UConn's All-NBA team

[upstater]

1st team:
C Andre Drummond
F Cliff Robinson
F Rudy Gay
G Ray Allen
G Rip Hamilton

2nd team:
C Emeka Okafor
F Donyell Marshall
F Caron Butler
G Ben Gordon
G Kemba Walker

Honorable Mention: Scott Burrell, Toby Kimball, Jeremy Lamb, Charlie Villaneuva, Kevin Ollie, Jake Voskuhl

Pretty easy to do; biggest problem was leaving Caron Butler off the 1st team

 

[Thirty Three]

Napier and Chris Smith don’t even get honorable mention?

 

[MJ1]

1st team:
C Andre Drummond
F Cliff Robinson
F Rudy Gay
G Ray Allen
G Rip Hamilton

2nd team:
C Emeka Okafor
F Donyell Marshall
F Caron Butler
G Ben Gordon
G Kemba Walker

Honorable Mention: Scott Burrell, Toby Kimball, Jeremy Lamb, Charlie Villaneuva, Kevin Ollie, Jake Voskuhl

Pretty easy to do; biggest problem was leaving Caron Butler off the 1st team

I’d flip Caron and Rudy Gay. But close call.

 

[CardiacAndre7]

I’d flip Caron and Rudy Gay. But close call.

I’d go Rudy. Pretty much same peak and Rudy’s prime was significantly longer.

 

[AdamaNation]

Napier and Chris Smith don’t even get honorable mention?

Or Donny. Who played for awhile.

 

[NEforceUConn]

C Emeka Okafor
F Cliff Robinson
G Ray Allen
G Rip Hamilton
G Kemba Walker

 

[HuskyWarrior611]

I’d go Rudy. Pretty much same peak and Rudy’s prime was significantly longer.

I think Caron was an All Star at some point? But it always felt like Rudy should’ve been an All Star.

Nobody’s value was hurt by analytics more than Rudy.

 

[Offhegoes]

I’m know it’s tough at the Guard position but Kemba does lead an NBA franchise in scoring.

 

[Kenny11]

I’m know it’s tough at the Guard position but Kemba does lead an NBA franchise in scoring.

Kemba is the clear starting point guard.

I would go a small ball lineup with Kemba, Ray, Rip, Caron, and let Drummond gobble up all the rebounds.

 

[yungdowork]

Donyell would be a crazy stretch 4 in the modern game. In 2003, he averaged 16/10 while shooting over 40% from 3, and that was in an era where teams averaged 22 less per game than they do now

 

[Huskyforlife]

Kemba is the best player in franchise history for Charlotte. I know it’s Charlotte, but I think that makes him first team.

 

[MyDorona]

If we are playing a modern NBA game in this hypothetical scenario, I'd go 4/5 out with:

C Cliff
PF Donyell
Wing Rip
Wing Ray
PG Kemba

The bench depth would be excellent with Rudy, Caron, Drummond and Gordon (who, let's not forget, averaged 25 ppg in a seven-game playoff series when he was the Alpha).

I used to play this sim hoops game on whatifsports.com, where I'd try to create a roster using all UConn guys from individual years (i.e., '02 Ray, '18 Kemba, etc). It was salary-capped, so of course you couldn't just load it up with a roster of Ray Allens; you'd have to really dig into the analytics for value. It always surprised me how good some of the Donyell years were from an efficiency standpoint, particularly his years in Toronto. He truly was ahead of his time.

 

[MyDorona]

Donyell would be a crazy stretch 4 in the modern game. In 2003, he averaged 16/10 while shooting over 40% from 3, and that was in an era where teams averaged 22 less per game than they do now

Yes and he was blocking shots at a decent clip those years. Any NBA team today would salivate at the thought of a 3-and-D 6'9" stretch 4.

The public at large tend to think of Donyell as a bust because of his college career & high draft status, relative to his career production. But I think he was truly 20 years ahead of his time, and in some ways, helped to revolutionize the game.

 

[businesslawyer]

Yes and he was blocking shots at a decent clip those years. Any NBA team today would salivate at the thought of a 3-and-D 6'9" stretch 4.

The public at large tend to think of Donyell as a bust because of his college career & high draft status, relative to his career production. But I think he was truly 20 years ahead of his time, and in some ways, helped to revolutionize the game.

Almost the opposite of Drummond, who had he played in the NBA 20 years earlier would have had people singing his praises. Instead, unable to guard folks away from the basket, he’s an amazing example of how good you can be at putting up numbers without convincing anyone you can help a team win. (Which, now that I read my words, is not an unfair description of his one year at UConn.)

 

[MyDorona]

Almost the opposite of Drummond, who had he played in the NBA 20 years earlier would have had people singing his praises. Instead, unable to guard folks away from the basket, he’s an amazing example of how good you can be at putting up numbers without convincing anyone you can help a team win. (Which, now that I read my words, is not an unfair description of his one year at UConn.)

Absolutely. He was on a Dwight Howard career trajectory when he received that massive contract from the Pistons. And then, overnight, he was a dinosaur.

 

[REB1094]

Lots of guards to against and he doesn't get much love because lack of playoff success, but....

Kemba averaged up to 25 a game and dragged one of the worst franchises in NBA history to the playoffs twice. Hornets haven't made the playoffs since that 2016 run and that was their most wins since 2000

Higher on the all time scoring lists than guys like Manu Ginobili, Al Jefferson, Baron Davis. It's just that his knees turned into jelly at 30 years old. Really difficult for a G below 6ft to be a dynamite scorer, but he did it for a long time

 

[gtcam]

To me, the 5 position is the toughest - Drummond, Cliff, Toby Kimball, even Donyell could slot into that position. None were spectacular but each had their strengths.
PG - Kemba
SG- Ray
PF- Donyell
Wing - Rip
C- Cliffy

 

[Edward Sargent]

Drummond tonight 6 minutes 6 rebounds. 9 minutes 9 rebounds geesh!

 

[Edward Sargent]

Being a youngster I have to put votes in for Hawk and AJJ

 

[Connecticut13]

1st team:
C Andre Drummond
F Cliff Robinson
F Rudy Gay
G Ray Allen
G Rip Hamilton

2nd team:
C Emeka Okafor
F Donyell Marshall
F Caron Butler
G Ben Gordon
G Kemba Walker

Honorable Mention: Scott Burrell, Toby Kimball, Jeremy Lamb, Charlie Villaneuva, Kevin Ollie, Jake Voskuhl

Pretty easy to do; biggest problem was leaving Caron Butler off the 1st team

Nice list - though I think the second team would win in a hypothetical game. No true pg on the first team.

 

[Woodson]

Napier and Chris Smith don’t even get honorable mention?

I’ll add A.J. Price to list of honorable mentions, though didn’t have quite the longevity of others

 

[McLovin]

Hard to not have Kemba on the first team. 2nd most all-star appearances (4, only behind Rays 10) and All NBA 3rd Team one season as well. Plus the records in Charlotte he holds notes above.

I’d slot him in for Gay.

 

[Punkbo]

To me, the 5 position is the toughest - Drummond, Cliff, Toby Kimball, even Donyell could slot into that position. None were spectacular but each had their strengths.
PG - Kemba
SG- Ray
PF- Donyell
Wing - Rip
C- Cliffy

Cliff had an incredible career, especially for a second-round pick.

 

[ibleedhuskyblue]

Almost the opposite of Drummond, who had he played in the NBA 20 years earlier would have had people singing his praises. Instead, unable to guard folks away from the basket, he’s an amazing example of how good you can be at putting up numbers without convincing anyone you can help a team win. (Which, now that I read my words, is not an unfair description of his one year at UConn.)

And going back in the other direction, Cliff played 20 years too early. His combo of size & shooting would have made him a 9 figure contract today.