- The odds of making the NBA are 0.0000007317%.
- Approximately 1.2% of college basketball players make it to the NBA.
- The odds of a high school player making the NBA are 0.03%.
The NBA odds of making the league are incredibly long, as each of the 30 teams can only roster up to 18 players.
Teams may look all over the world to find players who can help them win games and improve their championship basketball odds.
With that in mind, how likely is it to make it to the NBA? Let’s find out.
What Are the Odds of Making the NBA?
The odds of making the NBA are 0.0000007317%.
That number is based on the world’s population of nearly 8.2 billion people and the 60 spots in the NBA Draft each year.
The average height of an NBA player is 6-foot-7. Only nearly 5% of men worldwide stand at least 6 feet.
The calculated percentage doesn’t consider the skills or height necessary to make it to the league.
Nearly 250 players stand at the NBA’s average height or taller. About 100 of those players are at least 6-foot-10.
It also takes incredible skill, conditioning, and strength to be considered for a spot on an NBA roster.
Big men tend to have an advantage since they can overpower their opponents for points or rebounds inside the paint and block shots like it’s no one’s business.
Victor Wembanyama epitomizes the less than 1% of human beings who make it to the NBA.
He’s a 7-foot-4 specimen who can do all the aforementioned things, but he can shoot the 3-pointer and drive to the rim with his guard-like ball-handling skills, making him the complete package.
However, that’s not to say that players who stand well below the NBA’s average height couldn’t make a difference at the professional level.
Stephen Curry has made a living by drilling triples from a different area code every night.
Allen Iverson was generously listed at 6-foot, but his ankle-breaking crossover and ability to fight through contact helped him score amongst the trees.
An NBA hopeful who isn’t gifted with much height or freakish athleticism should work tirelessly on their 3-point shot, conditioning, playmaking, ball-handling, and defensive skills.
Sure, it might take some luck and natural abilities to make it to the league, but mastering the fundamentals or even just one of those skills can make you serviceable to any NBA team, and someday, you may be lucky enough to hoist the Larry O’Brien trophy.
What Percentage of College Basketball Players Make It To the NBA?
According to a study by the NCAA in April 2020, approximately 1.2% of college basketball players make it to the NBA.
The college basketball players who don’t make it to the NBA could find themselves on G-League or international teams.
What Are the Odds of a High School Player Making the NBA?
The odds of a high school player making the NBA are 0.03% or roughly three in 10,000.
What Are the Odds of a High School Basketball Player Playing in College?
The odds of a high school basketball player playing in college are 3.5%.
