The Only Wyoming-Born Player in the NBA is Currently in the 2025 Finals

When it comes to professional sports, basketball players are not the first athletes that come to mind.

Are there any professional athletes from Wyoming that are currently playing?

We have a few that have attended college here (Josh Allen, probably being the most well known, but also Larry Nance Jr.). Taven Bryant is a Casper native and currently signed with the Indiana Colts, and Logan Wilson, who currently plays Cincinnati Bengals, was raised in Casper, although he was born in South Dakota.

But none of the them (with exception of Nance Jr.), play for the National Basketball Association.

Are there any current NBA players that were actually born in Wyoming?

Yes, there is, but only one. That individual is James Johnson, and right now he is signed to the Indiana Pacers, who are currently in the NBA Finals, battling it out with Oklahoma City Thunder.

UPDATE:

The series is now tied 3-3. The final game will be this Sunday (June 22nd, 2025).

Get our free mobile app

Johnson was drafted 16th overall in the 2009 NBA draft by the Chicago Bulls. He attended Cheyenne East High School and during his senior year, averaged an outstanding 28 points and 9 rebounds per game.

Those aren't his only accolades. According to his wife, Diane, in the video below, he's also a black belt in karate and kickboxing / MMA record of 21-0. She also dropped some other cool facts about her hubby during the video.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by WAG Talk (@wagtalk)

Personally, I really want to see Johnson and the Pacers defeat the Thunder, and not just because he's a Wyoming native (although that doesn't hurt, but mainly because OKC defeated my Denver Nuggets in the second round of the NBA Playoffs.