The Mountain West Conference is regularly tipped as one of the best college basketball leagues in the US, responsible for producing some truly standout players over the past several decades. While the NBA is naturally the most popular basketball competition for spectators, the excitement surrounding college basketball has been steadily growing.
And is this surprising? Knowing what’s going on at college level is a great way for fans to understand who the next best talents to emerge on the stage may be. Not only is this useful for franchise fans, but it can also make all the difference for sports bettors.
For example, betting on the NBA Draft is a popular option nowadays, with fans hoping to guess the pick order correctly. But this is just the start – savvy bettors who track players from the Mountain West Conference up to the NBA will already know specific player traits, such as whether they’re accurate at 3-pointers. Basketball is one of the most-loved sports for betting, and the abundance of precise propositional wagers is a clear reason why.
Consequently, following college basketball can be simultaneously fun and productive. The Mountain West Conference is regularly touted as the best option. If you don’t believe us, keep reading for some examples of the standout players to make a name for themselves.
Who competes in the Mountain West Conference?
Before we get into the nitty-gritty regarding the standout players to emerge from the Mountain West Conference, let’s take a moment to summarize the teams competing. San Diego State is arguably the most popular, but it’s far from the only option. Here are the others:
- Utah State
- Nevada
- Boise State
- UNLV
- New Mexico
- Colorado State
- Wyoming
- Fresno State
- Air Force
- San José State
Mountain West Conference: vital history
Learning the history of the Mountain West Conference can also give vital insight into this exciting college league, so let’s run through a quick summary. The league was founded in 1998, after the 1996 NCAA conference realignment. Eight universities were left seeking a new home, with Colorado State taking a leading role in creating a new Division 1 athletic conference.
The league quickly became one of the standout college programs for basketball, especially with San Diego State proving itself with six tournament titles. Although the Mountain West Conference has never won a NCAA Championship, San Diego State came close in 2023, losing to UConn in the final.
Four standout players to come from the Mountain West Conference
Despite the lack of ultimate success for Mountain West State teams, a number of players from the league have tasted success in the NBA and beyond. Here are the top five since the league’s inception in 1998:
Kawhi Leonard
Kawhi Leonard was a swashbuckling San Diego State player who won All-American status and led his team to fourth in the national rankings – one of the highest positions for a Mountain West Conference team. Leonard made good use of his potential in the NBA, becoming only the third player to hold the NBA Finals MVP tag for two different franchises (San Antonio Spurs and Toronto Raptors). It’s difficult to argue against Leonard being a part of the all-time pantheon of NBA greats, and there’s no denying he’s the best player so far to come from the Mountain West Conference.
Andrew Bogut
Andrew Bogut had an outstanding college career at Utah, picking up All-American honors and winning the 2004-2005 Wooden Award – no wonder he was #1 pick in the 2005 NBA Draft. And this was just the start, as the Australian was included in the NBA All-Rookie First Team in 2006. In fact, Bogut was so good in the Mountain West Conference that Utah retired his No. 4 shirt.
Danny Granger
Danny Granger started his college career at Bradley before moving to New Mexico and the Mountain West Conference. Good job he did, as the small forward became one of the best players to compete in the NCAA Division I college league. He was an NBA All-Star in 2009 for the Indiana Pacers before moving to the Los Angeles Clippers and Miami Heat.
Jimmer Fredette
Jimmer Fredette was arguably the best Mountain West Conference player of all time during his time at college level, winning the Wooden Award and ending his college career as a three-time, All-MW First Team pick. He was selected at #10 overall pick for the Milwaukee Bucks in the 2011 NBA Draft, but struggled to replicate his devastating form in the NBA.