Kansas has six former players on NBA Playoff teams in Andrew Wiggins (Miami Heat), Christian Braun (Denver Nuggets), Joel Embiid (Philadelphia 76ers), Kelly Oubre Jr. (Philadelphia 76ers), Gradey Dick (Toronto Raptors) and Kevin McCullar Jr. (New York Knicks).
Two of the six Jayhawks in the playoffs are NBA champions and will be looking for a second title beginning with Wiggins. The No. 10 seed in the Eastern Conference, the Heat are in a play-in game and will face the Charlotte Hornets on Tuesday, April 14, at 6:30 p.m. CT on Amazon Prime Video. The winner of the game will face the loser of the Philadelphia 76ers-Orlando Magic game on April 17 and that winner will face the No. 1 seed Detroit Pistons with the series beginning April 19. Wiggins, who played at Kansas in 2013-14, won his first NBA title with the Golden State Warriors in 2022 and has played 44 NBA playoff games during his career.
Braun won an NBA title with the Denver Nuggets in 2023. The Nuggets are the No. 3 seed in the Western Conference and will host the Minnesota Timberwolves in the first round of the playoffs with the series beginning Saturday, April 18, at 1:30 p.m. CT on Prime Video. Braun played at KU from 2020-22 and was a starter on the Jayhawks’ 2022 national championship team. He has played in 45 NBA playoff games.
Embiid and Oubre Jr. are teammates on the 76ers, who are the No. 7 seed in the Eastern Conference. The 76ers will host the No. 8 seed Orlando Magic Wednesday, April 15 at 6:30 p.m. CT on Prime Video. The winner of that game will play the No. 2 seed Boston Celtics with that series starting April 19. The 2023 NBA MVP, Embiid played at Kansas in 2013-14 and has played in 59 NBA playoff games. Oubre played at Kansas in 2014-15 and has played in 24 NBA playoff games, including six with the 76ers.
Dick is in his third season with the Toronto Raptors who are the No. 5 seed in the Eastern Conference. The Raptors will play the No. 4 seed Cleveland Cavaliers with that series starting on Saturday, April 18, at 11 a.m. CT on Prime Video. Dick, who played at Kansas in 2022-23, will be making his first NBA playoff appearance
McCullar Jr. is in his second NBA season, both with the New York Knicks. The Knicks are the No. 3 seed in the Eastern Conference and will host the No. 6 seed Atlanta Hawks on Saturday, April 18, at 4 p.m. CT on Prime Video in game one of that series. McCullar played two seasons at KU in 2022-23 and 2023-24.
Staff-wise, KU 2008 national champion Darrell Arthur is a player development coach with the Denver Nuggets. Arthur was a two-year starter at KU in 2007 and 2008. Kansas 2002 All-America Nick Collison, who played at KU from 1999-2002, is the special assistant to the general manager with the Oklahoma City Thunder. Former KU team manager during the mid-1980s, Bill Pope, is the director of pro personnel with the Orlando Magic.
In 2024, former Kansas guard Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk became the 16th Jayhawk to win an NBA title as he was with the Boston Celtics. There have been 16 Jayhawks who have won 21 NBA titles during their professional careers. Mykhailiuk became the eighth Jayhawk under head coach Bill Self to win an NBA title. He joined Wayne Simien (2006), Mario Chalmers (2012, 2013), Brandon Rush (2015), Sasha Kaun (2016), Markieff Morris (2020), Wiggins (2022) and Braun (2023).
Kansas NBA Champions (*NBA Playoff MVP)
Clyde Lovellette (1950-52 at KU) – 1954 (Minneapolis Lakers); 1963, 1964 (Boston Celtics)
Maurice King (1955-57 at KU) – 1960 (Boston Celtics)
Wilt Chamberlain (1957-58 at KU) – 1967 (Philadelphia 76ers); *1972 (L.A. Lakers)
Jo Jo White (1966-69 at KU) – 1974, *1976 (Boston Celtics)
Bill Bridges (1959-61 at KU) – 1975 (Golden State Warriors)
Wayne Simien (2002-05 at KU) – 2006 (Miami Heat)
Jacque Vaughn (1994-97 at KU) – 2007 (San Antonio Spurs)
Paul Pierce (1996-98 at KU) – *2008 (Boston Celtics)
Scot Pollard (1994-97 at KU) – 2008 (Boston Celtics)
Mario Chalmers (2006-08 at KU) – 2012, 2013 (Miami Heat)
Brandon rush (2006-08 at KU) – 2015 (Golden State Warriors)
Sasha Kaun (2005-08 at KU) – 2016 (Cleveland Cavaliers)
Markieff Morris (2009-11 at KU) – 2020 (L.A. Lakers)
Andrew Wiggins (2013-14 at KU) – 2022 (Golden State Warriors)
Christian Braun (2020-22 at KU) – 2023 (Denver Nuggets)
Sviatoslav Mykailiuk (2015-2018 AT KU) – 2024 (Boston Celtics)