With the entirety of college basketball fandom and then some focused on the 2023 NCAA Tournament as we inch closer to crowning a national champion at that level of the sport, attention to the college roots of the players of today and yesteryear also comes into momentary focus.
We can look back at the collegiate history of the Boston Celtics‘ top players, for example, and find a number of the storied ball club’s alumni are also among the highest earners for their respective schools at the NBA level. At blue blood schools like UConn, Duke, and Kansas to lesser-decorated but still well-represented universities like LSU, Arkansas, and Oklahoma, Celtics alumni have made a pretty penny at the NBA level.
Let’s take a look at which Celtics alumni are the top earners in the NBA for their respective colleges in the modern era.
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UConn - Ray Allen ($184,356,410)
March 7, 1996; New York City, NY, USA; UConn’s #34 Ray Allen drives against Seton Hall’s #4 Adrian Griffin at the quarter-final round of the Big East Championship at Madison Square Garden Thurs. Mandatory Credit: Robert Deutsch/USA TODAY-USA TODAY NETWORK
Kansas - Paul Pierce ($200,708,312)
Mar 9, 1997; Kansas City, MO, USA; FILE PHOTO; Kansas Jayhawks guard Paul Pierce (34) prior to the game against the Missouri Tigers during the 1997 Big 12 Conference Tournament at Kemper Arena. Mandatory Credit: USA TODAY Sports
Arkansas - Joe Johnson ($217,468,696)
15 Mar 2001: Guard Joe Johnson #24 of the Arkansas Razorbacks shoots the ball as forward Mike Sweetney #34 of the Georgetown Hoyas tries to get in his line of sight during the first round of the NCAA Tournament at the Boise State University Pavilion in Boise, Idaho. Mandatory Credit: Brian Bahr/ALLSPORT
Duke - Kyrie Irving ($236,774,149)
Nov 4, 2010; Durham, NC, USA; Duke Blue Devils guard Kyrie Irving (1) drives to the basket against Cal Poly Pomona Broncos forward Kevin Ryan (11) during the first half at Cameron Indoor Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark Dolejs-USA TODAY Sports
Oklahoma - Blake Griffin ($261,338,564)
Feb 2, 2007; College Station, TX, USA; Oklahoma Sooners forward Blake Griffin (23) battles for a rebound against the Texas A&M Aggies forward Joseph Jones (30) in the second half at Reed Arena. The Aggies beat the Sooners 60-52. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports
Florida - Al Horford ($269,728,232)
Jan 7, 2006; Athens, GA, USA; Florida Gators forward (42) Al Horford pulls down a rebound in front of Georgia Bulldogs. The Gators won 90-72. Mandatory Credit: Photo by Dale Zanine USA TODAY Sports Copyright (c) 2005 Dale Zanine
LSU - Shaquille O'Neal ($292,198,327)
Mar 1992; Birmingham, AL, USA; FILE PHOTO; LSU Tigers center Shaquille O’Neal in action against the Tennessee Volunteers during the 1992 SEC Championship at the Birmingham Jefferson Civic Center. Mandatory Credit: Photo By USA TODAY Sports (c) Copyright USA TODAY Sports
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