Chances are many of you haven't been to Minden, Louisiana. The small town has a population of just over 11,000, and as we've seen on "Caged," some of its younger residents don't plan on staying put. Wes and the rest of the boys throw punches in hopes of making it big and, ultimately, leaving Minden behind, so to support their big city dreams, we found five famous athletes who took the leap out of The Pelican State and landed on solid ground.
WILLIS REED
Hometown: Hico
Population: 800
Claim To Fame: A true hoopster, Reed played with the New York Knicks for his entire career (1964-1974). After retiring from the sport, he continued to stay on the court, coaching several teams and acting as general manager for the New Jersey Nets. In 1997 he was named one of the "50 Greatest NBA Players."
COREY WEBSTER
Hometown: Vacherie
Population: 6,000
Claim To Fame: Drafted by the NFL's New York Giants in 2005, Webster has moved up from special teams to cornerback, proving himself enough to sign a five-year $43.5 million contract with them in 2008. For him, moving away meant cashing in.
WILLIE DAVIS
Hometown: Lisbon
Population: 126
Claim to Fame: Talk about small towns--Davis is almost 1 percent of the population! He played as a defensive end for the Green Bay Packers, starting in 1959, and his dominance on the field eventually earned him a spot in the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1981.
VON WAFER
Hometown: Homer
Population: 3,788
Claim to Fame: After leaving home, Wafer traveled all over the United States, playing basketball for half a dozen different teams. He's currently in the Orlando Magic lineup, but has been a part of the L.A. Lakers, Boston Celtics and Dallas Mavericks' rosters. Between all that state-hopping, Wafer even earned himself a nickname: the Dutch Cookie.
KEVIN FAULK
Hometown: Carencro
Population: 6,120
Claim to Fame: Faulk started making magic the minute he touched a football--he still holds numerous records at his alma mater LSU, and as of 2010, he was the longest-tenured player on the New England Patriots. Now there is man that is about commitment--take notes, Wes.
+ For such small populations, Louisiana towns sure know how to breed athletic excellence. Did we miss someone, or do you have a small town hero of your own? Let us know in the comments!
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Photos (clockwise): Scott Gries/Getty Images, Scott Halleran, Jim Rogash