The University of Kansas men’s basketball team played its inaugural season way back in 1898-99. As such, the Jayhawks have been synonymous with basketball greatness for a long, long time. Unsurprisingly, some of the top NBA players in history are former Kansas players.
UNC‘s Dean Smith played at Kansas. So did Kentucky‘s Adolph Rupp and former Presidential candidate Bob Dole. John Calipari and Gregg Popovic started their coaching careers as assistants in Lawrence. The Jayhawks mean business.
With five National Championships to their name, the Kansas men’s basketball program is one of the winningest in the country, and their alum have gone on to have equally remarkable careers as pros. Let’s check out the top former Kansas Jayhawks in NBA history.