
Kawhi Leonard, the MVP of the NBA Finals twice, is shown at left on the free throw line while playing for M.L. King High of Riverside. At right is a high school photo of 2024 & 2021 NBA Finals’ starter Jrue Holiday when he was at Campbell Hall (North Hollywood). Photos: Scott Kurtz & hoopeduponline.com.
This is our list of every player from a California high school who has been on a roster for a team that has been in the NBA Finals championship series. Go through the names for what also is a trip through NBA Finals history.
RELATED: Super Bowl Alums | World Series Alums (1968-2024)
Note: This is a post for Gold Club members on CalHiSports.com. We also now have all-time state records in football, boys hoops and baseball archived onto the site (also for Gold Club members). You can now join for one-month rate of just $4.99. For subscription info, CLICK HERE.
Inspired during the pandemic of doing a list of World Series alums from 2020 back to 1968, we also decided to go back through all of the NBA Finals since the first one in 1950 and compile a list of California high school players who’ve been on the roster for each of the two finalists. The list has been updated again through the 2025 NBA Finals.
There is no separate story in 2025 since for only the second time ever there are no California players on either the rosters of the Oklahoma City Thunder or Indiana Pacers. The only time this has happened before was 1971 for the NBA Finals between the Milwaukee Bucks and Baltimore Bullets. There were plenty of California players on teams that went deep into the Western Conference and Eastern Conference playoffs, but none of those teams reached the finals. Last year’s champions from Boston had two.