Dr. J vs. UCONN

[chapwilvaug72]

best ever opponent?

 

[Chin Diesel]

Most likely the second best or third best.

If you consider Dr. J being considered about the 15-20 range of most all-time NBA players, he probably in the top 3 UConn ever faced.

Almost every list of all-time greats would put Shaq ahead of Dr. J and UConn definitely played against Shaq when he was at LSU.

Bill Bradley and Bob Cousey are the only other players I can think of that UConn played against that's even close. And I would certainly put Dr. J above them.

Real quickly (and in no particular order) none of these players ever played against UConn- Chamberlain, Russell, Jabbar, Bird, Duncan (missed playing with Rodney Rogers by a year), Garnett, Jordan, Barkley, Malone (Moses or Karl), McHale, Magic, Kobe, 'Bron, Olajuwon, West.

 

[uconnfan68]

best ever opponent?

had the misfortune to play with no-dunking rules, also during no freshman on varsity rules.

 

[Gurleyman]

Most likely the second best or third best.

If you consider Dr. J being considered about the 15-20 range of most all-time NBA players, he probably in the top 3 UConn ever faced.

Almost every list of all-time greats would put Shaq ahead of Dr. J and UConn definitely played against Shaq when he was at LSU.

Bill Bradley and Bob Cousey are the only other players I can think of that UConn played against that's even close. And I would certainly put Dr. J above them.

Real quickly (and in no particular order) none of these players ever played against UConn- Chamberlain, Russell, Jabbar, Bird, Duncan (missed playing with Rodney Rogers by a year), Garnett, Jordan, Barkley, Malone (Moses or Karl), McHale, Magic, Kobe, 'Bron, Olajuwon, West.

Ewing would probably fall behind Dr. J, but he's the other one that springs to mind.

We did more than play against Shaq. We destroyed him. Lyman DePriest locked him down (OK, not exactly, he got his 30 and 15 - but Lyman was effective for a short spell. Just helps the legend of Lyman to say he locked down 5-9 Dana Barros and 7-1 Shaq).

 

[Chin Diesel]

Ewing would probably fall behind Dr. J, but he's the other one that springs to mind.

We did more than play against Shaq. We destroyed him. Lyman DePriest locked him down (OK, not exactly, he got his 30 and 15 - but Lyman was effective for a short spell. Just helps the legend of Lyman to say he locked down 5-9 Dana Barros and 7-1 Shaq).

I don't think anyone from the Big East conference challenges Dr. J. Again, just off the top of my head, it was all pre-BE or NCAA tourney teams that came to mind.

 

[Gurleyman]

I don't think anyone from the Big East conference challenges Dr. J. Again, just off the top of my head, it was all pre-BE or NCAA tourney teams that came to mind.

But Dr. J wasn't even on the Dream Team. Ewing and Mullin were. That says it all right there.



(It'd probably be more fun to not put a "haha" disclaimer in parentheses and see if anyone actually took the bait thinking that was serious)

 

[YearoftheHusky]

I remember when Dr. J hit 16 of 27 shots on his way to 43 points and a game winning steal and three against us. Man he was good that night.

Wait, that was only Darius Rice?

 

[Danzz]

But Dr. J wasn't even on the Dream Team. Ewing and Mullin were. That says it all right there.



(It'd probably be more fun to not put a "haha" disclaimer in parentheses and see if anyone actually took the bait thinking that was serious)

I believe that Dr J was retired or at the end of his career. He was definitely better than Mullen. I'd put him up there maybe slightly behind magic and Bird.

 

[Near Nyack]

http://umasshoops.com/history/alumni/julius_erving/

If you check out this website you can read about one of the most incredible players in basketball history. The one who revolutionized the game with his high flying dunks, jumping ability and lightning quickness that lead him to be one of the very few who averaged 20 points and 20 rebounds as a collegiate. Erving was one of a group of "hardship players" drafted by the ABA, as the NBA wouldn't touch players before their fourth year of eligibility. Some of these were the biggest stars of that era and went to the ABA for the money, and to come out as soon as they were ready play and so they ABA could snatch them from the NBA. Much of his legend was left behind when the ABA and NBA merged. This was by design. So, if you remember Dr J from the 76ers you really never saw his best. If you were lucky enough to see him play for the Virginia Squires, and especially the NY Nets, you would realize that he may have been the best all around player ever. He may not have been the best to play against UCONN, but I assure you that nobody was better!

 

[caw]

Most likely the second best or third best.

If you consider Dr. J being considered about the 15-20 range of most all-time NBA players, he probably in the top 3 UConn ever faced.

Almost every list of all-time greats would put Shaq ahead of Dr. J and UConn definitely played against Shaq when he was at LSU.

Bill Bradley and Bob Cousey are the only other players I can think of that UConn played against that's even close. And I would certainly put Dr. J above them.

Real quickly (and in no particular order) none of these players ever played against UConn- Chamberlain, Russell, Jabbar, Bird, Duncan (missed playing with Rodney Rogers by a year), Garnett, Jordan, Barkley, Malone (Moses or Karl), McHale, Magic, Kobe, 'Bron, Olajuwon, West.

Not sure the high school kids make sense to include.

 

[Near Nyack]

Sorry, Comparisons are so hard to do from era to era. Certainly Erving was revolutionary

 

[Chin Diesel]

Not sure the high school kids make sense to include.

I was going in reverse of figuring out the best NBA player list and then figuring out who was the best to play against UConn.

 

[WillB4]

Most likely the second best or third best.

If you consider Dr. J being considered about the 15-20 range of most all-time NBA players, he probably in the top 3 UConn ever faced.

Almost every list of all-time greats would put Shaq ahead of Dr. J and UConn definitely played against Shaq when he was at LSU.

Bill Bradley and Bob Cousey are the only other players I can think of that UConn played against that's even close. And I would certainly put Dr. J above them.

Real quickly (and in no particular order) none of these players ever played against UConn- Chamberlain, Russell, Jabbar, Bird, Duncan (missed playing with Rodney Rogers by a year), Garnett, Jordan, Barkley, Malone (Moses or Karl), McHale, Magic, Kobe, 'Bron, Olajuwon, West.

I do believe the Huskies played against Minnesota with McHale at the Civic Center in the 1981 NIT.

 

[Robertelamin]

Also played against a couple of future hall of famers in Iverson, Carmelo and Pierce.

 

[Storrsbred]

Didn't UConn play against Elgin Baylor a long time ago? Also, (I believe) played against Jim Brown and while not a pro BB player, turned out pretty good in another sport.

On edit: for those who want to read about the greatest athlete (imo) that UConn ever played against go to
http://www.orangehoops.org/JBrown.htm.

Jim Brown was more than incredible as a college athlete.

 

[Waquoit]

I do believe the Huskies played against Minnesota with McHale at the Civic Center in the 1981 NIT.

I don't think so. The Celts won the title that year. That was Trent Tucker.

 

[Waquoit]

Also played against a couple of future hall of famers in Iverson, Carmelo and Pierce.

Carmelo's teams never had a lead against UConn.

 

[mauconnfan]

I do believe the Huskies played against Minnesota with McHale at the Civic Center in the 1981 NIT.

I think McHale left in 80 though? Thought Mark Hall of Springfield, Randy Breuer and Trent Tucker from the Knicks (forgot dammit?)

 

[HomeKing93]

I remember when Dr. J hit 16 of 27 shots on his way to 43 points and a game winning steal and three against us. Man he was good that night.

Wait, that was only Darius Rice?

Speaking of an opponent scoring 43 points on us, remember Elijah Allen of FDU in the first round of the 1998 NCAA tourney? He was on fire that night.

 

[Chin Diesel]

Looking at some NBA career leaders, Dr. J, Kareem and the Mailman form a nice group.

Only three players in the 30,000 point, 10,000 rebound and 5,000 assist club.

 

[Husky1964]

We used a 1-3-1 zone in Shaq's game. It would have been HERCULEAN for the 6-5 DePriest to guard him.

 

[UConnDan97]

For some reason, I recall that it was Toraino Walker guarding Shaq, not DePriest. Am I going senile already?? Anybody have film of that game?

 

[G0UCONN]

Good topic...best opponents ever....

I would say Dr. J is the best and Shaq next.

Others on list include:

Bob Cousy
Bill Bradley
Chris Mullin
Patrick Ewing
Carmelo Anthony
Sean Elliott
Grant Hill
Paul Pierce
Allen Iverson
John Wall
Rajon Rondo
Vince Carter
Derrick Rose
Otis Thorpe
Alonzo Mourning
Derrick Coleman

 

[AZHuskiePop]

For those that witnessed the first ABA NBA all-star game.
The NBA stars were in Awe of him and the game was changed for ever.
He had pretty much been the catalyst for the merger.
The Net team with Super John, Brian Taylor , Larry Kenon.
Was actually fun to watch especially with the three point shot. The NBA didn't like change.
I remember a game they were they were down 10 with about minute left.
The Dr. hit 4 threes and they pulled it out.

It's unfortunate you younger guys never got to see him play.
One of the truly great players of all-time. Probably the prototype for the superstars of the last 20 years.

 

[nimzovich]

Good topic...best opponents ever....

I would say Dr. J is the best and Shaq next.

Others on list include:

Bob Cousy
Bill Bradley
Chris Mullin
Patrick Ewing
Carmelo Anthony
Sean Elliott
Grant Hill
Paul Pierce
Allen Iverson
John Wall
Rajon Rondo
Vince Carter
Derrick Rose
Alonzo Mourning
Derrick Coleman

gotta add Dolph Schayes to UConn's all-opponent team

• 12× NBA All-Star (1951–1962)

• 6× All-NBA First Team (1952–1955, 1957–1958)

• 6× All-NBA Second Team (1950–1951, 1956, 1959–1961)

• NBA rebounding leader (1951)

• NBA 25th Anniversary Team

• NBA's 50th Anniversary All-Time Team

• Career NBA statistics
  Points19,247 (18.2 ppg) (NBL/BAA/NBA)
  18,438 (18.5 ppg) (BAA/NBA)
  Rebounds11,256 (12.1 rpg)
  Assists3,072 (3.1 apg)