Current NBA Players from the State of Indiana (2023-2024)
Basketball players, and indeed competitors across all athletic fields, carry a badge of honor for their birthplaces. It could be their home state, the neighborhood they grew up in, or the area code they associate with; there’s always a noticeable desire to represent one’s beginnings.
The same holds true for the fan base. There’s an added thrill in supporting a player who shares your state lines or even the same local stomping grounds, especially when that athlete plays for the team you root for above all others.
Bearing this in mind, we scoured through NBA.com to extract the home states or, in some instances, the home countries of every player listed on the active rosters of each team.
Our findings included 13 players originating from the state of Indiana.
NBA Players from Indiana
Below is a list of all 13 players on NBA rosters at the commencement of the 2023 season, detailing their hometowns and the respective teams they represent.
| Name | City | State | Team |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dylan Windler | Indianapolis | Indiana | New York Knicks |
| Craig Porter | Terre Haute | Indiana | Cleveland Cavaliers |
| Darius Garland | Gary | Indiana | Cleveland Cavaliers |
| Jaden Ivey | South Bend | Indiana | Detroit Pistons |
| Gordon Hayward | Indianapolis | Indiana | Charlotte Hornets |
| Dru Smith | Evansville | Indiana | Miami Heat |
| Gary Harris | Fishers | Indiana | Orlando Magic |
| Trayce Jackson-Davis | Greenwood | Indiana | Golden State Warriors |
| Mason Plumlee | Fort Wayne | Indiana | Los Angeles Clippers |
| Eric Gordon | Indianapolis | Indiana | Phoenix Suns |
| Desmond Bane | Richmond | Indiana | Memphis Grizzlies |
| Cody Zeller | Washington | Indiana | New Orleans Pelicans |
| Blake Wesley | South Bend | Indiana | San Antonio Spurs |
Player Bios
Here is a closer look at a few of the standout players from the state of Indiana:
Gordon Hayward
Born in Indianapolis, Indiana, Gordon Hayward attended Brownsburg High School in Brownsburg, Indiana. He experienced a significant growth spurt in high school, growing from 5’11” to 6’7″.
Initially more successful in tennis, Hayward turned his focus to basketball, leading Brownsburg to the Indiana Class 4A state championship as a senior. He averaged 18.0 points, 8.4 rebounds, and 3.6 assists per game in his senior year and made the game-winning basket in the state title game.
He was a Second-team all-state selection by AP and First-team all-state by the Indiana Basketball Coaches Association. Hayward was an unranked three-star prospect and accepted a scholarship offer from Butler University.
After two seasons at Butler, including a runner-up finish in the 2010 NCAA Tournament, Hayward entered the 2010 NBA draft and was selected as the ninth overall pick by the Utah Jazz.
Mason Plumlee
Mason Plumlee currently plays for the Los Angeles Clippers. He initially attended Warsaw Community High School in Warsaw, Indiana, before transferring to Christ School in Arden, North Carolina.
At Christ School, Plumlee helped lead the team to three North Carolina High School Athletic Association state championships. A 2009 McDonald’s All-American, he averaged 15.3 points, 10.1 rebounds, 3.3 assists, and 2.5 blocks per game as a senior.
Plumlee played college basketball at Duke University, where he was part of the 2010 national championship team. He was selected with the 22nd overall pick by the Brooklyn Nets in the 2013 NBA draft.
Eric Gordon
Eric Gordon, born in Indianapolis, Indiana, attended North Central High School in Indianapolis. He played one season of college basketball at Indiana University, where he was one of the top collegiate players in the nation, leading the Big Ten in scoring with an average of 21.5 points per game.
Gordon was named the Big Ten Freshman of the Year and made the third-team All-American. He set a record at Indiana University and in the Big Ten with 669 points in his freshman year. Gordon entered the 2008 NBA draft and was selected seventh overall by the Los Angeles Clippers.
Conclusion
From the driveways of small-town Indiana to the gleaming hardwood of NBA arenas, these players carry with them a piece of their home state, a testament to the talent and determination that Indiana instills in its athletes.
Whether they are rookies making their debut or seasoned veterans known by every fan, the pride of Indiana continues to shine on the national stage. To the fans back home, these players are more than just athletes; they are local heroes, each with a story that resonates with the dreams of young ballers across the state.
As the season unfolds, we will watch their stories develop further, cheering for not only the skills they display but also the communities they represent. The spirit of Indiana basketball is alive and well in the NBA, and perhaps, in the cheers of the crowd, the players can hear a little bit of home calling back to them.
