On April 7 in San Antonio, Texas, the next men\u2019s college basketball national champion will be crowned. After Thursday and Friday\u2019s results, there are 32 teams with hopes alive of being that team. Let\u2019s take a look at the 10 best active players in the NBA who won a national championship while in college.<\/p>\n
It was just one season at Kentucky for Anthony Davis<\/a>, but it saw him earn a national championship. He was named the National Player of the Year and Final Four Most Outstanding Player.<\/span><\/p>\n Selected first overall in 2012, the 6-foot-10 power forward\/center is now in his 13th season. His accolades include 10 All-Star appearances, four All-NBA First Team nods, and a championship with the 2020 Lakers.<\/span><\/p>\n Jalen Brunson<\/a> didn\u2019t win just one, but two national championships while at Villanova. He was the National Player of the Year in his junior season of 2018.<\/span><\/p>\n Despite an awesome college career, the 6-foot-2 point guard was a second round pick (33rd overall) in 2018. Brunson has truly shined with the Knicks, making the All-Star Game each of the last two seasons and being named to the All-NBA Second Team in 2023-24.<\/span><\/p>\n The elder statesman on this list, Al Horford<\/a> won back-to-back national championships way back in 2006 and 2007 with Florida.<\/span><\/p>\n That culminated in Horford being selected third overall in the 2007 NBA Draft. While he may not currently be the third-best player on this list, the 38-year-old is still valuable. He won his first championship last season with the Celtics and has been named an All-Star five times.<\/span><\/p>\n Mikal Bridges<\/a> was a teammate of Brunson\u2019s on both the 2016 and 2018 teams. In his junior year of 2017-18, he won the Julius Erving Award as the nation\u2019s top small forward.<\/span><\/p>\n Selected with the 10th overall pick in 2018, Bridges has remarkably yet to miss a game in his NBA career. In 2021-22, he was named to the All-Defensive First Team while finishing as runner-up for Defensive Player of the Year.<\/span><\/p>\n The third of four players from the 2016 Villanova team on this list, Josh Hart<\/a> was a unanimous choice for First Team All-Big East that year as a junior.<\/span><\/p>\n Now in his eighth season, Hart was selected 30th overall in the 2017 NBA Draft. He is in the midst of his most productive season this year as a member of the Knicks. He has tied a franchise single-season record with eight triple-doubles.<\/p>\n In 2019, De\u2019Andre Hunter<\/a> helped Virginia earn their first national championship. That season, he was named the ACC Defensive Player of the Year.<\/span><\/p>\n Hunter entered the 2019 NBA Draft<\/a> where he was selected fourth overall. Now in his sixth season, the 27-year-old is having a career-best year and is one of the top candidates for Sixth Man of the Year.<\/span><\/p>\n Here\u2019s another member of last decade\u2019s Villanova team in Donte DiVincenzo<\/a>. Winner of two national championships, the 6-foot-4 guard was named Most Outstanding Player in the latter of those championship runs.<\/p>\n The 28-year-old was taken 17th overall in the 2018 NBA Draft. In 2021, DiVincenzo won a title with the Bucks (although injury prevented him from playing in the NBA Finals). Last season, he set a Knicks single-season record by connecting on 283 three-pointers.<\/p>\n Christian Braun<\/a>\u2019s national championship came in his junior year. He recorded a double-double of 12 points and 12 rebounds in the title game win over North Carolina.<\/p>\n That successful college season helped allow Braun to be chosen with the 21st overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft. Another championship was won in Braun\u2019s rookie year with the 2023 Nuggets. He was a reserve that year, but now he is in Denver\u2019s starting lineup and is having one of the most efficient seasons ever by a guard<\/a>.<\/p>\n2. Jalen Brunson (2016 and 2018 Villanova)<\/span><\/h3>\n
3. Al Horford (2006 and 2007 Florida)<\/span><\/h3>\n
4. Mikal Bridges (2016 and 2018 Villanova)<\/span><\/h3>\n
5. Josh Hart (2016 Villanova)<\/span><\/h3>\n
6. De\u2019Andre Hunter (2019 Virginia)<\/span><\/h3>\n
7. Donte DiVincenzo (2016 and 2018 Villanova)<\/span><\/h3>\n
8. Christian Braun (2022 Kansas)<\/span><\/h3>\n
9. Tyus Jones (2015 Duke)<\/span><\/h3>\n