ESPN's 50 in 50: UConn's starting five (1962-present)

[Kitaman]

Felt this deserved another thread as ESPN is also selecting a starting 5 inside their 50 in 50 teams. I can't go back to the 60s and I hope some old timers can weigh in here, NBA draft/performance/career I hope is excluded in the selection. Therefore let's just talk college career.

PG: Kemba Walker
SG: Ben Gordon
SF: Rip
PF: Corny Thompson
C: Emeka

Note: I didn't list the 'top options off the bench' per ESPN, I mean how could you? Whoever is not selected from one list will make another. The depth is off the charts.

 

[Vuce]

I think Ray will be in there ahead of Ben.

 

[Danzz]

Tough one but Ray instead of Rip. Actually Ray before anyone on the list.

 

[SubbaBub]

Kemba
Ray
Caron
Cliff
Emeka

Ainec.

Sent from my MB860 using Tapatalk 2

 

[specialisthusky]

Kemba
Ray
Caron
Cliff
Emeka

Ainec.

Sent from my MB860 using Tapatalk 2

nailed it

 

[diggerfoot]

nailed it

Walker
Allen
Hamilton
Marshall
Okafor

Really surprised I'm the first to bring up Donyell Marshall.

Swap Butler for Hamilton, MVP of our first championship, do we still win it? Maybe, but we know for sure that happens with Hamilton so have to give the edge there.

On the other hand, switching Allen for Gordon and I definitely do think we still win it in 2004. Allen was the man for his teams; Gordon was second fiddle to Okafor.

 

[Poe]

Walker
Allen
Hamilton
Marshall
Okafor

Really surprised I'm the first to bring up Donyell Marshall.

Swap Butler for Hamilton, MVP of our first championship, do we still win it? Maybe, but we know for sure that happens with Hamilton so have to give the edge there.

On the other hand, switching Allen for Gordon and I definitely do think we still win it in 2004. Allen was the man for his teams; Gordon was second fiddle to Okafor.

Agreed, these are definitely the top 5.

 

[M_Funkhauser43!]

I'd say:

Walker
Allen
Butler
Marshall
Okafor

Although Hamilton is a more accomplished Husky than Butler, I think Butler works a bit better in that dynamic. There's enough scoring and spot-up shooting in the line-up above and Butler provides more rebounding and size than Hamilton. He's closer to a true swingman than Rip.

 

[CL82]

Walker
Allen
Hamilton
Marshall
Okafor

Really surprised I'm the first to bring up Donyell Marshall.

Swap Butler for Hamilton, MVP of our first championship, do we still win it? Maybe, but we know for sure that happens with Hamilton so have to give the edge there.

On the other hand, switching Allen for Gordon and I definitely do think we still win it in 2004. Allen was the man for his teams; Gordon was second fiddle to Okafor.

Anyone else a little worried about defense with these guys or are we relying on Mek to swat everything? You need a banger in there.

 

[Huskymaniac]

Walker
Allen
Hamilton
Marshall
Okafor

It is hard to argue with this list except maybe Marshall. He isn't a bad choice but could Butler or Gay play PF? If so, maybe I would go with one of them.

 

[caw]

It is hard to argue with this list except maybe Marshall. He isn't a bad choice but could Butler or Gay play PF? If so, maybe I would go with one of them.

If we are talking about a college team, Marshall needs to be on there. He was amazing in college.

 

[tzznandrew]

In college, Donyell Marshall was light years better than Rudy Gay.

 

[UConnDan97]

It is hard to argue with this list except maybe Marshall. He isn't a bad choice but could Butler or Gay play PF? If so, maybe I would go with one of them.

I disagree. It's actually VERY EASY to argue with all of these lists, and that's a great thing! It is amazing that we have had so many great players in the past, and it makes it so dog-gone hard to pick a starting 5. For instance, let's take that list of Walker, Allen, Hamilton, Marshall, and Okafor. Would you be at all surprised if they lost a game against Gordon, Gay, El-Amin, Thabeet, and Butler?

The funny part is that I can imagine a fantastic team where all of the role players fit really well together that might beat both of the teams I just mentioned. For instance, how about a team of:

Ricky Moore
Jerome Dyson
Rashad Anderson
Kevin Freeman
Josh Boone

With the great ability to rebound and defend, along with the three point shooting of Anderson and the slashing of Dyson, would anyone be shocked if they won the game?

Man, I love this school!!

 

[caw]

I disagree. It's actually VERY EASY to argue with all of these lists, and that's a great thing! It is amazing that we have had so many great players in the past, and it makes it so dog-gone hard to pick a starting 5. For instance, let's take that list of Walker, Allen, Hamilton, Marshall, and Okafor. Would you be at all surprised if they lost a game against Gordon, Gay, El-Amin, Thabeet, and Butler?

The funny part is that I can imagine a fantastic team where all of the role players fit really well together that might beat both of the teams I just mentioned. For instance, how about a team of:

Ricky Moore
Jerome Dyson
Rashad Anderson
Kevin Freeman
Josh Boone

With the great ability to rebound and defend, along with the three point shooting of Anderson and the slashing of Dyson, would anyone be shocked if they won the game?

Man, I love this school!!

You can even argue the role-player list with guys like Hilton, Adrien, Ollie, Sheffer, Denham Brown (all drafted or played a bit in the NBA).

 

[UConnDan97]

You can even argue the role-player list with guys like Hilton, Adrien, Ollie, Sheffer, Denham Brown (all drafted or played a bit in the NBA).

And Voskuhl had himself a pretty decent pro career as well. Travis Knight I believe played for the Celtics. What a fantastic list of players to choose from. I don't think anyone has talked about Taliek Brown yet, either.

 

[huskiesnyc]

And Voskuhl had himself a pretty decent pro career as well. Travis Knight I believe played for the Celtics. What a fantastic list of players to choose from. I don't think anyone has talked about Taliek Brown yet, either.

or Cliff Robinson

 

[Hugo]

Anyone else a little worried about defense with these guys or are we relying on Mek to swat everything? You need a banger in there.

Nah, Marshall was great shot blocker and a very good rebounder. As someone pointed out, the college Donyell was a great player, concensus first team AA and deserves to be on the starting 5. Don't confuse the UConn Donyell with the pro Donyell.

 

[UConnDan97]

or Cliff Robinson

No, we have to give credit to SubbaBub, who had Cliff in his starting five on the first page of the thread...

 

[3uconn]

Well we are top ten at least.

 

[Ricky1Moore]

Starting five id choose if we were going to play a game:

Kemba
Emeka
Ray ray
Donyell
Rip

First man off bench, Chris Smith. He needs some love here.

 

[Brochacho]

Jeff Adrien wasn't too bad of a player.

 

[UConn990411]

Shabazz
Dyson
Selvie
Justin Brown
Thabeet

 

[Burnsbros23]

Bazz
Dyson
Stanley
Majok
Mandledove

 

[AtlHusky]

Shabazz
Dyson
Selvie
Justin Brown
Thabeet

Kellog, Wiggins, Deng, and Klaiber off the bench?

 

[CL82]

If you are worried about basketball post Pitt and Cuse look at the list for 11-20:

#12. Georgetown
#16. Nova
#17. Marquette
#18. Temple
#19. Memphis

This is in addition to:
#24. Cinci
#29. Notre Dame
#40. St. Johns
#45. DePaul