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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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Photo by Jim Rogash/Getty Images
Photo by Jim Rogash/Getty Images /

Best NBA player born in Washington: John Stockton

6-foot-1 point guard John Stockton is the only player born in Washington to be inducted into the Naismith Hall of Fame. He was inducted in 2009, after a productive19-year career with the Utah Jazz.

Stockton was the model floor general for the Jazz, although it took a few seasons for him to crack the starting rotation. By his fourth season, he was averaging 14.7 points and a league-best 13.8 assists per game during the 1987-88 campaign.

Stockton led the league in assists per game for another seven consecutive seasons after that and also found a knack for being a pesky defender. He led the league in steals per game during the 1988-89 and 1991-92 season.

He holds numerous records with the Jazz regarding assists and steals. He tied the single-game playoff record for assists in a game (24) on May 17, 1988, against the Los Angeles Lakers. On Jan. 15, 1991, he dished out a career-high 28 assists against the San Antonio Spurs.

The Jazz built a heated rivalry with Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls and at every turn, they faced them in the NBA Finals. Utah lost to Chicago in the 1997 and 1998 NBA Finals led by a trio of Stockton, Karl Malone and Jeff Hornacek.

Although he didn’t win a ring, Stockton still was a 10-time All-Star, 11-time All-NBA selection and five-time All-Defensive selection during his career in the league. He ranks first in Jazz franchise history in 3-pointers made (845), steals (3,265) and assists (15,806) and second in points (19,711). Along with those first-place numbers, he’s also first all-time in league history in assists and steals.

On June 7, 2010, his No. 12 jersey was retired and in 2009, he was inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame.