The University of Texas at Austin Athletics

Myles Turner to represent Longhorns in the NBA Finals
06.01.2025 | Men's Basketball
Turner becomes the 11th former Longhorn player to compete in the NBA Finals.
AUSTIN, Texas — Former University of Texas star Myles Turner (Indiana Pacers) will play in the 2025 NBA Finals, scheduled to begin on Thursday, June 5 in Oklahoma City. Turner will make his first appearance in the NBA Finals.
A total of 11 former University of Texas players have been on a roster of a participating team in the NBA Finals. Joining Turner on this list is Slater Martin (seven appearances), Kevin Durant and Tristan Thompson (both with four appearances), Cory Joseph and Dexter Pittman (both with two appearances), and Avery Bradley, Daniel Gibson, Royal Ivey, Chris Mihm and P.J. Tucker (each with one appearance).
Seven former Longhorns - Martin, Durant, Pittman, Joseph, Thompson, Bradley and Tucker – have been a part of an NBA Championship team. Martin won five titles during his Hall of Fame career, including four championships with the Minneapolis Lakers (1950, 1952, 1953 and 1954) and one with the St. Louis Hawks (1958). Pittman was inactive but with the Miami Heat's 2012 NBA Championship team, while Joseph played on the San Antonio Spurs' 2015 NBA Championship team.
Thompson earned a NBA Championship ring in 2016 with the Cleveland Cavaliers, and Durant won back-to-back NBA Championships in 2017 and 2018 with the Golden State Warriors. Bradley was on the Los Angeles Lakers' 2020 NBA Championship team, but he did not join the Lakers in Orlando for the NBA Restart. Tucker earned a NBA Championship ring in 2021 with the Milwaukee Bucks.
Game 1 of the 2025 NBA Finals between the Indiana Pacers and the Oklahoma City Thunder will air on ABC at 7:30 p.m. Central on Thursday, June 5.
Former Texas Players on Rosters of Teams in the NBA Finals
Year |
Player |
Team |
Result |
1950 |
Slater Martin |
Minneapolis Lakers |
Won |
1952 |
Slater Martin |
Minneapolis Lakers |
Won |
1953 |
Slater Martin |
Minneapolis Lakers |
Won |
1954 |
Slater Martin |
Minneapolis Lakers |
Won |
1957 |
Slater Martin |
St. Louis Hawks |
Lost |
1958 |
Slater Martin |
St. Louis Hawks |
Won |
1960 |
Slater Martin |
St. Louis Hawks |
Lost |
2007 |
Daniel Gibson |
Cleveland Cavaliers |
Lost |
2008 |
Chris Mihm |
Los Angeles Lakers |
Lost |
2011 |
Dexter Pittman |
Miami Heat |
Lost |
2012 |
Kevin Durant |
Oklahoma City Thunder |
Lost |
2012 |
Royal Ivey |
Oklahoma City Thunder |
Lost |
2012 |
Dexter Pittman |
Miami Heat |
Won |
2013 |
Cory Joseph |
San Antonio Spurs |
Lost |
2014 |
Cory Joseph |
San Antonio Spurs |
Won |
2015 |
Tristan Thompson |
Cleveland Cavaliers |
Lost |
2016 |
Tristan Thompson |
Cleveland Cavaliers |
Won |
2017 |
Kevin Durant |
Golden State Warriors |
Won |
2017 |
Tristan Thompson |
Cleveland Cavaliers |
Lost |
2018 |
Kevin Durant |
Golden State Warriors |
Won |
2018 |
Tristan Thompson |
Cleveland Cavaliers |
Lost |
2019 |
Kevin Durant |
Golden State Warriors |
Lost |
2020 |
Avery Bradley |
Los Angeles Lakers |
Won |
2021 |
P.J. Tucker |
Milwaukee Bucks |
Won |
2025 |
Myles Turner |
Indiana Pacers |
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