14. Indiana: Larry Bird (French Lick)
The legendary “Hick from French Lick” grew up in small-town Indiana and famously led unheralded Indiana State to the 1979 NCAA Championship game against Magic Johnson. Taking his unparalleled basketball IQ, deadly shooting, and ruthless trash-talk to the Boston Celtics, Bird won three consecutive NBA MVPs and three NBA championships. He fundamentally saved the NBA from financial ruin in the 1980s alongside his Lakers rival.