Hawai'i: Cedric Ceballos
Hawai'i only offers two possibilities, and neither of them is an objectively incorrect choice.
In one corner, we've got Cedric Ceballos, who could jump out of the gym and became a vital, efficient scoring piece for some remarkably competitive Phoenix Suns squads in the 1990s. In the other sits Red Rocha, a 6'9" center who began his professional career in the BAA before making two All-Star squads in the '50s and averaging 11.3 points and 6.8 rebounds for the title-winning 1954-55 Syracuse Nationals.
Ceballos has the inferior on-paper resume, but we're still giving him the nod for his cultural impact, his pair of 20-point scoring averages, and his contributions in a much more competitive era of the Association.
Honorable mention: Red Rocha
Idaho: Luke Ridnour
A Coeur d'Alene native, even if he grew up in the border town of Blaine, Washington, Luke Ridnour shot his way to becoming a no-brainer choice for Idaho. He was never a star during his lengthy career as an efficient offensive role player, but he consistently improved the depth of his squads and maximized his impact despite his more limited job descriptions.
Of course, he's also a mind-numbingly easy choice because he played 21,623 minutes in the NBA. The other six players born in Idaho combined for 2,862 (plus whatever Charlie Black and Deb Smith logged in their brief careers before the NBA started tracking minutes).
Honorable mentions: Charlie Black, Steve Hayes, Gary Freeman
Illinois: Dwyane Wade
Anthony Davis will go down as one of the most devastatingly effective two-way bigs in NBA history, even if he never quite provided the proper encore for his bubble heroics. George Mikan was the league's first dominant force, regardless of whether he was playing on one or two legs. Shawn Marion was so much more than a key glue guy on the run-and-gun Phoenix Suns and deserves recognition as an all-timer for his sheer versatility.
None of them are Dwyane Wade, the best shot-blocking guard of all time who made a living attacking the hoop and thriving on both ends of the floor. Whether he was single-handedly propelling the Miami Heat or fitting in alongside LeBron James and Chris Bosh, he became synonymous with the organization and spent nearly his entire career as one of the game's true elites at the 2.
Honorable mentions: Anthony Davis, Shawn Marion, George Mikan
Indiana: Larry Bird
Duh?
Larry Bird folklore ensures that his Indiana connections will never be forgotten, ranging from his French Lick upbringing to his collegiate showcases at Indiana State. Even if he spent his entire Hall of Fame career with the Boston Celtics, he's an Indiana product through and through — a status aided by him winning Coach of the Year with the Pacers shortly after his retirement as a player.
Maybe you have Bird as a top-10 player in the sport's annals. Maybe he's "only" in your top 20. He's still well clear of every other candidate produced by the basketball-loving Hoosier State.
Honorable mentions: Shawn Kemp, Clyde Lovellette, Zach Randolph
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