Many of Indiana's best NBA players are on the move Indiana's influence on NBA rosters keeps growing

Scott Horner | IndyStar

Show Caption Hide Caption From Indiana to the NBA These players with Indiana connections saw the court in the NBA in 2016-17. Who are your favorites?

You may have been cheering for these guys since they were in high school or college, but it's getting more difficult to keep up with them.

With draft-night trades and free agency, five of the best NBA players with long Indiana ties are on the move. That includes Gordon Hayward, Victor Oladipo, Jeff Teague, Zach Randolph and George Hill.

Seventeen players who went to Indiana high schools and 14 who went to state colleges (six did both) saw court time for an NBA team in 2016-17.

That number is likely to grow next season as Indiana University's OG Anunoby (Raptors) and Purdue's Caleb Swanigan (Trail Blazers) were picked in the first round of the NBA Draft. IU's Thomas Bryant (Lakers) and Valparaiso's Alec Peters (Suns) were picked in the second round. IU's James Blackmon Jr., Notre Dame's V.J. Beachem and Hamilton Southeastern High School's Zak Irvin were quickly signed to summer league teams.

Here's a quick breakdown of Indiana's influence in the league.

High schools: 17, including five IndyStar Mr. Basketballs

Butler: 2

IU: 6

Notre Dame: 3

Purdue: 2

IUPUI: 1

Top five NBA players with Indiana ties

Mike Conley, Lawrence North

The Grizzlies have paid him and he has earned it. He re-upped last summer, tripling his salary as part of the NBA's rapidly rising salary cap. He was more reliable than ever, averaging a career-high 20.5 points per game, shot a career-high 40.8 percent from 3-point range, averaged 3.5 rebounds (also a career high) and 6.8 assists. He's been running the point in Memphis for a decade and, amazingly, after a decade of dealing with the likes of Russell Westbrook and Chris Paul, still doesn't have a technical foul.

Remember when? Conley was part of three straight state championships at Lawrence North and may very well have been IndyStar Mr. Basketball except that one of his teammates was Greg Oden.

Gordon Hayward, Brownsburg, Butler

Blockbuster: Hayward decides to join the Boston Celtics for four years, $128 million.

In Utah: As the Jazz have improved over seven seasons, so has Hayward. He has increased his scoring average every year and, this season, made the All-Star team. Hayward poured in 38 points against the Pacers at Bankers Life Fieldhouse in March, though Utah lost. He averaged career-highs of 21.9 points and 5.4 rebounds per game and helped Utah make the playoffs for the first time in five years. The Jazz beat the Clippers in the first round (he scored 40 in a loss) before the Warriors swept them. Hayward has a huge payday coming in free agency.

Remember when? He made a buzzer-beating layup to lift Brownsburg to the 2008 Class 4A state title. He almost made a halfcourt shot at the buzzer in Lucas Oil Stadium as Butler lost the 2010 national championship game to Duke.

Victor Oladipo, IU

Welcome to Indy: He came to the Indiana Pacers in a trade that sent Paul George to the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Last season: Russell Westbrook dominates everything with the Thunder (remember that triple-double season?), but Oladipo was the No. 2 option, averaging 15.9 points per game in his year in Oklahoma City. He continued to expand his shooting range, hitting 127 3s. He struggled for much of the first-round loss to the Rockets.

Remember when? He was rather obscure when he arrived at IU, but he emerged as a sophomore and became an All-American as a junior, earning one national Player of the Year honor and a national Defensive Player of the Year award as the Hoosiers made the Sweet 16.

Zach Randolph, Marion

Last stop? The 35-year-old agreed to a deal with the Sacramento Kings.

Old stomping grounds: He had become the wily veteran off the bench for the Grizzlies. In his eighth season in Memphis, he averaged 14.1 points and 8.2 rebounds per game, really good numbers considering his minutes dropped to 24.5 per game.

Remember when? Randolph led Marion to a mild upset of Bloomington North, which had Jared Jeffries and Sean May, and came into the 2000 Class 4A state title game unbeaten. Randolph scored 28 points and had nine rebounds.

Jeff Teague, Pike

He got a deal: The point guard left the Pacers for the Minnesota Timberwolves in free agency.

One year with the home team: He came to the Pacers last summer in a trade and took control as the point guard. There was a break-in period the first month of the season, but he averaged 15.3 points and career bests of 7.8 assists and 4.0 rebounds. He's a free agent and, with uncertainty swirling around the Pacers, who knows where he will be next season.

Remember when? He made the 2007 Indiana All-Star team out of Pike, having spent a few seasons battling the likes of Eric Gordon and Mike Conley.

Also in the lineup

Pat Connaughton, Notre Dame

He played more, but still not a lot, for the Trail Blazers. He got a lot of court time in their last two regular-season games, when their playoff fate had been decided. He scored 15 and 19 points those nights, on 8-of-14 3-point shooting.

Remember when? Basketball was his second sport, or so it seemed, with the Irish. He had a fastball in the mid-90s and was believed destined to pursue baseball. Then he threw a curve (sorry about that one).



Yogi Ferrell, Park Tudor, IU

Undrafted, Ferrell plugged away and got into 10 games with the Nets early in the season. Then the Mavericks picked him up and he immediately made an impact. Ferrell logged 34-plus minutes in his first six games in Dallas and scored 32 on 9-of-11 3-point shooting in one of them. His playing time slid late in the year, but he got a two-year contract by averaging 11.3 points and 4.3 assists in 36 games.

Remember when? Fans should know plenty about Ferrell. He was the nation's top recruit as a fourth-grader (yep, there are rankings at that age), led Park Tudor to two Class 2A state championships and was a four-year starter at Indiana, earning All-America honors as a senior.

Eric Gordon, North Central, IU

As long as he's healthy, he can be a real contributor. He accepted coming off the Rockets bench and is a Sixth Man of the Year finalist after averaging 16.2 points per game. He played 75 games, by far the most since his rookie year in 2008-09, and made a career-high 246 3-pointers. The best part: He took 8.8 3s per game in Houston's high-octane offense.

Remember when? He was the 2007 IndyStar Mr. Basketball for North Central after leading the Panthers to a runner-up Class 4A finish. He spent one year at Indiana, averaging 20.9 points per game. The Clippers picked him seventh overall in the 2008 draft.

Jerian Grant, Notre Dame

He was the point guard off the bench for the Bulls in 2016-17, one year after being the point guard off the bench for the Knicks as a rookie. He averaged 5.9 points per game.

Remember when? He was first-team All-America for the Irish as a senior, leading a team that made its second straight Elite Eight.

A.J. Hammons, Carmel, Purdue

He played in 22 games as a rookie after being drafted in the second round by the Mavericks.

Remember when? He was a star at Carmel High School and averaged in double figures for four straight years at Purdue.

Gary Harris, Hamilton Southeastern

He remains the Nuggets' shooting guard, averaging a career-high 14.9 points, 3.1 rebounds and 2.9 assists per game. He missed 20-plus games to injury early in the season. His season high was 28 points.

Remember when? He won the 2012 IndyStar Mr. Basketball award. His high school highlight reel starts with a sectional game-winning 3-pointer against North Central after which fans followed him off the court and into the school's hallways for a while.

George Hill, Broad Ripple, IUPUI

On the move again: He agreed to a deal with the Kings, making this his third team in three season.

In Utah: In his first season after being traded to the Jazz, Hill averaged a career-high 16.9 points per game. He had 30 points in what turned out to be his second-highest scoring game of the season -- against the Pacers (who traded him). Coincidence?

Remember when? He led the state in scoring as a Broad Ripple senior (36.2). He was the Summit League Player of the Year for the Jaguars in 2008. He sported blond hair for much of his final season with the Pacers, just for fun.

Demetrius Jackson, Mishawaka Marian, Notre Dame

The second-round pick played in five games for the Celtics but spent most of his first pro season in the D-League.

Remember when? He started on two Notre Dame teams that made the Elite Eight, averaging 12.4 and 15.8 points per game, respectively. He was a 2013 Indiana All-Star.

Courtney Lee, Pike

He started for the Knicks in his ninth NBA season, averaging 10.8 points and 3.4 rebounds per game. He also took on a heavy defensive load, considering Carmelo Anthony and Kristaps Porzingis were the primary offensive weapons.

Remember when? The Red Devils capped an undefeated season in 2003 by handing DeKalb its only loss in the Class 4A state title game. Lee had 15 points. He was an Indiana All-Star in 2004.

Trey Lyles, Tech

He just finished his second season with the Jazz, playing about the same amount and averaging 6.2 points per game. He was traded to the Nuggets on draft night.

Remember when? Lyles led Tech on a resurgent four-year run, culminating in the 2014 Class 4A state championship and the IndyStar Mr. Basketball honor. He had 16 points and 12 rebounds in the Titans' title game against Lake Central.

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Shelvin Mack, Butler

Mack has bounced around the league a bit, but he was a solid rotation player for the Jazz all season, averaging 7.8 points per game. He scored in double figures five times against the Warriors, including playoffs. Utah was 1-4 in those games.

Remember when? Mack was part of two Butler teams that made the national championship game, leading the 2011 squad with unreal 3-point shooting in the NCAA tournament.

Josh McRoberts, Carmel

Injuries ended his season by Christmas. He has played in 81 games over three years with the Heat. He picked up an option for next season, but Miami could waive him.

Remember when? McRoberts had 1,264 career points and 759 rebounds at Carmel, and was the McDonald's All-American Game MVP.

E’Twaun Moore, EC Central, Purdue

With his fourth team in six seasons, Moore averaged a career-high 9.6 points per game for the Pelicans. His season high was 20 points.

Remember when? Moore was on a Class 4A state championship team in 2007. He outdueled Eric Gordon (28 points to 25) as ECC beat North Central 87-83. He was a factor from the moment he stepped on campus at Purdue, scoring 2,136 career points and teaming with JaJuan Johnson and Robbie Hummel for some strong Boilermakers seasons.

Marshall, Mason and Miles Plumlee, all born in Indiana and lived in Warsaw before moving as children

Marshall: He went undrafted but played in 21 games for the Knicks as a rookie.

Mason: Started the season with the Trail Blazers and finished it with the Nuggets, averaging 10.4 points and 7.5 rebounds overall.

Miles: The former Pacer saw action in 45 games between the Bucks and Hornets. He was traded to the Hawks before the draft.

Glenn Robinson III, Lake Central

He emerged as a rotation player in the second half of the season for the Pacers, gaining confidence in his 3-point shot and as a wing defender. He averaged 6.1 points per game. He also won the dunk contest during All-Star weekend.

Remember when? He graduated as Lake Central's career scoring leader (1,318 points) and made the Indiana All-Star team.

Noah Vonleh, IU

Vonleh was a part-time starter for the Trail Blazers, but he averaged just 17 minutes per game and was primarily a defender. He averaged 4.4 points and 5.2 rebounds per game.

Remember when? He showed a lot of promise in one season at IU, averaging 11.3 points and 9.0 rebounds per game in 2013-14. It was enough to make him the ninth pick in the NBA Draft by the Hornets.

Troy Williams, IU

Undrafted, Williams made the most of brief opportunities. He started 13 games for the Grizzlies and, after he was let go by Memphis, he caught on with the Rockets for the end of the season. He averaged 9.7 points and 4.0 rebounds in six games, and got a little court time in the playoffs.

Remember when? He was electric, and a little erratic, in three years at IU. He averaged 13.3 points and 5.8 rebounds for the Hoosiers team that beat Kentucky to make the 2016 Sweet 16.

Cody Zeller, Washington, IU

He has become a bigger part of the Hornets' attack in each of his four seasons since entering the league as the fourth overall draft pick. He averaged career bests of 10.3 points and 6.5 rebounds in the season just completed.

Remember when? He became the third member of his family to win IndyStar Mr. Basketball, in 2011, after leading the Hatchets to their second straight Class 3A state title. He scored 20 points in each of those championship games and, more impressively, had a combined 44 rebounds. He had two strong seasons at IU, earning second-team All-America honors in 2013 as the Hoosiers returned to the Sweet 16 for the first time in quite a while.

Tyler Zeller, Washington

He saw action in 51 games for the Celtics, averaging 3.5 points.

Remember when? He dominated the 2008 Class 3A state championship game with 43 points and 16 rebounds (Cody played 1 minute in that game) as the Hatchets won the title and Tyler won Mr. Basketball.