Donyell Marshall | The Boneyard

Donyell Marshall

Joined
Aug 27, 2011
Messages
3,217
Reaction Score
10,696
Just wanted to show some appreciation for Donyell seeing how we are playing him tonight. Donyell Marshall was my earliest memory of UConn basketball. I remember watching his 360 dunk live, which is one of the most memorable highlights of his career, and one of the best dunks in UConn history. My first jersey I ever had as a kid was the Donyell Marshall Timberwolves jersey when he got drafted. Its a shame there wasn’t a full house tonight to give him the proper ovation he deserves.

0A35979B-6940-42A0-8AE5-0E2A2098DCF1.jpeg
 
Joined
Aug 24, 2011
Messages
22,199
Reaction Score
4,352
Donyell was the first UConn player to arguably be one of the best five or ten players in the country -- a true All American level performer. You could argue that his last year as a Husky was better than anyone else's. (Well, maybe except Kemba's.) Better than Rip's, Ray's, Okafor's, anyone's. If you're picking the five best UConn players and picking one at each position, there is no question whatsoever he is the 4, playing with Okafor, Rip, Ray and Kemba. With all due respect to Caron, Shabazz and other greats.

Welcome back to Gampel Donyell!
 

8893

Curiouser
Joined
Aug 26, 2011
Messages
29,851
Reaction Score
96,490
You could argue that his last year as a Husky was better than anyone else's. (Well, maybe except Kemba's.)
I don't think there's any question that it was at least the second-greatest single season by any Husky, ever.

But because finishing and titles matter, Kemba probably gets the nod.

One farking foul shot. Especially after I was in attendance for that 42-point performance a few months earlier, when he was 20-20 from the line, it still smarts.
 

RichZ

Fort the ead!
Joined
Aug 26, 2011
Messages
5,206
Reaction Score
22,172
I would put Okafor's last season ahead of Donyell's. Mek made his season saving freethrow. Yell didn't. Case closed in my mind. I have never forgiven or forgotten those misses.
 
Joined
Aug 24, 2011
Messages
22,199
Reaction Score
4,352
I would put Okafor's last season ahead of Donyell's. Mek made his season saving freethrow. Yell didn't. Case closed in my mind. I have never forgiven or forgotten those misses.

I don't think Okafor's junior season was even that close. He missed some games to injury, and played at far less than 100& in others due to the back. The early season loss to Ga Tech at MSG he was eaten alive. Again, I have no doubt the injury caused that to happen, but his game to game level of performance in '03-'04 did not match Donyell's.

That's not taking anything away from Okafor's overall performance or accomplishments.
 
Last edited:
Joined
Aug 24, 2011
Messages
22,199
Reaction Score
4,352
I don't think there's any question that it was at least the second-greatest single season by any Husky, ever.

But because finishing and titles matter, Kemba probably gets the nod.

One farking foul shot. Especially after I was in attendance for that 42-point performance a few months earlier, when he was 20-20 from the line, it still smarts.

Frankly, Kemba's season was better even if you don't get to the Tourney, Kemba delivering and Donyell choking. Kemba's season, taking the team he started the season with to the title, was more than player of the year level.
 
Joined
Sep 18, 2011
Messages
406
Reaction Score
1,620
First true big time player to start the Calhoun era. Smitty was the Connecticut guy, Donyell was the national guy. Will always be in my top 5 Huskies.
 
Joined
Apr 30, 2015
Messages
1,179
Reaction Score
5,557
Donyell was the first UConn player to arguably be one of the best five or ten players in the country -- a true All American level performer. You could argue that his last year as a Husky was better than anyone else's. (Well, maybe except Kemba's.) Better than Rip's, Ray's, Okafor's, anyone's. If you're picking the five best UConn players and picking one at each position, there is no question whatsoever he is the 4, playing with Okafor, Rip, Ray and Kemba. With all due respect to Caron, Shabazz and other greats.

Welcome back to Gampel Donyell!

Yeah, if you're going strictly by position, Caron had to bump either Ray or Rip. Tough decision.
 

JakeTheDog

Makin’ bacon pancakes
Joined
Apr 19, 2014
Messages
639
Reaction Score
4,409
First UConn player I have any memory of. Pretty sure it was because of the steady stream of expletives leaving my dad's mouth after the missed free throws. A great husky and somehow under-appreciated.
 
Joined
Apr 14, 2020
Messages
4,423
Reaction Score
19,363
360 vs Hall was legendary
Made JC a little twitchy.. But Donyell's smile ..Like KEA's smile..Like Kemba's.. Lightened JC up ..
 
Last edited:
Joined
Aug 27, 2011
Messages
6,305
Reaction Score
13,983
Donyell was the first UConn player to arguably be one of the best five or ten players in the country -- a true All American level performer. You could argue that his last year as a Husky was better than anyone else's. (Well, maybe except Kemba's.) Better than Rip's, Ray's, Okafor's, anyone's. If you're picking the five best UConn players and picking one at each position, there is no question whatsoever he is the 4, playing with Okafor, Rip, Ray and Kemba. With all due respect to Caron, Shabazz and other greats.

Welcome back to Gampel Donyell!
His last year outside of a title was better than Kemba.
 
Joined
Apr 6, 2014
Messages
439
Reaction Score
1,841
Donyell was the first UConn player to arguably be one of the best five or ten players in the country -- a true All American level performer. You could argue that his last year as a Husky was better than anyone else's. (Well, maybe except Kemba's.) Better than Rip's, Ray's, Okafor's, anyone's. If you're picking the five best UConn players and picking one at each position, there is no question whatsoever he is the 4, playing with Okafor, Rip, Ray and Kemba. With all due respect to Caron, Shabazz and other greats.

Welcome back to Gampel Donyell!
What also shouldn’t be overlooked— when it comes to the kind of Husky Donyell has been —is his generous gift, back in 1996, of $100K to the Uconn Athletic Development Fund. A Husky who thought there was a need to “give back!”
 
Joined
Aug 27, 2011
Messages
16,042
Reaction Score
23,112
I will always be grateful for Donyell coming because he was big time. Remember his first 3. Good guy, glad he made a ton of NBA money too.
 

Mr. French

Tremendous Individual
Joined
Feb 10, 2012
Messages
3,299
Reaction Score
12,519
I said this on twitter - he was my first favorite player, I was OBSESSED with him and I only learned about him in his soph-junior year, I was only 10-11 years old. But he's my first favorite player and THE reason I'm a Huskies diehard today. I remember seeing him on an All-America team list at the grocery store with J Kidd, Montross, G Hill and Big Dog. I don't know what it was, but I love those uniforms and loved him instantly.

I am also pretty surprised he never became a really good player in the NBA ... even in the old NBA, he had every tool. He carved out a really nice career but I thought and still would think right now if we rewound, that he'd be at least a couple time all-star.
 

Dove

Part of the 2%
Joined
Aug 26, 2011
Messages
15,730
Reaction Score
45,270
The tv crew laying on the love tonight. Donny is one of them, right?
 

StllH8L8ner

You’ll get nothing and like it!
Joined
Mar 22, 2020
Messages
1,673
Reaction Score
8,291
Most important player in UConn history? Start a poll.
 
Joined
Dec 10, 2014
Messages
224
Reaction Score
953
Someplace I still have the copy of the Reading Eagle newspaper from when Donyell announced that he had picked UCONN. Front page sports section headline all about the local kid snubbing Syracuse, Maryland and others when he chose the Huskies. Before Donyell went to UCONN, all of my friends had mocked me whenever I'd talk Husky hoops, telling me the Dream Season wasn't going to happen ever again, I was wasting my time cheering for UCONN......how incorrect they all were! Wish that I still had his Connecticut road blue jersey that Speedline produced back in those days, don't see those around hardly ever, I had snapped that bad boy up down in Reading at a sporting goods store when I found it
 
Joined
Feb 7, 2012
Messages
5,576
Reaction Score
24,476
Just wanted to show some appreciation for Donyell seeing how we are playing him tonight. Donyell Marshall was my earliest memory of UConn basketball. I remember watching his 360 dunk live, which is one of the most memorable highlights of his career, and one of the best dunks in UConn history. My first jersey I ever had as a kid was the Donyell Marshall Timberwolves jersey when he got drafted. Its a shame there wasn’t a full house tonight to give him the proper ovation he deserves.

View attachment 61743
Kudos to you. That jersey still looks like it’s in mint condition. Ironically, Donyell not so much. Looks like he skips the gym.
 

Online statistics

Members online
565
Guests online
4,040
Total visitors
4,605

Forum statistics

Threads
155,816
Messages
4,032,363
Members
9,865
Latest member
Sad Tiger


Top Bottom