Akinjo Commits!!!!!!

[Rocktheworld]

C'mon. One of only 6 1st-Team All Americans. 2 National Championships. NCAAT Tournament MVP. 2 Time 1st team All Conference. Cousy award winner.

I don't see any point in ranking all these dudes but he is pretty clearly in the mix for top 5. Unless we are just talking about pure talent.

There's "best" and "most accomplished" and some of us separate the two more than others; not that anyone is necessarily wrong one way or the other.

 

[superjohn]

Hmm,

Who are your 5?

1. Bazz, and...

In no particular order- Rip, Kemba, Emeka, Bazz, and Donyell.

 

[CL82]

In no particular order- Rip, Kemba, Emeka, Bazz, and Donyell.

Bazz before Ray?

 

[superjohn]

C'mon. One of only 6 1st-Team All Americans. 2 National Championships. NCAAT Tournament MVP. 2 Time 1st team All Conference. Cousy award winner.

I don't see any point in ranking all these dudes but he is pretty clearly in the mix for top 5. Unless we are just talking about pure talent.

Yep and we are talking at Uconn, not talent for the league. Bazz doesn't have the size, speed and athleticism to be a star in the NBA but at the college level he is about as good as it gets. When the tournament rolled around there was zero question as to whether Kemba (junior year) and Bazz (senior year) were the best players in the country.

 

[superjohn]

Bazz before Ray?

For me, no question. I always debate whether Ray or Donyell round out my top 5 but I give the nod to Donyell, he just had a little more versatility to his game at UConn.

 

[Walker11]

Yep and we are talking at Uconn, not talent for the league. Bazz doesn't have the size, speed and athleticism to be a star in the NBA but at the college level he is about as good as it gets. When the tournament rolled around there was zero question as to whether Kemba (junior year) and Bazz (senior year) were the best players in the country.

I feel the same. He was the best guard, if not player in the entire country. How many other UCONN players were arguably the best player in the country? I think that if you want to argue that Bazz isn't a Top 5ish player in school history you are going to have to argue that the landscape was so watered down in '14.

 

[Mr. French]

1. Emeka
2. Kemba
3. Rip
4. Ray
5. Shabazz

Depending on the settled upon definition of "top 5" this is my list also.

 

[superjohn]

I feel the same. He was the best guard, if not player in the entire country. How many other UCONN players were arguably the best player in the country? I think that if you want to argue that Bazz isn't a Top 5ish player in school history you are going to have to argue that the landscape was so watered down in '14.

Agree on the landscape. I'm only going off the time period they played because there is nothing they can do about that. All of college basketball was better back in the day.

 

[Rocktheworld]

Agree on the landscape. I'm only going off the time period they played because there is nothing they can do about that. All of college basketball was better back in the day.

If I had a dollar for every time the "LeBron wouldn't have been nearly as good in Jordan's era" comment has been uttered

 

[superjohn]

If I had a dollar for every time the "LeBron wouldn't have been nearly as good in Jordan's era" comment has been uttered

Numbnuts, LeBron didn't play in college. That's kind of the point.

 

[Rocktheworld]

Numbnuts, LeBron didn't play in college. That's kind of the point.

LMAO

I'm the numb-nuts

 

[gtcam]

you know what i mean. lol. we are only comparing the greats. Tyler is THE GOAT

just joshing with you but really did it for the benefit of the Cuse lurkers in here!!

 

[superjohn]

LMAO

I'm the numb-nuts

Do you seriously not get this?

 

[intlzncster]

How many other UCONN players were arguably the best player in the country? I think that if you want to argue that Bazz isn't a Top 5ish player in school history you are going to have to argue that the landscape was so watered down in '14.

At least two: Emeka and Kemba should have been unequivocally NPOYs. I'm still flabbergasted that didn't happen. I still think it has a lot to do with lack of love for JC, and the fact that writers seem to always tip smaller/lesser school guys.

 

[intlzncster]

If I had a dollar for every time the "LeBron wouldn't have been nearly as good in Jordan's era" comment has been uttered

A guy like Ray would be one and done nowadays. There'd be no Jr Ray Allen's. Guys with crazy (hype) talent weren't taking a one year test drive in NCAAs before bolting either. The field was deeper, more experienced, and the play was better. Didn't have AAU style mucking it up either.

 

[superjohn]

At least two: Emeka and Kemba should have been unequivocally NPOYs. I'm still flabbergasted that didn't happen. I still think it has a lot to do with lack of love for JC, and the fact that writers seem to always tip smaller/lesser school guys.

Yes, Emeka and Kemba were clearly the best players in college their junior years. Donyell was the second best player after Glenn Robinson and Ray was second best after Camby. Bazz was one of the 3 or 4 best for the season and it was clear he was the best player when it mattered (tournament.)

 

[Hoophound]

• 1. Bazz/Kemba (super heros)
• 3. Rip (all time great, but had better team)
• 4. Mek (had BG as co-pilot)
• 5. Ray (no title)

 

[intlzncster]

Solely based off this video he looks like he could potentially wind up being the best passing PG Uconn's ever had.

Will be hard to beat out Marcus tho

Key words...

I bet Scott Hazelton would look like the second coming in todaysge of social media vid.

 

[imno1]

Solely based off this video he looks like he could potentially wind up being the best passing PG Uconn's ever had.

Will be hard to beat out Marcus tho

I could potentially win the Powerball tomorrow night. We'll see

 

[MSGSeven]

He may never reach Bazz's level (best player in country as senior and national championship) but I think he's more advanced at this stage of their careers.

 

[jibsey]

Intelligence is underrated because Bazz wasn't particularly quick, wasn't a high flyer but turned out to be so great. Bazz would also kill the other teams with 3's at critical moments. If the kid truly has Bazz qualities that's saying a lot, we'll see.

 

[KembaStepback]

Any list without Chris smith and Scotty Burrell is lacking. Those guys were the building blocks of the program.

 

[champs99and04]

At least two: Emeka and Kemba should have been unequivocally NPOYs. I'm still flabbergasted that didn't happen. I still think it has a lot to do with lack of love for JC, and the fact that writers seem to always tip smaller/lesser school guys.

I think this sort of thing is a lot easier to say now than at the time. Were they the best players in the country? Yeah. But in Kemba's case specifically, he just wasn't as good as Jimmer in the regular season.

It's the same reason I have Bazz #1 on my all-time rankings and frankly I think there is some separation there between one and two. He is to this program what Tim Tebow was to Florida football - people talk about his freshman year and his senior year but forget the fact that his decision to return to the school and play at an all-American level his junior year kept the program from becoming completely untethered. I actually don't think it's close between him and Kemba and I still think Kemba had the greatest single season in program history.

Now, if people are going to make the argument that guys like Chris Smith, Donyell, Ray, etc. should be atop the list because they paved the way for everybody else, fine. But I don't think that's the way it works, otherwise George Miken would be remembered as the greatest big man of all-time and Dr. Naismith would be considered the greatest coach in basketball history. The point remains that within the context of the era in which they played, Shabazz Napier is greatest player in program history.

 

[MadDogRevival]

The point remains that within the context of the era in which they played, Shabazz Napier is greatest player in program history.

I agree, and I'm always shocked how little support Bazz gets for this title here.
The guy has 2 rings. TWO. He was critical to one, and essential to the other. Dude played 24 minutes a game his freshman year, and averaged 8, 3, and 2.5, points/assists/boards.
And, as Champs points out, his decision to stay was critical to the program. If he leaves, we are probably looking at 7 long years since we were in the tournament as a contender and relevant. His decision to stay, and the subsequent NC, were and still are critical to UConn's continuing success.
He's the man.