All time defensive team

[Old school]

I will go with
Ricky Moore
Lyman de priest
Emeka
Donyell
Burrell

 

[CL82]

I will go with
Ricky Moore
Lyman de priest
Emeka
Donyell
Burrell

Moore
DePriest
Henefeld
Boat
Mek

 

[UConnSwag11]

Thabeet

 

[Robertelamin]

Moore
?
Henefeld
Okafor
Thabeet

 

[Huskybass]

Moore
DePriest
Henefeld
Boat
Mek

An absolute nightmare for the opponent. Boat got so up into guy's grills, they couldnt do anything. Depriest would guard a guard if need be, such as Dana Barros. What a five!

 

[Wordbomar]

Moore
Boatright
Henefeld
Okafor
Thabeet

 

[UconnU]

An absolute nightmare for the opponent. Boat got so up into guy's grills, they couldnt do anything. Depriest would guard a guard if need be, such as Dana Barros. What a five!

Boat was such a fierce competitor, I heard he's killing it over seas.

 

[RichZ]

Moore
DePriest
Henefeld
Boat
Mek

I think I have to sub Caron for Henefeld in that list. We only had a season of Nadav, and I never really followed his Israel career. At least we have two husky seasons and a substantial NBA career to go on with Butler.
So for me, it's...
Ricky
Lyman
Caron
Boat
Mek

 

[intlzncster]

I will go with
Ricky Moore
Lyman de priest
Emeka
Donyell
Burrell

Man, what's Thabeet gotta do in college to get on this list?

Two time NBAC defensive player of the year. One of the most intimidating defensive college centers of all time.

 

[RichZ]

Man, what's Thabeet gotta do in college to get on this list?

Two time NBAC defensive player of the year. One of the most intimidating defensive college centers of all time.

His problem is that there's only room for one center on a 5 man starting unit, and ain't nobody replacing Mek on that list.

 

[champs99and04]

Man, what's Thabeet gotta do in college to get on this list?

Two time NBAC defensive player of the year. One of the most intimidating defensive college centers of all time.

Not play the same position as Emeka.

Giffey would get the nod over Boat for me, though I'm not sure either belong Kemba was also very underrated defensively (Ricky is a fine choice, but I'm not sure anybody could have ever been as good as Kemba defensively given what he did on offense).

 

[Robertelamin]

His problem is that there's only room for one center on a 5 man starting unit, and ain't nobody replacing Mek on that list.

Why not? Okafor/ Boone and Boone/Hilton played together a ton.

 

[Palatine]

Dan "the spider" Hesford.

"This 'Spider'-Man Was a Huskie" by Roberts, Jeff - The Record (Bergen County, NJ), March 26, 2013 | Online Research Library: Questia

 

[UofCT]

Moore
Boatright
Henefeld
Okafor
Thabeet

This one

 

[lavuuk153]

Not play the same position as Emeka.

Giffey would get the nod over Boat for me, though I'm not sure either belong Kemba was also very underrated defensively (Ricky is a fine choice, but I'm not sure anybody could have ever been as good as Kemba defensively given what he did on offense).

Moore kept AI in check and embarrassed Langdon. For defense only it has to be Moore.

 

[mauconnfan]

Moore
Taliek
DePriest
Henefeld
Thabeet

 

[RichZ]

Why not? Okafor/ Boone and Boone/Hilton played together a ton.

Because we have too many good defensive choices in positions we need two of on that team. The three best defensive players in Husky history are Lyman, Ricky and Emeka. Leaving any of them off the list is just plan wrong. So we need a guard and a forward to complete the team. Thabeet is neither a forward nor a guard.

 

[Kenny11]

Not play the same position as Emeka.

Giffey would get the nod over Boat for me, though I'm not sure either belong Kemba was also very underrated defensively (Ricky is a fine choice, but I'm not sure anybody could have ever been as good as Kemba defensively given what he did on offense).

I don’t think he was this good all the time but junior year Boat in the NCAA tournament was one of the best ever in the when he had 4 and 5 star guys from Florida, Michigan State, and Kentucky literally scared to dribble the basketball up the court. Even if that was a short time period, it has to count.

 

[MilliniumPrince]

Moore
Boat
Mel
Bet
Burrell

 

[Robertelamin]

Because we have too many good defensive choices in positions we need two of on that team. The three best defensive players in Husky history are Lyman, Ricky and Emeka. Leaving any of them off the list is just plan wrong. So we need a guard and a forward to complete the team. Thabeet is neither a forward nor a guard.

To each their own. I’ll take 2 of the greatest shot blockers in the last 20 years on my imaginary team any day.

 

[intlzncster]

Because we have too many good defensive choices in positions we need two of on that team. The three best defensive players in Husky history are Lyman, Ricky and Emeka. Leaving any of them off the list is just plan wrong. So we need a guard and a forward to complete the team. Thabeet is neither a forward nor a guard.

Outside of Mek, were any of those guys the best defenders in the country? Even at their own position? I'd wager Moore was.

For example, Moore could take away the other teams best player without question. Thabeet could take away an entire team driving the basketball, effectively eliminating the paint. His mere presence, caused other teams to radically alter their entire game plan/style.

And both Mek and Thabeet took only 3 years to get 2x NDOPY.

For some reason, Thabeet always gets undersold on this board.

 

[kcc1442]

I'm going to be in the minority on this one but I'll say that I remember Boat frustrating the hell out of me on defense early on in his career. Didn't use his quickness as much as he should of, or overplayed, or was caught napping on back door cuts. I remember making remarks to other people about that. But he did make improvements for sure and Jr./Sr. Boat defense was much better. He was to me more of a move your feet quick and stay in front of your man while jumping passing lanes. Didn't ever use his hands as much as I would've liked to deflect passes or reach in when you had a chance to pick.

But with that said for that "era" I remember Shabazz and Kemba with way more one on one grand theft larceny (if you will) than Boat. Like I said older Boat was a guy who got a few pick 6's off of jumping the passing lane here and there and also locked you up as far as not penetrating but to me he didn't quite have the elite craftiness to pick pockets like Shabazz and Kemba. I still have the vivid memories of Kemba abusing Peyton Siva as he backed it out mid game BE tourney. Or Bazz with his patented let him slow spin out at half court and pick him from behind, or one of my favorites, his pick on Harrison twin in National Championship that left Greg Anthony saying "oh my goodness. Did you see the misdemeanor committed by shabazz napier!") Definitely not trying to bring RB down though he worked his way into a very good defender and plays with tremendous heart. For that I put him as honorable mention.

For me:

Taliek
Kemba
Moore
Mek
Thabeet

Honorable Mentions:

Shabazz
Stix
Burrell
Boat

Back Alley Dogs: Adrien, King & Sellers
King of Charges Drawn: Nolan

 

[MTHusky]

Dan "the spider" Hesford.

"This 'Spider'-Man Was a Huskie" by Roberts, Jeff - The Record (Bergen County, NJ), March 26, 2013 | Online Research Library: Questia

First time I saw a UConn game in person was in the late fall of 1963. Spider was an unbelievable defensive force that game diving for balls, running into the nets after a deflection, sacrificing his body for the team. Been a Spider fan ever since and no one wearing a UConn Jersey since has come close.

 

[HuskyHawk]

Man, what's Thabeet gotta do in college to get on this list?

Two time NBAC defensive player of the year. One of the most intimidating defensive college centers of all time.

Be better than Okafor...but he wasn't. Not close really. If the list was five best defensive players, he's on it. It's not. It's a team, one at each position.

 

[HuskyHawk]

Assuming one player at each position played at UConn
PG Moore
SG Henefeld
SF DePriest
PF Marshall
C Okafor

Allowing NBA positions, I would change it. This is a better overall team.
PG Moore
SG Burrell
SF Marshall
PF Okafor
C Thabeet