Top 20 former Michigan State Spartans to play in the NBA

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The Sacramento Kings’ Zach Randolph (50) celebrates a 3-point basket against the Utah Jazz at the Golden 1 Center in Sacramento, Calif., on Saturday, March 3, 2018. The Jazz won, 98-91. (Hector Amezcua/Sacramento Bee/TNS via Getty Images) /

3. Zach Randolph

Zach Randolph was a number one recruit coming out of high school and only played one season at Michigan State. In the 2001 NBA Draft, Randolph was selected 19th overall by the Portland Trailblazers.

Randolph did not make an immediate impact for the Trailblazers and struggled in his first two seasons, average 2.8 and 8.4 points per game, respectively.

However, in his third season (2003-04), Randolph earned the NBA’s Most Improved Player Award after averaging 20.1 points and 10.5 rebounds per game. Randolph would never again finish a season averaging below 11.6 points per game and only averaged below eight rebounds per game twice.

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Randolph continued to improve other parts of his game throughout his career. In his rookie season, Randolph did not attempt a 3-pointer and only launched from deep 16 times by the end of his fourth season, making one.

Randolph showed continued improvement on his 3-point shot throughout his career, however, and averaged a career high 35 percent in his final season.

Aside from his MIP Award, Randolph also earned All-League honors in earning an All-Star spot in 2010 and 2013, both representing Memphis. In 2010-11, the season following his first All-Star appearance, Randolph was selected to the All-NBA Third Team.

Randolph finished his career with respectable averages of 16.6 points and 9.1 rebounds per game.

Despite not playing in 2018-19, Randolph has yet to officially retire from the NBA and still pops up occasionally in basketball news.