US State Playoffs

[slightly biased bias fan]

If NBA teams were solely comprised of players born in their state, who would win?

I looked into every states talent pool, and there are only three real contenders, California, Georgia & Texas.

[slightly biased bias fan]

California

Guards: LaMelo Ball, James Harden, Jrue Holiday, Damian Lillard

Wings: Paul George, Aaron Gordon, Kawhi Leonard, Amen Thompson, Klay Thompson

Centers: Jarrett Allen, Brook Lopez, Evan Mobley

[slightly biased bias fan]

Georgia

Guards: Malik Beasley, Malcolm Brogdon, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Stephon Castle, Collin Sexton

Wings: Jaylen Brown, Anthony Edwards, Devin Vassell, Isaac Okoro

Centers: Wendell Carter Jr, Walker Kessler, Jabari Smith Jr

[slightly biased bias fan]

Texas

Guards: Alex Caruso, Cade Cunningham, Tyrese Maxey, Cason Wallace, Trae Young

Wings: Jimmy Butler, Quentin Grimes, Marcus Smart, Jarred Vanderbilt

Centers: Julius Randle, Myles Turner, Grant Williams

[Kernewek]

I haven't looked into it beyond reading this thread, but it's insane that New York isn't on the list?

[slightly biased bias fan]

I haven't looked into it beyond reading this thread, but it's insane that New York isn't on the list?

New York has Donovan Mitchell, but that is about it in terms of elite talent. A few next tier talents like Jonathan Isaac, Tobias Harris & Terance Mann.

This list is based on where players were born. Perhaps some guys were born elsewhere but moved to New York in their adolescence.

[Who]

Texas

G: T Maxey, C Wallace
G: A Caruso, M Smart
F: C Cunningham, Q Grimes
F: J Butler, G Williams
C: M Turner, J Randle

I was going big at first but I don't love Randle next to Cade & Jimmy so I moved him to the bench. Lack of a genuine backup center. I love the defensive combo guards of Caruso, Cason & Smart. Tyrese Maxey would be phenomenal playing off of Cade & Jimmy. Great 3 man combo to build your attack around. Myles Turner has a lot of heavy lifting to do with this lineup.

Strong two way team. Lacking some size off the bench.

Georgia

G: C Sexton, S Castle
G: Ant Edwards, D Vassell
F: Jaylen Brown, KCP / M Beasley
F: Jabari Smith Jr, I Okoro
C: W Kessler, W Carter Jr

C Sexton and Ant would be a fun backcourt. Ant & Jaylen an awesome wing combination. Jabari Smith Jr will be an important glue guy as he is the only real big forward on the roster. Good center combo.

The bench is a bit questionable. Castle still up and down / inconsistent. D Vassell is awesome but you have 3 true SGs in him, M Beasley & KCP. Lack of big wings. Lack of forwards. Lack of a big forward. Okoro is a makeshift big forward. W Carter Jr is good backup big. I like 2/5 bench positions.

California

G: J Holiday, D Lillard
G: J Harden, LaMelo, Klay
F: Kawhi Leonard, P George
F: A Gordon, Amen Thompson
C: E Mobley, J Allen, B Lopez

That would be a mean defensive team. Incredible athleticism. Jrue, Kawhi, A Gordon all there to help Harden on perimeter defense. Mobley as the anchor. Terrific defensive forward in Amen Thompson off the bench. Strong defensive center in J Allen. Or a 3+D center in Brook if you want to stretch the floor. Maybe go big with Mobley at PF.

I mean ... Paul George is the weakest defender in that forward rotation. That is exceptional.

The backup guards don't give much defense but supply offense where needed. I don't think any of them are starters. I love the defensive talent and chemistry without them as starters.

Easy winner for me.

[Kernewek]

I haven't looked into it beyond reading this thread, but it's insane that New York isn't on the list?

New York has Donovan Mitchell, but that is about it in terms of elite talent. A few next tier talents like Jonathan Isaac, Tobias Harris & Terance Mann.

This list is based on where players were born. Perhaps some guys were born elsewhere but moved to New York in their adolescence.

Makes sense - I think I just presumed New York City is still the same legendary hub for hoops that it was during the 70's, 80's, and 90's.

Just did a quick look though, and it looks like NYC has KAT (A second google search says Statmuse is lying, he's born in New Jersey, but is there anything more NYC than being Jersey and claiming New York?) and that's about it, in terms of top-level talent. Weird.

[slightly biased bias fan]

I haven't looked into it beyond reading this thread, but it's insane that New York isn't on the list?

New York has Donovan Mitchell, but that is about it in terms of elite talent. A few next tier talents like Jonathan Isaac, Tobias Harris & Terance Mann.

This list is based on where players were born. Perhaps some guys were born elsewhere but moved to New York in their adolescence.

Makes sense - I think I just presumed New York City is still the same legendary hub for hoops that it was during the 70's, 80's, and 90's.

Just did a quick look though, and it looks like NYC has KAT and that's about it, in terms of top-level talent. Weird.

Adebayo, Brunson, Towns were all born in New Jersey.

[Celtics2021]

I haven't looked into it beyond reading this thread, but it's insane that New York isn't on the list?

New York has Donovan Mitchell, but that is about it in terms of elite talent. A few next tier talents like Jonathan Isaac, Tobias Harris & Terance Mann.

This list is based on where players were born. Perhaps some guys were born elsewhere but moved to New York in their adolescence.

Makes sense - I think I just presumed New York City is still the same legendary hub for hoops that it was during the 70's, 80's, and 90's.

Just did a quick look though, and it looks like NYC has KAT (A second google search says Statmuse is lying, he's born in New Jersey, but is there anything more NYC than being Jersey and claiming New York?) and that's about it, in terms of top-level talent. Weird.

New York has a lot of starters and role players, and could probably advance pretty far in a tournament due to their depth, but they are lacking star power beyond Mitchell.

Some other states to consider:

Ohio has LeBron and Steph, which even today would be frightening to go against in a playoff situation.  They also have CJ McCollum who would be a fine third option, and some nice guard and wing depth in Caris LeVert, Luke Kennard, Terry Rozier, Miles McBride, Gary Trent Jr., and Malakhi Branham.  But it?s up front that they would struggle, with their only viable bigs being Larry Nance Jr. and Jae?Sean Tate.  Maybe they could go small with LeBron at the 5.  It would be an interesting team.

North Carolina could roll out a starting lineup of Chris Paul, Coby White, Brandon Ingram, Patrick Williams, and Zion Williamson.  It?s a brittle lineup, but solid when healthy.  Its bench would have the Martin twins, Trey Murphy III, Seth Curry, Aaron Wiggins, and Day?Ron Sharpe, and Saddiq Bey if he?s recovered.  They could throw waves of annoying wings at you.

New Jersey would not really work, but I would want to see their Brunson and 4 bigs lineup give it a go (Jaren Jackson Jr, KAT, Bam, and Naz Reid).  There is enough playmaking and shooting from those bigs that the offense could be interesting, and the bigs are also all average to plus defenders so maybe they could work out some crazy zone that has a lot of length teams need to try to pass around.  They have no depth tho; Naji Marshall is their only other NBA rotational player.

[Roy H.]

Ohio is probably a bit top-heavy, but they've got Lebron, Curry, McCollum, Kennard, LeVert, Rozier, McBride, Nance, Jr., Trent, Jr. etc., with 17 players who played in the NBA in 2025.

I'm surprised by how little NBA talent is from Florida.  I know they attract a lot of high school talent from out of state, but their homegrown players are lacking.