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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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Detroit Pistons
Photo by Dan Lippitt/NBAE via Getty Images /

Best NBA player born in Colorado: Chauncey Billups

Colorado has seen a modest 19 players make the leap to the league since its establishment. One of the best is guard Chauncey Billups. Billups earned the name “Big Shot Billups” as one of the premier scorers during the Detroit Pistons reign in the East.

Billups was a standout guard at the University of Colorado, producing 18.5 points, 5.6 rebounds and 5.1 assists in his two seasons there. He was selected as the third overall pick in the 1997 NBA Draft by the Celtics. It took him a while to find his bearings as he was moved to the Toronto Raptors, Denver Nuggets and Minnesota Timberwolves before finding his way with the Pistons.

Alongside Rip Hamilton, Rasheed Wallace, Tayshaun Prince and Ben Wallace, they emerged as one of the best starting lineups in the league. They won an NBA title in 2004 and with their lineup, made it to the Eastern Conference Finals three consecutive postseasons from 2005-08.

Billups was named Finals MVP in their 2004 NBA title run, producing 21.0 points, 5.2 assists and 3.2 rebounds per contest through the five-game series.

Across eight seasons with Detroit, Billups put up 16.5 points, 6.2 assists, 3.2 rebounds and 1.0 steals per game. He shot 42.2 percent from the field and 39.7 percent from the field as the floor general for his squad.

He made seven straight All-Star appearances as a member of the Pistons, though their run came to an end by the 2008-09 campaign. Billups would go onto play for the New York Knicks and Los Angeles Clippers before returning to his club to retire officially as a Detroit Piston in September 2014. In February 2016, his No. 1 jersey was retired by the Pistons.