Did you know these celebrities attended Arizona State University? See the famous alumni
If you have ever wondered what fashion designer Kate Spade has in common with comedian and talk show host Jimmy Kimmel, you can thank Arizona State University for connecting the dots.
Before the public university ranked No. 1 in innovation, the Arizona school (which has its main campus in Tempe and others around Arizona and in Los Angeles, Washington, D.C., and Hawaii) was home to some of the most notable governmental figures, athletes, entrepreneurs and entertainers of multiple generations. NBA players and Hollywood stars have worn the maroon and gold with pride as they trekked up "A" mountain in Tempe with their peers.
Here are some of the most recognizable former Sun Devils that Arizonans should know.
Jimmy Kimmel
Late-night talk show host Jimmy Kimmel had a short stint at ASU. During his time at the school, he was a regular caller to KZZP's morning show. He then dropped out to pursue a career in radio. His journey working for multiple radio stations led him to host his talk show "Jimmy Kimmel Live!"
Derrick Hall
Arizona Diamondbacks President and CEO Derrick Hall graduated from Arizona State with a bachelor's degree in broadcasting and journalism in 1991. Hall was inducted into the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communications Alumni Hall of Fame in 2002. Hall is now the fourth-longest tenured CEO in Major League Baseball.
Kate Spade
Before becoming a fashion mogul with her own collection of designer handbags, Kate Spade was an ASU transfer student and a Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority sister. She graduated with a journalism degree in 1985 and moved to Manhattan to pursue a career in fashion shortly after.
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Ryan Wood
Co-founder of Under Armour Ryan Wood played college football at Arizona State. Transferring after his sophomore year, Wood became the captain of his Division 1 team by the time he was a senior. He went on to be a fullback for the Dallas Cowboys before becoming a successful sportswear entrepreneur.
Lynda Carter
Arizona native Lynda Carter briefly attended Arizona State before pursuing a career in modeling that launched her into stardom. Carter is most known for being crowned Miss USA in 1973 and for playing the titular role in the "Wonder Woman" TV show in the 1970s.
David Spade
David Spade attended both Scottsdale Community College and Arizona State University before joining the "Saturday Night Live" cast. Spade was a member of the Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity and often performed stand-up comedy around Tempe.
Katie Hobbs
Arizona's Gov. Katie Hobbs actually attended both Northern Arizona University and Arizona State University. Receiving her bachelor's degree in social work from NAU in 1992, she went back to school and achieved a master's degree in social work from ASU in 1995.
Barry Bonds
In the 1982 Major League Baseball draft, the San Francisco Giants drafted Bonds as a high school senior, but he decided to pursue a college education instead. As a sophomore at ASU, he tied the NCAA record with seven consecutive hits in the College World Series.
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James Harden
Once wearing a maroon and gold 13 across his chest, James Harden was named the Pac-10 Conference's Player of the Year and a consensus All-American as a sophomore at ASU. At the end of the season, he was declared for the 2009 NBA draft and was selected by the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Pat Tillman
Pat Tillman was an Arizona State University football player in the 1990s. While playing for the Arizona Cardinals, he left football to enlist in the U.S. Army after the Sept. 11 attacks. ASU continues to honor Tillman's legacy with its annual 4.2-mile race, Pat's Run, and its veteran center that supports student veterans and dependents.
Phil Mickelson
Phil Mickelson, the professional golfer, became the face of amateur golf during his time at Arizona State. Throughout his collegiate career, Mickelson earned the All-American honors all four years and won 16 tournaments. In his professional career, Mickelson has won 45 events on the PGA Tour.
Al Micheals
The play-by-play sportscaster for Thursday Night Football got his start calling Sun Devils football, basketball and baseball games for ASU's campus radio station. While studying radio and television and journalism, Micheals also wrote for the school's student newspaper the State Press.
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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Famous Arizona State alumni: These celebs went to ASU