Best NBA Player from every Power 5 School

Best NBA player who played for Colorado Buffaloes — Chauncey Billups

• NBA Champion
• 2004 Finals MVP
• 5X All-Star

For someone not traditionally given the “superstar” label, Chauncey Billups’ resume stacks up with the best of them. He won Finals MVP in 2004 after Detroit’s underdog victory, and made seven All-Star appearances across 17 years in the NBA.

It took Billups a few years to find his footing in the NBA, but after a breakthrough season with Minnesota in 2001-02, Billups went to Detroit and flourished. The Pistons’ gritty, team-first approach was centered in large part on Billups’ impressive playmaking skills at point guard. Mr. Big Shot partnered with Rip Hamilton and Rasheed Wallace to form one of the most lovable championship cores in recent history.

Before his lengthy tenure in the NBA, Billups spent two seasons at Colorado, fine-tuning his signature blend of shot-making and facilitation skills. In 1997, Billups was named to the first-team All-Big 12 and led Colorado to its first NCAA Tournament appearance in 28 years.

Runner-up: Spencer Dinwiddie — Dinwiddie made his name as the Nets’ sixth man behind D’Angelo Russell and, now, Kyrie Irving. He’s one of the more underrated scorers in the league. 

Best NBA player who played for Duke Blue Devils — Kyrie Irving

• NBA Champion
• 6X All-Star
• 2012 Rookie of the Year

Already a six-time All-Star across nine NBA seasons, Kyrie Irving deserves the title of best NBA player from Duke — arguably the most prestigious collegiate program… ever. Irving won a championship with LeBron James and Cleveland in 2016, when he hit the game-winning fadeaway 3 in Game 7 to defeat the 73-win Warriors.

That shot alone cements Irving’s place in NBA history. Beyond that, however, Irving has made his name as one of the flashiest ball-handlers the sport has seen. His arsenal of crossovers and hesitation moves is second to none, combined with a preternatural knack for circus-shot finishes at the rim.

Irving’s career at Duke was almost nonexistent. He played the first eight games of his freshman year, then hurt his knee and didn’t reappear until Duke’s NCAA Tournament run. The Blue Devils made it to the Sweet 16, but Irving had no plans to return. His selection with the first overall pick in the 2011 NBA Draft was a foregone conclusion.

Runner-up: Grant Hill — The 1995 Rookie of the Year, a former No. 1 pick, and a seven-time All-Star, Grant Hill was an exceptionally versatile NBA wing. He’s in the Hall of Fame.