Mount Rushmore of UConn basketball players

[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.

 

[willie99]

Ray Ray
Kemba
Caron
Meka

 

[TheChamps990411]

Calhoun, Kemba, Shabazz, Rip

I don't agree with Omar Calhoun being on there but hey whatever floats your boat.

 

[Waquoit]

I don't agree with Omar Calhoun being on there but hey whatever floats your boat.

He deserves more than Jeff.

 

[UconnFanDC]

Many names can be debated but Donyell, Kemba and Emeka dominated during there times. So they are mainstays. In no order Ray, RIP, Rudy, Ben, Cliff Robinson, Cris Smith, Shabazz and Thabeet (was great and consistent) Just not good in NBA. Can fill in the next slots. But Ray would be my next pick.

 

[AZHuskiePop]

Actually these are the people or rather their he era’s that define each epoch in our history.
1.Hugh Greer

2. Development of a Great UConn Fan Base

3. Dee Rowe

4 Jim Calhoun
1 Hugh Greer for taking a little Aggie School in the middle of nowhere
and making it the number one Basketball School in the State and one of the best in the region
Thus creating that incredible fan base pretty unduplicated by other Northeast Schools
2. The Great Fan base or Subway Alumni many of whom never went to college who created that potential
3. Dee Rowe for being a great guy who happened to be friends with
with Dave Gavitt who had the dream of the resurrection of Eastern Basketball. Dave along with being friends with Dee understood the underlying support for Big Time Basketball in Ct and included UConn as a founding member of the Big East
4. Jim Calhoun because that potential could not be met without a great coach who could compete against the heavyweight basketball minds gathered in that conference . I think 7 HOF coaches. We never could have attracted a top coach without
1,2, and 3
Those are the people and events
Now for Players
Each Step has its own group that enabled the next step to happen.
Limiting it to 4 leaves significant holes in the UConn saga .
Maybe four per era with Calhoun’s reign divided into 2 or even three parts

 

[Waquoit]

Actually these are the people or rather their he era’s that define each epoch in our history.

Let's be honest, the only era that means squat is post-1986.

 

[CZ BRAT]

Ray Allen, Tony Kimball, Kemba Walker, Rip Hamilton