The NBA postseason is back, and for basketball fans looking to catch up with their favorite NIT alumni, there’s no better time to do that.
Depending how you define “NIT alum and 2025 NBA postseason participant,” I believe we’ve got between 53 and 73 alumni in this year’s field. Team by team, starting with the Play-In Tournaments:
W7. Golden State Warriors
You don’t build a dynasty without a little NIT pedigree, and even with Klay Thompson gone, the Dubs are a storied bunch.
Stephen Curry: Played in the 2009 NIT with Davidson. Went 1–1. Best game was a 32-point performance in the first round against South Carolina. Shot five for nine on 3’s.
Brandon Podziemski: Played in the 2023 NIT with Santa Clara. Went 0–1. Recorded eighteen points and seven assists against Sam Houston in his only game.
Quinten Post: Played in the 2021 NIT with Mississippi State and the 2024 NIT with Boston College. Went 4–2. Best game was a 22-point, 9-rebound showing against UNLV in the 2024 second round.
Braxton Key: Only on a two-way deal with Golden State, so won’t play in the postseason, but did go 0–1 in the 2017 NIT with Alabama. Scored seven and grabbed five boards against Richmond in that first round loss.
W8. Memphis Grizzlies
Forget all the talk about Ja Morant’s celebrations. The real weapons here were forged in the fires of late 2010’s NIT’s.
Desmond Bane: Won the 2017 NIT with TCU, played in it again with the Horned Frogs in 2019. 8–1 career NIT record. Best game was a 30-point outburst against Nebraska in the 2019 second round. He had eight rebounds in that game too.
Vince Williams Jr.: Played in the 2022 NIT with VCU. Went 1–1. Best game was a 17-point, 11-rebound double double against Princeton in the first round. He also had six assists that night.
John Konchar: Played in the 2016 NIT with what was then IPFW. Went 0–1. Posted a ridiculous stat line against San Diego State in that game: Ten points, eighteen rebounds, six steals. As a freshman. College Konchar was special.
Scotty Pippen Jr.: Played in the 2022 NIT with Vanderbilt. Went 2–1. Best game was a 32-point, 7-assist outing against Dayton in the second round.
Lamar Stevens: Talk about burying the lede. Stevens not only won the 2018 NIT with Penn State. He was the tournament’s Most Outstanding Player. His best performance? 30 points on 22 shots from the floor in the quarterfinals against Marquette. Like many who’ve played at Penn State in the last few decades, Stevens has a 5–0 career NIT record.
Cam Spencer: Only on a two-way deal, so won’t see the floor tonight or Friday or ever (these playoffs), but he went 0–1 in the 2023 NIT with Rutgers, scoring 22 to go with eight boards and five assists in that heartbreaking loss to Hofstra.
W9. Sacramento Kings
Despite their association with crowns, the Kings feature a proper quantity of NIT representation.
Jake LaRavia: Played in the 2022 NIT with Wake Forest, going 2–1. Best game was a 15-point, 6-rebound effort against VCU in that second round.
Devin Carter: Didn’t play in the 2024 NIT with Providence, citing an ankle injury. Was on the team which earned that spot, though, and we’ll give him credit for that. Even if the Friars went 0–1.
Terence Davis: Shoutout to our Andy Kennedy hive. Davis played for the icon in the 2017 NIT with Mississippi. Went 2–1. Scored 30 against Syracuse in the second round, pulling down seven rebounds in the process.
Isaiah Crawford: On a two-way deal, so won’t see the floor for the Kings this week, but went 3–1 with Louisiana Tech in the 2021 NIT. Best showing came in the third-place game, where he scored thirteen, grabbed seven boards, and dished out five assists.
Mason Jones: Another two-way guy, Jones was on the 2019 Arkansas team which went 1–1. His better game was an 18-point night against Providence in the first round. Four for six from deep.
W10. Dallas Mavericks.
Say what you will about Nico Harrison (no, really, go ahead and say it), but the guy does still have a little championship DNA in that locker room.
Klay Thompson: Here’s a fun fact. Patty Mills beat Klay Thompson and Steph Curry back-to-back in the 2009 NIT. Thompson made good, though, coming back in 2011 to reach the Final Four. With a 3–2 career NIT record, Thompson’s best game was probably that 2011 second-rounder against Oklahoma State. 21 points on 15 FGA.
Daniel Gafford: Opted out of the 2019 NIT to focus on the NBA Draft. Perverted stuff. In his absence, Arkansas went 1–1.
Naji Marshall: Played in the 2019 NIT with Xavier. Went 1–1. Grabbed a legendary 21 rebounds in the first round against Toledo to go with 20 points.
Dwight Powell: Played in the 2012 and 2013 NIT’s with Stanford. Won it all in 2012. An NIT champion forever. 6–1 all-time. His best NIT game came during that 2022 run: Eighteen points and nine rebounds against Illinois State.
E7. Orlando Magic
The Magic have a little NIT experience, but they mostly use it for the dunk contest.
Tristan da Silva: Played in the 2022 and 2023 NIT’s with Colorado. Went 1–2. Best game was his first: Thirteen points and five boards against St. Bonaventure that evening.
Jett Howard: Didn’t play in the 2023 NIT with Michigan, citing an ankle injury, but was there as the Wolverines went 1–1.
Mac McClung: Two-way contract guy, regrettably. Played in the 2019 NIT with Georgetown. Went 0–1. Scored ten points, doled out four assists against Harvard.
E8. Atlanta Hawks
They say legends never die. The Hawks are going to test that theory.
Mouhamed Gueye: Part of Washington State’s 2022 NIT Final Four run. Didn’t play in the 2023 NIT, citing a hamstring injury. Didn’t fill up the stat sheet in ’22, but did have six points, four rebounds, and two blocks in that quarterfinal win over BYU.
Terance Mann: Played in the 2016 NIT with Florida State. Went 1–1. Scored ten and grabbed six rebounds in the second round against Valparaiso.
Garrison Mathews: With all due respect to Gueye/Mann, Garrison Mathews is the face of these Atlanta Hawks. Who can forget that 44-point night against NC State in the 2019 quarterfinals? 4–1 career NIT record. One of the biggest NIT icons of all time.
Kobe Bufkin: Bufkin’s out with an injury, just as he was hurt in 2023 for Michigan’s second round loss. Thanks to that 2023 issue, he does have a 1–0 career NIT record. He scored 23 against Toledo in that year’s first round and managed eight rebounds.
E9. Chicago Bulls
This team has no NIT alumni, and it shows.
E10. Miami Heat
After a disappointing 2024, the Heat restocked their starting lineup with two proven NIT guys.
Alec Burks: Played in the 2011 NIT with Colorado. Went 3–1. Posted a double double in the quarterfinals against Kent State: 25 points and ten boards.
Kel’el Ware: Played in the 2023 NIT with Oregon. Went 2–1. Scored eleven against UCF in the second round on a perfect day of shooting from the floor.
Isaiah Stevens: A two-way contract guy but presumably sharpening the iron over in practice, Stevens played in the 2021 NIT with Colorado State, going 2–2. He scored eighteen to go with seven assists in that third place game against Louisiana Tech.
E1. Cleveland Cavaliers
No NIT alumni on the Cavs. And you thought Dan Gilbert’s comic sans letter was embarrassing.
E2. Boston Celtics
Of course the Celtics have NIT alumni. And they’re mostly the guys you’d expect.
Derrick White: Played in the 2017 NIT with Colorado. Went 0–1, but did score 30 with six assists against UCF.
Sam Hauser: Played in the 2018 NIT with Marquette. Went 2–1, scoring thirteen against Penn State in the quarterfinals.
Payton Pritchard: Played in the 2018 NIT with Oregon. Went 1–1, dropping 23 with eight assists against Rider.
Luke Kornet: Played in the 2015 NIT with Vanderbilt. Went 2–1, with a 12-point, 4-block second round performance against South Dakota State.
E3. New York Knicks
No NIT Knicks ever made it to MSG, but one got pretty darn close.
OG Anunoby: Would Tom Crean have gotten fired at Indiana if OG Anunoby didn’t tear his ACL in 2017? Anunoby didn’t play in that year’s NIT (because of the ACL), and Indiana lost that fabled road game against Georgia Tech.
Cameron Payne: Played in the 2015 NIT with Murray State, who came just three points shy of a New York trip. Went 2–1. Scored 20 against Tulsa in the second round, with seven assists on the side.
Delon Wright: Played in the 2014 NIT with Utah. Went 0–1, but played well against Saint Mary’s: Ten points, eight rebounds, seven assists.
E4. Indiana Pacers
They’re not exactly setting the pace (pause for laughter), but the Pacers have their share of NIT might, including one guy who’s tied for the most NIT losses of anyone on this list.
Pascal Siakam: Played in the 2016 NIT with New Mexico State. Went 0–1, but had a double double (19 points, 14 boards) and four steals against Saint Mary’s.
Obi Toppin: Played in the 2019 NIT with Dayton, Dayton’s most memorable tournament of the 2019 calendar year. Went 0–1. Scored 21 points on only twelve FGA against Colorado.
Ben Sheppard: Played in the 2022 NIT with Belmont. Went 0–1. Eleven points and six boards against Vanderbilt.
Thomas Bryant: Played in that 2017 NIT with Indiana. Went 0–1. Thirteen points and seven rebounds against Josh Pastner’s Georgia Tech.
Quenton Jackson: On a two-way deal, so you won’t see him this month or next, but played in the 2022 NIT with Texas A&M. Went 4–1. Scored 19 with six assists against Washington State in the Final Four.
RayJ Dennis: Another two-way guy. Played in the 2021 NIT with Boise State and then the 2022 and 2023 NIT’s with Toledo. Went 1–3. His best showing was a 13-point night against Dayton in ’22.
E5. Milwaukee Bucks
Two NIT champions on this Bucks roster. And it doesn’t stop there.
Damian Lillard: Played in the 2009 and 2010 NIT’s with Weber State. Went 0–2. Scored 26 against Cincinnati in the 2010 first round.
Taurean Prince: An NIT champion with Baylor in 2013, Prince has a 5–0 career NIT record, though he didn’t see action in one of those games. He did score fourteen with seven rebounds in a first round blowout of Long Beach State.
Kyle Kuzma: Played in the 2017 NIT with Utah. Went 0–1. 21 points and nine rebounds against Boise State.
Bobby Portis: Played in the 2014 NIT with Arkansas. Went 1–1. Had a double double in both games.
Ryan Rollins: Played in the 2021 and 2022 NIT’s with Toledo. Went 0–2. Better game came in the 2021 first round against Richmond. Eighteen points that night.
A.J. Green: Played in the 2022 NIT with Northern Iowa. Went 1–1. Scored 21 on five-of-ten three-point shooting against Saint Louis in the first round.
Jericho Sims: Another NIT champion, Sims broke out in 2019 for Texas with Jaxson Hayes out. 5–0 record. Scored eleven with seven rebounds in that year’s second round against Xavier.
E6. Detroit Pistons
Oh they’ve got NIT guys in Detroit alright.
Malik Beasley: Played in the 2016 NIT with Florida State. Went 1–1. Scored 21 against Davidson in the first round, coming one rebound short of a double double.
Lindy Waters III: Played in the 2018 NIT with Oklahoma State. Went 2–1. Nine points, six rebounds, and six assists against Western Kentucky in the quarterfinal loss.
Tolu Smith: On a two-way contract, Smith won’t see the floor this postseason, but he did during both the 2021 and 2022 NIT’s with Mississippi State. He got hurt or sick during the 2021 NIT, so his personal record is 1–1, but he was 3–2 in the tournament as a member of these teams. Had a double double against Virginia in the 2022 first round. Sixteen points, eleven rebounds.
W1. Oklahoma City Thunder
What makes the Thunder so good? Take a guess.
Jalen Williams: Played in the 2022 NIT with Santa Clara. Went 0–1. Huge night in that one game, though, with nineteen points and fifteen rebounds against Washington State.
Alex Caruso: Played in the 2015 NIT with Texas A&M. Went 1–1. Six points, five assists, and four steals against Louisiana Tech in the second round. Very Alex Caruso line.
Isaiah Joe: Played in the 2019 NIT with Arkansas. Went 1–1. Twelve points and five boards against Providence in the first round.
Kenrich Williams: The real royalty here. The 2017 NIT’s Most Outstanding Player. An NIT champion with TCU, Williams went 5–0 in his five NIT games. His best was probably that year’s quarterfinal against Richmond, where his triple double (11/14/10) came with no turnovers.
Alex Ducas: On a two-way contract, but offers some NIT depth. Played in it in 2021 with Saint Mary’s. Went 0–1, scoring eleven against Western Kentucky.
Branden Carlson: Another two-way guy, Carlson was in the 2024 NIT Final Four. With a 3–1 career NIT record, his best game came in the first round against UC Irvine: 21 points, eleven rebounds, and five blocks.
W2. Houston Rockets
Another team on the rise. Another team full of NIT legacy.
Jock Landale: Not as many NIT games as Desmond Bane, but close. Landale played in the 2015, 2016, and 2018 NIT’s with Saint Mary’s, going 4–3. His best outing was in the 2018 first round against Southeastern Louisiana. 26 points on only 15 FGA.
Jeff Green: Played in the 2005 NIT with Georgetown. Went 2–1. Best game was an 18-point, 6-block showing against Cal State Fullerton in which he fouled out.
Cam Whitmore: Missed the 2023 NIT with Villanova, citing an eye injury. The Wildcats lost in the first round.
Jae’Sean Tate: Missed the 2016 NIT with Ohio State, having torn his labrum and missed the season’s home stretch. The Buckeyes went 1–1.
Nate Williams: Played in the 2021 NIT with Buffalo. Went 0–1. 21 points and six rebounds in the first round against Colorado State.
Jack McVeigh: On a two-way contract, but was part of Nebraska’s 2018 NIT team. He didn’t play a ton of minutes that year, and he didn’t see the floor in the NIT. The Cornhuskers went 0–1.
David Roddy: Another two-way guy, Roddy played in the 2021 NIT with Colorado State. He went 2–2, with a second round double double against NC State: Sixteen points, eleven rebounds.
N’Faly Dante: The third two-way Rocket/Viper, Dante missed part of the 2022 NIT with illness and missed the whole 2023 NIT with an ankle injury. Oregon went 3–2 in those tournaments, with Dante’s only game a 13-point, 13-rebound, 5-block showing in a 2022 second round loss to Texas A&M. That game had an early tipoff, if I’m remembering correctly.
W3. Los Angeles Lakers
Say what you will about the Lakers, but they appreciate history.
Jaxson Hayes: A member of the 2019 NIT champion Texas Longhorns, Hayes didn’t play in the tournament, having hurt his leg. Texas, of course, went 5–0 without him.
Dorian Finney-Smith: Played in the 2016 NIT with Florida. Went 2–1. Best performance came in the most memorable Florida vs. Ohio State postseason contest of all time, a second round Gator win in which Finney-Smith scored sixteen and pulled down twelve rebounds.
Jordan Goodwin: Played in the 2021 NIT with Saint Louis. Went 0–1. Scored fourteen against Mississippi State, with six rebounds and six assists.
Alex Len: Played in the 2013 NIT with Maryland. Went 3–1. Scored fifteen, grabbed thirteen boards, and blocked five shots in the quarterfinal win over Alabama which sent the Terps to the Garden.
Trey Jemison: Tragically on a two-way contract, Jemison played in the 2019 NIT with Clemson and the 2023 NIT with UAB. Went 5–2. His best game was probably the 2023 quarterfinal win over Vanderbilt: Seventeen points, twelve rebounds. More fodder for that Andy Kennedy hive.
W4. Denver Nuggets
The Nuggets’ NIT corps is thinned right now. But it’s there.
Hunter Tyson: Played in the 2019 and 2023 NIT’s with Clemson. Went 1–2. Grabbed eleven rebounds while scoring nine points against Morehead State in the 2023 first round.
DaRon Holmes II: He’s out for the season, but Holmes played in the 2022 NIT with Dayton. Went 1–1. He scored twenty against Toledo in the first round.
PJ Hall: On a two-way contract, but he did play in the 2023 NIT alongside Tyson with Clemson. Went 0–1. He blocked five shots against Morehead State, scoring thirteen while corralling seven boards.
W5. Los Angeles Clippers
If you like old-school NIT’s (relatively speaking)…
James Harden: Played in the 2008 NIT with Arizona State. Went 2–1. Posted a double double in the first round against Alabama State, scoring 25 to go with thirteen boards.
Kris Dunn: Played in the 2013 NIT with Providence. Went 2–1. Put up big numbers in the first round against Charlotte: Fourteen points, nine rebounds, six assists, and four steals.
Patty Mills: Played in the 2009 NIT with Saint Mary’s. Went 2–1. Recorded a double double against Davidson in the second round, scoring 23 and contributing ten assists.
Cam Christie: Played in the 2024 NIT with Minnesota. Went 1–1. Ten points against Butler in the first round road win.
W6. Minnesota Timberwolves
No current Timberwolves ever played in the NIT. That’s why you don’t let Jordan McLaughlin walk.
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