NBA stars when they were in college

Hakeem Olajuwon and Clyde Drexler led Houston's Phi Slamma Jamma squads to back-to-back NCAA championship games, where they lost to N.C. State and Patrick Ewing's Georgetown Hoyas. An unknown quantity as a freshman, he became the first pick in the NBA draft and an eventual Hall of Famer.

Larry Johnson was the best player on one of college basketball's most iconic teams. Built like a linebacker, the UNLV forward led the Runnin' Rebels to two Final Fours and a dominant NCAA championship win over Duke. (Photo by Stephen Wade/Getty Images)

Before Gonzaga, Steve Nash ruled the WCC. The two-time NBA MVP led unheralded Santa Clara to two NCAA tournament wins.

A three-time champion, NCAA tournament MOP and first-team All-American, Lew Alcindor helped UCLA to 88 straight wins and is arguably the greatest to ever lace them up in college.

Before filling up box scores in the NBA, "The Big O" lit up scoreboards in college. He left Cincinnati with two Final Four appearances and the NCAA's career scoring mark.

Bill Russell didn't just win championships in Boston. The Hall of Famer won two national titles and an NCAA tournament Most Outstanding Player award with San Francisco.

Nobody lscored buckets like LSU's Pistol Pete. The three-time All-American averaged 44.2 points a game over a four-year college career.

Before both players went on to stardom in the NBA, UCLA's Russell Westbrook battled Memphis' Derrick Rose during the Final Four in 2008. (Photo by Ron T. Ennis/Fort Worth Star-Telegram/MCT via Getty Images)