NCAA Tournament ‑ Pros From The Past

Author Beasley Media Group Digital

March 19th, 2021 9:09 AM

As the 2021 NCAA Tournament tips off, we took a look back at some of the NBA & WNBA’s most prolific stars through the years in their college threads. Wilt Chamberlain at Kansas, a beardless James Harden at ASU, Sabrina Ionescu at Oregon, Steph Curry before the Splash Brothers…

Scroll below to see the young stars before they went pro.

• NCAA Womens Final Four X

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  29 Mar 2002: Sue Bird #10 of Connecticut celebrates during the second half against Tennessee during the NCAA Women's Final Four game at the Alamo Dome in San Antonio, Texas. Connecticut won 79-56. DIGITAL IMAGE. Mandatory Credit: Andy Lyons/Getty Images

• Connecticut v USC

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  LOS ANGELES - DECEMBER 7: Diana Taurasi #3 of Connecticut drives against Rachel Woodward #33 of USC during the game on December 7, 2003 at the Los Angeles Sports Arena in Los Angeles, California. Connecticut defeated USC 72-69. (Photo by Jeff Gross/Getty Images)

• 2004 NCAA Women’s National Championship: Tennessee v UCONN

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  NEW ORLEANS - APRIL 6: Diana Taurasi #3 of the University of Connecticut Huskies cuts down the net and waves to the crowd after defeating the Tennessee Lady Vols 70-61 in the National Championship game of the NCAA Women's Final Four Tournament at the New Orleans Arena on April 6, 2004 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)
• 2004 NCAA Women’s National Championship: Tennessee v UCONN

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  NEW ORLEANS - APRIL 6: Diana Taurasi #3 of the University of Connecticut Huskies walks off the court after defeating the Tennessee Lady Vols 70-61 in the National Championship game of the NCAA Women's Final Four Tournament at the New Orleans Arena on April 6, 2004 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)

• Tamika Catchings #24

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  31 Mar 2000: Tamika Catchings #24 of the Tennessee Volunteers jumps with the ball during the NCAA Women''s Finals Four Game against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights at the First Union Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Volunteers defeated the Scarlet Knights 64-54.

• NCAA Second Round – USC v Texas

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  SPOKANE, WA - MARCH 18: Taj Gibson #22 of the USC Trojans goes up for the ball against Kevin Durant #35 of the Texas Longhorns during the second round of the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Spokane Memorial Arena on March 18, 2007 in Spokane, Washington. (Photo by Jonathan Ferrey/Getty Images)
• Davidson v Kansas

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  DETROIT - MARCH 30: Stephen Curry #30 of the Davidson Wildcats smiles as he stretches against the Kansas Jayhawks during the Midwest Regional Final of the 2008 NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament at Ford Field on March 30, 2008 in Detroit, Michigan (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)

• Davidson v Kansas

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  DETROIT - MARCH 30: Stephen Curry #30 of the Davidson Wildcats attempts a shot against Cole Aldrich #45 of the Kansas Jayhawks during the Midwest Regional Final of the 2008 NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament at Ford Field on March 30, 2008 in Detroit, Michigan (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)

• 2008 Women’s Final 4 – Tennessee v LSU

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  TAMPA, FL - APRIL 06: (L-R) Alberta Auguste #33, Candace Parker #3 and Shannon Bobbitt #00 of the Tennessee Lady Volunteers celebrate their 47-46 win against the LSU Lady Tigers during their National Semifinal Game of the 2008 NCAA Women's Final Four at St. Pete Times Forum April 6, 2008 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Doug Benc/Getty Images)
• Marquette v Xavier

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  CLEVELAND, OH - MARCH 18: Jimmy Butler #33 of the Marquette Golden Eagles dunks the ball against the Xavier Musketeers during the second round of the 2011 NCAA men's basketball tournament at Quicken Loans Arena on March 18, 2011 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)

• Michigan v Duke

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  CHARLOTTE, NC - MARCH 20: Kyrie Irving #1 of the Duke Blue Devils reacts while taking on the Michigan Wolverines during the third round of the 2011 NCAA men's basketball tournament at Time Warner Cable Arena on March 20, 2011 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)

• Stanford v Connecticut

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  NASHVILLE, TN - APRIL 06: Breanna Stewart #30 of the Connecticut Huskies drives with the ball against Chiney Ogwumike #13 of the Stanford Cardinal in the second half during the NCAA Women's Final Four semifinal at Bridgestone Arena on April 6, 2014 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
• Kentucky v LSU

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  BATON ROUGE, LA - JANUARY 05: Ben Simmons #25 of the LSU Tigers reacts to a dunk against the Kentucky Wildcats during the second half of a game at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center on January 5, 2016 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. LSU defeated Kentucky 85-67. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images)

• LSU v Kentucky

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  LEXINGTON, KY - MARCH 05: Ben Simmons #25 of the LSU Tigers dribbles the ball in the game against the Kentucky Wildcats at Rupp Arena on March 5, 2016 in Lexington, Kentucky. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)

• Syracuse v UConn

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  INDIANAPOLIS, IN - APRIL 05: Breanna Stewart #30 of the Connecticut Huskies tips-off against Briana Day #50 of the Syracuse Orange at the start of the first quarter during the championship game of the 2016 NCAA Women's Final Four Basketball Championship at Bankers Life Fieldhouse on April 5, 2016 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images)
• Mississippi State v South Carolina

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  DALLAS, TX - APRIL 02: A'ja Wilson #22 of the South Carolina Gamecocks holds the NCAA trophy and celebrates with her team after winning the championship game against the Mississippi State Lady Bulldogs of the 2017 NCAA Women's Final Four at American Airlines Center on April 2, 2017 in Dallas, Texas. (Photo by Ron Jenkins/Getty Images)

• ACC Basketball Tournament – Quarterfinals

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  CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA - MARCH 14: (EDITOR'S NOTE: Alternate crop.) Zion Williamson #1 of the Duke Blue Devils dunks the ball against the Syracuse Orange during their game in the quarterfinal round of the 2019 Men's ACC Basketball Tournament at Spectrum Center on March 14, 2019 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)

• ACC Basketball Tournament – Championship

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  CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA - MARCH 16: Teammates RJ Barrett #5 and Zion Williamson #1 of the Duke Blue Devils react after defeating the Florida State Seminoles 73-63 in the championship game of the 2019 Men's ACC Basketball Tournament at Spectrum Center on March 16, 2019 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)
• Utah v Oregon

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  LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - MARCH 06: Sabrina Ionescu #20 of the Oregon Ducks reacts after a teammate hit a 3-pointer against the Utah Utes during the Pac-12 Conference women’s basketball tournament quarterfinals at the Mandalay Bay Events Center on March 6, 2020 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Ducks defeated the Utes 79-59. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)

• Loyola Marymount University Lions vs Louisiana State University Fighting Tigers

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  Shaquille O'Neal #33, Center for the Louisiana State University Fighting Tigers prepares to make a free throw during the NCAA Southeastern Conference college basketball game against the Loyola Marymount University Lions on 3rd February 1990 at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center arena in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, United States. The LSU Fighting Tigers won the game 103 - 94. (Photo by Allsport/Getty Images)

• Southeastern Louisiana University Lions vs Louisiana State University Fighting Tigers

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  Shaquille O'Neal #33, Center for the Louisiana State University Fighting Tigers dunks the ball through the hoop during the NCAA Southeastern Conference college basketball game against the Southeastern Louisiana University Lions on 17th December 1991 at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center arena in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, United States. The LSU Fighting Tigers won the game 101 - 64. (Photo by Brad Messina/Allsport/Getty Images)

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Author Beasley Media Group Digital

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NCAA Tournament