Long Island’s presence in pro basketball is deeply rooted.
The Island may not be perceived as a basketball factory these days, but it has produced one of the all-time NBA greats and still has high-level talent in the league. As of the end of 2025, here are the top 10 players in NBA history who are from Long Island:
1. Julius Erving, Roosevelt
Hall of Famer (1993); NBA MVP (1981); three-time ABA MVP (1974-76); five-time All-NBA first team (1978, 1980-83); two-time All-NBA second team (1977, ‘84); 11-time NBA All-Star (1977-87); five-time ABA All-Star (1972-76); NBA champion (1983); two-time ABA champion (1974, ‘76).
Career stats (11 NBA seasons, five ABA): 24.2 points, 8.5 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 2.0 steals, 1.7 blocks
“Dr. J” is one of the best players in the history of the sport, not just from Long Island. The 6-7 Erving won ABA titles at Nassau Coliseum in 1974 and 1976. He and Moses Malone later formed an all-time great duo in Philadelphia, and the 76ers coasted to the 1983 NBA title. Erving dominated with an above-the-rim playing style and ranks ninth on the NBA/ABA career scoring list (30,026).
2. Carl Braun, Garden City
Hall of Fame (2019); Five-time NBA All-Star (1953-57); All-NBA second team (1954); All-BAA (Basketball Association of America) second team (1948); NBA champion (1962).
Career stats (11 NBA seasons, two BAA): 13.5 points, 3.4 rebounds, 3.7 assists
Braun played for the Knicks for 12 years (1947-50, 1952-61) and won the 1962 NBA title with Boston. The 6-5 guard retired as the Knicks’ all-time leading scorer with 10,449 points (he now ranks fifth). He also was in the Yankees’ farm system for two years and was a player-coach for the Knicks for 127 games. Braun, who died at 82 in 2010, was posthumously elected to the Hall of Fame.
3. Randy Smith, Bellport
Two-time All-Star (1976, ‘78); All-NBA second team (1976).
Career stats (12 NBA seasons): 16.7 points, 3.7 rebounds, 4.6 assists, 1.7 steals, 0.1 blocks
The 6-3 Smith was the NBA’s former “iron man,” setting a then-record of 906 consecutive games played from 1972-82. He was a three-sport athlete at Division II Buffalo State, starring in hoops, soccer and track, and a 10th-round pick in the 1971 NBA Draft. Smith, who averaged a career-high 24.6 points for the Buffalo Braves in 1977-78 and 10 points for the Knicks in 1981-82.
The Bellport High School basketball court is dedicated to Bellport alumni Randy Smith who played in the NBA. Credit: Daniel De Mato
4. Tobias Harris, Half Hollow Hills West, Long Island Lutheran
Career stats (15 NBA seasons): 16 points, 6.1 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 0.8 steals, 0.5 blocks
The only active player on the list, the 33-year-old Harris is averaging 13.7 points and 4.8 rebounds this season for the first-place Pistons. While Harris has yet to earn an All-Star nod, the 6-8 forward has had impressive longevity. The former McDonald’s All-American and 2011 first-rounder made previous stops in Philadelphia, Los Angeles (Clippers), Orlando and Milwaukee.
5. Wally Szczerbiak, Cold Spring Harbor
NBA All-Star (2002); NBA All-Rookie first team (2000).
Career stats (10 NBA seasons): 14.1 points, 4.0 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 0.6 steals, 0.2 blocks
Szczerbiak averaged at least 15 points in five NBA seasons. The 6-7 forward shot a career-best 45.5% from three during his 2001-02 All-Star season with Minnesota, and he shot at least 40% from the perimeter in seven seasons. He was the No. 6 overall pick out of Miami (Ohio) in 1999 and also played for the Celtics, SuperSonics and Cavaliers.
Wally Szczerbiak playing for Cold Spring Harbor, Tom Gugliotta playing for Walt Whitman and Tobias Harris (Half Hollow Hills West) playing for the Pistons. Credit: Newsday/Bill Davis (left and middle); Getty Images/Sarah Stier
6. Tom Gugliotta, Walt Whitman
NBA All-Star (1997); NBA All-Rookie first team (1993).
Career stats (13 NBA seasons): 13 points, 7.3 rebounds, 2.8 assists, 1.4 steals, 0.6 blocks
Gugliotta played for seven different NBA teams, including Phoenix (255 games from 1999-2004), Minnesota (231 from 1995-98) and Washington (165 from 1992-94). The 6-10 forward averaged a career-best 20.6 points, 8.7 rebounds and 4.1 assists during his 1996-97 All-Star season. He was the No. 6 overall pick out of North Carolina State in 1992.
7. Mitch Kupchak, Brentwood
Three-time NBA champion (1978, ‘82, ‘85); Olympic gold medalist (1976); NBA All-Rookie first team (1977).
Career stats (nine NBA seasons): 10.2 points, 5.4 rebounds, 0.7 assists, 0.3 steals, 0.3 blocks
Kupchak won NBA titles as a player with the then-Washington Bullets in 1978 and Lakers in 1985. The 6-9 forward/center also was on the Lakers’ 1982 title team, though a knee injury caused him to miss most of the season and the next season. He averaged 12.3 points during the first 363 games of his career and only five in his final 147. The former North Carolina star won seven NBA titles as a Lakers executive.
8. Danny Green, St. Mary’s, North Babylon
Three-time NBA champion (2014, ‘19, ‘20); NBA All-Defensive second team (2017).
Career stats (15 NBA seasons): 8.7 points, 3.4 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 1.0 steals, 0.8 blocks
Green was a career 40% three-point shooter and great perimeter defender. He was a starter on three different NBA championship-winning teams: the 2014 Spurs, 2019 Raptors and 2020 Lakers. The 6-6 guard/forward and former UNC star retired in October 2024.
Clockwise from left: Mitch Kupchak (Brentwood), Danny Green (St. Mary’s/North Babylon), Art Heyman (Oceanside) Credit: Getty Images/Kevork Djansezian; Getty Images/Lachlan Cunningham; Michael A. Rupolo Sr.
9. Jeff Ruland, Sachem
Two-time All-Star (1984-85); NBA All-Rookie first team (1982).
Career stats (eight NBA seasons): 17.4 points, 10.2 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 0.8 steals, 0.8 blocks
Ruland had an impressive peak with the Bullets, but injuries limited him to 37 games or fewer in his final five seasons. He averaged 20.4 points and 11.5 rebounds from 1983-85. The 6-10 center/forward was retired for four seasons but returned for 13 games with Philadelphia in 1991-92 and 11 with Detroit the next season before retiring again.
10. Art Heyman, Oceanside
NBA All-Rookie first team (1964); ABA All-Star (1969); ABA champion (1968).
Career stats (three NBA seasons, three ABA): 13 points, 4.7 rebounds, 2.8 assists
Heyman remains the only Long Islander selected first overall in the NBA Draft (Knicks, 1963). His best NBA season was his rookie season with the Knicks in 1963-64, when he averaged 15.4 points. He played in the Eastern Professional Basketball League in 1966-67 before finishing his career with three ABA seasons. The 6-5 Heyman was the national player of the year at Duke in 1963.
*Larry Brown, Long Beach
Three-time ABA All-Star (1968-70); All-ABA second team (1968); ABA champion (1969); Gold medalist (1964).
Career stats (five ABA seasons): 11.2 points, 2.7 rebounds, 6.7 assists
Brown was an exceptional ABA player, leading the league in assists in three straight seasons (1967-69). But he is better known for his Hall of Fame coaching career. He won 1,593 games between the NBA, ABA and college. He is the only coach to win an NBA title (Pistons, 2004) and an NCAA title (Kansas, 1988).
*Brown never played in the NBA.
Ben Dickson is Newsday Sports’ general assignment reporter. He joined Newsday’s high school sports staff in 2023 after graduating from Maryland, where he covered several of the Terrapins’ teams.