5 Greatest NBA Lottery Picks Born in Ohio

5 Greatest NBA Lottery Picks Born in Ohio

By Michael Harrison

January 6, 2025 at 07:14 AM

Ohio has produced several exceptional NBA lottery picks throughout basketball history. Here are the top 5 most notable players:

LeBron James

  • #1 overall pick in 2003 from St. Vincent-St. Mary High School
  • 4x NBA Champion, 4x MVP, 10 NBA Finals appearances
  • Brought Cleveland their first championship
  • Widely considered either the greatest or second-greatest player ever

Stephen Curry

  • Born in Akron during his father Dell's time with the Cavaliers
  • #7 pick in 2009
  • 4x NBA Champion, 2x MVP, 7x All-Star
  • Revolutionary shooter who changed modern basketball
  • Considered the greatest shooter of all time

John Havlicek

  • #7 pick in 1962 from Ohio State
  • Celtics legend who played all 16 seasons in Boston
  • 8x NBA Champion, Finals MVP, 13x All-Star
  • Made 8 All-Defensive teams

Nate Thurmond

  • Akron native and Hall of Famer
  • 7x All-Star, 5x All-Defensive team selection
  • Had jersey #42 retired by Cleveland Cavaliers
  • Spent 11 years with Warriors before retiring as a Cavalier

CJ McCollum

  • #10 pick in 2013 from Lehigh
  • Canton native and first NBA player from Lehigh
  • Most Improved Player award winner
  • Has averaged 20+ points for six straight seasons
  • Established veteran scorer and playmaker

[All original images retained in their exact positions]

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