Wisconsin Basketball: Former Badgers Set for NBA Season
By Jim Oxley
Oct 6, 2015; Dallas, TX, USA; Dallas Mavericks guard Devin Harris (34) blocks the shot of Denver Nuggets forward Kenneth Faried (35) during the second half at American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports
The 2015-16 NBA season kicks off tonight, and several former Wisconsin basketball players will hit the court for their respective teams, some for the first time in an NBA jersey.
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Over the past few decades, former Badgers haven’t stuck long in the NBA. Michael Finley‘s NBA run from 1996-2010 obviously stands out as a success story for Wisconsin alumni, while Devin Harris is set to begin his 12th campaign in the NBA when the Mavericks hit the court for the first time this season.
While those two instances mark long-term success for former Badgers at the next level, Wisconsin hasn’t had many other players last more than a few years in the NBA in recent years.
Wisconsin faithful hopes that will change beginning this year when another crop of Badgers talent hits the NBA level.
The Wisconsin Badgers currently have five alumni playing at the next level, including three rookies who made the cut after leaving UW a year ago. Two of those players — Frank Kaminsky and Sam Dekker — were high-profile college basketball players and high draft picks.
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The other — Duje Dukan — was not even a starter for the Badgers during his time at Wisconsin. But his physical upside and three-point skills were attractive to NBA teams, and he worked his way onto an NBA roster.
Other former Wisconsin basketball players on NBA rosters include the current longest tenured NBA Badger — Harris — as well as another Wisconsin star in Jon Leuer. The duo represents a more experienced core of former Badgers to contrast the three rookies set to begin their careers.
Here’s a breakdown of all the former Wisconsin basketball stars currently in the NBA, and where you can catch them to start the current NBA season.
Next: Devin Harris