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

[HuskyWarrior611]

In addition to being great guards, their leadership led to rings. "Cardiac" Kemba was a thing. Newton knew how to carry a team through a trough. And the thing I remember most about Bazz wasn't an actual play, it was dressing down Boatright to get everyone on the same page.

Yes, they definitely belong.

I’m sorry, but what are the example of Newton carrying last years team through a trough?

One of our most iconic moments involved a game where he didn’t have a FG.

The Bazz disrespect in this thread is crazy. He’s a two time national champion, all-American, conference player of the year that led one of the most improbable national championships ever.

There’s a better argument for him to be #1 than out of the top 5 are you kidding me. (Not from you just other in this thread)

 

[Gurleyman]

Why is Ray always higher than Donyell on these lists? Is it because he has more personality and better NBA?

I think the big difference is that Ray was 49-5 in the Big East and was on 2 two seeds and a 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament. Donyell was on a 9 seed and an NIT team before having a big junior year.

They followed the same pattern - talented supplemental scorer as a freshman, lead dog as a sophomore, NPOY runner up (or third place) as a junior. Ray just had a better run.

 

[ucp990411]

Not Kemba?

I give RIP the edge. First team all American twice

 

[T-Squared]

1. Newton
2. Rip
3. Kemba
4. Ray
5. Clingan
6. Bazz
7. Emeka
8. Gordon
9. Sanogo
10. Donyell

I like this one better than the original one from SI.

 

[CONN78SEJ]

You’ve made your point. People have listened and respectfully disagreed. All American Honorable Memtion isn’t a case for Top 10 at UConn anymore, nor is 48 free throws consecutively. Those are accolades from an era long gone. No need to be insistent. You have your point of view but, frankly, experts and BY knuckleheads don’t remotely agree that he is a Top 10 on ANY list.

Some people have listened AND agreed with my point of view. The People you refer to are actually just one person that responded to my post, namely YOU. Just because you and three yokels on the Boneyard gave you a like doesn’t mean “People have listened and respectfully disagreed”. I suppose you think Josh Gibson or Cool Papa Bell don’t belong any top ten list because they played in a lower class league and their accolades were from an era long gone. Get a life.

 

[Waquoit]

I give RIP the edge. First team all American twice

That case can be made. He scored 20+ in every game of a winning tourney run.

 

[Yukonrob]

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.

good point. I think Wes averaged 28 pts per game one year in the pre-three-point era!

 

[Yukonrob]

Imagine how many career points Bialosuknia would’ve had with a three point line. WB also sank 43 foul shots in a row, that’s crazy. I’d like to see how close anyone on the UConn Great list came to that? I guess he got fouled so much because he wasn’t a First Team AA.

I was at the game when he scored 50 pts. Absolutely would have been at least 65 if three pointers existed.

 

[superjohn]

The problem with the pre-1999 argument is that our best players, basketball wise are all pre-99. They may not have won tournament championships but they won the bulk of our BE titles back when the BE was hands down the beat league. The others barely won any in a watered down BE, AAC.

The best players, not what's being asked here are Ray, Rip, Emeka and, Cliff. Kemba and Caron are a step below these guys. Bazz and Newton are another step below.

Who had the best Husky career depends entirely on what criteria you're giving the most value. Is is contribution to the legacy of the program, pure stats, championships? Most seem to be going on personal memories which is fine but ultimately not going to be correct.

It's not difficult to combine all those things an create a consensus list of 10-15 names or just use the Wall of Honor, but to put them in some definitive order that's impossible.

The amount of nonsense you post is staggering.

 

[CONN78SEJ]

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.

How about this complaint? Corny Thompson was a 1st team Parade All American, his picture was on the front cover. He was heavily recruited by North Carolina and Dean Smith, as well as John Thompson and Georgetown, who both traveled up to Connecticut in their pursuit of him. When Corny chose his home state school, it was national news. His freshman year, his presence alone caused UConn to improve from 11-15 to 21-8, with some great wins. As a freshman Corny averaged 18.6 ppg and 10.6 rpg. That season Uconn made the NCAA tournament and eventually lost to 4th ranked Syracuse and the Louie & Bouie show. He was a 3X time All Big East selection, and given the strength of the Big East back in those days, that’s quite a feat.

 

[Waquoit]

How about this complaint? Corny Thompson was a Parade All American, his picture was on the front cover. He was heavily recruited by North Carolina and Dean Smith, as well as John Thompson and Georgetown, who both traveled up to Connecticut in their pursuit of him. When Corny chose his home state school, it was national news. His freshman year, his presence alone caused UConn to improve from 11-15 to 21-8, with some great wins. As a freshman Corny averaged 18.6 ppg and 10.6 rpg. That season Uconn made the NCAA tournament and eventually lost to 4th ranked Syracuse and the Louie & Bouie show. He was a 3X time All Big East selection, and given the strength of the Big East back in those days, that’s quite a feat.

Corny should have went to Virginia. He would have been the PF Ralph Sampson never had in college. He is not Top 10 on-court for UConn but he is in the Top 10 most influential overall. I still say it was Corny that got us into the Big East. Corny and the Civic Center.

 

[CONN78SEJ]

Corny should have went to Virginia. He would have been the PF Ralph Sampson never had in college. He is not Top 10 on-court for UConn but he is in the Top 10 most influential overall. I still say it was Corny that got us into the Big East. Corny and the Civic Center.

Don’t forget Mike McKay, his scoring stats were right behind Corny’s. Al McGuire recruited McKay to go to Marquette. With both McKay and Corny being heavily recruited, my story is I was at the JCC Schoolboy Classic Spring 77 and both played in it. It was the CT kids against New York kids, and what was amazing was not only the game, which CT won, but it was a who’s who of college coaches. Dean Smith, Rollie, McGuire, Gavitt, Boeheim, etc., and of course Perno. The game itself was crazy, the New York kids had a tall lanky white kid who was one of best shooters I ever saw. If anyone on the Boneyard remembers how tiny the JCC gym was, it was an amazing event and I don’t mind bragging that I was there. People were standing almost up to the OOB line.

 

[Dogdeacon]

Huskies' Top 10? If so, then please do not worry about their pro careers. Any such list must include the point guard that led us to 2 rings. I loved Ben. But he cannot be on this list if Tristen Newton exists. Cam Spencer should be on this list over Ray. Sorry, Ray was amazing. I love Ray. But if I only have 10 spots I have to prioritize rings. And we do not win last year w/out Cam.

Agree with the Tristan 2 rings point, but to extend rings argument to the 4th best player over Ray Allen is recency bias.

 

[Waquoit]

Don’t forget Mike McKay, his scoring stats were right behind Corny’s.

He was good but he was no Corny. He never developed either. Perno should have been canned in 82.

 

[NJHusky]

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?

Good points…but what Kemba did 11-0 in post season play will never be duplicated. He carried that team. Mek had a lot of help…including the #3 pick

 

[RuffRuff]

Good points…but what Kemba did 11-0 in post season play will never be duplicated. He carried that team. Mek had a lot of help…including the #3 pick

RIP, Kemba and Emeka can be argued as 1-3 in any given order for different reasons. I’d put Bazz just after that.

 

[Waquoit]

RIP, Kemba and Emeka can be argued as 1-3 in any given order for different reasons. I’d put Bazz just after that.

A few more points for Bazz. He kept the team together during that probation year. They won 20 games and finished the year on a high. Also, the NCAA changed the rules about feeding student-athletes solely because of him. All student-athletes owe him a debt of gratitude.

 

[Sonova]

Some people have listened AND agreed with my point of view. The People you refer to are actually just one person that responded to my post, namely YOU. Just because you and three yokels on the Boneyard gave you a like doesn’t mean “People have listened and respectfully disagreed”. I suppose you think Josh Gibson or Cool Papa Bell don’t belong any top ten list because they played in a lower class league and their accolades were from an era long gone. Get a life.

Take a nap Pops.

 

[RuffRuff]

Take a nap Pops.

Digging into the archives feels like we trying to compare Thomas Edison to Elon Musk.

 

[huskyjawz]

Don’t forget Mike McKay, his scoring stats were right behind Corny’s. Al McGuire recruited McKay to go to Marquette. With both McKay and Corny being heavily recruited, my story is I was at the JCC Schoolboy Classic Spring 77 and both played in it. It was the CT kids against New York kids, and what was amazing was not only the game, which CT won, but it was a who’s who of college coaches. Dean Smith, Rollie, McGuire, Gavitt, Boeheim, etc., and of course Perno. The game itself was crazy, the New York kids had a tall lanky white kid who was one of best shooters I ever saw. If anyone on the Boneyard remembers how tiny the JCC gym was, it was an amazing event and I don’t mind bragging that I was there. People were standing almost up to the OOB line.

So many great players I saw in that game over the years. John Bagley, Rafael Addison, John Garris come to mind.

 

[Sonova]

Digging into the archives feels like we trying to compare Thomas Edison to Elon Musk.

Except Bialosuknia and Tony Hanson and Walt Dropo, etc weren’t the Thomas Edisons of their eras. They were excellent regional players at a nice regional program. We’re not talking Tommy Heinsohn or Bill Bradley or Ernie D who were All Americans. We’re talking guys who weren’t ever recognized as the best 20 players of their respective years at a national level.

How in God’s name can that be compared to the National POY candidates and Final Four MOPs we’ve been blessed with over the last 25 years?

This debate isn’t really debatable.

 

[CONN78SEJ]

He was good but he was no Corny. He never developed either. Perno should have been canned in 82.

Agree on Perno, with Corny, McKay and later Norman Bailey, UConn could’ve gone places with the right coach.

 

[Scottobot]

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 would swap Chris Smith for KEA, as he was a key in state recruit to get program rolling, and this list needs a member of the dream team on it. Also I think the order is completely subjective and you could rank these guys in any order 1 to 10 and I would be good with it. I think trying to rank one over other isn’t fair to the others.

 

[Mr. French]

How about this complaint? Corny Thompson was a 1st team Parade All American, his picture was on the front cover. He was heavily recruited by North Carolina and Dean Smith, as well as John Thompson and Georgetown, who both traveled up to Connecticut in their pursuit of him. When Corny chose his home state school, it was national news. His freshman year, his presence alone caused UConn to improve from 11-15 to 21-8, with some great wins. As a freshman Corny averaged 18.6 ppg and 10.6 rpg. That season Uconn made the NCAA tournament and eventually lost to 4th ranked Syracuse and the Louie & Bouie show. He was a 3X time All Big East selection, and given the strength of the Big East back in those days, that’s quite a feat.

Was this a complaint?

He seems like he was really good - he’s not top 10 so it’s always funny when the inevitable “everyone forgets about ___” posts arise.

Nothing to be hurt about, these guys are just not in the conversation.

 

[CONN78SEJ]

Was this a complaint?

He seems like he was really good - he’s not top 10 so it’s always funny when the inevitable “everyone forgets about ___” posts arise.

Nothing to be hurt about, these guys are just not in the conversation.

Well then just keep the conversation between you and your idiot friends.