# List of Memphis Tigers in the NBA

This is a list of Memphis Tigers men's basketball players who played in the National Basketball Association.

## Current NBA Players

As of the 2024-25 NBA Season, six former Tigers are currently signed to NBA rosters.
* James Wiseman, Indiana Pacers (since 2024)
* Precious Achiuwa, New York Knicks (since 2023)
* Jalen Duren, Detroit Pistons (since 2022)
* Josh Minott, Minnesota Timberwolves (since 2022)
* Emoni Bates, Cleveland Cavaliers (since 2023)
* Nae'Qwan Tomlin, Cleveland Cavaliers (since 2025)

## All-time List of Memphis Tigers in the NBA & NBA draft

Since the NBA draft began in 1947, Memphis has produced 14 first-round picks, including 8 top-ten picks and one number-one pick (Derrick Rose). Three former Tigers have been named NBA All-Stars: Larry Kenon (twice), Penny Hardaway (4 times), and Derrick Rose (3 times). Four have gone on to win the NBA Championship: Win Wilfong with the St. Louis Hawks in 1958, William Bedford with the Detroit Pistons in 1990, Earl Barron with the Miami Heat in 2006, and James Wiseman with the Golden State Warriors in 2022.
In 2010, Memphis became the second college to produce two consecutive NBA Rookie of the Year winners: Derrick Rose in 2009 and Tyreke Evans in 2010 (the first being North Carolina with winners Walter Davis in 1978 and Phil Ford in 1979). In 2011, Rose became the first former Tiger to be named the NBA Most Valuable Player.
Many Memphis players since the 1960s that have gone undrafted or had unsuccessful NBA careers have also played in professional leagues in Europe, Asia and/or Latin America.
NBA Players Who Attended Memphis :
| Player | Year | Round | Pick | Team | Seasons | Years Active (NBA & ABA) | Achievements |
| Win Wilfong | 1957 | 1 | 4th | St. Louis Hawks | 4 | 1957–1961 | 1958 NBA Champion |
| Jim Hackaday | 1959 | 3 | 17th | Philadelphia Warriors | | | |
| Orby Arnold | 1959 | 7 | 53rd | St. Louis Hawks | | | |
| George Price | 1960 | 8 | 58th | New York Knicks | | | |
| Wayne Yates | 1961 | 1 | 5th | Los Angeles Lakers | 1 | 1961–1962 | |
| Lowery Kirk | 1961 | 4 | 34th | Cincinnati Royals | | | |
| Hunter Beckman | 1963 | 7 | 58th | Cincinnati Royals | | | |
| George Kirk | 1964 | 5 | 42nd | Cincinnati Royals | | | |
| Bob Neumann | 1964 | 10 | 83rd | Cincinnati Royals | | | |
| Mike Butler | 1968 | 10 | 121st | San Diego Rockets | 4 | 1968–1972 | |
| Rich Jones | 1969 | 5 | 58th | Phoenix Suns | 7 | 1970–1977 | |
| James Douglas | 1971 | 16 | 226th | Buffalo Braves | | | |
| Doug Holcomb | 1972 | 6 | 94th | Boston Celtics | | | |
| Ronnie Robinson | 1973 | 4 | 60th | Phoenix Suns | 2 | 1973–1975 | |
| Larry Kenon | 1973 | 3 | 50th | Detroit Pistons | 10 | 1973–1983 | 2x NBA All-Star |
| Larry Finch | 1973 | 4 | 68th | Los Angeles Lakers | 2 | 1973–1975 | |
| Bill Cook | 1976 | 3 | 49th | Washington Bullets | | | |
| Marion Hillard | 1976 | 4 | 65th | Washington Bullets | | | |
| James Bradley | 1979 | 2 | 35th | Atlanta Hawks | | | |
| Rodney Lee | 1979 | 8 | 150th | Detroit Pistons | | | |
| Dennis Isbell | 1981 | 5 | 100th | San Diego Clippers | | | |
| Hank McDowell | 1981 | 5 | 102nd | Golden State Warriors | 5 | 1981–1986 | |
| Otis Jackson | 1982 | 8 | 174th | New Jersey Nets | | | |
| Chris Faggi | 1982 | 8 | 179th | San Antonio Spurs | | | |
| Bobby Parks | 1984 | 3 | 58th | Atlanta Hawks | | | |
| Phillip Haynes | 1984 | 6 | 121st | Los Angeles Clippers | | | |
| Keith Lee | 1985 | 1 | 11th | Chicago Bulls | 4 | 1985–1989 | |
| Baskerville Holmes | 1986 | 3 | 68th | Milwaukee Bucks | | | |
| Andre Turner | 1986 | 3 | 69th | Los Angeles Lakers | 6 | 1986–1992 | |
| William Bedford | 1986 | 1 | 6th | Phoenix Suns | 7 | 1986–1993 | 1990 NBA Champion |
| Vincent Askew | 1987 | 2 | 39th | Philadelphia 76ers | 9 | 1987–1988, 1990–1998 | |
| Sylvester Gray | 1988 | 2 | 35th | Miami Heat | 1 | 1988–1989 | |
| Dwight Boyd | 1988 | 3 | 66th | Denver Nuggets | | | |
| Elliot Perry | 1991 | 2 | 37th | Los Angeles Clippers | 9 | 1991–1992, 1994–2002 | |
| Penny Hardaway | 1993 | 1 | 3rd | Golden State Warriors | 14 | 1993–2007 | 4x NBA All-Star, 2x All-NBA First Team, All-NBA Third Team |
| Todd Mundt | 1995 | undrafted | n/a | Boston Celtics | 1 | 1995–1996 | |
| David Vaughn III | 1995 | 1 | 25th | Orlando Magic | 4 | 1995–1999 | |
| Lorenzen Wright | 1996 | 1 | 7th | Los Angeles Clippers | 13 | 1996–2009 | |
| Cedric Henderson | 1997 | 2 | 44th | Cleveland Cavaliers | 5 | 1997–2002 | |
| Chris Garner | 1997 | undrafted | n/a | Toronto Raptors | 2 | 1997–1998, 2001 | |
| Dajuan Wagner | 2002 | 1 | 6th | Cleveland Cavaliers | 4 | 2002–2006 | |
| Antonio Burks | 2004 | 2 | 37th | Orlando Magic | 2 | 2004–2006 | |
| Earl Barron | 2005 | undrafted | n/a | Miami Heat | 3 | 2005–2006, 2010–2012 | 2006 NBA Champion |
| Shawne Williams | 2006 | 1 | 17th | Indiana Pacers | 9 | 2006–2015 | |
| Rodney Carney | 2006 | 1 | 16th | Chicago Bulls | 5 | 2006–2011 | |
| Darius Washington Jr. | 2007 | undrafted | n/a | San Antonio Spurs | 1 | 2007 | |
| Chris Douglas-Roberts | 2008 | 2 | 40th | New Jersey Nets | 7 | 2008–2015 | |
| Joey Dorsey | 2008 | 2 | 33rd | Portland Trail Blazers | 3 | 2008–2011 | |
| Derrick Rose | 2008 | 1 | 1st | Chicago Bulls | 16 | 2008–2024 | 2011 NBA MVP, 3x NBA All-Star, All-NBA First Team, 2009 NBA Rookie of the Year |
| Tyreke Evans | 2009 | 1 | 4th | Sacramento Kings | 10 | 2009–2019 | 2010 NBA Rookie of the Year |
| Robert Dozier | 2009 | 2 | 60th | Miami Heat | | | |
| Antonio Anderson | 2009 | undrafted | n/a | Oklahoma City Thunder | 1 | 2010 | |
| Elliot Williams | 2010 | 1 | 22nd | Portland Trail Blazers | 6 | 2010–2016 | |
| Will Barton | 2012 | 2 | 40th | Portland Trail Blazers | 11 | 2012–2023 | |
| D.J. Stephens | 2013 | undrafted | n/a | Milwaukee Bucks | 2 | 2014, 2018 | |
| Adonis Thomas | 2013 | undrafted | n/a | Orlando Magic | 1 | 2014 | |
| Tarik Black | 2014 | undrafted | n/a | Houston Rockets | 4 | 2014–2018 | |
| Jeremiah Martin | 2019 | undrafted | n/a | Brooklyn Nets | 1 | 2020–2021 | |
| James Wiseman | 2020 | 1 | 2nd | Golden State Warriors | 5 | 2020–Present | 2022 NBA Champion |
| Precious Achiuwa | 2020 | 1 | 20th | Miami Heat | 5 | 2020–Present | |
| Jalen Duren | 2022 | 1 | 13th | Charlotte Hornets | 3 | 2022–Present | |
| Josh Minott | 2022 | 2 | 45th | Charlotte Hornets | 3 | 2022–Present | |
| Lester Quiñones | 2022 | undrafted | n/a | Golden State Warriors | 2 | 2022–2024 | |
| Emoni Bates | 2023 | 2 | 19th | Cleveland Cavaliers | 2 | 2023–Present | |
| Boogie Ellis | 2024 | undrafted | n/a | Sacramento Kings | 1 | 2024 | |
| Nae'Qwan Tomlin | 2024 | undrafted | n/a | Cleveland Cavaliers | 1 | 2025–Present | |
currently active players are in bold
* $^a$ Player chose to play professionally in the American Basketball Association (ABA), which existed from 1967 to 1976.
* $^b$ Rich Jones was originally drafted by the Phoenix Suns in 1968 in the fourth round as the 49th pick, but opted not to play. In 1969, he was drafted again by the Suns but chose instead to play in the ABA for the Dallas Chaparrals. He would eventually play in the NBA in 1976 when the New Jersey Nets joined as part of the NBA-ABA merger.
* $^c$ Larry Kenon moved to the NBA after the San Antonio Spurs joined the NBA in 1976, as part of the NBA-ABA merger.
* $^d$ These players began their careers at the University of Memphis
** Tarik Black played at Memphis from 2010 to 2013 and transferred to Kansas for his senior season.
** Emoni Bates played at Memphis from 2021 to 2022 and transferred to Eastern Michigan for his sophomore season.
** Boogie Ellis played at Memphis from 2019 to 2021 and transferred to USC for his redshirt sophomore, junior and senior seasons.
* $^e$ Player was drafted but never played an NBA game.
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