Best NBA Player from every Power 5 School
466. . C. Horned Frogs . Kurt Thomas. 40. player
Best NBA player who played for TCU Horned Frogs — Kurt Thomas
Injuries hampered Kurt Thomas early in his career, but he came alive over his seven years with the New York Knicks. From 1998 to 2005, Thomas helped New York to a Finals appearance in 1999 and two conference finals appearances.
At this best, Thomas was a starting-caliber big and one of the most imposing interior defenders in basketball. He became infamous for his physicality, with nicknames like ‘Crazy Eyes’ and ‘Dirty Kurt’ plastered atop his Basketball-Reference page. He was unafraid to get chippy, a common trait on those late-90s and early-2000s Knick squads.
Prior to his NBA career, Thomas was a bonafide star at TCU. He spent all four years with the Horned Frogs. As a senior, Thomas averaged 28.9 points and 14.6 rebounds, becoming one of the few players in NCAA history to lead college basketball in both scoring and rebounding.
Runner-up: Scott Brooks — Brooks jumped around the NBA, where he was mostly a competent reserve point guard. He parlayed that into an impressive and ongoing career as a coach.
SF. Volunteers . Bernard King. 53. player. 534.
Best NBA player who played for Tennessee Volunteers — Bernard King
- 4X All-Star
- 4X All-NBA
- 1985 NBA Scoring Champ
Bernard King spent the meat of his NBA career between New York and Washington, though he got his start in New Jersey and went on to retire a Net. With four All-Star appearances and four All-NBA nods on his resume, King carved out his spot on the laundry list of elite NBA wings in the 1980s.
Characterized by his explosive athleticism and quickness, King torched NBA defenses on the regular. He led the NBA in scoring in 1984-85, averaging a career-best 32.9 points per game. A regular source of highlights, King fit snugly in the mega-media market of New York. Unfortunately, a torn ACL suffered that season put a dent in his career. He never quite reached those levels again.
In his three seasons at Tennessee, King did much of the same — he scored the basketball, a lot. He averaged 25.8 points and 13.2 rebounds with the Vols, and parlayed that success into the seventh overall pick in 1977.
Runner-up: Dale Ellis — Ellis reached his peak in the late 80s, when he came on strong as one of Seattle’s go-to perimeter weapons. He made one All-Star appearance and won Most Improved Player in 1987, when his scoring average jumped from 7.1 to 24.9.