Ostrout: Boatright, Hamilton Settling In

[johnhuskies95]

John, I think you misread my post. I'm including Ray's HOF caliber NBA career. I think Bazz probably has to be #1 for college careers, followed closely by Kemba.

Ok, I misunderstood. I got confused when you said 5th or 6th for college careers.

 

[intlzncster]

I'm one of those who thinks you have to prorate college careers if you are really going to compare. Guys who stay 4 years (and weren't good enough to jump) obviously have gaudier overall stats and appear more regularly in the record books. That just makes sense. Guys who jump early get shortchanged in comparison.

For my money, Emeka had a more impressive college career than Shabazz, two NC's aside. Emeka ranks up there all time among all college centers imo.

 

[champs99and04]

Emeka was a better player than Shabazz, but Shabazz had the better career, IMO. He had two all-American caliber seasons and is the only Husky ever to be one of the five best players on multiple championship teams. If UConn had won in '02, 'Mek would be without question the GOAT.

 

[Hoophound]

Emeka was a better player than Shabazz, but Shabazz had the better career, IMO. He had two all-American caliber seasons and is the only Husky ever to be one of the five best players on multiple championship teams. If UConn had won in '02, 'Mek would be without question the GOAT.

It's pretty hard not to give Shabazz the nod, just like it was hard not to give Kemba the nod up until Bazz cut down the nets against UK. Emeka dominated games but Bazz and Kemba were just incredibly clutch one night after another.

Emeka and Ben were Batman and Robin and they'd switch roles often. Two Top 3 picks in the same lineup is hard to compare with the cast Bazz and Kemba had. Geez, neither Bazz or Kemba were top 3 picks themselves.

 

[intlzncster]

Emeka was a better player than Shabazz, but Shabazz had the better career, IMO. He had two all-American caliber seasons and is the only Husky ever to be one of the five best players on multiple championship teams. If UConn had won in '02, 'Mek would be without question the GOAT.

Shabazz may have been 'top 5' in 2011, but he was a small role player at best. That team was all Kemba, Lamb and Oriakhi (with a big chunk of Roscoe mixed in).

Emeka's teams had 2 conference regular season and 2 BET championships as well. If he hadn't dealt with a hurt back, those numbers in 2004 likely would have been increased. He (arguably) should have been NPOY. Two time all american (one consensus 1st team). Two time DPOY. BE POY. Two time BE DPOY.

I just can't say Shabazz's career was better, simply due to the fact he stayed an extra year.

 

[CallMeBruce]

Shabazz may have been 'top 5' in 2011, but he was a small role player at best. That team was all Kemba, Lamb and Oriakhi (with a big chunk of Roscoe mixed in).

Emeka's teams had 2 conference regular season and 2 BET championships as well. If he hadn't dealt with a hurt back, those numbers in 2004 likely would have been increased. He (arguably) should have been NPOY. Two time all american (one consensus 1st team). Two time DPOY. BE POY. Two time BE DPOY.

I just can't say Shabazz's career was better, simply due to the fact he stayed an extra year.

I'm with you. Emeka was the best and most valuable player in the country as a junior, and he was playing against better competition.

 

[aceboon]

Shabazz may have been 'top 5' in 2011, but he was a small role player at best. That team was all Kemba, Lamb and Oriakhi (with a big chunk of Roscoe mixed in).

Emeka's teams had 2 conference regular season and 2 BET championships as well. If he hadn't dealt with a hurt back, those numbers in 2004 likely would have been increased. He (arguably) should have been NPOY. Two time all american (one consensus 1st team). Two time DPOY. BE POY. Two time BE DPOY.

I just can't say Shabazz's career was better, simply due to the fact he stayed an extra year.

I agree with your assesment that Emeka had the better overall career, but Bazz was more than just a small role player in 2011, and I feel he was a bigger component to UConn's winning than Roscoe was(remember Roscoe missed most of the Pitt game and the Syracuse game in the BET and they still won w/o him). It seemed like it was always a waiting game when Bazz would get in the game and open up things in the offense so that Kemba could be freed up and focus on scoring. I'd associate the small role player label with someone like DBev, not Bazz.

 

[CL82]

I find it weird to have Ray on there at all. There are 4 huge championship trophies, and the 4 guys who were the leaders of each of those teams (plus the 2 coaches). Ray just seems like a 5th wheel.

I get it. He's part of the tradition of excellence, but yeah, I thought the same thing.

 

[CL82]

There is no way you can make everyone happy, not even with a 4 ncaa poster in the champions center. It really sucks to be us. I'll bet the Cuse poster is much better.

I took a picture of it when I was down there.:

FYI Melo, 4>1.

 

[intlzncster]

I agree with your assesment that Emeka had the better overall career, but Bazz was more than just a small role player in 2011, and I feel he was a bigger component to UConn's winning than Roscoe was(remember Roscoe missed most of the Pitt game and the Syracuse game in the BET and they still won w/o him). It seemed like it was always a waiting game when Bazz would get in the game and open up things in the offense so that Kemba could be freed up and focus on scoring. I'd associate the small role player label with someone like DBev, not Bazz.

Fair enough, that's a large contribution in and of itself. Allowing Kemba to move to the two guard and dominate.

 

[champs99and04]

Shabazz may have been 'top 5' in 2011, but he was a small role player at best. That team was all Kemba, Lamb and Oriakhi (with a big chunk of Roscoe mixed in).

Emeka's teams had 2 conference regular season and 2 BET championships as well. If he hadn't dealt with a hurt back, those numbers in 2004 likely would have been increased. He (arguably) should have been NPOY. Two time all american (one consensus 1st team). Two time DPOY. BE POY. Two time BE DPOY.

I just can't say Shabazz's career was better, simply due to the fact he stayed an extra year.

Don't agree at all that Shabazz was a small role player in '11, the +\- numbers with him on the court were pretty telling. I vividly remember yelling at Calhoun multiple times in the 2011 tournament to get Shabazz in the game sooner (clearly he knew what he was doing).

Also, why should Shabazz be punished for staying an additional year? I can see thinking Emeka had a better career, but that reasoning seems flawed.

 

[Dogbreath2U]

I've watched some old games from Emeka's freshman year recently and I forgot how good he was by the latter part of that season. He was the second best player on that team (after Caron), even as a freshman. What an amazing find! I doubt we will ever have another center as great as Emeka (but never say never).

 

[imno1]

I've watched some old games from Emeka's freshman year recently and I forgot how good he was by the latter part of that season. He was the second best player on that team (after Caron), even as a freshman. What an amazing find! I doubt we will ever have another center as great as Emeka (but never say never).

Probably not but AB could be pretty special if he stays another 2 years