College basketball's All-time Starting Five: Connecticut Huskies

[HooperScooper]

Good discussion on a day like this.

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/ncaab...ive--connecticut-huskies-194259115-ncaab.html

I think he got it right. You could argue for Caron but who does he replace? Don't think he's above Rip or Donyell.

 

[Migs]

WOW! Kemba averaged 47.9ppg in the 2010-2011 season and still lost Big East Player of the Year?

 

[Huskyforlife]

Shabazz needs a spot somewhere, there's an argument to be made he's the best player we've ever had.

If i was putting together a squad that actually had to play against other schools best squad:

PG: Kemba
SG: Shabazz
SF: Ricky
PF: Donyell
C: Emeka

You got your two best players, ball handlers, and great scorers in the back court. Ricky will lock down other teams best scorer. Donyell can handle most of the big man scoring. Okafor will lock down the paint and the others teams best offensive big. If not Ricky I'd go with Ray, since he'd get open Js all day with this team.

 

[CallMeBruce]

Shabazz needs a spot somewhere, there's an argument to be made he's the best player we've ever had.

Not a good one, but let's hear what you've got.

The yahoo lineup is correct. You're not doing better than that.

 

[Huskyforlife]

@CallMeBruce 2 time national championship winning starting point guard that played a key role on both teams. Had the pressure of carrying the team after his HOF coach and father figure had to retire. First year leading the team with no post season hopes, carried them to a 2o win season, not to mention it was ollies first year and without him I doubt Ollie is still our coach. As a senior carried a teams whose second best player that year was DD, and won a championship which solidified are place among the CBB elites. Played all four years, which to me counts for something.

 

[CallMeBruce]

@CallMeBruce 2 time national championship winning starting point guard that played a key role on both teams. Had the pressure of carrying the team after his HOF coach and father figure had to retire. First year leading the team with no post season hopes, carried them to a 2o win season, not to mention it was ollies first year and without him I doubt Ollie is still our coach. As a senior carried a teams whose second best player that year was DD, and won a championship which solidified are place among the CBB elites. Played all four years, which to me counts for something.

Well, the only part of that that has anything to do with being the greatest player, that he was the starting PG on two national championship teams, isn't true. I'm sorry, but no. The idea that Napier might be the best UConn player ever is so far out of the realm of reasonable opinions that I don't even know where to start.

 

[Inyatkin]

Not a good one, but let's hear what you've got.

The yahoo lineup is correct. You're not doing better than that.

I was for a long time convinced the Yahoo lineup was not only correct but the only one worth considering. Shabazz in 2014 made me rethink that, but even given all that the Yahoo lineup probably still stands.

 

[Kitaman]

How can you argue with that five? However was Kemba really a distributor?

 

[johnhuskies95]

Well, the only part of that that has anything to do with being the greatest player, that he was the starting PG on two national championship teams, isn't true. I'm sorry, but no. The idea that Napier might be the best UConn player ever is so far out of the realm of reasonable opinions that I don't even know where to start.

The hyperbole on this board gets really out of hand sometimes. Settle down.

 

[superjohn]

This is pretty easy- Kemba, Ray, Rip, Donyell, Emeka.

 

[boog204]

This is pretty easy- Kemba, Ray, Rip, Donyell, Emeka.

Yep... Not sure how you could go anywhere else. Kemba, Rip, and Emeka are no doubters b/c they were champions and all-americans. Bazz and Ben exist within those criteria, but they were not as dominant as any of these guys. The other two slots go to our other mega stars; Ray and Donyell. All-Americans and arguably the top player in the country (Ray won, Donyell was 2nd across the board to Glenn Robinson). Both were better than Caron and were on more successful teams.

 

[JimHurley]

Shabazz over Donyell

 

[Ts5034]

These kind of things are always fun for the fans, just like the argument of which national championship team was better. I think the all time starting 5 for UConn was indisputable to be honest with you. Caron, Ben Gordon, and Shabazz are the first guys off the bench in that case.

 

[LIUCHusky]

Shabazz over Donyell

I am not sure if you are being sarcastic or not. maybe just young and didn't have the opportunity to see Donyell play. Love Shabazz but no way he is comparable to Donyell as a player at UCONN.

 

[RM99]

I would replace Donyell with Caron. He adds toughness and wouldn't miss those famous free throws!

 

[80shusky]

Shabazz over Donyell

@JimOllie I respect your love for Shabazz because I love him too for what he did for us and how clutch he is. I am, however, going to respectfully disagree with taking him over Donyell. I'm guessing you are too young or just don't remember him as a player. He was absolutely dominant during parts of his UConn career. Bazz is great and I'm a big fan, but Donyell was a better player by far.

 

[Jaker]

Both Kemba and Emeka should of won POY in all of college hoops

 

[weyuo]

If they could have played together: Ray Allen and Kemba Walker, Donyell Marshall, Omeka Okafor and Andre Drummond. Who's getting an offensive rebound, any rebound away from that group? 3 three point threats, two monsters in and around the paint. Geno's crews move over. Nobody would intimidate more than that group would.

 

[Woof 101]

Shabazz needs a spot somewhere, there's an argument to be made he's the best player we've ever had.

If i was putting together a squad that actually had to play against other schools best squad:

PG: Kemba
SG: Shabazz
SF: Ricky
PF: Donyell
C: Emeka

You got your two best players, ball handlers, and great scorers in the back court. Ricky will lock down other teams best scorer. Donyell can handle most of the big man scoring. Okafor will lock down the paint and the others teams best offensive big. If not Ricky I'd go with Ray, since he'd get open Js all day with this team.

No malice Husky but you HAVE to be going by stats and even that would be wrong. Judging by your avatar there is NO way you are old enough to have seen Donyell play at UConn. There is an argument to be made it puts you somewhere between 4th and 6th grade.

 

[Hans Sprungfeld]

WOW! Kemba averaged 47.9ppg in the 2010-2011 season and still lost Big East Player of the Year?

Perhaps you're too young to have seen that Hansbrough kid; a beast, maybe even better than Jimmer.
But Kemba's 1900+ point season was something to behold, eh?

 

[champs99and04]

You can't really compare Shabazz to guys like Ray or Donyell because they played in two completely different eras of college hoops. It's like comparing home run totals from the dead ball era to the steroid era. Ray and Donyell were better overall players, but they were playing against other studs. Shabazz is a different prototype in that he wasn't quite talented enough to go to the NBA, so he stuck around and dominated other guys who were either underclassmen or also not good enough to play in the league. It's a depleted talent pool, but he was just as successful within that pool. His 12-1 record in the NCAA Tournament speaks for itself.

 

[boog204]

You can't really compare Shabazz to guys like Ray or Donyell because they played in two completely different eras of college hoops. It's like comparing home run totals from the dead ball era to the steroid era. Ray and Donyell were better overall players, but they were playing against other studs. Shabazz is a different prototype in that he wasn't quite talented enough to go to the NBA, so he stuck around and dominated other guys who were either underclassmen or also not good enough to play in the league. It's a depleted talent pool, but he was just as successful within that pool. His 12-1 record in the NCAA Tournament speaks for itself.

The only knock we possibly can have against Ray and Donyell is that they choked when it mattered most. Donyell's is obviously more blatant with the free throws, but Ray was awful against Mississippi State going 9-25 and spending a lot of time simply standing still on the baseline. We were down like 16 or 17 in that game against a team that wasn't even close to being as good as us.

Still, Ray and 'Yell were much more talented in a much more talented era. If we were are doing our "best" starting five, Bazz, despite being a two-time champion, should not be there.

 

[mauconnfan]

Shabazz over Donyell

I hope you're kidding. Love Shabazz but 'Yell had the most dominant year in Huskies history. And he also did it when the Big East was the best conference in America bar none.

25/10/3 is WOW stuff back then. This 5 makes the most sense.

 

[Hoophound]

I am still torn on Bazz vs Ray/Donyell. Bazz was different in that he'd control the whole game. The opponent would be on a run and he'd take the ball up and bury a 25 footer from straight away and stop the bleeding instantly. Bazz and Kemba were just wired differently than everyone else.

 

[tzznandrew]

The only knock we possibly can have against Ray and Donyell is that they choked when it mattered most. Donyell's is obviously more blatant with the free throws, but Ray was awful against Mississippi State going 9-25 and spending a lot of time simply standing still on the baseline. We were down like 16 or 17 in that game against a team that wasn't even close to being as good as us.

Still, Ray and 'Yell were much more talented in a much more talented era. If we were are doing our "best" starting five, Bazz, despite being a two-time champion, should not be there.

To be fair to Ray, the year before he had an amazing game against UCLA in an E8 loss, so I cut him some slack on that MSU game.