All time starting five of college bb players
- Thread starter Fsgolfdr
- Start date
I guess you don't value winning over the whole of the college career?
Kareem is clearly the center, I'd probably say followed by Walton. Russell also might even inch out Wilt in their college years. Ewing also on the list, lots of great college bigs. Much more intimidating player in college than the pros.
Agree on Magic. I'd have Bird at one forward (carried the worst ever team to the finals), Laettner at the other, Jordan or Jerry West at the 2. Pistol Pete is a fun answer for his stats though I prefer a lock down defender/all around guy.
Could make an argument for Isiah at the point, he was an incredible general for Knight but Magic was just better.
Grant Hill, 6th man.
Kareem is clearly the center, I'd probably say followed by Walton. Russell also might even inch out Wilt in their college years. Ewing also on the list, lots of great college bigs. Much more intimidating player in college than the pros.
Agree on Magic. I'd have Bird at one forward (carried the worst ever team to the finals), Laettner at the other, Jordan or Jerry West at the 2. Pistol Pete is a fun answer for his stats though I prefer a lock down defender/all around guy.
Could make an argument for Isiah at the point, he was an incredible general for Knight but Magic was just better.
Grant Hill, 6th man.
Is this strictly college career? If so, Laettner and Walton should be in the conversation.
Elvin Hayes also one of the most dominant college players ever. Eventually like a 35-20 guy, just destroyed other bigs. I'd still probably take Laettner above him for overall college career though for a similar sized guy.
Since I started watching in 1982-83, mine is:
PG - Hurley
SG - Chris Jackson
SF - Glen Robinson
PF - Laettner
C - Ewing
Sixth man: Grant Hill
PG - Hurley
SG - Chris Jackson
SF - Glen Robinson
PF - Laettner
C - Ewing
Sixth man: Grant Hill
Alcindor (Kareem)
David Thompson
Michael Jordan
Magic Johnson
Isaiah Thomas
David Thompson
Michael Jordan
Magic Johnson
Isaiah Thomas
I think you have to put Jabbar in there at center.
Jabbar, 88 games in college, three national titles, an 86-2 record with 26.4 ppg & 15.5 rebounds
Walton, 87 games in college, two titles and lost in FF to N.C. State, 86-4 team record during that run, 20.3 ppg & 15.7 rebounds
Wilt, 48 games, 29.9 ppg & 18.3 rebounds, record of 42-8, lost to UNC in 3 OT in title game (I think)
Ewing, 143 games, 15.3 ppg & 9.2 rebounds, team record of 121-30, one title and part of team that lost most epic title game ever. (Jerome Lane averaged more rebounds per game, 10.4, in his career.)
Elvin, 93 games, 31 ppg &17.2 rebounds, I think they lost twice in FF to UCLA, team record of 81-12
Russell, 79 games, 20.7 ppg & 20.3 rebounds, 71-8 record and two titles.
Jabbar, 88 games in college, three national titles, an 86-2 record with 26.4 ppg & 15.5 rebounds
Walton, 87 games in college, two titles and lost in FF to N.C. State, 86-4 team record during that run, 20.3 ppg & 15.7 rebounds
Wilt, 48 games, 29.9 ppg & 18.3 rebounds, record of 42-8, lost to UNC in 3 OT in title game (I think)
Ewing, 143 games, 15.3 ppg & 9.2 rebounds, team record of 121-30, one title and part of team that lost most epic title game ever. (Jerome Lane averaged more rebounds per game, 10.4, in his career.)
Elvin, 93 games, 31 ppg &17.2 rebounds, I think they lost twice in FF to UCLA, team record of 81-12
Russell, 79 games, 20.7 ppg & 20.3 rebounds, 71-8 record and two titles.
9 posts in and not one mention of Oscar Robertson. College career only I got
Alcindor. Walton a close second.
Magic. Elvin Hayes close second
Oscar Robertson. No close second here. Big O was possibly the greatest non center ever
Pistol Pete. 44 points per game for his career. Got to put him somewhere
Jerry West. The logo
As far as Lebron. No college
Zion. one year
MJ. Dean Smith held him back in college
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In my defense I was only dealing with Centers.
Some of those greats were freaks. Imagine Robertson with today’s training, nutrition & health care that athletes get. Imagine Pistol Pete with the theee-point shot.
Kareem was tough to pass on for me , but Wilt was truly a freak of nature . He’d have pushed Kareem around forcing that skyhook out a little further from the hoop than he was use too and no one could stop Wilt anywhere near the hoop, My issue with Bird was where does he play , if he plays the 3 then where does MJ
go . If he’s a 4 then no Zion . I think we’re seeing the start of one of greatest bb players of all times career in Zion . At the 2 then no Pistol Pete .
Imagine telling , Kareem , Larry and Magic that you’re coming off the bench ! With the big O and Jerry West . Quite a team .
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Don’t forget Akeem (as he was known in college) the dream at Center. Best players I saw live at Pitt (as an undergrad) were Allen Iverson, Ray Allen, and seriously Kerry Kittles might have been the best of them all
But I would think Laettner has to be there too. I mean 3 straight Final 4's and back 2 back champs? Oscar Robinson. Hakeem Olaujowan, Bill Walton. It is so tough. Ja Morant.....LOL.....as I am watching him, unbelievable.
Zion is not in the same universe as Larry bird was as a senior as a power forward at this point.
Bird senior year averaged 29 points, 15 rebounds, 5.5 assists, 2.5 steals, 1 block per game. To me, that was the best basketball I have seen in college ever. The run his senior year to the championship. I never saw Oscar Robertson in college. Magic was great, but not near bird that year. Magic was only a soohomore. He had some other stars on his team.
Michigan state literally triple teamed Bird in the finals.
Over 3 years, he averaged 30 points and 13 rebounds.
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Zion can’t be on this list. He hasn’t even played his second round tourney game in his one year at Duke. And he was hurt for like a month. He is a freak but his production and big wins doesn’t come close to a bunch of guys who played 3-4 years and won national titles.
Like I said ... Bird MUST be on the list. I feel the same way about Kareem and Pistol Pete. Any of the others mentioned are all still worthy to fill out the team.
For what it’s worth — Magic was a sophomore when he played against Bird.
While I think Zion is incredible, he just can’t be on this list yet with some of the others mentioned. Perhaps I might feel a bit differently if he leads Duke to the title and is amazing doing so. But at this point ... no.
In fact, at this point he’s even below Carmelo Anthony.
I see a real problem here. There are probably 10 players who make the “ must” team. How do u keep Bird off. Or Alcindor. Or Wilt. Or Magic. Or Big O. Or Jerry West. Or Laettner. Or Elvin Hayes. As they said in Jaws “ We’re gonna need a bigger boat”!
Some guys I didn’t see mentioned; All from the 1980’s
1) Bobby Hurley
2) Len Bias
3) Larry Johnson
4) David Robinson
5) Danny Manning
6) Ralph Sampson
7) Derrick Coleman
8) James Worthy
9) Sam Perkins
1) Bobby Hurley
2) Len Bias
3) Larry Johnson
4) David Robinson
5) Danny Manning
6) Ralph Sampson
7) Derrick Coleman
8) James Worthy
9) Sam Perkins
Hard to argue. Memo pretty much put Cuse on his back to win the championship as a freshman. They had Memo and Waririck. Duke has 3 of next year’s top 5 NBA picks. If Zion leads Duke to a national championship and is the most outstanding player, maybe he would be considered as a second or third team. No way anybody can make that first team with only one season in college.
I’m allowed to put him on my list ! It’s my list .
No problem...Bird, Alcindor and Pete are musts.
The rest are debatable.
For what it’s worth, I’d add Oscar and Elvin (or Laettner) to my list. The older guys have to advantage because they played 4 years.
Like I said before this is who I’d want on my team you can put anyone you want on your team . I happen to think barring injury we’re witnessing the start of one of the all time greats career .
If you want to talk in hypothetical, can you imagine if he didn't play 80% of his games against segregated teams?
3 years 3 titles. Not eligible as a Freshman but the UCLA FRESHMAN TEAM absolutely killed the varsity in a game after the varsity won the NCAA TITLE. An amazing stat Kareem’s freshman team margin of victory was 55 points per game. Outlawed dunking cause of him. Bill Russell and Oscar Robertson are my other 2 locks. Russell is the sports greatest winner and Oscar is regarded as a triple double machine and a great winner too.
Ralph Sampson was an unbelievable college player, belongs on any of these lists.
You can’t argue on the greatness of Kareem , Bill Russels or the Big O for that matter , but I’ll stick with Wilt as my center over Kareem and Bill Russell . Magic , Pistol Pete and MJ or the Big O there’s no losing there just personal preference .
I don't care that he won three PoY awards.
In the NBA, before injuries took his legs, he was never the unstoppable player he was supposed to be.
Tell me how his college numbers put him in the same category with Jabbar, Chamberlain, Russell, Hayes, Walton, etc.
They didn't win anything. Anything. They made one Final Four.
They never won the ACC Tourney. They won one outright the ACC regular season in his four years and one co-champs
Ok, well I don’t care about any of that, only that he was a 3 time Player of the Year.
By all means, ignore the numbers he put up. Numbers that pale in comparison to the game's greatest players.
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