“Shabazz was the best player I played against “ kasey hill - Florida | The Boneyard

“Shabazz was the best player I played against “ kasey hill - Florida

I remember seeing video of Shabazz after he committed to UConn and he shot deep 3's so confidently. I was glad we added him. He turned out to be not only a great shooter but a great leader and provided some of the best moments ever from a UConn basketball player. He is my favorite Husky of all time.
 
How is it Shabazz could run the offense the way he did. There's such a huge advantage when you have a freakin coach on the floor. I want to see some of that brought back. Sometimes we act like short guys can't make it in today's game, but if they can run things like Shabazz, sign me up.
 
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Huskybass said:
Bazz doesn't get enough love when people discuss all time great Huskies. He was a great leader and simply refused to lose during that tourney run. Bazz and Boat. O and D, and swagger. Those guys were ballers.
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Really? Maybe seems like that because he's largely viewed behind Kemba at the PG position...but he gets tons of love

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Poll: Greatest Husky of All Time

Men's basketball players only considered. I included all the #1 and #2 seeds from the brackets and listed them in alphabetical order. I was very close to adding Khalid as my personal favorite, but that would have been biased and opened the door to all the #3 seeds, which I don't think is...
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I actually got home from work today and just randomly watched the 2014 championship video on YouTube. That team is my favorite team of all time. They were as tough as they come and played for each other. I miss all of those guys.
 
upstater said:
How is it Shabazz could run the offense the way he did. There's such a huge advantage when you have a freakin coach on the floor. I want to see some of that brought back. Sometimes we act like short guys can't make it in today's game, but if they can run things like Shabazz, sign me up.
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It took time and nobody worked harder than him. He was good right away but he had Kemba and Calhoun to learn under. Remember it wasn't always smooth, he tried to lead as the sophomore point guard but it didn't work and one of our most talented collection of players ever didn't accomplish anything that year. He stuck with it and kept working.
 
upstater said:
How is it Shabazz could run the offense the way he did. There's such a huge advantage when you have a freakin coach on the floor. I want to see some of that brought back. Sometimes we act like short guys can't make it in today's game, but if they can run things like Shabazz, sign me up.
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I will always stand by this take: Shabazz had the highest basketball IQ of any player in UConn history.

If he was more physically gifted, he would have been an All-NBA type of player.
 
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My favorite moment in the final four against Florida is where he would just take the ball from Wilbekin. Just literally shut him down. No one played defense like Bazz and Boat.
TheChamps990411 said:
What i will remember most about Bazz is how he and Boatright absolutely physically and mentally destroyed the Harrison twins in the F4. Ive never seen two players so utterly dominated and broken to the point they turned the ball over with no one near them.
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The Chicago Crew was a lot of fun!
 
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Ratso said:
always Nice to hear. I’m sure julius randle was thinking that too

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Well, yeah... Bazz and Boat thoroughly embarrassed Hill, Wilbekin, Appling, and the Harrisons during that run.

Hill and Wilbekin a combined 4-15 with 1 assist and 7 turnovers - Bazz and Boat: 25pts 9reb, 9ast
Appling, 1-3, 2pts, 2 assists, 4 turnovers - Bazz and Boat: 36pts, 8reb, 5ast
Harrisons, 6-16, 5 assists and 7 turnovers - Bazz and Boat: 36pts, 10reb, 6ast
 
aburks41 said:
I will always stand by this take: Shabazz had the highest basketball IQ of any player in UConn history.

If he was more physically gifted, he would have been an All-NBA type of player.
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I remember being surprised by a few of Shabazz's combine stats. His 37.5" max vert was tied for 10th best in his draft class.

Draft_Profile__Shabazz_Napier___Boston_Celtics.png
 
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Waquoit said:
Dan Dakich still thinks Wilbekin is better than Bazz.
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No criticism of you, Waq, but after reviewing both college and NBA stats to be certain, I find it easier to believe that Dakich never said or thought that. Otherwise, a punctuated anagram for "Dakich" would be, "Ha, dick!"

If only there were some way that we could directly compare them in head-to-head competition at their playing peak, rather than Ports aRefetenve statistics during the exact same period.

Shabazz was a truly great college basketball player, who reclassified to enter early & earned an NC ring as a freshman, and won a second NC ring as team leader of as a senior. Even Boeheim has more NCs than Wilbekin.

I suppose Mark Emmert has fonder regard for Wilbekin.
 
jdb50 said:
I remember seeing video of Shabazz after he committed to UConn and he shot deep 3's so confidently. I was glad we added him. He turned out to be not only a great shooter but a great leader and provided some of the best moments ever from a UConn basketball player. He is my favorite Husky of all time.
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Shabazz is probably my favorite player as well, although UCONN has had some other tough-minded, resilient, clutch team leaders (Khalid, RIP and Kemba immediately come to mind). It brings back great personal memories hearing about others' fond recollections of Shabazz as a terrific player.

I really liked his overall game as a freshman. He regularly came in from the bench and played solid defense and hit needed 3s. I seem to recall a big one-on-one steal from a San Diego State guard in the NCAA tourney for a quick lay-up to help knock the higher seeded team back on its heals in the game in its home state.

In 2013, when UCONN was banned from post-season play, I remember South Florida coming to Gampel. USF had a tall forward who was hot hitting 3s and USF that day was playing well enough to win. The game went to Overtime. Twice, Napier dribbled down the court and just pulled up and hit long 3s from around 2 to 4 feet back from the top of the key. Six point lead and game OVER!

During the NCAA Tourney in 2014, I twice recall how opponents commented about the look in his eyes as he was leading the team during the game. When he was interviewed at halftime of Game 1, Coach Phil Martelli of St. Joseph expressed concern about that look in Napier's eyes and how he might impact the outcome in the second half. In Game 4, a Michigan State guard, I believe it was Gary Harris, when interviewed after the game, said he could see it in Napier's eyes that Shabazz was not going to let his team lose.

In game 5, down the stretch against Kentucky in the Final Four in 2014, along with finding Giffey in the corner for a 3, Shabazz also hit another of his patented deep 3s to help close out another win against the higher seeded team.

Even though he was smaller-sized, Shabazz was a dominant winner with his leadership, mental toughness and clutch shooting, contributing to 2 national championships. One of UCONN's greats!
 
Hans Sprungfeld said:
No criticism of you, Waq, but after reviewing both college and NBA stats to be certain, I find it easier to believe that Dakich never said or thought that. Otherwise, a punctuated anagram for "Dakich" would be, "Ha, dick!"

If only there were some way that we could directly compare them in head-to-head competition at their playing peak, rather than Ports aRefetenve statistics during the exact same period.

Shabazz was a truly great college basketball player, who reclassified to enter early & earned an NC ring as a freshman, and won a second NC ring as team leader of as a senior. Even Boeheim has more NCs than Wilbekin.

I suppose Mark Emmert has fonder regard for Wilbekin.
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He said it before the Final Four. That's why he picked Florida. I've been called a liar by worse.
 
JeffConn said:
Shabazz is probably my favorite player as well, although UCONN has had some other tough-minded, resilient, clutch team leaders (Khalid, RIP and Kemba immediately come to mind). It brings back great personal memories hearing about others' fond recollections of Shabazz as a terrific player.

I really liked his overall game as a freshman. He regularly came in from the bench and played solid defense and hit needed 3s. I seem to recall a big one-on-one steal from a San Diego State guard in the NCAA tourney for a quick lay-up to help knock the higher seeded team back on its heals in the game in its home state.

In 2013, when UCONN was banned from post-season play, I remember South Florida coming to Gampel. USF had a tall forward who was hot hitting 3s and USF that day was playing well enough to win. The game went to Overtime. Twice, Napier dribbled down the court and just pulled up and hit long 3s from around 2 to 4 feet back from the top of the key. Six point lead and game OVER!

During the NCAA Tourney in 2014, I twice recall how opponents commented about the look in his eyes as he was leading the team during the game. When he was interviewed at halftime of Game 1, Coach Phil Martelli of St. Joseph expressed concern about that look in Napier's eyes and how he might impact the outcome in the second half. In Game 4, a Michigan State guard, I believe it was Gary Harris, when interviewed after the game, said he could see it in Napier's eyes that Shabazz was not going to let his team lose.

In game 5, down the stretch against Kentucky in the Final Four in 2014, along with finding Giffey in the corner for a 3, Shabazz also hit another of his patented deep 3s to help close out another win against the higher seeded team.

Even though he was smaller-sized, Shabazz was a dominant winner with his leadership, mental toughness and clutch shooting, contributing to 2 national championships. One of UCONN's greats!
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The Shabazz "look" during 2014 was amazing. Commentators throughout the tourney would note that he just gave off this air that he knew he was the best player on the court and was going to be better than you. Against 'Nova, he hit those three 3's in a row. Iowa State is remembered more for Daniels great play, but 'Bazz had four 3's in the first 10 minutes of that game when Kane was supposed to be the better player. Against Mich. St he scored 7 pts in a 12-0 run early in the second half and then iced the game with free throws. And against Kentucky the "look" was killer. I think he rimmed out his first few shots but both Greg Anthony and Steve Kerr noted that Bazz could do anything he wanted in that game.
 
TheChamps990411 said:
What i will remember most about Bazz is how he and Boatright absolutely physically and mentally destroyed the Harrison twins in the F4. Ive never seen two players so utterly dominated and broken to the point they turned the ball over with no one near them.
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I brought that up in a different thread about a week ago. Boat and Bazz took millions away from the Harrisons.
 
Waquoit said:
He said it before the Final Four. That's why he picked Florida. I've been called a liar by worse.
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I hope you didn't read my "easier to believe" phrasing as having ANYTHING to do with you being a liar. I just found the notion of Dakich saying that so profoundly wrong and stupid that I didn't want to leave myself exposed by saying so in case he hadn't said it. I genuinely appreciate you telling me where & when.

In fairness, I'll grant to Dakich that Wilbekin was taller than Bazz. Also, his assist-to-turnover ratio was a bit better, and he committed somewhat fewer fouls per game. That's it. By every other simple-stats measure, Shabazz performed better: scoring, rebounds, assists, steals, blocks, shooting percentages (all 3).
 
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It was 8 years ago on some ESPN radio preview show. The fact that it was so freaking stupid is the reason why I still remember clear as day.
 
jdb50 said:
I remember seeing video of Shabazz after he committed to UConn and he shot deep 3's so confidently. I was glad we added him. He turned out to be not only a great shooter but a great leader and provided some of the best moments ever from a UConn basketball player. He is my favorite Husky of all time.
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He was the best defensive pickpocket I ever saw, among other things.
 
What I love and miss about Bazz is his leadership. He was a coach on the floor his senior year. Her had a certain calm and confidence that if we needed a win, dagger or to stop a run he could be depended on to deliver what's needed. Players also were made better playing with Bazz. His fearlessness was transmitted to his teammates.

Best Leader for UConn ever (credit to his mentor Kemba).
 
Bazz is the Husky GOAT. Understand that some players maybe had more talent or strength or size, and that enabled them to advance early to the League, but Bazz gave us four years as a Husky and two Nats. Plus all the other accolades mentioned before this post.
 
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