Why Vermont Is the Only State That Has Never Produced an NBA Player

The Training Ground and the Reality of Rural Vermont Basketball

Longtime basketball trainer and skills coach Steve Pratt grew up in rural Vermont and experienced firsthand the geographic isolation of the state’s basketball scene. Pratt, who has worked with players over the years, recalled hitchhiking to Rutland for Saturday morning pickup games during his youth because organized local games were scarce. After getting cut from the Johnson State College basketball team as a freshman, Pratt eventually made the roster as a sophomore, worked his way into the starting lineup, and later won a high school state title as a coach before building a career in player development outside Chicago. Reflecting on why local talent rarely reaches the NBA, Pratt dismissed the notion that talent does not exist, laughing when asked if the NBA simply ignores the state. As McCluskey reported for The Ringer, Pratt noted his own unorthodox journey: I’m like a weird story where I was able to kind of develop pro development skills in Vermont … [because] I was aggressively pursuing and learning the craft.

Historical Proximity and the 1980s Draft Drought

The closest Vermont has ever come to breaking the streak arrived in the early 2000s with Taylor Coppenrath, who starred at the University of Vermont from the 2001-02 season through 2004-05. Coppenrath tied the record for most consecutive America East MVP awards set by Reggie Lewis, but went undrafted, subsequently playing in summer league action for the Boston Celtics and Indiana Pacers without ever cracking a regular-season roster. To find the last time a native Vermonter was actually selected in the NBA draft, basketball historians must look back to 1986. During an era when drafts stretched deep into multiple rounds, the Phoenix Suns used the 123rd overall pick in the sixth round to select Holy Cross star Jim McCaffrey, a 6-foot-2 guard from Rutland, Vermont. McCaffrey outperformed other rookie guards in training camp by finishing 16-for-24 from the field, but the Suns ultimately cut him before the regular season began. McCaffrey later earned a rookie tryout with the Celtics and briefly crossed paths with Larry Bird, appearing alongside him in a 1987 Nestlé Crunch commercial where the two traded basketball moves and interruptions in an empty arena. Despite his efforts, McCaffrey never secured a regular-season NBA roster spot.

Passing the Unwanted Milestone

Vermont inherited its dubious status following the 2025 NBA draft. According to NBA draft historian Matthew Maurer, Maine previously held the longest statewide drought between draftees at 41 years, dating back to Jeff Turner being selected by the Nets in 1984. Once Cooper Flagg was selected first overall in the 2025 draft, Maine’s historical drought officially ended, passing the distinction of the longest active state drought directly to Vermont.