How would a team of UConn All-Stars do in today's NBA?

[Matrim55]

10,000-point scorers in NBA history:

Kentucky: 13 (1 20k scorer)
Duke: 12 (0 20k scorers)
UNC: 16 (3 20k scorers)
Indiana: 7 (1 20k scorer)
Kansas: 9 (2 20k scorers)
UCLA: 14 (3 20k scorers)
UConn: 9 (1 20k scorer)
Louisville: 4 (0 20k scorers)
Villanova: 2 (0 20k scorers)
Georgetown: 6 (2 20k scorers)
Syracuse: 3 (1 20k scorer)
Michigan State: 7 (0 20k scorers)
LSU: 3 (2 20k scorers)
Texas: 2 (BOTH are 20k scorers)
Arizona: 7 (0 20k scorers)
Ohio State: 7 (1 20k scorer)
Marquette: 4 (1 20k scorer)
Houston: 4 (3 20k scorers... lmao)
Michigan: 7 (0 20k scorers)
Florida: 5 (0 20k scorers)

Points aren't everything, of course, but they tend to be a good measure of how long a guy stays in the league, and guys tend to stay in the league a long time because they're good. There are outliers, naturally (Victor Oladipo's probably a starter for Indiana; Draymond is unquestionably a starter for Michigan State, and neither guy will end up with 10k points), but for the most part the above list tells a pretty accurate tale.

Anyway, here's the breakdown:

1. UCLA would curb stomp all comers. They're the clear No. 1.
2. UNC, Kansas, Kentucky & Duke are the next tier.
3. We're in the next group. I honestly think we've got an argument to be at the top of it, but man we've got to start putting elite players into the league again.

EDIT: And one point I've made elsewhere... Calhoun recognized the pace & space era early and recruited towards it (wings who could shoot, bigs who could run). Basically everybody we put into the league from Cliff to Rudy would be 20% better -- including guys like Travis & Smitty -- in today's game. Zero other programs can say the same other than maybe Villanova.

EDIT2: Just realized I really underrated Michigan State's team of Magic, Jason Richardson, Steve Smith, ZBo & Dray with guys like Scott Skiles, Kevin Willis, Jared Jackson, Gary Harris & Mo Pete off the bench. They're in that second tier with Duke, UNC, KU & UK.

 

[FfldCntyFan]

@Matrim55

Why the LMAO on Houston?

No Maryland, Purdue, NC St? Maybe even Wake deserves a look. Arkansas as well.

 

[Matrim55]

Why the LMAO on Houston?

Because 3 of the 4 guys who've had good, long careers for them had insanely elite, 20k-point careers. That's ridiculous.

UK and Duke have put a combined 228 guys into the NBA. ONE of them has scored 20k points.

Houston's boom/bust ratio is just absurd.

 

[FfldCntyFan]

Because 3 of the 4 guys who've had good, long careers for them had insanely elite, 20k-point careers. That's ridiculous.

UK and Duke have put a combined 228 guys into the NBA. ONE of them has scored 20k points.

Houston's boom/bust ratio is just absurd.

Houston was tremendous from the Big E through Hakeem/Drexler. The one blemish was that Guy Lewis was clueless in big games. Once he retired the program sank like an anchor, similar to UNLV once Tark left.

 

[superjohn]

@Matrim55

Why the LMAO on Houston?

No Maryland, Purdue, NC St? Maybe even Wake deserves a look. Arkansas as well.

Yeah, I'm taking Houston, LSU, and Marquette over UConn.

 

[Travelman6]

Most of these guys are very old and probably not in great shape - Uncle Cliffy is no longer with us.

With that poor roster construction, I don't see them winning many games.

That is why I said:

If I were to construct this team made of UConn players in, or around their prime. How would they do?

Uconn has had a diverse array of talent, I wouldn't say their roster construction in any given year is poor or even close to it.

 

[Husky25]

Who are all the Duke hall of famers?

Missed the "flawed argument" part?

Be that as it may, Grant Hill and, technically Christian Laettner, as a member of The Dream Team (Never mind that the other 11 players are in on individual accomplishments).

As much as I don't like Duke, there is no denying they've put talent in the NBA. Add Kyrie (O/S HoF chance), Jason Tatum (Looking good early), Elton Brand, and Carlos Boozer for a quality starting 5.

Any number of players could come off the bench including Laettner, Jay Williams, JJ Reddick, Danny Ferry, and even Alaa Abdelnaby. Dare I say Bobby Hurley's accident derailed a promising career as well.

All that said, I personally don't care if UConn is considered "Blue Blood." Bezos' dollar is worth the same as Bill Gate's, which is not worth any less than a buck held by a Rockefeller. I am quite content with Nouveau Riche and being threatening to the establishment. Fear lasts longer than love, as Sonny says.

 

[Kolumbo]

This reminded me of a list I saw a while back and I think I found it. The top team was UNC with Jordan, Carter, Worthy, Wallace, McAdoo. The list only goes up to the top 10, or 11 really. UConn certainly deserves mention but leans more towards really great college players rather than really great NBA players, with a few exceptions of course.

Let's put together the college all-star list which would surely include UCONN.

https://fadeawayworld.net/10-greatest-starting-lineups-of-college-players-that-played-in-the-nba

 

[Dream Jobbed 2.0]

Calhoun was ahead of his time with some of the guys he recruited ajd how he played them. Marshall comes to mind. 6'10 guys weren't draining 3s and taking guys off the dribble back then. I am sure if you put Donyell in the NBA in his prime now, he's be an All-Star for a decade or more. He was way ahead of his time.

Cliff and Donyell are both recognized as pioneers for stretch bigs

 

[Dream Jobbed 2.0]

This reminded me of a list I saw a while back and I think I found it. The top team was UNC with Jordan, Carter, Worthy, Wallace, McAdoo. The list only goes up to the top 10, or 11 really. UConn certainly deserves mention but leans more towards really great college players rather than really great NBA players, with a few exceptions of course.

Let's put together the college all-star list which would surely include UCONN.

https://fadeawayworld.net/10-greatest-starting-lineups-of-college-players-that-played-in-the-nba

I’m confused on the guys wearing wrong era uniforms in this

 

[Greg]

10,000-point scorers in NBA history:

Kentucky: 13 (1 20k scorer)
Duke: 12 (0 20k scorers)
UNC: 16 (3 20k scorers)
Indiana: 7 (1 20k scorer)
Kansas: 9 (2 20k scorers)
UCLA: 14 (3 20k scorers)
UConn: 9 (1 20k scorer)
Louisville: 4 (0 20k scorers)
Villanova: 2 (0 20k scorers)
Georgetown: 6 (2 20k scorers)
Syracuse: 3 (1 20k scorer)
Michigan State: 7 (0 20k scorers)
LSU: 3 (2 20k scorers)
Texas: 2 (BOTH are 20k scorers)
Arizona: 7 (0 20k scorers)
Ohio State: 7 (1 20k scorer)
Marquette: 4 (1 20k scorer)
Houston: 4 (3 20k scorers... lmao)
Michigan: 7 (0 20k scorers)
Florida: 5 (0 20k scorers)

Points aren't everything, of course, but they tend to be a good measure of how long a guy stays in the league, and guys tend to stay in the league a long time because they're good. There are outliers, naturally (Victor Oladipo's probably a starter for Indiana; Draymond is unquestionably a starter for Michigan State, and neither guy will end up with 10k points), but for the most part the above list tells a pretty accurate tale.

Anyway, here's the breakdown:

1. UCLA would curb stomp all comers. They're the clear No. 1.
2. UNC, Kansas, Kentucky & Duke are the next tier.
3. We're in the next group. I honestly think we've got an argument to be at the top of it, but man we've got to start putting elite players into the league again.

EDIT: And one point I've made elsewhere... Calhoun recognized the pace & space era early and recruited towards it (wings who could shoot, bigs who could run). Basically everybody we put into the league from Cliff to Rudy would be 20% better -- including guys like Travis & Smitty -- in today's game. Zero other programs can say the same other than maybe Villanova.

EDIT2: Just realized I really underrated Michigan State's team of Magic, Jason Richardson, Steve Smith, ZBo & Dray with guys like Scott Skiles, Kevin Willis, Jared Jackson, Gary Harris & Mo Pete off the bench. They're in that second tier with Duke, UNC, KU & UK.

I think all time UCONN is in your third tier but with an asterisk. UCONN does not have the ancient history of a Kentucky or Kansas but for the past quarter century they are at or near the top of the heap. As for all time Kansas with collegiate Wilt Chamberlain could probably hang with UCLA and the Kareem/ Walton duo