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2.1k voters

The Best NBA Players From California

Updated June 10, 2021 25.5k votes 2.1k voters 45.7k views226 items

List RulesOnly NBA players born or raised in California.

Here are the best NBA players from California. Featuring Hall of Fame greats, superstars, and active players, this list of basketball players who were born in California includes Kawhi Leonard, James Harden, Russell Westbrook, Reggie Miller, Damian Lillard, the Ball brothers Lonzo and LaMelo, plus many more NBA players from Los Angeles, San Diego, Oakland, and San Francisco. Who is the greatest NBA player from the state California?

Vote up the top California players on NBA teams, and add your favorite players if they're missing from the list.

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Kawhi Leonard
Riverside, California
Position: Small forward
Teams: Los Angeles Clippers, Toronto Raptors, San Antonio Spurs
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Damian Lillard
Oakland, California
Position: Point guard
Teams: Portland Trail Blazers
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#8 of 395 The Top 100+ NBA Players Today#2 of 75 The Best Point Guards Currently in the NBA
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946
295
James Harden
Los Angeles, California
Position: Shooting guard
Teams: Brooklyn Nets
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Reggie Miller
Riverside, California
Position: Shooting guard
Teams: Indiana Pacers
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#10 of 32 The Best NBA Shooting Guards of the 90s#3 of 31 The Best Three-Point Shooters in NBA History
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597
170
Ray Allen
Merced, California
Position: Shooting guard
Teams: Boston Celtics, Seattle Supersonics, Milwaukee Bucks, Miami Heat
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Russell Westbrook
Long Beach, California
Position: Point guard
Teams: Washington Wizards
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691
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Klay Thompson
Los Angeles, California
Position: Shooting guard
Teams: Golden State Warriors
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#3 of 91 The Best Second-Generation NBA Players Of All Time#7 of 75 The Best Current Wing Players in the NBA
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512
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Gary Payton
Oakland, California
Position: Point guard
Teams: Boston Celtics, Los Angeles Lakers, Seattle Supersonics, Miami Heat, Milwaukee Bucks
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490
154
Jason Kidd
San Francisco, California
Position: Point guard
Teams: Dallas Mavericks, Phoenix Suns, New Jersey Nets
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#21 of 29 The Best NBA Coaches Right Now#80 of 80 The Most Controversial Athletes in Sports History
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522
170
Paul Pierce
Oakland, California
Position: Small forward
Teams: Boston Celtics, Brooklyn Nets, Washington Wizards
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726
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Paul George
Palmdale, California
Position: Small forward
Teams: Los Angeles Clippers
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454
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DeMar DeRozan
Compton, California
Position: Shooting guard
Teams: San Antonio Spurs
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#93 of 96 The All-Around Best Athletes of 2019#43 of 328 The Best San Antonio Spurs of All Time
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337
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Bill Walton
La Mesa, California
Position: Center
Teams: Portland Trail Blazers, Boston Celtics, San Diego Clippers, Los Angeles Clippers
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#20 of 133 The Best Boston Celtics of All Time#26 of 165 The Greatest NBA Centers of All Time
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316
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Kevin Love
Santa Monica, California
Position: Power forward
Teams: Cleveland Cavaliers
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263
140
Jrue Holiday
Chatsworth, Los Angeles
Position: Point guard
Teams: Milwaukee Bucks
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261
141
Baron Davis
Santa Monica, California
Position: Point guard
Teams: Charlotte Hornets, New Orleans Pelicans, Golden State Warriors
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#4 of 28 The Best NCAA Point Guards of the '90s#2 of 13 The 13 Worst In-Season NBA Trades
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198
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Michael Cooper
Los Angeles, California
Position: Point guard, Shooting guard, Small forward
Teams: Los Angeles Lakers
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#13 of 26 The Best NBA Shooting Guards of the 80s#4 of 31 The Best Los Angeles Lakers Shooting Guards of All Time
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267
151
Tim Hardaway
Chicago, Illinois
Position: Point guard
Teams: Indiana Pacers, Golden State Warriors, Miami Heat, Denver Nuggets
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224
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Kyle Korver
Lakewood, California
Position: Small forward
Teams: Milwaukee Bucks
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#26 of 83 The Best Philadelphia 76ers of All Time#169 of 289 The Top NBA Players Of All Time
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237
137
Aaron Gordon
San Jose, California
Position: Power forward
Teams: Denver Nuggets

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Brook Lopez
North Hollywood, Los Angeles
Position: Center
Teams: Milwaukee Bucks
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#51 of 80 Twins in Sports#51 of 68 The Best NBA Centers Right Now
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209
121
Spencer Dinwiddie
Los Angeles, California
Position: Point guard
Teams: Brooklyn Nets
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Gail Goodrich
Los Angeles, California
Position: Shooting guard
Teams: Phoenix Suns, Los Angeles Lakers, New Orleans Jazz
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#13 of 107 The Greatest Lakers of All Time#8 of 23 The Best NBA Shooting Guards of the 70s
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117
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Dennis Johnson
San Pedro, California
Position: Point guard
Teams: Phoenix Suns, Boston Celtics, Seattle Supersonics
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#62 of 175 The Greatest Shooting Guards in NBA History#41 of 150 The Greatest Point Guards in NBA History
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217
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Jeremy Lin
Los Angeles, California
Position: Point guard
Teams: New York Knicks, Houston Rockets, Toronto Raptors, Brooklyn Nets, Atlanta Hawks
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