Maine: Duncan Robinson
Enjoy it while you've got it, Duncan Robinson.
The sharp-shooting forward has spent enough time demanding off-ball attention that he can serve as Maine's representative for the time being, but Cooper Flagg is coming for his spot. The No. 1 pick of the 2025 NBA Draft used his rookie year with the Dallas Mavericks to produce a season far better than anything Robinson has submitted, but volume still carries the day when we're comparing a solid eight-year career to a single campaign.
Honorable mentions: Cooper Flagg, Jeff Turner
Maryland: Sam Cassell
This is a family-friendly website. We're not going to talk about any notable celebrations here. But we can discuss how many times Sam Cassell came through in a big moment and got to celebrate in whatever way he chose.
Cassell was one of the captains of the good-not-great classification of NBA players throughout his 15-year career. But whether he was putting up points for the Milwaukee Bucks, making his lone All-Star appearance for the Minnesota Timberwolves, or excelling as a reliable role player in a number of other locations, he was an intelligent guard with a nose for the big moments.
Steve Francis has a legitimate argument for this spot thanks to his scorching peak with the Houston Rockets, but we're going with the total value provided over the too-brief excellence in this particular battle of Maryland products.
Honorable mentions: Steve Francis, Jeff Green, Josh Hart
Massachusetts: Bill Laimbeer
Ask 10 basketball fans about Bill Laimbeer, and nine of them will probably lead with anecdotes about his dirty play for the "Bad Boy" Detroit Pistons. Four will likely cite a specific clothesline. And they're all correct.
But Laimbeer was more than just an enforcer who sometimes — read: often — crossed the line. He was also ahead of the curve as a floor-spacing big, could find cutters out of the post, and played rock-solid defense that showcased more than his tone-setting physicality. You don't make four All-Star appearances without some skill to back them up.
Honorable mentions: Dana Barros, Travis Best, Vinny Del Negro
Michigan: Magic Johnson
Duh?
Magic Johnson is to Michigan what Larry Bird is to Indiana, and we're pretty sure that's the first time in the history of the world anyone has had the temerity to link together those two particular players. It would be almost disrespectful to compare Johnson to any of the other players born in the Great Lakes State even though George Gervin, Chris Webber, and Draymond Green, among others, deserve plenty of plaudits.
They just...aren't Magic. We're letting the tautology do all the talking in this section.
Honorable mentions: George Gervin, Draymond Green, Chris Webber
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