Hoops Habit
Fansided

Each State’s All-Time NBA Starting Five

By Ben Gibson

Jan 26, 2014; Chapel Hill, NC, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels mascot waves a flag before the game at Dean E. Smith Student Activities Center. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 26, 2014; Chapel Hill, NC, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels mascot waves a flag before the game at Dean E. Smith Student Activities Center. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
4 of 52
Next
Apr 27, 2015; Chicago, IL, USA; Milwaukee Bucks guard Jerryd Bayless (19) is defended by Chicago Bulls guard Aaron Brooks (0) in game five of the first round of the 2015 NBA Playoffs at United Center. The Bucks won 94-88. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 27, 2015; Chicago, IL, USA; Milwaukee Bucks guard Jerryd Bayless (19) is defended by Chicago Bulls guard Aaron Brooks (0) in game five of the first round of the 2015 NBA Playoffs at United Center. The Bucks won 94-88. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-USA TODAY Sports /

Arizona

Mike Bibby, Fat Lever, Jerryd Bayless, Richard Jefferson, Sean Elliott

Total of 4 All-Star appearances, 1 NBA/ABA championships

Mike Bibby may be the archenemy of the Starters’ JE Skeets, but he had a long career and played on numerous playoff teams, most notably the Sacramento Kings. Bibby and the Kings came close to making the NBA Finals in the early 2000s, but it was the Los Angeles Lakers that eliminated them several years in a row.

He averaged 14.7 points, 5.5 assists and 3.1 rebounds per game. His 5,517 assists rank 44th all-time while his 1,172 steals is good for 93rd. On top of all that, he was a career 37.9 percent shooter from beyond the arc and with 1,517 made threes, he ranks 23rd all-time.

Two time All-Star Fat Lever is next on the list with career averages of 13.9 points, 6.2 assists and 6.0 rebounds per game. But his most notable claim to fame is defense and how often he stole the ball. He had a total of 1,666 in his career (24th all-time) and averaged 2.2 a game, the seventh best mark in NBA/ABA history. When he wasn’t stealing the ball, he was dishing out assists to the tune of 6.2 per a game (48th all-time) with a total of 4,696 — 66th all-time.

Jerryd Bayless is next on the list with his 8.3 points, 2.9 assists and 2.1 rebounds per a game in his seven-year career. Last season in the opening round of the playoffs, Bayless helped the Milwaukee Bucks take Game 5 of their series with a last-second layup.

Richard Jefferson is another one of those memorable players like Bibby that when you look back on their career, you’re somewhat surprised they never made one All-Star Game. Also like Bibby, he’s a talented three-point shooter with a 38 percent mark from there. In his best season, he scored 20.9 points a game, but a 16.2 points per game average for his career isn’t too bad either.

Sean Elliott comes in with a pair of All-Star appearances in the 1990s and one NBA title with the San Antonio Spurs. The strike-shortened season saw Elliott and the Spurs lose just two of their 17 playoff games, all of which Elliott started. With 11.9 points, 3.4 rebounds and 2.6 assists per game, Elliott helped start the Spurs dynasty that is only now on its last legs.

Grade: C+

Next: Arkansas