The four-team, neutral-site Champions Classic has been one of the biggest non-conference showcases every college basketball season since its inception in 2011. The four participating schools — Duke, Kansas, Kentucky and Michigan State — have all been ranked every year at the time of the Classic, with the exception of the Spartans in 2011.

There have been eight top-10 matchups in the previous 14 Champions Classic games (with two more on tap this year) and countless NBA draft picks have played in the event.

We revisited every one of those games and ranked the most talented individual Champions Classic matchups, while taking into consideration recruiting rankings/hype, college production and NBA draft picks/professional success.

 

1. 2017 Duke-Michigan State

Notable players: Marvin Bagley III (Duke), Jaren Jackson Jr. (Michigan State), Wendell Carter Jr. (Duke), Miles Bridges (Michigan State), Grayson Allen (Duke), Gary Trent Jr. (Duke), Trevon Duval (Duke)

It’s still too soon to judge how many bonafide NBA players competed in last year’s Duke-Michigan State matchup, but four of the top 12 picks in June’s NBA draft were on the floor, plus two other top-40 selections. The irony is that Duke’s Marvin Bagley III, the highest-drafted player between the two teams, only played 10 minutes in the game due to an injury while teammate Grayson Allen, the fifth-highest drafted player of the group, stole the show with 37 points.

 

2. 2014 Kentucky-Kansas

Notable players: Karl-Anthony Towns (Kentucky), Devin Booker (Kentucky), Willie Cauley-Stein (Kentucky), Kelly Oubre Jr. (Kansas), Trey Lyles (Kentucky), Tyler Ulis (Kentucky), Andrew Harrison (Kentucky), Aaron Harrison (Kentucky), Alex Poythress (Kentucky), Frank Mason (Kansas), Wayne Selden (Kansas), Perry Ellis (Kansas), Devonte’ Graham (Kansas), Svi Mykhailiuk (Kansas)

This was Kentucky’s 38-1 team that was undefeated when it arrived in Indianapolis for the Final Four, held the No. 1 ranking in the AP poll the entire season, had five former top-10 recruits and put nine players in the NBA.

Kansas, led by junior Perry Ellis and sophomores Frank Mason and Wayne Selden, ended up losing in the second round of the NCAA tournament, but its ranking hovered around No. 10 in the country all season.

Karl-Anthony Towns, the 2014 Gatorade National Player of the Year who was a consensus All-American in 2015 and NBA All-Star last season, is the biggest name from this group of players, but there’s a handful of other players from this game who are productive NBA players. Devin Booker is averaging a career-best 25.7 points per game early in his fourth season, while Cauley-Stein starts for the Sacramento Kings. Kelly Oubre Jr., Trey Lyles, Frank Mason, Alex Poythress, Tyler Ulis, Devonte’ Graham and Svi Mykhailiuk are currently on NBA benches.

 

3. 2013 Kansas-Duke

Notable players: Joel Embiid (Kansas), Andrew Wiggins (Kansas), Jabari Parker (Duke), Rodney Hood (Duke), Quinn Cook (Duke)

Former Kansas center Joel Embiid was a highly-rated prospect in the 2013 recruiting class, but odds are most basketball fans wouldn’t have guessed that Embiid would be the most promising NBA player five years later, compared to his teammate Andrew Wiggins or former Duke forward Jabari Parker. Wiggins was the top prospect in the class and Parker was also a top-five recruit.

Parker’s Duke teammates Rodney Hood and Quinn Cook have been a 12-to-15 point-per-game scorer and a backup guard for the Golden State Warriors, respectively.

Former Jayhawks Frank Mason, Wayne Selden and Tarik Black have had varying degrees of success at the next level.

 

4. 2011 Kentucky-Kansas

Notable players: Anthony Davis (Kentucky), Michael Kidd-Gilchrist (Kentucky), Marquis Teague (Kentucky), Darius Miller (Kentucky), Terrence Jones (Kentucky), Doron Lamb (Kentucky), Jeff Withey (Kansas), Thomas Robinson (Kansas), Tyshawn Taylor (Kansas)

Former Kentucky center Anthony Davis, the 2012 Naismith Award winner, has been the most productive NBA player of anyone who’s played in the Champions Classic but the Kentucky-Kansas matchup from seven years ago actually lacks notable NBA players outside of Davis. Michael Kidd-Gilchrist has been a regular NBA starter who averaged 12.7 points and 6.4 rebounds per game in his best pro season in 2016, but Marquis Teague, Doron Lamb and Terrence Jones have faded out of the league. Darius Miller is still hanging on with New Orleans, where he’s averaging three points in five games this season.

Former Kansas players Jeff Withey, Thomas Robinson and Tyshawn Taylor were marginal contributors during their brief careers at the next level.

To be fair, seven years is a long time and the NBA prospects from other Champions Classic matchups may fail to hold up to the test of time, too. After all, the Wildcats and Jayhawks played again in the national championship game, so these were two of the best three-to-five teams in the country that season.

 

5. 2013 Michigan State-Kentucky

Notable players: Gary Harris (Michigan State), Julius Randle (Kentucky), Adreian Payne (Michigan State), Keith Appling (Michigan State), Branden Dawson (Michigan State), Aaron Harrison (Kentucky), Andrew Harrison (Kentucky), Denzel Valentine (Michigan State), Willie Cauley-Stein (Kentucky), Travis Trice (Michigan State)

The 2013-14 Spartans were one of three Michigan State teams that have won 29 games in the Champions Classic era. Led by shooting guard Gary Harris, a former top-20 recruit who returned for his sophomore year, Michigan State had six players on its roster that season who have at least had a cup of coffee in the NBA.

Kentucky, fueled by a powerhouse 2013 recruiting class that featured five of the top-10 players in the country, started the season No. 1 in the AP Top 25 before falling out of the rankings in March and then making a run to the national championship game, where the Wildcats lost to UConn.

Forward Julius Randle was the team’s leading scorer and rebounder at 15 points and 10 rebounds per game, and he’s been the most productive NBA player from John Calipari’s 2014 team after being selected No. 7 overall by the Lakers.

 

6. 2014 Duke-Michigan State

Notable players: Jahlil Okafor (Duke), Justise Winslow (Duke), Tyus Jones (Duke), Quinn Cook (Duke), Grayson Allen (Duke), Denzel Valentine (Michigan State), Branden Dawson (Michigan State), Bryn Forbes (Michigan State), Matt Costello (Michigan State)

Duke had nine former top-35 recruits, including three of the top 15 freshmen, on its roster when it won the national championship in 2015. For perspective, sophomore forward Semi Ojeleye, who averaged just 10 minutes as a Duke reserve through six games in 2014 before transferring to SMU, played more than 15 minutes a night as a rookie for the Boston Celtics last season.

The Blue Devils then had three first-round draft picks in the 2015 NBA Draft, including Jahlil Okafor at No. 3 and Justise Winslow at No. 10. They were never ranked outside of the top five the entire season.

Michigan State only had one former top-50 recruit on its roster during the 2014-15 season, senior forward Branden Dawson, and the Spartans spent more time outside the AP Top 25 than they did inside it four seasons ago, which was a reflection of the talent on the roster. Denzel Valentine and Bryn Forbes were juniors then but they hadn’t yet developed into the players who are now NBA-level starters.

Given Valentine’s current injury, Winslow is arguably the best current NBA player who played in this game.

 

7. 2015 Kentucky-Duke

Notable players: Brandon Ingram (Duke), Jamal Murray (Kentucky), Luke Kennard (Duke), Tyler Ulis (Kentucky), Grayson Allen (Duke), Skal Labissiere (Kentucky), Isaiah Briscoe (Kentucky), Derryck Thornton (Duke), Chase Jeter (Duke), Charles Matthews (Kentucky)

Kentucky and Duke combined to enroll seven of the top 21 recruits in the 2015 recruiting class, according to the 247Sports Composite rankings. While Brandon Ingram, the No. 3 recruit in the country in his class, was outstanding in his one season at Duke, averaging 17.3 points and 6.8 rebounds per game, before being selected No. 2 overall by the Lakers in the 2016 NBA Draft, you could make the case that four of those seven recruits didn’t pan out at their respective schools based on their high school rankings.

Former Kentucky guard Jamal Murray had a prolific 3-point shooting season with 113 3s on 40.8 percent shooting and Duke guard Luke Kennard was productive as a freshman before leading the team in scoring as a sophomore. But not all of the former four- and five-star recruits who played in this 2015 Champions Classic matchup could say the same.

Derryck Thornton and Chase Jeter transferred from Duke.

Skal Labissiere, one of the top freshman prospects that season, only started half of Kentucky’s games that season, averaging 6.6 points and three rebounds.

Isaiah Briscoe played a lot at the “two” with Tyler Ulis at point guard but Briscoe shot just 13 percent from 3-point range as a freshman. He left school after two years and he’s averaging seven minutes per game in four games for the Orlando Magic this season.

 

8. 2011 Duke-Michigan State

Notable players: Draymond Green (Michigan State), Austin Rivers (Duke), Seth Curry (Duke), Mason Plumlee (Duke), Miles Plumlee (Duke), Keith Appling (Michigan State), Branden Dawson (Michigan State)

Former Michigan State forward Draymond Green is the biggest name to play in this 2011 Champions Classic matchup because of his role and success on the Golden State Warriors but he was the only Spartans player from that team to stick in the NBA.

On the other sideline, Duke had six future NBA players, most notably Austin Rivers, son of Doc Rivers and one of the top recruits in the 2011 recruiting class, Seth Curry and Mason and Miles Plumlee.

Rivers averaged 15 points per game as a starter for the L.A. Clippers last season, while Curry plays for the Portland Trail Blazers after not playing in the NBA last season. Both Plumlee brothers are role players who have bounced around the league.

 

9. 2016 Kentucky-Michigan State

Notable players: De’Aaron Fox (Kentucky), Malik Monk (Kentucky), Miles Bridges (Michigan State), Bam Adebayo (Kentucky), Isaiah Briscoe (Kentucky), Wenyen Gabriel (Kentucky)

Kentucky put three players into the NBA draft lottery with De’Aaron Fox (fifth), Malik Monk (11th) and Bam Adebayo (14th) in 2017, and former Michigan State forward Miles Bridges would have been selected somewhere in that range too if he didn’t elect to return to school for his sophomore year.

Five of the top 15 recruits in the 2016 recruiting class shared the floor that night between the Wildcats and Spartans.

 

10. 2012 Duke-Kentucky

Notable players: Nerlens Noel (Kentucky), Rodney Hood (Duke), Seth Curry (Duke), Mason Plumlee (Duke), Quinn Cook (Duke), Willie Cauley-Stein (Kentucky), Archie Goodwin (Kentucky), Rasheed Sulaimon (Duke)

Former Kentucky big man Nerlens Noel was the No. 1 recruit in the 2012 recruiting class and teammates Alex Poythress and Archie Goodwin were also ranked in the top 20 nationally. Noel shined in the Champions Classic, scoring 16 points with eight rebounds, four steals, three blocks and two assists, but Duke won 75-68.

Noel was drafted No. 6 overall in the 2013 NBA Draft and he has since moved to a reserve role since leaving Philadelphia.

Rodney Hood was a great scorer in his only season suiting up for Duke, where he averaged 16.1 points on 49 percent shooting on twos, 42 percent on threes and 80 percent at the free throw line. He’s been the most productive NBA player who played in the 2012 Champions Classic matchup between the Blue Devils and Wildcats.

 

11. 2017 Kansas-Kentucky

Notable players: Kevin Knox (Kentucky), Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Kentucky), Devonte’ Graham (Kansas), Jarred Vanderbilt (Kentucky), Hamidou Diallo (Kentucky), Svi Mykhailiuk (Kansas)

Kentucky had four players drafted in June’s NBA draft, including lottery picks Kevin Knox and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, while Kansas produced a pair of second-rounders in Devonte’ Graham and Svi Mykhailiuk. Both teams had significant contributors return to school, so we’ll have to wait and see what legacies they’ll leave at the college level and how many other potential NBA players competed in last year’s game between the Jayhawks and Wildcats.

 

12. 2016 Kansas-Duke

Notable players: Josh Jackson (Kansas), Frank Mason (Kansas), Luke Kennard (Duke), Grayson Allen (Duke), Devonte’ Graham (Kansas), Svi Mykhailiuk (Kansas), Frank Jackson (Duke)

Former Kansas wing Josh Jackson was the No. 1 recruit in the 2016 recruiting class and current Celtics starter Jayson Tatum was a top-10 prospect, which actually placed him third among Duke freshmen behind fellow Blue Devils Harry Giles and Frank Jackson, according to the 247Sports Composite rankings.

However, neither Tatum nor Giles played in Duke’s 77-75 loss to Kansas due to injuries, which has to bring the talent level in this game down a notch as a result.

Frank Mason III hit the game-winning jumper with less than two seconds to play, marking one of many memorable moments he had in his Naismith Award-winning senior season.

 

13. 2015 Michigan State-Kansas

Notable players: Denzel Valentine (Michigan State), Frank Mason (Kansas), Bryn Forbes (Michigan State), Deyonta Davis (Michigan State), Matt Costello (Michigan State), Wayne Selden (Kansas), Devonte’ Graham (Kansas), Svi Mykhailiuk (Kansas)

When looking back on the 2015 Champions Classic game between Michigan State and Kansas, the common roster trait that jumps off the page is the one-and-done talent at power forward that didn’t pan out contrasted with lower-ranked players who developed into National Player of the Year-level performers.

Kansas’ Cheick Diallo was a top-five recruit in the 2015 recruiting class and Michigan State’s Deyonta Davis was one of the highest-rated four-star recruits that year. Both players were drafted early in the second round of the 2016 NBA Draft. Davis is currently in the G-League and Diallo has averaged five points per game off the bench in his NBA career.

Diallo didn’t play until December in his one year in college, so he was a non-participant in the Champions Classic, and Davis averaged 7.5 points and 5.5 rebounds per game as a freshman as he moved into the starting lineup in the second half of the year.

Meanwhile, Denzel Valentine, a borderline top-100 recruit in the 2012 class, posted a 29-point, 12-rebound, 12-assist triple-double in the 79-73 win over Kansas as part of a consensus First Team All-American season.

Kansas’ Frank Mason, who was ranked 118th in the 2013 recruiting class by 247Sports, won the Naismith Award the following season.

 

14. 2012 Kansas-Michigan State

Notable players: Gary Harris (Michigan State), Keith Appling (Michigan State), Adreian Payne (Michigan State), Ben McLemore (Kansas), Jeff Withey (Kansas), Branden Dawson (Michigan State), Denzel Valentine (Michigan State)

Michigan State’s 2013 team had eight former top-100 recruits and six players who have played in the NBA, making it one of coach Tom Izzo’s more talented Spartan squads. However, Harris and Valentine are the only two who are currently in the NBA.

Compared to Kansas’ own standards, its 2013 roster was a bit lacking, at least in top-end talent. The Jayhawks had seven former top-100 recruits but only one who was a top-25 recruit, senior Elijah Johnson, who was the team’s fourth-leading scorer. Only Ben McLemore, who averaged 16 points and five rebounds in 2013, and Jeff Withey played in the NBA.