Getting a new appreciation for just how great Kemba was...

[freescooter]

Wow, it is becoming more and more obvious just how good he was. I always thought he was a good player, but after watching this crowd clang ball off the rim, throw them into opponents hands, miss everything, fail to rebound, stand around like they have roots instead of feet, I have to revise my assessment. If he could lead this mess of a team to a National Championship, he was far and away the best player ever to wear a UCONN uniform. I've had him among the top 5 maybe, but behind Ray and Hamilton and somewhere even with Donyell and Okafor. He carried a relatively talentless bunch all the way last year. None of them played with such little talent around them. He is now #1 by a long shot.

 

[dpross]

+1000

 

[3rdbass]

For you no not to have KW #1 before your realization is travesty. I mean I can see Rip as he did win the 1999 championship and was more consistent in his 3 years than KW. Though KW's junior year he transformed into an unbelievable player. He allowed the current role players to find their strengths as he would take over the burden of scoring when they needed it. Unfortunately none of those role players have been able to take over where he left off. JL has really been mediocre while we all know how good SN is as a starting PG. He is not a good one.

 

[zls44]

Pretty much

 

[campcalhoun2009]

1. Kemba
2. Ray
3. Rip
4. Mek
5. Caron (you could argue KEA, Gordon, Donyell and I wouldn't disagree)

 

[bobbygt]

Of course a ton of it has to do with talent and determination and Kemba had a ludicrous amount of both of those.

But it's also about chemistry and personalities and matchups and luck, all of which magically came together last year.

Was Kemba the architect of it? Sure. But think of all the huge plays that Lamb made, and Alex, and Napier and Roscoe.

Uconn doesn't win without those plays, and Kemba didn't make them.

Would uconn have won the NC last year if they replaced Kemba with Rip or Ray or Ben or Emeka. Probably not. But Uconn probably wouldn't have won the NC in 1999 if they replaced Khalid with Kemba, nor if they replaced Ben with Kemba in 2004.

I'm not arguing that Kemba isn't the goat at uconn, but everything fit perfectly together last year and those guys played the minutes, made the shots, got the rebounds, played side by side with Kemba. If one of those guys weren’t on the team, or if Brandon Knight chose uconn and replaced Shabazz, or if Majok was still on the team, maybe uconn doesn’t win it all.

I guess my point is that we all know Kemba and love him as fans, but he wouldn’t have accomplished any of what he did without his teammates. These guys need to find themselves. They made the plays last year. They are doggone National Champs.

 

[Kitaman]

The other thread had a post about 'No Kemba = No Peyton Manning" and it made realize that the season he had is irreplaceable, particularly as the leader/pg.

Plus him leaving left us void of senior leadership. GT had two seniors in the starting lineup, that is an advantage over us (not necessarily everyone else).

Its one of the first thing I look for in our opponents this season; how many seniors?