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6 NBA Players Whose Careers Would Have Exploded in a Different City

by Jeremy Block - 2/9/2026

NBA players whose careers would have exploded in different city Chris Webber

We all know the formula for success in the NBA: talent, hard work, and a whole lot of luck. But one thing the basketball world tends to forget is that a player’s career can be made or broken based on the city they play in. The right exposure, the right team culture, and the right vibe can turn a solid player into a superstar. So, what if certain NBA players had ended up in different cities, where they could've actually been the face of the franchise?

Some players could’ve taken their careers to a whole new level if they’d been drafted by, traded to, or played for a team in the right city. So, here are six NBA stars who might have been even bigger if they'd played in a different market. 

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Vince Carter

A player with dunking ability that makes crowds lose their minds deserves a stage big enough to match. But instead, Vince Carter spent his early years in Toronto, a city that wasn’t exactly ready to turn him into the global sensation he should’ve been, nor did it have the kind of league-wide status to give him that kind of exposure. 

Despite being a highlight machine, Carter’s potential was hampered by a team and market that just didn’t know how to fully embrace him. Sure, he averaged 23.4 points and 5.4 rebounds in his seven seasons with the Raptors, but even that wasn’t enough to push him into the spotlight he deserved, considering the insane playstyle he brought to the table.

Now, imagine if he'd landed in New York, where the lights are brighter and the media never stops. In the Big Apple, Carter would have been more than just an All-Star—he would’ve been the face of the city, and maybe even the NBA. The spotlight in New York would’ve pushed him to new heights, letting him dominate the conversation in ways he couldn’t in Toronto.

Chris Webber 

Sometimes all it takes is the right mix of players, media presence, and a fanbase that lives and breathes basketball to turn a good player into a great one. For Chris Webber, it’s easy to imagine what might have happened if he’d played for the Los Angeles Lakers instead of the Sacramento Kings. 

Let’s be clear—Webber had a solid seven seasons with the Kings, averaging 21.8 points and 9.9 rebounds, but Sacramento couldn’t offer him the platform he truly deserved. With the skill set he had: guard-like footwork, big-man rebounding, and could finish around the rim, he needed a bigger stage to fully show what he was capable of.

If Webber had spent his prime years in L.A., playing alongside Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal, he could have been the third piece to a Lakers dynasty. His numbers might’ve gone up slightly, but more importantly, his resume would have been filled to the brim. 

Tracy McGrady

When NBA fans think of Tracy McGrady, they think of a guy who could effortlessly score from anywhere on the floor. The kind of player who could drop 13 points in 35 seconds and make defenders question how they ever thought they had a shot at guarding him.

McGrady was a pure scoring machine, averaging 19.6 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 4.4 assists for his career on 43% shooting from the field. But despite all that talent, his career never really reached the heights it could have. Sure, he had some great years in Orlando and Houston, but those teams just didn’t give him the kind of support he needed to break through. Orlando was stuck in a rebuilding phase with limited pieces around him, and in Houston, things just never clicked. Whether it was injuries, inconsistent teammates, or simply bad luck.

Now, imagine McGrady in Chicago—a city still hungry for a new star after the Jordan era. The Bulls were in the middle of a rebuild but had rising talent like Ben Gordon, Luol Deng, Kirk Heinrich, and Tyson Chandler. With McGrady as the centerpiece, Chicago could’ve had the kind of "take over the game" scorer who would’ve pushed the city back into playoff contention in the Eastern Conference.

Drazen Petrovic

There’s something about sharpshooters who can hit from anywhere on the floor, especially when they do it with the kind of consistency that Drazen Petrovic did. His shooting was so smooth it almost looked effortless, and in an era dominated by big names, he could have been one of the most iconic players in NBA history. 

Over his five-season career, Petrovic averaged 19.5 points per game on 50% shooting from the floor and 43% from beyond the arc. These numbers are impressive by any standard, but his time in New Jersey didn’t let those numbers resonate on the national level. The Nets weren’t a franchise getting much attention in the media, and Petrovic, despite being one of the best shooting guards in the league, didn’t get the limelight he deserved. Now, imagine if he was playing in a city like San Francisco.

In the early '90s, the Golden State Warriors were already an offensive juggernaut, led by Chris Mullin, Tim Hardaway, and Latrell Sprewell. Add Petrovic to that lineup and the team goes from deadly to nearly unstoppable. He would have been the perfect fit for the Warriors' high-paced, sharpshooting system, being their key to spacing the floor in a way that would’ve put even more pressure on opposing defenses. 

In a bigger market like San Francisco, Petrovic's game would have been on full display, and the media attention would have pushed him into the national conversation as one of the NBA’s premier players. 

Michael Redd

The Milwaukee Bucks were barely treading water in the mid-2000s, and the only reason they stayed afloat was Michael Redd. If you watched him on the court, you knew exactly what was coming: quick release, deep 3-pointers, and buckets piling up fast. But here’s the kicker: for all his scoring, Redd spent the majority of his career in Milwaukee—a city that could barely draw attention to its own NBA team. At that time, playing for the Bucks back then was like being a diamond hidden under a rock.

Redd averaged over 20 points per game for multiple seasons, shot 38% from beyond the arc for his career, and carried Milwaukee’s offense like a one-man army. But what if Redd had found himself in a bigger market. What could have been? Picture him on a team like the Dallas Mavericks in the 2000s, surrounded by Dirk Nowitzki and a solid supporting cast. The Mavs were already a contender, but adding Redd to the mix? That would’ve made them a nightmare for any defense.

Dallas needed a consistent scorer to complement Nowitzki, and Redd would’ve been the perfect fit. Plus, the media attention in Dallas would’ve boosted his national profile, giving him the All-Star recognition he deserved.

Al Jefferson

If there’s one thing that’ll make you scratch your head about the NBA, it’s how a player like Al Jefferson spent most of his career flying under the radar. He had the complete package for a big man of his time: smooth footwork, a soft touch around the rim, a knockdown mid-range jumper, and a pump fake that could make anyone jump.

But somehow, in smaller markets like Charlotte and Minnesota, Jefferson was just there. He never became the face of a team that could’ve really put him on the map, despite averaging 15.7 points and 8.4 rebounds over his 14-year career.

If Jefferson had played in a place like Miami or Boston, where the expectations were sky-high and the media was always around, there’s no question he would’ve gotten the exposure he deserved. Instead, he found himself carrying the load for teams stuck in rebuilding mode. 

Now, don’t get me wrong—Jefferson had his moments, like leading Charlotte to the playoffs in 2014, which was a huge milestone for the franchise. But in a bigger market with more firepower around him, he’d definitely be mentioned in the same conversation as some of the best bigs of his era.

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