Heading into the 2024-2025 NBA season, Arizona has 12 players on NBA rosters. This ranks sixth out of all colleges, behind University of Kenutcky, Duke University, University of Central Los Angles, Baylor University and University of Southern California. Former Arizona and NBA player Steve Kerr is also going into his 11th season as head coach of the Golden State Warriors.
Aaron Gordon:
Gordon is entering his 12th year in the NBA and his fifth as a Nugget after a trade from the Magic back in 2021. Gordon had the best season of his career in 2022-2023 where he won a championship and averaged 16.3 points on a career high 56.4 shooting percentage. He followed that up last season with another great year, averaging 13.9 points on 55.6 percent shooting. Gordon will be wearing number 32 this upcoming season, after changing it from 50 to honor his brother Drew, who passed away in May. The Nuggets and Gordon agreed on a new four year max contract shortly before the season for 133 million over those years.
Deandre Ayton:
The former number one pick back in 2018, Ayton was traded from the Suns to the Trail Blazers prior to last season. In his first year in Portland, Ayton averaged 16.7 points and 11.1 rebounds. Ayton also averaged a little over 32 minutes per game on a rebuilding Blazers team. In the 2024 NBA draft, the Blazers went out and selected former Uconn Center Donovan Clingan with the seventh overall pick. Despite this Ayton is still slated to be the teams starting center, with former Celtic Robert Williams III in the mix for that position when he returns with a hamstring injury.
Lauri Markkanen:
On August 7, Markkanen signed a five year 238 million dollar contract extension with the Jazz that will run until 2029. Markkanen has become the Jazz’s franchise player with the team, the all star game and most improved player award in the 2022-2023 season, in his first two seasons in the NBA. In only 55 games last season, he averaged 23.2 points and 8.2 rebounds while shooting nearly 40% from three point range.
T.J. McConell:
McConell had a great playoff run with the Pacers last season averaging 12 points and 5 assists in 17 playoff games as the backup to all star point guard Tyrese Haliburton. This was good enough to earn himself a new four year 45 million dollar contract extension with the team over the summer. Now in his 10 season in the league, McConell will look to remain as one of the best backup point guards in the NBA.
Josh Green:
After four seasons with the Mavericks, Green was traded away this summer to the Hornets, in order for the Mavericks to have cap space to sign Klay Thomspon. The 23 year old came off a solid season averaging 8.2 points and he played key postseason minutes in the Mavericks finals run. Green is projected to be the Hornets starting small forward this upcoming season.
Bennedict Mathurin:
The former Pac-12 player of the year is entering year three in his career despite still being just 22 years old. Mathurin’s sophomore season was cut short when he tore his labrum in his right shoulder back in early March after averaging 14.5 points through 59 games. After stints in the starting lineup during his first two seasons, the Pacers feel best about Mathurin as a bench scorer where he can play alongside other Wildcat T.J. McConell.
Pelle Larsson:
After being taken as the 44th pick in the NBA draft to the Miami Heat in 2024, Larsson had a great summer league including the game winner in the summer league championship game. It remains to be seen how many minutes Larsson will receive in his rookie season as he is listed at the fourth string small forward on the depth chart but he is in good hands with the Heat’s development team.
Keshad Johnson:
After surprisingly going undrafted in the 2024 NBA draft, Johnson signed a two-way contract with the Miami Heat, reuniting with Pelle Larsson. Johnson, like Larsson doesn’t have a defined role on the team but will be able to develop a lot in the G league when not on the Heats active roster.
Zeke Nnaji:
Nnaji played in a career high 58 games with the Nuggets last season, averaging 3.2 points in just under 10 minutes per game. Nnaji has spent his whole career so far with Denver winning a championship alongside Aaron Gordon in the 2022-2023 season. He is currently projected to be the Nuggets third string center this year.
Brandon Williams:
Williams started last season on the Mavericks G league team but was called up during the season when Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving suffered injuries. In 17 games with the Mavericks, Williams averaged 3.2 points in only 6.6 minutes per game. Williams is slated to be the fifth string point guard for the team going into the season.
Dalen Terry:
With injuries to Zach Lavine, Patrick Williams and Torrey Craig last season, Terry was able to get consistent opportunities in the Bulls rotation during his sophomore season. The forward averaged 3.1 points in 59 games and doubled his minutes from his rookie season. With players returning from injuries, Terry is projected to be the Bulls fourth string shooting guard and small forward going into the season.
Christian Koloko:
Koloko was released by the Raptors in January during the midst of a blood clotting issue that forced him to miss the whole 2023-2024 season. Koloko was later cleared for a NBA return and in September the Lakers signed him to a two-way deal. Koloko is supposed to serve as a fourth string center but with injury to Christian Wood, Kolokos chance of playing time grows exponentially.
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