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NBA History: Best NBA player born in each state

By Jerran Anderson

MILWAUKEE, WI - MARCH 01: Former Milwaukee Bucks player Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is honored at halftime during a game between the Milwaukee Bucks and the Denver Nuggets at the BMO Harris Bradley Center on March 1, 2017 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images)
MILWAUKEE, WI - MARCH 01: Former Milwaukee Bucks player Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is honored at halftime during a game between the Milwaukee Bucks and the Denver Nuggets at the BMO Harris Bradley Center on March 1, 2017 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images) /
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Los Angeles Lakers
Photo by Adam Pantozzi/NBAE via Getty Images /

Best NBA player born in New Jersey: Shaquille O’Neal

Rick Barry, Tom Heinsohn, Dennis Rodman, J.R. Smith, Karl-Anthony Towns, Jaren Jackson Jr. The state of New Jersey has produced a rich number of past, present and future stars in the NBA. The best player from the state was arguably the most dominant big man in the league and goes by the name of Shaquille O’Neal.

The 7-foot-1, 325-pound big man made waves as the most polarizing player on the college basketball circuit while on the LSU Tigers. From there, he was taken first overall in the 1992 NBA Draft by the Orlando Magic. In Orlando he was dominant as ever, winning the 1992-93 Rookie of the Year award in Year 1. In Year 2, he led the league in field goal percentage at 59.9 percent.

His third year with Orlando, he led the league in scoring with 29.3 points per game. After getting swept in the 1996 Eastern Conference Finals by the Chicago Bulls, though, Shaq took a different direction with his career, joining the Los Angeles Lakers as a free agent in the 1996 offseason.

During the 1999-00 season, he led the NBA in scoring once again with 29.7 points per game and took home the MVP Award, too, as a result. That same season, O’Neal along with Kobe Bryant and the Lakers won his first NBA title and set off 3-peat in the process that won the NBA title in 2001 and 2002 as well. Shaq was named the Finals MVP in all three of those title victories.

He didn’t win another ring with the Lakers after 2002, but he won the fourth ring of his career with Dwyane Wade and the Miami Heat in 2006. In that postseason run, Shaq produced 18.8 points, 9.8 rebounds and 1.5 blocks per contest at 33 years of age.

In his final seasons, he appeared with the Phoenix Suns (2007-08), Cleveland Cavaliers (2009-10) and Boston Celtics for just two games in 2010-11 before calling it quits and retiring on June 1, 2011.

He amassed 28,596 points, 13,099 rebounds, 3,026 assists and 2,732 blocks during his career in the NBA. In 2016, he was inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame for his contributions. Now, he’s an analyst on Inside the NBA alongside Charles Barkley, Kenny Smith and Ernie Johnson.