Best UConn Center of All Time? | Page 2 | The Boneyard

Best UConn Center of All Time?

Who’s the GOAT UConn Center?

  • Okafor

  • Clingan

  • Thabeet

  • Sanogo

  • Other (Post Below)


Results are only viewable after voting.
If you watch this video and still answer Clingan either in this thread or the other, I’ve lost hope. Someone had the balls to mention ‘nostalgia bias’ :D

Nostalgia bias with the best player in the country, best player in big east (a MUCH more competitive league) and best defensive player in the country for 2 straight years. And the 2nd pick in the draft. Oh yeah, and MOP with a natty.

Just some good ol’ nostalgia propping him up!
 
Okafor was both a defensive and offensive force, so it's got to be him. Thabeet was purely defensive. Clingan was 80% a defensive force. Sanogo was more offense.

1. Emeka Okafor
2A. Donovan Clingan
2B. Hasheem Thabeet
4. Cliff Robinson
5A. Adama Sanogo
5B. Corny Thompson (if you consider him a center, which he played before Aleksinas's arrival)
7. Jake Voskuhl

I never saw Toby Kimball play. But based on his stats and NBA career, he's probably up there with Thabeet and Clingan.
Kimball was a 4. Slomcenski was the 5.
 
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If Clingan played at UConn as long as Okafor, he’d likely be number one answer, and with less debate. Okafor really honed his skills at UConn with those extra games. He’s the guy.
Okafor had 3 years. So it would've been one more year for Clingan. Is Clingan NPOY last year?
 
Okafor had 3 years. So it would've been one more year for Clingan. Is Clingan NPOY last year?
He very well could have been, in my opinion, but that’s still not what happened.
 
That also wasn’t part of our offense back then while it is a huge part now. Not saying Okafor would be the same facilitator, but he really wasn’t asked to be at all.

Okafor had incredible touch offensively and his drop step/post game off both shoulders was pretty significantly clear of DC. DC has good touch but his base is flawed and doesn’t move guys nearly as well as Emeka did.

And post-up offense isn't the emphasis now that it was then. It's unfair to compare eras in only one direction. Okafor was a better post player, Clingan a better passer/facilitator.

Okafor was better, but the question is closer than most here think.
 
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If you could put Clingan on last years squad and this years team, he'd leave college with 4 rings.
That doesn't solve last years guard issue. If you put Newton on last years team, they had a shot at a title.
 
If Clingan played at UConn as long as Okafor, he’d likely be number one answer, and with less debate. Okafor really honed his skills at UConn with those extra games. He’s the guy.
Okafor averaged 16 & 11 his sophomore year. He refined his offensive game a bit for his final season, but he was an incredible player as a sophomore too.

Okafor was simply a better scorer, rebounder, and shot blocker.

This thread should be titled "After Okafor, who was our best center?".
 
This is Emeka vs. Clingan. That's the argument. Emeka was better offensively. But could he get his buckets with Clingan on him? I am gonna go with no on that. But Clingan ain't scoring on Emeka either. So maybe this is a tie. And we all should be grateful that both these kids went to the Basketball capital of the world.
 
That doesn't solve last years guard issue. If you put Newton on last years team, they had a shot at a title.
I agree and still stand by what I said, that’s how good Clingan is
 
If Clingan played at UConn as long as Okafor, he’d likely be number one answer, and with less debate. Okafor really honed his skills at UConn with those extra games. He’s the guy.
When DC got healthy and then got in shape he just dominated defensively like we have not seen on the college level in a long time for a big. Had he stayed another season with his offensive game steadilly coming along he probably wins NPOY and carries us to at least the F4. As a rookie in the NBA as the season progressed he really impacted games with his defense. Opposing players wanted no parts of him in the lane. He wouldve destroyed college.
 
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This is Emeka vs. Clingan. That's the argument. Emeka was better offensively. But could he get his buckets with Clingan on him? I am gonna go with no on that. But Clingan ain't scoring on Emeka either. So maybe this is a tie. And we all should be grateful that both these kids went to the Basketball capital of the world.
Emeka had good enough moves to get fouls on opposing Cs. Clingan definitely would pick up a few.

IDK, SMH and it's one or the other really - a problem of first world team for sure. DC and Oak are 1-2, 2-1, whatever there is no consensus so to each their own.
 
Emeka had good enough moves to get fouls on opposing Cs. Clingan definitely would pick up a few.

IDK, SMH and it's one or the other really - a problem of first world team for sure. DC and Oak are 1-2, 2-1, whatever there is no consensus so to each their own.
I hear you, but just to be clear: there very much is a consensus in response to the poll posed by this thread.
 
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Emeka never got out scored by the opposing center 37-11 in a national championship game.
So Clingan would've been better off scoring 25 and fouling out in a loss instead? So Bill Russell was a bum for being outscored by Wilt, he should've scored more and not won more championships right. Everyone knew the Purdue game was about Clingan not losing the game and the guards having to win the game. Really nitpicking at stats in a 16 pt win to win back to back, Clingan played the smart long game. Edey had 3 years on Clingan.
 
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Emeka never got out scored by the opposing center 37-11 in a national championship game.
Where are you getting every game log from his time at UConn? I only see his NCAA tournament game logs listed. His junior season he scored 2 points against Bama in the Elite 8.

What does 37-11 in a national championship game mean?
 
Emeka never got out scored by the opposing center 37-11 in a national championship game.
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So Clingan would've been better off scoring 25 and fouling out in a loss instead? So Bill Russell was a bum for being outscored by Wilt, he should've scored more and not won more championships right. Everyone knew the Purdue game was about Clingan not losing the game and the guards having to win the game. Really nitpicking at stats in a 16 pt win to win back to back, Clingan played the smart long game. Edey had 3 years on Clingan.
I agree that the NC game really isn’t relevant because of the gameplan. But, voting DC over Okafor for this specific thread also makes literally no sense.

For the other thread I guess I can understand the logic, not this topic at all though.
 
Being biased, here, yes Emeka is ranked as #1, but Toby Kimball has to be 1A. A rebounding machine, averaging over 20 a game. A very good scorer as well. Had a longer pro career than Emeka, when centers were important in the NBA. Toby came to UCONN in the aftermath of the point shaving scandal, when program was in tatters, and helped resurrect it, leading team to multiple Yankee Conference championships, and berths in the NCAA tournament. One has to remember that college basketball was NOTHING like it is today. Toby made Saturday nights, at the old Field House, in Storrs, an event. Nothing against Emeka, he did lead UC to the big dance winners circle, but room at the top should also be reserved for Kimball, for his accomplishments. UCONN did play basketball before the Big East, Jim Calhoun, and all of the other stars. Toby Kimball deserves to be a part of the UCONN big men legacy.
No disrespect, here, but IMHO, the title of the thread should be changed to GOAT center of 21st century. In the long history of Connecticut basketball there's been some truly talented centers, who played at Storrs. To pick 1 as the GOAT disrespects those others who wore the uniform. Leaving out names like Quimby, Kimball, Naugatuck native Ed Slomcinski, John Thomas, Corny Thompson, Cliff Robinson, Chuck Alexsinas, Jake Voshkul, Bruce Kosenski, does a disservice to these players. As I said, just an opinion.
 
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Okafor and it’s not close. Okafor was a national player of the year candidate.

Second, however, we could debate all day. You could make an argument for any of DC, Sanogo or Thabeet. I’m not willing to pick among them until giving it more serious thought.
 
I agree that the NC game really isn’t relevant because of the gameplan. But, voting DC over Okafor for this specific thread also makes literally no sense.

For the other thread I guess I can understand the logic, not this topic at all though.
Agreed this is why I voted for Okafor in this thread. Just responded to @Devland idiotic comments, it had to be trolling.
 
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