Huskies on SI.com 10 Greatest Huskies of All-Time Ranking

[Mr. French]

I can’t wait until the next time I have to hear a complaint about Toby Kimball, Corny Thompson and Wes B being left off a list.

 

[Duncan Idaho]

That is not all time. It is the Gampel Era.

Lot of team mates on that list.

 

[MrJama100]

Donyell and Ray were pre-Gampel, so it's not that.

If you have to consider ONLY collegiate, I still say Caron Butler deserves a mention in the top 10, perhaps moving Khalid down a few.
Donyell really should be higher. 25+ pts per game and 8+ rebounds per game in the old Big east is unbelievable.
Chris Smith is also worthy of a mention. Changed UConn forever.

 

[Chin Diesel]

The criteria is based solely off of college career but Newton who is a 2-time champion and first team AA is listed below those without two rings.

 

[Palatine]

Donyell and Ray were pre-Gampel, so it's not that.

If you have to consider ONLY collegiate, I still say Caron Butler deserves a mention in the top 10, perhaps moving Khalid down a few.
Donyell really should be higher. 25+ pts per game and 8+ rebounds per game in the old Big east is unbelievable.
Chris Smith is also worthy of a mention. Changed UConn forever.

Both Ray and Donyell played their entire careers in Gampel which opened in January 1990.

 

[Waquoit]

Bazz is not top 5

Where is Ray? Because Bazz comes before him and it's not close.

 

[cullaville]

Toby Kimball among the next group under consideration too, I think.

Toby Kimball 18.4 points per game
17.9 rebounds per game
FG % 52.0

 

[RuffRuff]

This list heavily weights championships, which is understandable. Otherwise you move Ray up a bit, Donyell up a bit, and Bazz down a bit.

Agree. I would personally move Emeka to 1 that said. Who had a better junior year? Title, 1st team AA, DPOY (2 years running), 2nd pick in the NBA draft, academic AA, was a hoops cover boy that year. Was there a more decorated player?

 

[cullaville]

Good list but it bothers me that Tony Hansen or Wes didn’t even get an honorable mention. I know it’s years before Calhoun ever stepped on campus and made the program what it is today, but still.

With any of these lists there is going to be a "recent bias". To truly appreciate Tony Hanson you needed to see him play in person, especially his senior year. That year he averaged 26.0 ppg and 10.6 rebounds, Despite playing only three years (freshman ineligible at the time) and fewer games per year he is till the third leading scorer in UCONN history for total points.

 

[TheHorde]

Toby Kimball 18.4 points per game
17.9 rebounds per game
FG % 52.0

He had one season that he averaged almost a 20/20. That’s wild.

 

[jibsey]

It’s a helluva list to have discussions about. The idea that Donyell was #10 is amazing. Him coming to UConn was McNeeley like in impact way back when. Kemba and Bazz. Hard to argue with that.

 

[CONN78SEJ]

Not really in the same league as those guys tbh. 7 of the 10 were 1st team AP All Americans. And the other three are Ben Gordon, Clingan and KEA…

You, and all your likes, do realize that Wes Bialosuknia would still be UConn’s all time leading scorer if all those shots he made were 3’s. He still holds the record for highest career scoring average, made 43 foul shots in a row, and his 1966-67 28ppg was 5th all time in the nation.

 

[UConnRock]

Adama is left off many lists. Not top 10, but an argument could be made for top 20 or 30

 

[cullaville]

You, all your likes, do realize that Wes Bialosuknia would still be UConn’s all time leading scorer if all those shots he made were 3’s. He still holds the record for highest career scoring average, made 43 foul shots in a row, and his 1966-67 28ppg was 5th all time in the nation.

You, all your likes, do realize that Wes Bialosuknia would still be UConn’s all time leading scorer if all those shots he made were 3’s. He still holds the record for highest career scoring average, made 43 foul shots in a row, and his 1966-67 28ppg was 5th all time in the nation.

Another great form a past era:

Quimby is the Huskies' all-time leader in rebounds for a single game (40), single season (611) and career (1,716). He also owns the single season and career rebounding averages (24.4 and 21.5 per game, respectively). Quimby's combined career point and rebound totals (3,114) are more than any other Connecticut player.

See following article UConn Legend - Simply put, "The Great Quimby" | FOX SPORTS 97-9

 

[ucp990411]

Bazz is not top 5

Read the criteria. Based on what each player achieved at UConn. 2 national championships. First team all American. I say Tristen is # 1, Shabazz could be # 2. How can you say he is not top 5? Who do you put ahead of him.

 

[storrsroars]

With any of these lists there is going to be a "recent bias". To truly appreciate Tony Hanson you needed to see him play in person, especially his senior year. That year he averaged 26.0 ppg and 10.6 rebounds, Despite playing only three years (freshman ineligible at the time) and fewer games per year he is till the third leading scorer in UCONN history for total points.

I was at Storrs during Hanson's time. Went to many games at the Fieldhouse and HCC in his final year. Very good player. Major caveat: Half his schedule was vs Yankee Conference. Most of the rest from NY/NJ/MA. UConn's SOS was in bottom third of nation all four years.

Quimby's teams played even weaker schedules - bottom 15% each year.

Toby's and Wes's teams played even weaker schedules than that - bottom 10% each year.

UConn was basically playing a schedule that a Southern, SWAC or MEAC team plays these days. Would you really compare a good player from any of those conferences to someone like Kevin Freeman who played more than 25% of his games vs ranked opponents?

 

[Sonova]

You, and all your likes, do realize that Wes Bialosuknia would still be UConn’s all time leading scorer if all those shots he made were 3’s. He still holds the record for highest career scoring average, made 43 foul shots in a row, and his 1966-67 28ppg was 5th all time in the nation.

No one is arguing that they weren’t great players at that time in UConn history. But the accomplishments don’t compare to guys who were 1st team All Americans playing nightly against other All American level talent. It’s just not a realistic comparison to look at players who dominated the Yankee Conf and didn’t win much in the NCAA tourney.

 

[CL82]

That is not all time. It is the Gampel Era.

Who are you bumping and who are you replacing them with?

 

[Waquoit]

Agree. I would personally move Emeka to 1 that said. Who had a better junior year? Title, 1st team AA, DPOY (2 years running), 2nd pick in the NBA draft, academic AA, was a hoops cover boy that year. Was there a more decorated player?

UConn won the BET without Emeka. That team was loaded. Bazz carried a team to the title. Bazz was all class.

 

[HuskyFich]

Their ranking:
1. Kemba
2. Bazz
3. Emeka
4. Rip
5. Ray
6. Ben
7. Newt
8. Donovan
9. KEA
10. Donyell

I'm good with those 10. I might have Newt & Clingan above Ben just because two NCs , but not going to argue those specific players.

I'm rearranging this...

1. Kemba
2. Ray
3. Rip
4. Donovan
5. Bazz
6. Emeka
7. KEA
8. Newt
9. Ben
10. Donyell

This was hard to do. I literally have justifications for many different orders...but this is what I settled on, mainly focusing on the criminal underrating of Cling Kong.

Championships mean a lot.
Stewards of the program also mean a lot.
Tough to balance the scale.

 

[CL82]

Chris Smith is also worthy of a mention. Changed UConn forever

I thought this as well, but then I thought about the basis of the list being college achievements and I'm not sure that he tops anyone on the list. I 100% agree with you that Chris Smith staying home was an inflection point for Connecticut men's basketball. Not as big as the one that occurred when Jim Calhoun was hired, but it definitely was a sea change for us.

 

[Duncan Idaho]

Donyell and Ray were pre-Gampel, so it's not that.

If you have to consider ONLY collegiate, I still say Caron Butler deserves a mention in the top 10, perhaps moving Khalid down a few.
Donyell really should be higher. 25+ pts per game and 8+ rebounds per game in the old Big east is unbelievable.
Chris Smith is also worthy of a mention. Changed UConn forever.

They both played in Gampel

 

[DRBackup]

Not possible to agree on the top 10, too many players over several generations. And for as much as I love and appreciate Bazz, no way he's "my" number 2. Players to consider, and that list will probably omit someone

Wes Bialosuknia
Toby Kimball
Tony Hanson
Corny Thompson
Chris Smith
Scott Burrell
Donyell Marshal
Ray Ray
Special K
RIP
Caron Butler
Meka
MSG
Rudy
Marcus Williams
AJ Price
Thabeet
Kemba
Bazz
Giffey
Newton
Karaban
Clingan
Chaz

One hit wonders
Castle
Cam

Some combination of success, stats, longevity, game changers.... just impossible to measure really

So how does Adama Sanogo not even make THIS list ? He was the best player on the '23 championship team and the MOP of the Final Four.

 

[Palatine]

Has anyone even mentioned Cliff Robinson?

Bialosuknia played one season in the ABA where he finished second in the league in three point shooting. In one stretch he made 9 consecutive three pointers. At UConn in 66-67 he average 28 points a game -- with no three point line.

 

[ucp990411]

Toby Kimball 18.4 points per game
17.9 rebounds per game
FG % 52.0

Played in the Yankee Conference.