NBA History: Best NBA player born in each state
Best NBA player born in Tennessee: Oscar Robertson
Tennessee has produced two Hall of Famers in the NBA ranks and one of them was a one of a kind star in his day. Oscar Robertson, a native of Charlotte, Tenn., made quite the impact as a point guard with the Cincinnati Royals and Milwaukee Bucks.
Robertson won the 1960-61 Rookie of the Year crown his first season with the Royals, nearly averaging a triple-double his first season in. He averaged 30.5 points, 10.1 rebounds and 9.7 assists per game, making his presence felt right away.
He’s recorded the most triple-doubles in NBA history with 181 and one of only two players to average a triple-double during a regular season. During the 1961-62 season, Robertson averaged 30.8 points, 12.5 rebounds and 11.4 assists per game with the Royals in only his second season in the NBA.
He recorded a career-high 56 points with Cincinnati in a 111-107 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers back on Dec. 18, 1964. Robertson was traded by the Royals to the Milwaukee Bucks in the 1970 offseason and it immediately sparked a title run. He won his first NBA title in the 1970-1 season with a stout frontcourt of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Bob Dandridge.
Through his 14-year career, Robertson made 12 All-Star appearances, led the league in assists for six seasons and won the 1963-64 MVP award as a member of the Royals. He ranks sixth all-time in NBA history in assists (9,887), 12th in points (26,710) and 18th in field goals made (9,508). In 190, he was inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame.