List of Memphis Tigers in the NBA

Last updated

This is a list of Memphis Tigers men's basketball players who played in the National Basketball Association.

Contents

Current NBA Players

As of the 2023–24 NBA Season, seven former Tigers are currently signed to NBA rosters.

All-time List of Memphis Tigers in the NBA & NBA draft

Since the NBA draft began in 1947, 52 players from Memphis have been drafted, and an additional nine played after being signed as undrafted free agents. Of the 52 drafted players, 28 played in at least one NBA (or ABA) game. Memphis has produced 14 first-round picks, including 8 top-ten picks and one number-one pick (Derrick Rose). Three former Tigers have been named NBA All-Stars: Larry Kenon (twice), Penny Hardaway (4 times), and Derrick Rose (3 times). Four have gone on to win the NBA Championship: Win Wilfong with the St. Louis Hawks in 1958, William Bedford with the Detroit Pistons in 1990, Earl Barron with the Miami Heat in 2006, and James Wiseman with the Golden State Warriors in 2022.

In 2010, Memphis became the second college to produce two consecutive NBA Rookie of the Year winners: Derrick Rose in 2009 and Tyreke Evans in 2010 (the first being North Carolina with winners Walter Davis in 1978 and Phil Ford in 1979). In 2011, Rose became the first former Tiger to be named the NBA Most Valuable Player.

Many Memphis players since the 1960s that have gone undrafted or had unsuccessful NBA careers have also played in professional leagues in Europe, Asia and/or Latin America.

Penny Hardaway playing for the New York Knicks (2004-2006) Penny Hardaway Knicks.jpg
Penny Hardaway playing for the New York Knicks (2004–2006)
Lorenzen Wright playing for the Memphis Grizzlies (2001-2006) Lorenzen Wright (crop).jpg
Lorenzen Wright playing for the Memphis Grizzlies (2001–2006)
Derrick Rose playing for the Chicago Bulls (2008-2016) Derrick Rose 03.jpg
Derrick Rose playing for the Chicago Bulls (2008–2016)
Tyreke Evans playing for the New Orleans Pelicans (2013-2017) Tyreke Evans FT 2013-10-05.JPG
Tyreke Evans playing for the New Orleans Pelicans (2013–2017)
NBA Players Who Attended Memphis
PlayerYearRoundPickTeamYears Active

(NBA & ABA)

Achievements
Win Wilfong 1957 14th St. Louis Hawks 1957–19611958 NBA Champion
Jim Hackaday [e] 1959 317th Philadelphia Warriors
Orby Arnold [e] 1959 753rd St. Louis Hawks
George Price [e] 1960 858th New York Knicks
Wayne Yates 1961 15th Los Angeles Lakers 1961–1962
Lowery Kirk [e] 1961 434th Cincinnati Royals
Hunter Beckman [e] 1963 758th Cincinnati Royals
George Kirk [e] 1964 542nd Cincinnati Royals
Bob Neumann [e] 1964 1083rd Cincinnati Royals
Mike Butler [a] 1968 10121st San Diego Rockets 1968–1972
Rich Jones [a] [b] 1969 558th Phoenix Suns 1970–1977
James Douglas [e] 1971 16226th Buffalo Braves
Doug Holcomb [e] 1972 694th Boston Celtics
Ronnie Robinson [a] 1973 460th Phoenix Suns 1973–1975
Larry Kenon [a] [c] 1973 350th Detroit Pistons 1973–19832x NBA All-Star
Larry Finch [a] 1973 468th Los Angeles Lakers 1973–1975
Bill Cook [e] 1976 349th Washington Bullets
Marion Hillard [e] 1976 465th Washington Bullets
James Bradley [e] 1979 235th Atlanta Hawks
Rodney Lee [e] 1979 8150th Detroit Pistons
Dennis Isbell [e] 1981 5100th San Diego Clippers
Hank McDowell 1981 5102nd Golden State Warriors 1981–1986
Otis Jackson [e] 1982 8174th New Jersey Nets
Chris Faggi [e] 1982 8179th San Antonio Spurs
Bobby Parks [e] 1984 358th Atlanta Hawks
Phillip Haynes [e] 1984 6121st Los Angeles Clippers
Keith Lee 1985 111th Chicago Bulls 1985–1989
Baskerville Holmes [e] 1986 368th Milwaukee Bucks
Andre Turner 1986 369th Los Angeles Lakers 1986–1992
William Bedford 1986 16th Phoenix Suns 1986–19931990 NBA Champion
Vincent Askew 1987 239th Philadelphia 76ers 1987–1988,

1990–1998

Sylvester Gray 1988 235th Miami Heat 1988–1989
Dwight Boyd [e] 1988 366th Denver Nuggets
Elliot Perry 1991 237th Los Angeles Clippers 1991–1992,

1994–2002

Penny Hardaway 1993 13rd Golden State Warriors 1993–20074x NBA All-Star, 2x All-NBA First Team, All-NBA Third Team
Todd Mundt 1995 undraftedn/a Boston Celtics 1995–1996
David Vaughn III 1995 125th Orlando Magic 1995–1999
Lorenzen Wright 1996 17th Los Angeles Clippers 1996–2009
Cedric Henderson 1997 244th Cleveland Cavaliers 1997–2002
Chris Garner 1997 undraftedn/a Toronto Raptors 1997–1998,

2001

Dajuan Wagner 2002 16th Cleveland Cavaliers 2002–2006
Antonio Burks 2004 237th Orlando Magic 2004–2006
Earl Barron 2005 undraftedn/a Miami Heat 2005–2006,

2010–2012

2006 NBA Champion
Shawne Williams 2006 117th Indiana Pacers 2006–2015
Rodney Carney 2006 116th Chicago Bulls 2006–2011
Darius Washington Jr. 2007 undraftedn/a San Antonio Spurs 2007
Chris Douglas-Roberts 2008 240th New Jersey Nets 2008–2015
Joey Dorsey 2008 233rd Portland Trail Blazers 2008–2011
Derrick Rose 2008 11st Chicago Bulls 2008–Present2011 NBA MVP, 3x NBA All-Star, All-NBA First Team, 2009 NBA Rookie of the Year
Tyreke Evans 2009 14th Sacramento Kings 2009–20192010 NBA Rookie of the Year
Robert Dozier [e] 2009 260th Miami Heat
Antonio Anderson 2009 undraftedn/a Oklahoma City Thunder 2010
Elliot Williams 2010 122nd Portland Trail Blazers 2010–2016
Will Barton 2012 240th Portland Trail Blazers 2012–Present
D.J. Stephens 2013 undraftedn/a Milwaukee Bucks 2014, 2018
Adonis Thomas 2013 undraftedn/a Orlando Magic 2014
Tarik Black [d] 2014 undraftedn/a Houston Rockets 2014–2018
Jeremiah Martin 2019 undraftedn/a Brooklyn Nets 2020–2021
James Wiseman 2020 12nd Golden State Warriors 2020–Present2022 NBA Champion
Precious Achiuwa 2020 120th Miami Heat 2020–Present
Jalen Duren 2022 113th Charlotte Hornets 2022–Present
Josh Minott 2022 245th Charlotte Hornets 2022–Present
Lester Quiñones 2022 undraftedn/a Golden State Warriors 2022–Present

currently active players are inbold

Source: [1]

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References

  1. "NBA Draft Index | Basketball-Reference.com". basketball-reference.com. Retrieved January 25, 2014.