Minnesota: Kevin McHale
Allow us to regale you with the ultimate Minnesota sports trivia question. Which number is greater: the number of lakes in Minnesota or the number of post moves in Kevin McHale's inexhaustible arsenal?
It's a trick question. They both feel infinite, which, coincidentally, is about the size of the gap between the Boston Celtics legend and the rest of his competition from the state. Maybe Chet Holmgren bounces back from a woeful postseason and closes the chasm, but he'd still have a long, long way to go.
Honorable mentions: Chet Holmgren, Kris Humphries, Arnie Johnson
Mississippi: Chet Walker
Chet Walker jetted his way from a tough childhood in Bethlehem, Mississippi, as the youngest of 10 children to an NBA career that featured a 1967 title, seven All-Star appearances, and a Hall of Fame bust. Walker's speed helped him thrive in transition and beat defenders to the spot of his choosing, and he never hesitated to draw contact once he got there.
His journey from free-throw mediocrity to reliability at the stripe also exemplified the work ethic that endeared him to so many teammates over the years. Mississippi has a number of notable players in its history, but Walker — just as he did with so many adversaries — left the rest in the dust.
Honorable mentions: Al Jefferson, Antonio McDyess, Spencer Haywood
Missouri: Jayson Tatum
Lifting the 2023-24 Boston Celtics to a title helped Jayson Tatum avoid the vultures who were constantly worried about what he wasn't rather than celebrating what he's become. And while he's not the superduperstar he once appeared to be capable of becoming, he's now coming off a five-year stretch in which he averaged 27.4 points, 8.5 rebounds, and 5.0 assists while shooting 45.8 percent from the field, 35.4 percent from downtown, and 83.9 percent from the free-throw line.
Plus, Tatum gets some extra credit for how much he's willingly represented Missouri. He grew up frequenting Heman Park, looked up to Bradley Beal, and has maintained a close and public relationship with another St. Louis product in Nelly. He may have gone to Duke and plies his trade in Boston, but no one will ever take the Missouri out of him.
Honorable mentions: Bradley Beal, David Lee, Ed Macauley
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