16. Corey Maggette
Corey Maggette, who is commonly known as Five-Oh, is one of several former NBA stars to turn to the BIG3 league after leaving the NBA.
It all started in November of 1999 when Maggette made his NBA debut with the Orlando Magic. He made the most of his opportunities early on allowing him to become a serviceable veteran for many years.
Maggette ranked among the top 20 in points per game for four seasons. Not forget to mention he ranked among the top 20 both in free-throws attempts and total free-throws for five seasons.
Maggette reached the NBA playoffs only once during his 14-year career. It occurred immediately after the 2005-2006 regular season, at which point he was a member of the Los Angeles Clippers.
Over the years, Maggette also played for the Golden State Warriors, Milwaukee Bucks, Charlotte Bobcats and the Detroit Pistons.
Maggette retired from the NBA in 2013 after getting waived by the San Antonio Spurs. A short time later, he started playing basketball in the BIG3 league.
Notable accolades include getting named a McDonald’s All-American and earning the 2018 BIG3 MVP award.
Maggette was born in Melrose Park, Illinois. He went to high school at Fenwick High School in Oak Park, Illinois and attended college at Duke University in Durham, North Carolina.
Maggette has a 0% chance of getting inducted as a player into the Hall of Fame.
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15. Michael Finley
Michael Finley, who is commonly known as Fin Dawg, made the most of his time when afforded the opportunity to play professional basketball for a living.
Some of Finley’s most esteemed accolades include two All-Star Team nods, one NBA championship title and an All-Rookie Team selection.
It all began in November of 1995, at which point Finley made his NBA debut with the Phoenix Suns. His career would span 17 seasons. Finley’s journey led to him play for several different teams, including the Dallas Mavericks, Boston Celtics and the San Antonio Spurs.
Finley proved to be quite a two-way player during the span of his career. He ranked among the top 20 in points for four seasons. Finley had two seasons among the top 20 in steals. In addition, he was the type of star that coaches could turn to play heavy minutes. Finley ranked among the top 20 in minutes per game for seven seasons.
Finley was born in Melrose Park, Illinois. He went to high school at Proviso East High School in Maywood, Illinois and attended college at the University of Wisconsin in Madison, Wisconsin.
Finley has a 1.5% chance of getting inducted as a player into the Hall of Fame.
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14. Shawn Marion
Shawn Marion, who is commonly known as The Matrix, is one of many Chicago natives that put the city on the map as a mecca of basketball.
How, you ask?
During the span of his 18-year career, Marion suited up for a number of different teams. They included the Phoenix Suns, Dallas Mavericks, Miami Heat, Toronto Raptors and the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Marion proved to be quite the veteran to have in the locker room. He demonstrated leadership on the court by making himself available night in and night out. Marion ranked among the top 20 in minutes played for six consecutive seasons. Not to forget to mention Marion could easily create offense for both himself and others, which explains why he ranked among the top 20 in points for five consecutive seasons.
At nearly every stop in his journey, Marion would amass playoff experience. And, of course, Marion would achieve the ultimate success by teaming up with Dirk Nowitzki to win an NBA championship title as a member of the Mavericks in 2011.
Notable accolades include an All-Rookie Team honor, two All-NBA Team selections, four All-Star Team appearances and one championship title.
What’s more is Marion had come up in talks to be named MVP during two consecutive seasons only to fall short of earning the award on both occasions. At the time, he was a member of the Phoenix Suns.
Marion retired from the Cavaliers in June of 2015.
Marion was born in Waukegan, Illinois, a suburban community located in Lake County. He attended high school at Clarksville High School in Clarksville, Tennessee and went to college at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas in Paradise, Nevada.
Marion has a 75.6% chance of getting as a player into the Hall of Fame.
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13. Quentin Richardson
Quentin Richardson, who is commonly known as Q-Rich, is another Chicago native that had his shining moments when he turned pro.
It all began in November of 2000 when Richardson made his NBA debut with the Los Angeles Clippers.
Among the notable accolades over time include earning a McDonald’s All-American honor, ranking among the top 20 in three-point fields goals for three seasons and ranking among the top 20 in three-point field goal attempts for two seasons.
As his career statistics show, Richardson was a bit of a threat from behind the arc. His ability to stretch the floor made him valuable to a certain extent wherever he played. One problem to note is how Richardson was riddled quite a bit by injury at various points. Another problem to note is he seemed to bounce from team to team.
Richardson suited up for a number of different teams during the span of his 13-year career. They included the Phoenix Suns, New York Knicks, Orlando Magic and the Miami Heat. Each stop in his journey seemingly provided at least one shot at playing meaningful basketball in the postseason.
Whenever Richardson took to the floor, teams generally knew they could rely on him to provide toughness and fearlessness, which so often characterizes Chicago natives. The problem, however, is that it wouldn’t prove to be enough to maintain his standing in the league. In 2013, Richardson was waived by the Toronto Raptors.
More recently, Richardson’s talents have been displayed in the BIG 3 league. It is there he won a 2018 championship title.
Richardson was born in Chicago. He attended high school at Whitney Young Magnet High School in Chicago and went to college at DePaul University in Chicago.
Richardson has a 0% chance of getting inducted as a player into the Hall of Fame.
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12. Nick Anderson
As a native of Chicago, Nick Anderson helped place his hometown on the map when he decided to turn pro.
It all began in November of 1999 when Anderson made his NBA debut with the Orlando Magic. The experience he gained in the league early on would allow him to become a serviceable veteran for several years.
During the span of his 13-year career, Anderson averaged 14.4 points, 5.1 rebounds and 2.6 assists per game. He would suit up for a number of different teams, including the Magic, Sacramento Kings and the Memphis Grizzlies. Nearly every stop in Anderson’s NBA career provided a chance to compete in the postseason where the stakes are higher.
Notable accolades include McDonald’s All-American honors, ranking among the top 20 in steals for two consecutive seasons, ranking among the top 20 in three-point field goals for five seasons, and ranking among the top 20 in three-point field goal attempts for seven seasons.
Anderson was born in Chicago. He attended high school at Simeon Vocational School in Chicago and went to college at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in Urbana, Illinois.
Anderson has a 0% chance of getting inducted as a player into the Hall of Fame.
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11. Shannon Brown
As a native of Chicago, Shannon Brown has quite a bit to tout in looking back at the totality of his professional playing career.
Some notable accolades gained over the years include winning two NBA championship titles, ranking among the top 20 in games played for two consecutive seasons and earning a McDonald’s All-American honor.
It all began in November of 2006 when Brown made his NBA debut with the Cleveland Cavaliers. While he didn’t stay with any particular team for very long, he learned over time to embrace a defined role, which proved to be fruitful for both he and the Los Angeles Lakers. Around that time, Brown earned two NBA championship titles.
Not every stop in Brown’s journey proved to be nearly as fruitful as his days with the Lakers. He would suit up for a number of other teams during the span of his 9-year career. They included the Chicago Bulls, Charlotte Bobcats, Phoenix Suns, San Antonio Spurs, New York Knicks and the Miami Heat. Upon leaving both the Lakers and the Cavaliers, Brown would not gain any further playoff experience. He was waived by the Heat in November of 2014.
During his career, Brown averaged 7.6 points, 1.9 rebounds and 1.1 assists per game.
Brown has a 0% chance of getting inducted as a player into the Hall of Fame.
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10. Nazr Mohammed
The city of Chicago is proud to call former NBA star Nazr Mohammed one of its own.
The big man made his NBA debut in February of 1999. Mohammed’s professional playing career included stints with the Philadelphia 76ers, New York Knicks, Atlanta Hawks, San Antonio Spurs, Detroit Pistons, Charlotte Bobcats, Chicago Bulls and the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Mohammed’s time with the Spurs proved to be the most fruitful, getting the opportunity to play alongside the likes of Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, Emanuel “Manu” Ginobili and more. Still, he proved to be a capable veteran presence making the most of his time on and off the court during each stop in his NBA journey.
Among Mohammed’s most esteemed accolades include winning an NBA championship title, ranking among the top 20 in total rebound percentage for three seasons and ranking among the top 20 in games played for two seasons.
Mohammed was born in Chicago. He attended high school at Kenwood Academy High School in Chicago and went to college at the University of Kentucky in Lexington, Kentucky.
Mohammed has a 0% chance of getting inducted as a player into the Hall of Fame.
Currently, Mohammed is a front office staff member for the Oklahoma City Thunder. It is there he works as both a scout and an adviser for the organization.
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9. Jabari Parker
Jabari Parker, the son of former NBA star Sonny Parker, enabled residents of the city of Chicago to indulge in a bit of a guilty pleasure at the outset of his career, giving them reason to cheer from afar for their hometown star all while he played for a rival organization’s squad.
It all began in October of 2014 when he made his NBA debut with the Milwaukee Bucks. Parker, like many highly scouted young stars, came into the league with a lot to prove after getting drafted with the No. 2 overall pick of the 2014 NBA Draft.
Has Parker lived up to all the early hype after five years?
I think not.
No one questions Parker’s ability to score the ball. It remains up in the air if he can stay healthy, especially after the way his rocky tenure with the Bucks ended.
Parker has seemingly drifted from one team to the next since leaving the Bucks during free agency in the summer of 2018. His NBA journey so far includes briefs stints with the Chicago Bulls, Washington Wizards, Atlanta Hawks and the Sacramento Kings.
Parker has posted career averages of 15 points, 5.8 rebounds and 2.1 assists per game. Before the NBA’s hiatus started last month, he was averaging 14.7 points, 5.9 rebounds 1.8 assists per game.
It remains unclear if Parker is part of the Kings’ long-term plans after getting picked up by the team ahead of this year’s trade deadline.
Parker was born in Chicago. He attended high school at Simeon Career Academy High School in Chicago and went to college at Duke University in Durham, North Carolina.
It remains to be seen if Parker makes for a viable candidate to be inducted as a player into the Hall of Fame.
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8. Patrick Beverley
Patrick Beverley, who is commonly known as Mr. 94 Feet, has a bond to the city of Chicago that seemingly runs deeper than skin and thicker than blood. This means everything to the NBA star who prides himself for having a blue collar worker mentality.
Now in his seventh year, Beverley has found a bit of a home for himself with one of the NBA’s hottest teams, the Los Angeles Clippers.
It all began in January of 2013 when he made his NBA debut with the Houston Rockets. Beverley earned his nickname over time for the way he aggressively gets after opposing teams at the defensive end.
Among Beverley’s most esteemed accolades include two All-Defensive Team nods and ranking among the top 20 in three-point field goal percentage for one season.
Beverley has posted career averages of 8.9 points, 4.4 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game. Prior to the NBA’s hiatus, he was averaging 7.9 points, 5.4 rebounds and 3.7 assists per game.
Beverley was born in Chicago. He attended high school at Marshall Metropolitan High School in Chicago and went to college at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville, Arkansas.
It remains unclear if Beverley makes for a viable candidate to be inducted as a player into the Hall of Fame. He currently has a 0% chance of making it happen.
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7. Shaun Livingston
Shaun Livingston, who is commonly known as S Dot, faced a bit of diversity during his time in the league, but he still managed to make his hometown proud.
It all began in November of 2004 when Livingston made his NBA debut with the Los Angeles Clippers. He showed a bit of promising value as a combo guard in the league. However, the problem is that injuries rattled Livingston’s ability to become anything more than a role player. Among the other teams he played for include the Miami Heat, Oklahoma City Thunder, Washington Wizards, Charlotte Bobcats, Milwaukee Bucks, Cleveland Cavaliers, Brooklyn Nets and the Golden State Warriors. Livingston’s time with the latter organization proved to be the most fruitful of all by yielding him the chance to chase multiple NBA championship titles.
Livingston announced his retirement from the league in September of 2019. Around that time, he was waived by the Warriors.
Livingston has posted career averages of 6.3 points, 2.4 rebounds and 3 assists per game over the course of 17 years.
Among Livingston’s most esteemed accolades include one McDonald’s All-American honor, ranking among the top 20 in steals for one season and three NBA championship titles.
Livingston was born in Peoria, Illinois. He attended high school at Peoria Central High School in Peoria, Illinois.
Livingston has a 0.1% chance of getting inducted as a player into the Hall of Fame.
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6. Tony Allen
Tony Allen, who is commonly known as The Grindfather, Trick or Treat Tony and Gucci, always gave the city of Chicago reasons to be proud, even if he never actually had the chance during his career to suit up for his hometown team, the Chicago Bulls.
It all began in November of 2004 when Allen made his NBA debut with the Boston Celtics. It is there he would play several seasons before moving on to suit up for the Memphis Grizzlies and the New Orleans Pelicans.
Allen gained a plethora of playoff experience over the course of his 14-year career. It proved to be especially advantageous for him.
How, you ask?
As a Celtic, Allen won an NBA championship title to cap off the team’s 2007-2008 season.
Allen’s style of play led him to have continued yet unparalleled success a few years later as a member of the Grizzlies. It is there he formed a unique bond playing alongside the likes of Mike Conley, Zach Randolph and Marc Gasol. The team was fun to watch for many years, but never could find a way to the NBA Finals. As such, the Grizzlies started embarking on a rebuild, which allowed Allen and others to find new homes in the league in the years to come.
Allen signed a deal with the Pelicans in September of 2017. This stint in his NBA journey didn’t last long. The Pelicans would package him in February 2018 trade sending him, Omer Asik, Jameer Nelson and a first-round draft pick (Chandler Hutchison was later selected) to the Chicago Bulls in exchange for Nikola Mirotic and a second-round draft pick (Tony Carr was later selected). Allen was waived by the Bulls in February of 2018.
Among Allen’s most proud accomplishments include six All-Defense Team selections, ranking among the top 20 in both steals and steals per game for five seasons, ranking among the top 20 in defensive rating for three seasons and one NBA championship title.
Allen has posted career averages of 8.1 points, 3.5 rebounds and 1.3 assists per game.
Allen was born in Chicago. He attended high school at Crane Technical Preparatory High School in Chicago and went to college at both Butler County Community College in El Dorado, Kansas and Oklahoma State University in Stillwater, Oklahoma.
Allen has a 0% probability of getting inducted as a player into the Hall of Fame.
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5. Fred VanVleet
Another NBA star the city of Chicago is proud to call one of its own is Fred VanVleet.
As a third-year pro, VanVleet has already accomplished more with the Toronto Raptors than some have while playing in the league for over a decade. It is there he has not only amassed playoff experience but an NBA championship title.
VanVleet’s journey to an NBA roster wasn’t so simple, which makes his success story all the more interesting. He had completed several stints with the Raptors 905 of the G-League before signing an NBA deal with the Raptors in 2018.
VanVleet has posted career averages of 10.3 points, 2.5 rebounds and 4 assists per game. Until the league went on a hiatus last month, he was averaging 17.6 points, 3.8 rebounds and 6.6 assists per game.
VanVleet will become an unrestricted free agency at the end of the 2019-2020 season. His current deal is set to expire.
VanVleet was born in Rockford, Illinois. He attended high school at Auburn High School in Rockford, Illinois and went to college at Wichita State University in Wichita, Kansas.
It remains up in the air if VanVleet makes for a viable candidate to be inducted as a player into the Hall of Fame.
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4. Dwyane Wade
Dwyane Wade, who is commonly known as Flash, D-Wade and Father Prime, is revered by many in Chicago and beyond for making his mark in the NBA and giving back to the city that made him.
Wade’s journey to NBA stardom began in October of 2003 when he made his debut with the Miami Heat. He would form a long-time bond with organization and its fanbase in ways only some could dream of.
A young Wade helped lead the Heat to one of three NBA championship titles in 2006.
When the opportunity to team up with both LeBron James and Chris Bosh arose, Wade and the Heat embraced the three-headed monster of a super team that was created in the summer of 2010.
Wade proved to be the ultimate team player for many years. During the Heat’s successful run in the 2010s, he accepted the burden often times in a financial sense to keep the roster in tact.
But, of course, all good things must come to an end, as did the super team when it dissolved.
The good news is the Heat remained largely competitive year after year. This isn’t to say that Wade and his team didn’t face adversity. A history filled with injuries and issues with durability led Wade to adjust the way he approached the game in the later years. Still, his value to the Heat organization more often than not trumped what his would-be replacements could provide. But for a failure to agree to a new contract, Wade and the Heat parted ways in 2016 for a brief period of time only to reunite again in 2018.
Wade announced his retirement from the league in April of 2019. Since then, he has been keeping busy working as a TNT NBA analyst, making appearances for Turner/CBS and completing projects for both Bleacher Report and his media company, 59th & Prairie.
Among some of Wade’s most esteemed accolades include three NBA championship titles, 13 All-Star Team nods, one final MVP award, eight All-NBA Team selections and three All-Defense Team honors.
Wade was born in Chicago. He attended high school at Richards High School in Oak Lawn, Illinois and went to college at Marquette University in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
Wade has a 100% chance of getting inducted as a player into the Hall of Fame.
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3. Andre Iguodala
Not everyone is lucky enough to say they have won more than one NBA championship title during their career, but Chicago’s own Andre Iguodala is an exception to the rule.
Iguodala, who is commonly known as Iggy and AI2, has accomplished a feat that only select stars have made possible.
It all started in November of 2004 when Iguodala made his NBA debut with the Philadelphia 76ers.
Since then, Iguodala has played for several different teams including the Miami Heat, Denver Nuggets and the Golden State Warriors. The latter organization has likely provided him with a shot at one day becoming a Hall of Famer.
Some of Iguodala’s most proud professional accomplishments include one All-Star Team nod, two All-Defensive Team honors, one Finals MVP award and some NBA championship titles.
During the span of his first 15-year career, Iguodala has posted career averages of 12 points, 5.1 rebounds and 4.3 assists per game. He was averaging 4.4 points, 3.8 rebounds and 2 assists per game until the NBA’s 2019-2020 season went on a hiatus. It’s also important to note that Iguodala had refused to play much of the year, forcing the Memphis Grizzlies to send him packing in a trade to the Heat.
Iguodala was born in Springfield, Illinois. He attended high school at Lanphier in Springfield, Illinois and went to college at the University of Arizona in Tucson, Arizona.
Iguodala has a 6.1% chance of getting inducted as a player into the Hall of Fame.
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2. Anthony Davis
Before Anthony Davis turned pro, he could often be found taking to the streets of Chicago, schooling people like the basketball prodigy he is.
Davis, who is commonly known as Unibrow, The Brow, Ant and AD, had all the makings early on to be a star in the league.
It all began in October of 2012 when Davis made his NBA debut with the New Orleans Hornets. The team, which was later renamed the Pelicans, provided him many opportunities early on to demonstrate his potential.
Has Davis reached his ceiling yet?
I think not.
At 27 years old, Davis still has a lot of youth on his side. He was averaging 26.7 points, 9.4 rebounds and 3.1 assists per game until the league hit pause. As his overall career statistics show, Davis is averaging 24 points, 10.4 rebounds and 2.2 assists per game.
Notable accolades include seven All-Star Team nods, three All-NBA Team selections and three All-Defensive Team honors.
Davis was born in Chicago. He went to high school at Perspectives Charter School in Chicago and attended college at the University of Kentucky in Lexington, Kentucky.
Davis has a 91.3% chance of getting inducted as a player into the Hall of Fame.
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1. Derrick Rose
When the casual NBA fan thinks of the greatest stars to hail from the city of Chicago, one name commonly brought up in discussion is Derrick Rose.
Rose, who is commonly known as D-Rose, Windy City Assassin and Pooh, made the most of his time in the league early on, taking the world by a bit of a surprise when he became the youngest ever to be named MVP.
Is Rose still one of the league’s most lethal guards around the league?
I think yes.
At age 31, Rose still has a bit of youth on his side. He still shows flashes of the vintage Rose we’ve come to miss and long for.
In fact, Rose was having a standout year with the Detroit Pistons until the league went on a hiatus last month. It is there he was averaging 18.1 points, 2.4 rebounds and 5.6 assists per game. As his overall career statistics show, Rose is averaging 18.8 points, 3.4 rebounds and 5.6 assists per game.
Among Rose’s most esteemed accolades include three All-Star Team nods, one All-NBA Team selection and one MVP award.
Rose attended high school at Simeon Career Academy in Chicago and went to college at the University of Memphis in Memphis, Tennessee.
Rose has an 11.9% chance of getting inducted as a player into the Hall of Fame.
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