NBA History: Best NBA player born in each state
Best NBA player born in Utah: Tom Chambers
Utah has produced 25 players and counting in the NBA but like so many others, they’ve yet to produce a Hall of Famer. If anybody deserves the first nod, it’s power forward Tom Chambers.
Chambers developed into one of the best shooting big men of his day, putting together productive stints with the Seattle Supersonics, Phoenix Suns and San Diego Clippers with highlight dunks and a smooth jump shot.
He was selected eighth overall in the 1981 NBA Draft by the Clippers. As a rookie, he put up 17.2 points, 6.9 rebounds and 1.8 assists per game. His second year he put up similar numbers, but the organization had better ideas as they traded him to the Supersonics.
From 1983-88, Chambers excelled with the Seattle franchise, making his first All-Star appearance during the 1986-87 season. He produced 23.3 points, 6.6 rebounds and 3.0 assists per contest that year. A lot of it had to do with the 3-point shot he’d developed, making a career-high 54 3-pointers and shooting 37.2 percent from behind the arc.
Chambers signed to the Suns in the 1988 offseason as a free agent and instantly made an impact. He holds the Suns record for most points in a single game with 60 on March 24, 1990. Phoenix was a competitive bunch with Chambers, Charles Barkley, Danny Ainge, Dan Majerle and Kevin Johnson on the roster. They made it to the 1993 NBA Finals, but fell to the Chicago Bulls, 4-2, in the end.
Chambers was released from Phoenix after that season. He played 1993-95 with the Utah Jazz, but his production faded. He played overseas in Israel in 1995-96 then returned to the NBA in 1996-97 with the Charlotte Hornets, playing just 12 games. After one appearance with the Philadelphia 76ers in 1997-98, Chambers retired from the NBA soon after. His No. 24 jersey is retired in the Suns Ring of Honor along with other great names.