ESPN Top 25 Men’s College Players of the last 25 years

[nomar]

I don’t think Durant should be 1, but wherever he is, Beasley should be ahead of him. He broke nearly all of Durants record.

I think I gave up my dream of being an NBA talent evaluator upon my call of Beasley-over-Rose being proven laughably wrong.

Man that dude dominated at K-State.

 

[nomar]

Nobody would have ever heard of him until the March run. His point totals are impressive but there are other guys who have done similar at low majors.

I mean do we think Rip isn't putting up 28ppg in the SoCon?

I don't know. Did Rip put up 30 PPG for Detroit? Hard to dismiss Steph's talent at this point.

Also, you can't take the NCAA run out of the equation. You can always do a "yeah but".

 

[ConnHuskBask]

I don't know. Did Rip put up 30 PPG for Detroit? Hard to dismiss Steph's talent at this point.

Also, you can't take the NCAA run out of the equation. You can always do a "yeah but".

I don't think anyone is questioning Curry's talent...he's what a top 10 NBA player of all time?

My point is that these lists are heavily skewed by how the guy turned out as a pro. Curry put up a ton of points at a low major and had 1 NCAA run, sorry I just don't think that qualifies him as the 6th best college player of the last 25 years.

 

[nomar]

I don't think anyone is questioning Curry's talent...he's what a top 10 NBA player of all time?

My point is that these lists are heavily skewed by how the guy turned out as a pro. Curry put up a ton of points at a low major and had 1 NCAA run, sorry I just don't think that qualifies him as the 6th best college player of the last 25 years.

He was pretty electric. He singlehandedly took a weak team to the Elite 8. (Interestingly, he and Rip both went 7th overall.)

My issue is that it's totally arbitrary when it comes to the non-NBA stars. As I mentioned, Jimmer's on there but Morrison isn't. Why?

I certainly agree he wouldn't be 6th on this list if he'd been playing with Jimmer in China rather than winning NBA MVPs.

 

[navery12]

He was pretty electric. He singlehandedly took a weak team to the Elite 8. (Interestingly, he and Rip both went 7th overall.)

My issue is that it's totally arbitrary when it comes to the non-NBA stars. As I mentioned, Jimmer's on there but Morrison isn't. Why?

I certainly agree he wouldn't be 6th on this list if he'd been playing with Jimmer in China rather than winning NBA MVPs.

Morrison is on there, he's #23

 

[nomar]

Morrison is on there, he's #23

Then I take it back -- perfect list

 

[Stinger92860]

No Bazz? W t f

 

[tzznandrew]

I don't think anyone is questioning Curry's talent...he's what a top 10 NBA player of all time?

My point is that these lists are heavily skewed by how the guy turned out as a pro. Curry put up a ton of points at a low major and had 1 NCAA run, sorry I just don't think that qualifies him as the 6th best college player of the last 25 years.

He was a sensation his last year. LeBron was going to SoCon games.

The list is trash because it doesn't know what it wants to be. Durant had a great year. He wasn't one of the best 25 college players of the last 25 years. He had one of the best seasons, and he is one of the best basketball players to play in college, but that's not the same thing, and neither is what they were doing with that list.

List should have been "best college careers," "best college seasons," or "best players who had the best seasons." Any one of those makes a coherent list. This is not that list.

 

[SubbaBub]

Here's your list, you can fill in the names

1. Champion/POY winners (multiple winners ahead of single winners)
2. POY winners
3. Championship winners (best player)
4. Multiple Conference Champs/deep tournament runs (best player) multiple winners beat single winners.
5. Single Conference/deep tournament run (best player)

You'll get to 25 pretty quickly. There is no need for style points, eye test, or NBA credentials to matter at all here.

 

[SubbaBub]

I don't think anyone is questioning Curry's talent...he's what a top 10 NBA player of all time?

My point is that these lists are heavily skewed by how the guy turned out as a pro. Curry put up a ton of points at a low major and had 1 NCAA run, sorry I just don't think that qualifies him as the 6th best college player of the last 25 years.

There should be Larry Bird credit given to stars who take obscure teams deep (E8 minimum, F4 if you want it to make a significant factor)

 

[dennismenace]

Despite his post career problems don't see why Ben Gordon's name is not on the top 25 list both for his college career and professional production.

 

[Chin Diesel]

So, the click bait article worked??

 

[wingsfan055]

The ACC/Duke bias is strong with this one. Did Jay Bilas put this list together?

Number of Titles last 25 years:
UConn: 5
Duke: 3

Number of players on list:
UConn: 3
Duke: 5

Napier had arguably the best Tourney run in history and carried his team to a title, and he's not top 25!?! Ben Gordon?

 

[Waquoit]

Napier had arguably the best Tourney run in history and carried his team to a title, and he's not top 25!

And was 6th man on another.

 

[willie99]

Remember, Jimmer won POY over Kemba

C'mon man

 

[SubbaBub]

OK, I found myself inside watching the Travelers' and decided to put together a list of the best college players, not the best players to play in college. The criteria are based primarily on accomplishments giving the most weight to consensus all-americans and championships with non-numerical bonuses for being MOP or NPOY. I also favored players who were near the top for multiple seasons to break ties among similar resumes. If Kevin Durant (and others) wanted on this list then they should have stayed longer. I acknowledge there are a few suspect names on this list but if you were a consensus AA and won a championship you earned consideration.

1	Tyler Hansbrough, North Carolina AA(4) 2009 Champ 2008 NPOY ****	Best college player in the last 25 years
2	Shane Battier, Duke AA(2) 2001 Champ 2001 MOP 2001 NPOY ****	A lot of Dukie V hype won these awards, but a generational career
3	Jay Williams, Duke AA(2) 2001 Champ 2002 NPOY ****	See Battier, Shane
4	Anthony Davis, Kentucky 2012 AA, 2012 Champ, 2012 MOP, 2012 NPOY ***	One & done but dominated putting him over Rip and Cleaves
5	Mateen Cleaves, Michigan State AA(3) 2000 Champ 2000 MOP ****	3>2 puts him over Rip
6	Richard Hamiltion, Uconn AA(2) 1999 Champ 1999 MOP ****	Still one of the GOAT college careers of this era.
7	Doug McDeremott, Creighton 3x First Team AA (2012-2014) 2014 NPOY *	Absolute stud in college, carried those teams for years unlike Jimmer and Morrison et al
8	Shabazz Napier, Uconn 2014 AA, 2011 Champ, 2014 Champ, 2014 MOP ***	2 chips gives him the edge over Kemba, though Kemba was better
9	Kemba Walker, Uconn 2011 AA, 2011 Champ, 2011 MOP ***	The real GOAT
10	Juan Dixon, Maryland 2002 AA, 2002 Champ 2002 MOP ***	Tough call over Oak, but Oak had Gordon plus others
11	Emeka Okafor, Uconn 2004 AA, 2004 Champ 2004 MOP ***
12	Joakim Noah, Florida 2006 Champ, 2007 AA, 2007 Champ, 2006 MOP **	Biggest wildcard but was MOP and key player on 2 chips and 2>1...
13	Carmelo Anthony, Syracuse 2003 AA 2003 Champ 2003 MOP **	Carried them, puts him over some FT AA's/MOPs
14	Jared Butler, Baylor 2021 AA, 2021 Champ, 2021 MOP ***	Leading Baylor to a title > UNC or KU
15	Sean May, North Carolina 2005 AA 2005 Champ 2005 MOP **	2005 AA was stacked, would have been FT any other year
16	Ochai Agbaji, Kansas 2022 AA, 2022 Champ, 2022 MOP ***
17	Sherrod Collins, Kansas AA(2) 2008 Champ 2010 First Team 2008 Second Team ****	Best year wasn't chip year and had to look him up
18	Jahlil Okafor, Duke, 2015 AA, 2015 Champ ***	Generic Dukie with a title
19	Josh Hart, Villanova 2017 AA, 2016 Champ ***	2018 guys didn't make the cut, this is their guy for the Wright era.
20	Justin Jackson, North Carolina 2017 AA , 2017 Champ ***	Generic Tar Heel with a title
21	J.J. Reddick, Duke 2x First Team AA (2005-2006) *	Never won the big one, but most people would think he did. Epic career otherwise.
22	Luka Garza, Iowa 2x First Team AA (2020-2021) *	Garza, Timme, and Murphy are essentially tied
23	Drew Timme, Gonzaga 2023 First Team AA, 2x Second Team AA (2021-2022) *
24	Troy Murphy, Notre Dame 2x First Team AA (2000-2001) *
25	Corey Brewer, Florida 2006 Champ, 2007 Champ 2007 MOP *	Last spot to Florida's other MOP 2x Champ even if they were 4 stars deep
26	Jon Scheyer, Duke 2010 AA, 2010 Champ **	First out. Yes, this is disrespect but I had to look him up)
****	Multiple Consensus All-American (at least 1 First Team nomination + National Champion)
***	Single Consensus First Team All-American + National Championship
**	Single Consensus Second Team All-American + National Championship
*	Other - Multiple AA or National Championships (at least one MOP)

 

[Nick2005]

Caron butler has been my favorite player since cliff, Tate, and smith. Highway robbery butler didn't win two in a row. He was awesome. Im expecting castle to be same type of player. I think karaban could be similar.

 

[TheChamps990411]

All great players, but I’m not sure I understand the criteria for the ranking. Either way, it should stir up an interesting debate.

Hello! Its BSPN. What did you expect? Some actual thought and reason put behind the list? Lol!

 

[Scoe]

These ranking lists are generally dumb and although it can be a fun argument, honestly a stupid argument.

 

[HuskyWarrior611]

He was a sensation his last year. LeBron was going to SoCon games.

The list is trash because it doesn't know what it wants to be. Durant had a great year. He wasn't one of the best 25 college players of the last 25 years. He had one of the best seasons, and he is one of the best basketball players to play in college, but that's not the same thing, and neither is what they were doing with that list.

List should have been "best college careers," "best college seasons," or "best players who had the best seasons." Any one of those makes a coherent list. This is not that list.

Yeah either winning a championship or the Wooden is important or not.

There’s a few guys in the top 10 that did neither. Trae Young being there is a complete joke. Didn’t even win conference player of the year.

No idea where they should be on a list like this, but KD and Beasley had the most video game like college basketball seasons. Numbers they put up on a nightly basis were insane.

 

[auror]

OK, I found myself inside watching the Travelers' and decided to put together a list of the best college players, not the best players to play in college. The criteria are based primarily on accomplishments giving the most weight to consensus all-americans and championships with non-numerical bonuses for being MOP or NPOY. I also favored players who were near the top for multiple seasons to break ties among similar resumes. If Kevin Durant (and others) wanted on this list then they should have stayed longer. I acknowledge there are a few suspect names on this list but if you were a consensus AA and won a championship you earned consideration.

1	Tyler Hansbrough, North Carolina AA(4) 2009 Champ 2008 NPOY ****	Best college player in the last 25 years
2	Shane Battier, Duke AA(2) 2001 Champ 2001 MOP 2001 NPOY ****	A lot of Dukie V hype won these awards, but a generational career
3	Jay Williams, Duke AA(2) 2001 Champ 2002 NPOY ****	See Battier, Shane
4	Anthony Davis, Kentucky 2012 AA, 2012 Champ, 2012 MOP, 2012 NPOY ***	One & done but dominated putting him over Rip and Cleaves
5	Mateen Cleaves, Michigan State AA(3) 2000 Champ 2000 MOP ****	3>2 puts him over Rip
6	Richard Hamiltion, Uconn AA(2) 1999 Champ 1999 MOP ****	Still one of the GOAT college careers of this era.
7	Doug McDeremott, Creighton 3x First Team AA (2012-2014) 2014 NPOY *	Absolute stud in college, carried those teams for years unlike Jimmer and Morrison et al
8	Shabazz Napier, Uconn 2014 AA, 2011 Champ, 2014 Champ, 2014 MOP ***	2 chips gives him the edge over Kemba, though Kemba was better
9	Kemba Walker, Uconn 2011 AA, 2011 Champ, 2011 MOP ***	The real GOAT
10	Juan Dixon, Maryland 2002 AA, 2002 Champ 2002 MOP ***	Tough call over Oak, but Oak had Gordon plus others
11	Emeka Okafor, Uconn 2004 AA, 2004 Champ 2004 MOP ***
12	Joakim Noah, Florida 2006 Champ, 2007 AA, 2007 Champ, 2006 MOP **	Biggest wildcard but was MOP and key player on 2 chips and 2>1...
13	Carmelo Anthony, Syracuse 2003 AA 2003 Champ 2003 MOP **	Carried them, puts him over some FT AA's/MOPs
14	Jared Butler, Baylor 2021 AA, 2021 Champ, 2021 MOP ***	Leading Baylor to a title > UNC or KU
15	Sean May, North Carolina 2005 AA 2005 Champ 2005 MOP **	2005 AA was stacked, would have been FT any other year
16	Ochai Agbaji, Kansas 2022 AA, 2022 Champ, 2022 MOP ***
17	Sherrod Collins, Kansas AA(2) 2008 Champ 2010 First Team 2008 Second Team ****	Best year wasn't chip year and had to look him up
18	Jahlil Okafor, Duke, 2015 AA, 2015 Champ ***	Generic Dukie with a title
19	Josh Hart, Villanova 2017 AA, 2016 Champ ***	2018 guys didn't make the cut, this is their guy for the Wright era.
20	Justin Jackson, North Carolina 2017 AA , 2017 Champ ***	Generic Tar Heel with a title
21	J.J. Reddick, Duke 2x First Team AA (2005-2006) *	Never won the big one, but most people would think he did. Epic career otherwise.
22	Luka Garza, Iowa 2x First Team AA (2020-2021) *	Garza, Timme, and Murphy are essentially tied
23	Drew Timme, Gonzaga 2023 First Team AA, 2x Second Team AA (2021-2022) *
24	Troy Murphy, Notre Dame 2x First Team AA (2000-2001) *
25	Corey Brewer, Florida 2006 Champ, 2007 Champ 2007 MOP *	Last spot to Florida's other MOP 2x Champ even if they were 4 stars deep
26	Jon Scheyer, Duke 2010 AA, 2010 Champ **	First out. Yes, this is disrespect but I had to look him up)
****	Multiple Consensus All-American (at least 1 First Team nomination + National Champion)
***	Single Consensus First Team All-American + National Championship
**	Single Consensus Second Team All-American + National Championship
*	Other - Multiple AA or National Championships (at least one MOP)

Jalen Brunson has to be on here. Starter for 2 titles, national player of the year.

 

[tzznandrew]

Jalen Brunson has to be on here. Starter for 2 titles, national player of the year.

Yeah, and list without Brunson is a bad list. 2x All BE, BEPOY, First team AA, Wooden/Naismith/AP/USBWA POY, two titles, etc.

 

[superjohn]

OK, I found myself inside watching the Travelers' and decided to put together a list of the best college players, not the best players to play in college. The criteria are based primarily on accomplishments giving the most weight to consensus all-americans and championships with non-numerical bonuses for being MOP or NPOY. I also favored players who were near the top for multiple seasons to break ties among similar resumes. If Kevin Durant (and others) wanted on this list then they should have stayed longer. I acknowledge there are a few suspect names on this list but if you were a consensus AA and won a championship you earned consideration.

1	Tyler Hansbrough, North Carolina AA(4) 2009 Champ 2008 NPOY ****	Best college player in the last 25 years
2	Shane Battier, Duke AA(2) 2001 Champ 2001 MOP 2001 NPOY ****	A lot of Dukie V hype won these awards, but a generational career
3	Jay Williams, Duke AA(2) 2001 Champ 2002 NPOY ****	See Battier, Shane
4	Anthony Davis, Kentucky 2012 AA, 2012 Champ, 2012 MOP, 2012 NPOY ***	One & done but dominated putting him over Rip and Cleaves
5	Mateen Cleaves, Michigan State AA(3) 2000 Champ 2000 MOP ****	3>2 puts him over Rip
6	Richard Hamiltion, Uconn AA(2) 1999 Champ 1999 MOP ****	Still one of the GOAT college careers of this era.
7	Doug McDeremott, Creighton 3x First Team AA (2012-2014) 2014 NPOY *	Absolute stud in college, carried those teams for years unlike Jimmer and Morrison et al
8	Shabazz Napier, Uconn 2014 AA, 2011 Champ, 2014 Champ, 2014 MOP ***	2 chips gives him the edge over Kemba, though Kemba was better
9	Kemba Walker, Uconn 2011 AA, 2011 Champ, 2011 MOP ***	The real GOAT
10	Juan Dixon, Maryland 2002 AA, 2002 Champ 2002 MOP ***	Tough call over Oak, but Oak had Gordon plus others
11	Emeka Okafor, Uconn 2004 AA, 2004 Champ 2004 MOP ***
12	Joakim Noah, Florida 2006 Champ, 2007 AA, 2007 Champ, 2006 MOP **	Biggest wildcard but was MOP and key player on 2 chips and 2>1...
13	Carmelo Anthony, Syracuse 2003 AA 2003 Champ 2003 MOP **	Carried them, puts him over some FT AA's/MOPs
14	Jared Butler, Baylor 2021 AA, 2021 Champ, 2021 MOP ***	Leading Baylor to a title > UNC or KU
15	Sean May, North Carolina 2005 AA 2005 Champ 2005 MOP **	2005 AA was stacked, would have been FT any other year
16	Ochai Agbaji, Kansas 2022 AA, 2022 Champ, 2022 MOP ***
17	Sherrod Collins, Kansas AA(2) 2008 Champ 2010 First Team 2008 Second Team ****	Best year wasn't chip year and had to look him up
18	Jahlil Okafor, Duke, 2015 AA, 2015 Champ ***	Generic Dukie with a title
19	Josh Hart, Villanova 2017 AA, 2016 Champ ***	2018 guys didn't make the cut, this is their guy for the Wright era.
20	Justin Jackson, North Carolina 2017 AA , 2017 Champ ***	Generic Tar Heel with a title
21	J.J. Reddick, Duke 2x First Team AA (2005-2006) *	Never won the big one, but most people would think he did. Epic career otherwise.
22	Luka Garza, Iowa 2x First Team AA (2020-2021) *	Garza, Timme, and Murphy are essentially tied
23	Drew Timme, Gonzaga 2023 First Team AA, 2x Second Team AA (2021-2022) *
24	Troy Murphy, Notre Dame 2x First Team AA (2000-2001) *
25	Corey Brewer, Florida 2006 Champ, 2007 Champ 2007 MOP *	Last spot to Florida's other MOP 2x Champ even if they were 4 stars deep
26	Jon Scheyer, Duke 2010 AA, 2010 Champ **	First out. Yes, this is disrespect but I had to look him up)
****	Multiple Consensus All-American (at least 1 First Team nomination + National Champion)
***	Single Consensus First Team All-American + National Championship
**	Single Consensus Second Team All-American + National Championship
*	Other - Multiple AA or National Championships (at least one MOP)

Not a good list.

 

[SubbaBub]

Jalen Brunson has to be on here. Starter for 2 titles, national player of the year.

Missed Brunson. He belongs in the top tier, probably #5.

 

[SubbaBub]

Not a good list.

I disagree. You can't be a 25 year top 25 college player if you don't win and aren't recognized as a top player during your college career. Otherwise all you are doing is talking about NBA careers.

Ray Allen was the best player to ever play at UConn. He did not have a top 25 college career. Neither did Iverson. Ewing however, would be near the top of this list if the time frame covered his era.