Karaban's all time UConn Husky starting five | Page 2 | The Boneyard

Karaban's all time UConn Husky starting five

No way. Okafor and Thabeet were the best defensive players in the country.
Beg to differ on defensive impact but do you remember us chanting "We got Thabeet!" at Gampel? (channelling the Go-Gos)
 
Legitimately KEA and Chris Smith have a tough time cracking the Top 3 PG conversation. Kemba, Bazz and TN are all more accomplished by any metric including personality, indomitable will to win, or any other intangible quality.
Just commenting on the "will to win" statement. KEA lifted that first championship team to victory - we had a great team that season and it was Khalid that made people (and the team itself) believe it could be done.
 
#1 -- Close second

PG: Kemba -- Tristen
SG: Ray -- Rip
SF: Caron -- Rudy
PF: Donyell -- Cliffy (I had a very hard time trying to choose between Cliff and Adama)
C: Emeka -- Donovan
 
UCONN has more than 20 players that are worthy of top 5 list. Trying to make a list where 5 of those guys are ahead of the others is an insult to the players left off the list. It is better to just have a list of all time greats that grows over time and leave it at that.
 
If you’re creating a 5 based on natural positions and on overall talent, Donyell is on it at the 4. He meant a ton to the program putting it on the map from a recruiting perspective as JCs first burger boy and 4th pick of the draft (behind greats like Kidd, Hill and Robinson). He did some things that were first timers and there is something to be said for that.

If you are going by titles, yada and can be more creative with the 5, Shabazz is an option. The other 4 are deadset locks in my eyes. It’s hard to put Cling in over Emeka as a 2 vs 3 year player. Emeka was runner up to player of the year, decorated academically. back to back defensive POY, 2nd pick and NBA ROY. Other than the 2 titles it’s not even close. Kemba, RIP and Ray are absolute no brainers.
 
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PG: Kemba
SG: Ray
SF: Rip
PF: Donyell
C: Okafor

This is the only correct answer imo. But, to say our second team or third team is a tier below is just crazy. Spoils of riches.
This is mine as well. Tough to leave Caron off though. I will give Caron and Donyell a tie.
 
Agreed or Richard Hamilton.
Rip is the most underrated player in UConn history. All America. Win a title. Lottery pick, multi-time nba all-star. Lol.

Guy is a border line hall of farmer.

Hall of fame includes college career. Like Al Horford, that gets him over the top in my opinion. He is part of college and pro basketball history with starring roles on championships at both levels
 
Rip is the most underrated player in UConn history. All America. Win a title. Lottery pick, multi-time nba all-star. Lol.

Guy is a border line hall of farmer.

Hall of fame includes college career. Like Al Horford, that gets him over the top in my opinion. He is part of college and pro basketball history with starring roles on championships at both levels
Rip is the best UConn player in history if we're talking just UConn.

Ray wins as most accomplished basketball player.
 
Rip is the most underrated player in UConn history. All America. Win a title. Lottery pick, multi-time nba all-star. Lol.

Guy is a border line hall of farmer.

Hall of fame includes college career. Like Al Horford, that gets him over the top in my opinion. He is part of college and pro basketball history with starring roles on championships at both levels

I've said for years RIP should be in HoF. It's not the NBA HoF, it's basketball HoF.

McD's AA.
Two Time BEPOY
Two AA
NCAA Champ
Final Four MOP
NBA Champ
3x All Star
Career 17ppg
 
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His response was a troll lol

So was mine.
Dudedad What GIF
 
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Chris Smith
Kemba
Ray Allen
Caron Butler
Sanogo
 
Kemba
Rip
Castle (because defense matters and this young buck stopped everybody)
Alex
Emeka
 
Lot of great names mentioned. Glad to see Ricky Moore is one of them.

Loved his defense. He was a big part of our first NC.
 
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PG: Kemba
SG: Ray
SF: Rip
PF: Donyell
C: Okafor

This is the only correct answer imo. But, to say our second team or third team is a tier below is just crazy. Spoils of riches.
If you dont have a championship you are not on this list!
 
First Team: Kemba Walker - Ray Allen - Rip Hamilton - Donyel Marshall - Emeka Okafor

Each of my first team starters were the best players on their respective teams in their respective eras.

Second Team: Shabazz Napier - Tristen Newton - Carol Butler - Adama Sanogo - Donovan Clingan

Second team starters were the best or second-best players on their respective teams in their respective eras.
Hmm… Leaving Shabazz out of starting 5 - that dude was a stud during his time - 2 Nat Championships against fierce competition. I put him in there with Kemba, Clingan, Ray Allen and RIP
 
If you can convince just one other person on this board that Ray Allen shouldn't be on the all time list, let me know.
Napier, Rip, Kemba are locks! If you think Okafor carried the 2004 team than so is he. You got room for one more. By the way greats don’t miss 2 free throw against Miss St!
 
Rip is the most underrated player in UConn history. All America. Win a title. Lottery pick, multi-time nba all-star. Lol.

Guy is a border line hall of farmer.

Hall of fame includes college career. Like Al Horford, that gets him over the top in my opinion. He is part of college and pro basketball history with starring roles on championships at both levels
Here's my 15 man roster:

PG: Kemba, Napier, Newton
Wings: Ray, Rip, Donyell, Rudy, Caron, Lamb, Gordon
Bigs: Okafor, Clingan, Dummond
Def: Ricky Moore, Steph Castle

Painful to leave off:
Cliffy, Lyman DePriest, AJ Price, Henefeld, Burrell, Chris Smith, Sanogo, Thabeet, and so many others....
 
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Dude, ray was magical. Best player ever to put on a UConn uniform
Best basketball career, but not best UConn career! He was more magical than Kemba? I don’t think so! Show me the ring!
 
The debate about the starting five will never be resolved and is an exercise in futility.

The only absolutes are Allen, Walker and Rip. The other two spots are open to debate.
 
Name a big man better than drummond
Okafor,Clingan and Cliff Robinson. I understand you are just looking at NBA but then Clingan has more potential and Cliff Robinson had a better career than Drummond has. Emeka would of had a better Career if not for injuries that shortened his career.
 
Here's my 15 man roster:

PG: Kemba, Napier, Newton
Wings: Ray, Rip, Donyell, Rudy, Caron, Lamb, Gordon
Bigs: Okafor, Clingan, Dummond
Def: Ricky Moore, Steph Castle

Painful to leave off:
Cliffy, Lyman DePriest, AJ Price, Henefeld, Burrell, Chris Smith, Sanogo, Thabeet, and so many others....
I would put Cliffy above Drummond. He was a stretch 5 before it became popular.
 
UConn is spoiled for choice. There are dozens of possibilities and combos with 15 to 20 players that could be argued deserve a spot on the starting 5 and none of them would really be "wrong".
 
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