5 Best Iowa Hawkeyes To Ever Play In NBA

[hawksense]

Connie Hawkins never really played for Iowa. Only practiced. Was never eligible. Can't count Connie. Kevin Kunnert was a multi- year NBA starter at center for the Houston Rockets until some all-pro schmuck named Akeem came along.

Nice pull

 

[HerkyFan4Life]

Ryan Bowen

 

[LaQuintaHawkeye]

Kevin Kunnert was a multi- year NBA starter at center for the Houston Rockets until some all-pro schmuck named Akeem came along.

I like how you did that, but in reality, Kunnert was in Portland riding the bench by the time Houston drafted Akeem.

 

[ssparks1333]

Guy knows his ish.

Gamble had a legit 3-4 year run on a GOOD Celtics team. Not a knock on BJ, he and Easy Ed Horton were my favorite players as a kid!

 

[Herky T Hawk]

Gamble had a legit 3-4 year run on a GOOD Celtics team. Not a knock on BJ, he and Easy Ed Horton were my favorite players as a kid!

BJ played big minutes on 3 Bulls title teams as a key reserve for the first two and a starter for the 3rd. Then was an All-Star starter in 1994. He led the NBA in 3pt% and finished 2nd the following year. He was the first player the Toronto Raptors ever had the rights to, as the first overall pick in the 1995 expansion draft. Add to that, he talked Jordan into returning to the NBA. BJ was a legit player in the NBA.

 

[HoustonREDHawk]

Gamble and BJ both had good runs in the NBA.

 

[LaQuintaHawkeye]

Taking Hawkins out of the equation, I think your Top 5 would currently look like this based on just NBA stats:

Fred Brown
John Johnson
Don Nelson
Ricky Davis
BJ Armstrong & Reggie Evans (tied)

We all know that some day Keegan will be at the top.

Personally, I'd put Kevin Gamble or Bobby Hansen on the list ahead of Ricky Davis if stats aren't the only consideration.

 

[ssparks1333]

BJ played big minutes on 3 Bulls title teams as a key reserve for the first two and a starter for the 3rd. Then was an All-Star starter in 1994. He led the NBA in 3pt% and finished 2nd the following year. He was the first player the Toronto Raptors ever had the rights to, as the first overall pick in the 1995 expansion draft. Add to that, he talked Jordan into returning to the NBA. BJ was a legit player in the NBA.

No disagreement here...my point, I failed to articulate very well, was I feel Gamble is kind of a " forgotten man". Even on those Iowa teams. Definitely not trying to disrespect the career BJ put together. He is still one of my all time favorites!!!

 

[HoustonREDHawk]

No disagreement here...my point, I failed to articulate very well, was I feel Gamble is kind of a " forgotten man". Even on those Iowa teams. Definitely not trying to disrespect the career BJ put together. He is still one of my all time favorites!!!

Gamble only really played one year at Iowa, but was a key player on the Elite 8 team in Dr Tom's first year. That is why many forget him.

 

[Menace Sockeyes]

I would select John Johnson before Ricky Davis.

And didn’t BJ Armstrong and Bobby Hansen both gave more impactful careers? At least they both won a championship. What did Ricky Davis ever win?

B.J. Armstrong deserves to be on the list. He won 3 NBA
Championship rings with the Chicago Bulls as point guard.

Don Nelson won 5 NBA Championship rings with the Boston
Celtics in their front court lineup.

BJ was an NBA All Star and a key cog in the early championship Bulls teams. I don’t know how anyone can argue Davis over him.

 

[LukaDuka]

Great debate/arguments for all. I think Acie Earl needs more consideration on this forum. He was awkward & seemingly unathletic, but he was a shot blocking machine. Very underappreciated IMO.

 

[Herky T Hawk]

Great debate/arguments for all. I think Acie Earl needs more consideration on this forum. He was awkward & seemingly unathletic, but he was a shot blocking machine. Very underappreciated IMO.

But his NBA career, which we're all generally assuming is what the question is about, isn't much to look at. Career .7 blocks per game. Less than 200 games played. Although he is probably the most unlikely player ever in NBA history to have a 40+pt/10+rb game.