Mount Rushmore of UConn basketball players

[ClifSpliffy]

upon further review;
mrs calhoun
sargent pepperoni
that guy who leads the UConn cheer
jonathan

 

[arch]

Calhoun, Kimball, El-Amin, player to be named who brings us back.

 

[Ts5034]

I'll take Bazz over Ray and argue all day, thank you.

What is your argument for Shabazz over Ray?

 

[Jbirdp5]

What is your argument for Shabazz over Ray?

My guess is two time champion, only nba player on his title team

 

[superjohn]

What is your argument for Shabazz over Ray?

Is this a serious question? He won 2 national championships. One of them was with Kevin Ollie as his coach and Bazz was hands down the best player in the tournament.

 

[Ts5034]

Is this a serious question? He won 2 national championships. One of them was with Kevin Ollie as his coach and Bazz was hands down the best player in the tournament.

True, but its hard to keep a Hall of Fame player in Ray Allen off the list completely.

 

[Waquoit]

What is your argument for Shabazz over Ray?

He was the best player in the country and led the team to the title that put us ahead of Kansas. He did more for Uconn.

 

[MrSheldrake]

Earl Kelley, Johnny Selvie, Ed Nelson, Boo Willingham.

 

[SubbaBub]

Mt Rushmore was started in 1927. At that time there had only been 30 presidents. 4 where chosen to represent the birth (Washington), growth (Jefferson), development (TR), and preservation (Lincoln) of the nation.

You can use the same motivations if you choose but I think that would be a weird list, too short and not representative of performance on the court or would it even be all players.

Kimball, Calhoun, Donyell, Shabazz for example. Calhoun, Smith, Ray and Ollie could be another. In any case it would surely be an unsatisfying endeavor.

A better way to answer the question given the size of the candidate pool is to fill out a 12 man roster. 2 at each position plus 1 wildcard frontcourt and backcourt player. The coach doesn't require a discussion.

Here's mine:
PG: Walker, Napier
SG: Allen, Gordon
SF: Hamilton, Butler
PF: Donyell, Robinson
C: Okafor, Thabeet
Front: Corny Thompson
Back: Chris Smith

Not chosen due to short tenure: Drummond (center), Henefeld (Front).

 

[SubbaBub]

He was the best player in the country and led the team to the title that put us ahead of Kansas. He did more for Uconn.

Without Ray, Bazz isn't at UConn. The heavy lifting building the program was done between 1988 and 1999, or 2004 if you choose. If we ever get back to those heights there will be more contenders.

 

[superjohn]

Without Ray, Bazz isn't at UConn. The heavy lifting building the program was done between 1988 and 1999, or 2004 if you choose. If we ever get back to those heights there will be more contenders.

And without no Donyell there is no Ray and without no Smitty there is no Donyell. That seems like a silly endeavor. Ray was awesome but never made a final 4, that hurts him when we have a handful of other studs who had enormous individual accomplishments and led us to national titles.

 

[JimHurley]

Shabazz
Ray
Kemba
Okafor

Shabazz has 2 NCs. Carried us through the postseason ban, which could've easily been the downfall of the UConn basketball program then led us to #4 and was the best player in the country that year.

Ray is the best basketball player to ever play at UConn. I think he set the standard for us as a top program nationally.

Kemba's 2011 season might've been the best storyline in UConn history. Put that team on his back and led us to an improbable NC.

Okafor was the best big we've ever had, played a huge role in the 04 NC and was the national POY.

 

[Hoophound]

Ray is the best NBA player to ever play at UConn (Kemba may change that). The best player to ever play basketball while actually at UConn is very debatable, but it isn’t Ray.

Kemba, Bazz, Donyell, Rip, Ray, Emeka, Smitty and Caron could all be argued as the best ever. In my opinion, only Kemba, Shabazz, Rip and maybe Donyell stand a chance in the debate. They completely owned the floor. The first three won titles. Donyell didn’t get us to the FF, but he scored 28ppg and blocked everything in sight. He was a great college player.

 

[whaler11]

I don’t see how it doesn’t start:
Walker
Hamilton
Omeka
the fourth has more candidates.
I’d go Jon Bon Jovi or Donyell.

 

[superjohn]

I don’t see how it doesn’t start:
Walker
Hamilton
Omeka
the fourth has more candidates.
I’d go Jon Bon Jovi or Donyell.

Is there some Omeka joke I'm missing? I take Southside Johnny over Kemba.

 

[Waquoit]

Without Ray, Bazz isn't at UConn. The heavy lifting building the program was done between 1988 and 1999, or 2004 if you choose. If we ever get back to those heights there will be more contenders.

If you want to do that, without Corny, Ray isn't at UConn. Bazz won a freakin' title. Ray lost in the round of 16.

 

[Robertelamin]

I’d go with the best player of each championship team:

Rip
Omeka
Kemba
Shabazz

 

[Zanzman]

Just for the record it’s Emeka not omeka but glad you to put him on mount rushmore

 

[MrSheldrake]

I’d go with the best player of each championship team:

Rip
Omeka
Kemba
Shabazz

Omeka who?

 

[Robertelamin]

Chris Smith
Kemba Walker
Ray Allen
RIP Hamilton
Omeka Okafor


If limited to 4 , let the Boneyard decide. Chris Smith isn't an option for removal.

I’m just kidding around.

 

[freescooter]

Jim Calhoun Jim Calhoun Jim Calhoun John Toner ( for hiring Jim Calhoun).

 

[WhiteDressWes]

Ted Vartelas was probably the first and only man to play for UConn from Ansonia and also the first Lithuanian.

Vin Yokabaskas 1949 - 1952. At Frank's Restaurant after games during the Perno era. Really charmed the ladies. Frank's pasta sauces are still available!

Frank's Pasta Sauces

 

[Devland]

Omeka who?

Omeka Ekafor ef course.

 

[MrSheldrake]

Omeka Ekafor ef course.

Lol...I was waiting for someone to post that.

 

[MrSheldrake]

Jim Calhoun Jim Calhoun Jim Calhoun John Toner ( for hiring Jim Calhoun).

.....and Toner hired Geno over a cup of coffee in a Dunkin Donuts just a couple months before.