Greatest NBA careers in Kansas State basketball history

Kansas State basketball has probably been one of the more successful athletic programs at Kansas State. They have been to one National Championship, four Final Fours, 14 Elite Eights, 18 Sweet Sixteens, and 24 total NCAA Tournament appearances.

Not only has Kansas State had a successful basketball program, but they also sent quite a few guys to the NBA and the ABA back in the day. They have sent a total of 29 former Wildcats to the pros starting with their first back in 1949 with Howie Shannon.

So looking at each former Wildcats' NBA career, who had the best one? This does not include anyone still playing, only players who have finished their careers in the NBA.

Willie Murrell had a short career in the American Basketball Association playing only three seasons, but his career was still great. At Kansas State, Murrell averaged 20.6 points per game and 10.7 total rebounds in two seasons.

He was drafted in the fourth round of the 1964 NBA Draft by the St. Louis Hawks. In the pros, Murrell averaged 13.1 points per game, 7.3 total rebounds, and 1.0 assists.

Michael Beasley is one of the greatest basketball players in Kansas State basketball history. Beasley spent just one season at Kansas State, but in that one season, he averaged 26.2 points per game 12.4 total rebounds, and 1.2 assists.

He was drafted with the second overall pick in the 2008 NBA Draft by the Miami Heat. He played for seven NBA teams in his 10-year NBA career, but the majority of those teams came late in his career. In the NBA, Beasley averaged 12.4 points per game, 4.7 total rebounds, and 1.3 assists.

Bob Boozer attended Kansas State in the late 50s and then spent 10 years in the pros. At Kansas State, Boozer averaged 21.9 points per game and 10.7 total rebounds.

Boozer was then drafted first overall by the Cincinnati Royals in the 1959 NBA Draft. Boozer is one of two former Wildcats to have been a number one overall pick. The 6-foot-8 forward averaged 14.8 points per game, 8.1 total rebounds, and 1.4 assists in the pros. In his 10-year career, Boozer played for six different teams, majority of them with the Cincinnati Royals.

Rolando Blackman is one of the more recent players on this list to have played in the NBA after attending Kansas State in the late 70s. Blackman averaged 15.2 points per game, 5.0 total rebounds, and 2.6 assists at Kansas State.

After being drafted with ninth overall pick in the 1981 NBA Draft by the Dallas Mavericks, Blackman went on to have a great NBA career. Blackman played the majority of his career with the Dallas Mavericks up until 1992 when he went to play for the New York Knicks. He averaged 18.0 points per game, 3.3 total rebounds, and 3.0 assists. Blackman was also a four-time All-Star.

Mitch Richmond is the only former Kansas State basketball player who's been inducted into the Pro Basketball Hall of Fame. Richmond spent 13 years in the NBA and had a stellar career, earning his spot in the Hall of Fame. At Kansas State, Richmond averaged 20.7 points per game, 6.0 total rebounds, and 3.2 assists in two seasons.

Richmond was drafted with the fifth overall pick in the 1988 NBA Draft by the Golden State Warriors. He spent three seasons with the team that drafted him before heading up the road to Sacramento where he spent the majority of his career. He then spent three seasons in Washington and played his final seasons with the Lakers. Richmond finished his NBA career averaging 21.0 points per game, 3.9 total rebounds, and 3.5 assists.