If you could have a 1st team AA at any position, which would you choose?

[Jaydumo20]

Considering that the rest of the team is a normal mix of non-AA but capable guys, no glaring weaknesses.

Where do you want your superstar and why?

 

[Huskybass]

Great question. My first thought was point guard. Then I thought Center as it would almost certainly mean lots of easy buckets and/or a great rebounder/shot blocker/rim protector. But an absolute stud at the 2 or 3 would be great as well. Looking forward to the other responses.

 

[aburks41]

Point guard. Give me a Kemba, Bazz, or Newton all day any day.

 

[Com'rGordon]

Remembering how nice it was to have Sanogo and then Clingan on our championship runs, hard for me to say anything else

 

[husky429]

Gotta be PG.

 

[Palatine]

I think a small forward like Carmelo or Flagg or Caron can have the most impact especially when they have point forward skills.

If Karaban had played like an All American last year a threepeat would have been in reach.

 

[Jaydumo20]

I think a small forward like Carmelo or Flagg or Caron can have the most impact especially when they have point forward skills.

If Karaban had played like an All American last year a threepeat would have been in reach.

This is interesting. We havent really had that much. Ive always envied teams built that way even though we do just fine

 

[Waquoit]

Point guard. Give me a Kemba, Bazz, or Newton all day any day.

How many titles did those three rack up?

 

[Lafayette]

On this team - would love if Tarris gets AA would mean we are final 4 material given the shooters we have.

Im the general sense, point guard

 

[RuffRuff]

The way the game is played today, 4 out, you might say that the one position that is unique to that is the 5. We've seen how a great 5 works in Hurley's system.

 

[SportsFan88]

PG

 

[Huskybass]

The way the game is played today, 4 out, you might say that the one position that is unique to that is the 5. We've seen how a great 5 works in Hurley's system.

We have seen it...except for last season. The far more productive 5 came off the bench and the 3 rpg from the starting 5 proved costly, imo. Perhaps thats another way of saying I agree with your point.

 

[REB1094]

The last 2 champions had an AA 1st team PG, and 4 of the last 5 had an AA 1st team guard (Clayton Jr, Newton, Agbaji, Butler). Only exception being 2023 UConn, where Sanogo was the best player but should be noted the PG Newton had 19/10 to seal the title

The last 5 AA 1st team big men are Johni Broome (F4), Zach Edey (runner up), Zach Edey (1st round), Kofi Cockburn (2nd round) and Oscar Tshiebwe (1st round), and Luka Garza (2nd round)

Give me a PG/CG every time

 

[freescooter]

In college it would have to be point guard. A top pg makes everyone better and gets everyone involved. You can work around every other position. But if you don’t have a top guy at the point you aren’t going very far. It isn’t the same in the NBA. But college the point guard is the one who makes things run and it isn’t even close.

 

[FfldCntyFan]

This is interesting. We havent really had that much. Ive always envied teams built that way even though we do just fine

To each his own, but in all candor there is no reason for any one of us to envy anyone when it comes to college hoops.

 

[Chin Diesel]

A bit of a cop out, but give me a first team AA at any position and let the coaches figure it out. UConn has won championships with every type of players leading the team, and has had every type of player be Robin to Batman as well.

 

[superjohn]

A bit of a cop out, but give me a first team AA at any position and let the coaches figure it out. UConn has won championships with every type of players leading the team, and has had every type of player be Robin to Batman as well.

Yep, we were considered wing U with Ray, Rip, Caron, Rudy etc. Then we were big man U when we led the country in blocks for a decade straight. Then we were point guard U with AJ, Kemba, Bazz...Recently nobody has been able to match our big men.

 

[NewBlood]

I have to say, as much as I love our big man history (Hasheem gets completely overlooked as a dominate force because he didn't get a ring), the team that wins in March has the best Guards, specifically point guards. I think it all starts (and ends) with the PG.

KEA, Kemba, Bazz, Tristan, they were BIG TIME GAMERS.

AJ Price was on that cusp of greatness. We needed one more to compliment the 05-06 team.

Give me a AA PG.

 

[HuskyHawk]

Whichever one is the weakest among the rest of my players. If those are all equal, then a small forward is probably the most overall useful position at which to have elite talent, partly because most players at that level will have some positional flexibility, and the 3 provides the most bang for the buck at that. 5s and 1s have the most discrete skill set.

 

[bendm]

If you’re talking about your “average” all American then it’s gotta be PG, eg Newton, Bazz, Kemba, etc. But if youre talking about a generational player then it’s gotta be a center eg Clingan, Ewing, Alcindor. Dominant college Center single handedly transforms your team D

 

[nomar]

Not sure how any UConn fan can say anything but PG.

In the NCAA Tournament, you want the best player on the court to be the guy bringing the ball up for you.

 

[RuffRuff]

In college it would have to be point guard. A top pg makes everyone better and gets everyone involved. You can work around every other position. But if you don’t have a top guy at the point you aren’t going very far. It isn’t the same in the NBA. But college the point guard is the one who makes things run and it isn’t even close.

How many of last year's F4 teams had a true PG?

Auburn - no
Duke - no
Florida - no
Houston - maybe you can call Uzan that at 4 assists a game.

Between Broome, Florida(multiple bigs), Houston(Roberts/Tugler), Duke (Flagg/Maluach), the bigs are kinda of what made them different. Welcome to 2025. Our two NC's, biggest advantage was at the 5 both years.

Was TNewt truly a PG or more of a CG playing PG? Is Demary the same?

Give me a darned good 5 that can control the glass, rim protect and/or be an efficient bucket when you need one. We love calling it a PG because we are Uconn fans and in love with the 2011/2014 teams and because we're myopic, but neither of those teams were all that talented. The guards going on a bender approach if fun, but not really the realistic way to win consistently.

Let's see if Braden Smith wins the gold this year, as he is as pure a PG as it gets.

 

[superjohn]

Not sure how any UConn fan can say anything but PG.

In the NCAA Tournament, you want the best player on the court to be the guy bringing the ball up for you.

Only two of our national championships was the best player a point guard.

 

[Brochacho]

I'd take an elite center any day. Okafor, Thabeet, Clingan - its like a free pass to the Final Four.

 

[HuskyHawk]

Only two of our national championships was the best player a point guard.

Yes, and I'd argue that the value of the position, especially in modern offenses like ours, is much lower than it was in the ISO era where the PG really ran the offense.