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The NBA has an amazing group of one-and-done players. A one-and-done player is a player who only played one year of college and forgoing the other three to declare for the NBA Draft. These players took a huge risk in missing out on gaining experience and maturity in the rest of their college years. Some have faltered and are no longer in the NBA, but these 15 players have become stars and even superstars. We start with the 15th best one-and-done in the NBA today:
15. Jrue Holiday PG – UCLA
Jrue Holiday is a great point guard when healthy, as he can really take over an offense and even help lock down opposing point guards since he’s a bulkier matchup. That wasn’t always the case, as Holiday played 27.1 minutes in 35 college games as a freshman, averaging 8.5 points, 3.8 rebounds, 3.7 assists, 1.6 steals, and 0.5 blocks.
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14. Luol Deng SF – Duke
Luol Deng, coached by Mike Krzyzewski at Duke, was one of the most complete players coming out of college. In 37 appearances, Deng averaged 15.1 points, 6.9 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 1.3 steals, and 1.1 blocks per game.
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13. DeAndre Jordan C – Texas A&M
DeAndre Jordan was one of the most athletic big men coming out of college in 2008. Jordan averaged 7.9 points, 6.0 rebounds, 0.4 assist, and 1.3 blocks while playing just 20.1 minutes per game. Jordan has now become one of the best rebounders rim-protectors the NBA has seen.
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12. Jamal Crawford SG – Michigan
Jamal Crawford has had one the best NBA careers out there. He’s mostly been used a sixth man the past couple of years, but he along with Allen Iverson made the crossover the impressive and jaw-dropping play that it is today. In 17 games at Michigan, Crawford averaged 16.6 points, 2.8 rebounds, 4.5 assists, 1.1 steals, and 0.9 blocks per game.
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11. Eric Bledsoe PG – Kentucky
Eric Bledsoe has been sort of a late bloomer to the NBA. He had a good freshman season as Kentucky and decided to forgo his next three years like his teammates DeMarcus Cousins and John Wall to enter the NBA Draft. Bledsoe didn’t really get his chance to shine until getting traded to the Phoenix Suns, where he was able to command a large contract. In 37 games at Kentucky, Bledsoe averaged 11.3 points, 3.1 rebounds, 2.9 assists, and 1.4 steals in just over 30 minutes per game.
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10. Zach Randolph PF – Michigan State
Zach Randolph didn’t play much at Michigan State, playing just 19.8 minutes per game and appearing in 33 games. Randolph, however, won the 2001 NCAA Championship with the Spartans and college teammate Jason Richardson. Randolph put up 10.8 points, 6.7 rebounds, 1.0 assists, 0.7 steals, and 0.7 blocks. Those number won’t impress anyone, but when you take a look at his per-40 minute numbers, he averaged 21.8 points, 13.5 rebounds, 2.1 assists, 1.5 steals, 1.3 blocks.
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9. DeMarcus Cousins PF – Kentucky
DeMarcus Cousins could have very easily been a number one overall pick with his averages of 15.1 points, 9.8 rebounds, 1.0 assists, 1.0 steals, and 1.8 blocks in just 23.5 minutes per game. He went number five to the Kings however, as the draft report on him said he was argumentative, short-tempered, and very hard to coach. Had he played a little more loose, his per 40 minute averages of 25.8 points, 16.8 rebounds, 1.7 assists, 1.7 steals, and 3.0 blocks per game would have easily gone as the number one pick.
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8. Derrick Rose PG – Memphis
There was some controversy after Rose’s draft as to whether or not Rose was eligible to leave Memphis and play in the NBA. It was ultimately decided that Rose could, and he played 40 games, averaging 14.9 points, 4.5 rebounds, 4.7 assists, and 1.2 steals in 29.2 minutes per game.
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7. Kevin Love PF – UCLA
Kevin Love, one of our beloved Cavaliers now, looked a little chubbier in his UCLA days, but he’d definitely grown up and got into way better shape. Love, who played 39 games and led the Bruins to the Final Four, averaged 17.5 points, 10.6 rebounds, 1.9 assists, and 1.4 blocks per game.
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6. Carmelo Anthony SF – Syracuse
Carmelo Anthony played just one year at Syracuse before declaring for the 2003 NBA Draft. As a member of the Orange, Anthony averaged 22.2 points, 10.0 rebounds, 2.2 assists, 1.6 steals, and 0.9 blocks per game in 35 appearances. Anthony is now one of the top 5 scorers in the NBA today, making it look almost effortless.
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5. John Wall PG – Kentucky
John Wall was well known at Kentucky as he played with two other freshman now in the NBA in DeMarcus Cousins and Eric Bledsoe. Wall averaged 16.6 points, 4.3 rebounds, 6.5 assists, and 1.8 steals in 37 games. Although he averaged just 0.5 blocks per game, Wall has turned into one of the league’s best shot-blocking guards, elevating and swatting shots like he’s DeAndre Jordan or something.
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4. Kyrie Irving PG – Duke
Irving had a very short college career, playing just 11 games his lone season due to a foot injury that sidelined him most of the season. Amazingly, that was enough to convince the Cavs that he was worth the number one overall pick in the 2011 NBA Draft17.5 points, 3.4 rebounds, 4.3 assists, and 1.5 steals in just 11 games and 27.5 minutes per game.
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3. Chris Bosh PF – Georgia Tech
Bosh played just one solid year at Georgia Tech. It was enough, however, as Bosh has become one of the best forwards in the game today. In 31 games at Georgia Tech, he averaged 15.6 points, 9.0 rebounds, 1.2 assists, 1.0 steals, and 2.2 blocks per game.
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2. Anthony Davis PF/C – Kentucky
We all know about Anthony Davis’ rise to stardom in the past couple of seasons. Davis has become one of the best all-around players in the NBA today, and has shown his ability to defend every position. In his lone year at Kentucky, Davis played 40 games and averaged 14.2 points, 10.4 rebounds, 1.3 assists, 1.4 steals, and an astounding 4.7 blocks per game in 32 minutes per game.
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1. Kevin Durant SF – Texas
Durant was probably the more NBA ready player who was a one-and-done. In 35 games at Texas University, Durant averaged 25.8 points, 11.1 rebounds, 1.3 assists, 1.9 steals, and 1.9 blocks per game in 35.9 minutes per game. Simply put: Durant was a pure beast at Texas and it shows now as he’s arguably the second best player in the NBA already.