NCAA Basketball: 10 best players from state of Missouri of last decade
By Joey Loose
4. Ben McLemore – Kansas
When he arrived, McLemore was a top 50 recruit in 2011, but he certainly exceeded expectations in his brief time with Kansas. A 6’5 guard from St. Louis, McLemore spent the 2012-13 season with the Jayhawks, rising into a star on the national stage. He spent just one season in college before moving on, but it was quite the season.
McLemore averaged 15.9 points and 5.2 rebounds per game as a redshirt freshman, missing out on the previous season due to eligibility issues from his high school days. He grabbed a career-high 12 rebounds in his first ever game and later had a 33-point effort in a win over Iowa State. He helped the Jayhawks on an 18-game winning streak early in the season, while also helping lead Kansas to the 2013 Big 12 Tournament title. He later had 20 points in the program’s Sweet Sixteen loss to Michigan.
After arriving in a cloud of uncertainty, McLemore was named a Second Team All-American and a First Team All-Big 12 player. He led the conference in free throw percentage and was among the leaders in points, rebounds, and shooting percentage. McLemore really developed into a fantastic piece while with the Jayhawks, and was soon after drafted with the 7th pick of the 2013 NBA Draft, spending the last nine years in the NBA.