NCAA Basketball: 10 best players from state of Nevada of last decade

1. Gary Payton II – Oregon State

Oregon State went nearly three decades between NCAA Tournament appearances, with Gary Payton leading them to the Promised Land way back in the 80’s. When his same-named son, a 6’3 guard from Las Vegas, arrived on campus, perhaps it should come as no surprise that he would greatly elevate the Beavers program after a series of disappointments at Oregon State.

Payton II started nearly every game at point guard across his two seasons at Oregon State. His numbers were impressive right off the bat, with a 24-point, 16-rebound effort very early in his career. It’s his second season where everything clicked, averaging 16.0 points, 7.8 rebounds, 5.0 assists, and 2.5 steals per game. He finally broke that long streak, leading Oregon State back to the NCAA Tournament. He had a 20-point, 17-rebound effort in a Pac-12 Tournament loss to California, but he had done enough to lead the Beavers to those heights.

In both of his collegiate seasons, Payton was All-Pac-12 First Team and Defensive Player of the Year. He led the conference in steals in both seasons, and put up impressive numbers across the board, including rebounds and blocks. He left school after those two seasons and has played in the NBA and G-League for the last six years, remaining a strong defender and picking up a title ring in both leagues. His work to revitalize this Beavers program remains impressive, especially in his father’s shadow.

We’ve come all the way and gone through the best college basketball players of the last ten seasons from the state of Nevada; do you agree with the players we selected and how they were ordered?