Best NBA Player from every Power 5 School

Best NBA player who played for Georgia Bulldogs — Dominique Wilkins

• 9X All-Star
• 7X All-NBA
• 1986 Scoring Champ

No player stands taller than Dominique Wilkins in Hawks history. There may be more accomplished players, but no one captured the imagination of Atlanta’s fanbase quite like ‘Nique. Known for his high-flying dunks — and his legendary dunk contest with MJ — Wilkins was a highlight machine only a select few could rival.

Beyond his acrobatic finishes and athletic flourishes, Wilkins was a supremely gifted scorer, making nine All-Star appearances and averaging 30.7 points per game at his peak. With seven All-NBA teams under his belt, Wilkins was never able to secure an NBA championship. He did, however, win the EuroLeague title (as well as Final Four MVP) in 1996.

Wilkins is one of the most important sports figures in Atlanta history, and that extends to his days in Athens. Playing for the Bulldogs, Wilkins brought his trademark excitement to a school not known for basketball. He won SEC Player of the Year in 1981 and left after his junior year to join the NBA.

Runner-up: Kentavious Caldwell-Pope — A shining example of the modern 3-and-D wing, Caldwell-Pope has marketed his value well and earned multiple high-paying contracts as a result. He won the title with L.A. in 2020.

Best NBA player who played for Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets — Chris Bosh

• 2X NBA Champion
• 11X All-Star
• All-NBA Second Team

Chris Bosh will always be known as the third wheel in Miami’s infamous Big 3. That’s a little unfair, as viewing him in the shadow of LeBron James and Dwyane Wade doesn’t do justice to the player Bosh was. He earned his two championships and was influential in the evolution of the modern NBA big.

The fourth overall pick in the vaunted 2003 NBA Draft (headlined by, you guessed it, LeBron and Wade), Bosh quickly establish his star status in Toronto. He spent the first seven years of his career up north before joining the Heat in 2010. Bosh’s career was cut short due to blood clots, but he made 11 consecutive All-Star appearances and put together a strong case for a future Hall of Fame induction.

Bosh spent one season in college, where he led the ACC in field goal percentage and anchored both ends of the floor for Georgia Tech. He was named ACC Rookie of the Year and earned second-team All-ACC honors, showing great promise in the Jackets’ up-tempo system.

Runner-up: Stephon Marbury — Nicknamed Starbury, the 6-foot-2 point guard was a lights-out scorer in the late 90s and early 2000s. He has spent the last eight years putting on a show in China.