Aspiring basketball players across the world dream of one day making it to the NBA, but do they really know what it takes to make it that far? The NBA is the highest level of professional basketball and is comprised of the world’s most talented players. But how many of these players are actually from the NCAA Division I basketball ranks?
NCAA Division I Basketball
NCAA Division I basketball is the highest level of collegiate basketball in the United States. It is made up of 351 teams from all over the country. These teams compete for the NCAA National Championship each year, with the winner being crowned the NCAA Division I National Champions.
The NCAA Division I basketball season typically runs from November to March, with the NCAA Tournament taking place in March. The NCAA Tournament is a single-elimination tournament that determines the national champion. It is comprised of 68 teams, with the winner of the tournament being crowned the National Champion.
The NCAA Division I basketball season is made up of over 1,200 games, and the competition is incredibly fierce. Each team plays a minimum of 20 games during the regular season and must win at least nine of them to qualify for the NCAA Tournament.
NBA Draft
The NBA Draft is held each year in June and is a two-round, 60-pick event. During the draft, teams select the best players from both college and international ranks. The NBA Draft is the only way for players to enter the NBA and is the main way teams acquire new talent.
The NBA Draft is divided into two rounds and is made up of 30 teams. Each team has one first round pick and one second round pick. The player selected with the first overall pick is known as the first overall selection and is typically considered the best player in the draft.
Percentage of D1 Players in the NBA
The NBA is made up of the world’s best players and it is no surprise that many of them come from the NCAA Division I ranks. In fact, according to data from the 2020 NBA Draft, nearly 60% of the players selected were NCAA Division I players. This means that nearly two-thirds of all players selected in the NBA Draft were NCAA Division I players.
Furthermore, of the players selected in the first round of the 2020 NBA Draft, over 70% of them were from the NCAA Division I ranks. This further illustrates the dominance of NCAA Division I players in the NBA.
Conclusion
The NBA is the highest level of professional basketball and is made up of the world’s most talented players. While players from all over the world have the opportunity to make it to the NBA, a large percentage of them come from the NCAA Division I ranks. According to data from the 2020 NBA Draft, nearly 60% of the players selected were NCAA Division I players, with over 70% of the players selected in the first round coming from the NCAA Division I ranks. This shows just how important the NCAA Division I is to the NBA, and the importance of having a strong college basketball background to make it to the NBA.