Poll: Greatest Husky of All Time

[olehead]

That and the intangibles is why I have to go with Kemba.


Interesting. I hadn't thought of that, but the same "representative" considerations tipped in favor of Kemba for me. The championship matters. Putting the team on his back mattered. As @CL82 and @B1GEast note, the eleven game run and the five in five days mattered. And he really could not be better a ambassador for everything you would want the University to represent.

I have said this before and been pilloried for it, but I always had a perception of Ray as a little soft in college. Perhaps it was JC's game plan, but my image of him is always camped at the three point line, not driving and mixing it up like Kemba, Rip or Shabazz so often did. And, fair or not, the lack of a NC hurts him imo.

Ray possessed so many physical gifts. People forget at times how freakishly athletic he was, I assume because he was a shooter. I didn't think soft though, but rather I wanted more. I would go nuts when he would settle, knowing he could cuff on someone's neck.

 

[olehead]

Ray Allen vs. Kerry Kittles was great basketball.

Plus, He Got Game.

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I'm with you on this. Love rewatching that matchup, the firepower those two displayed. It feels like you're witnessing a track meet in the middle of a basketball game.

 

[David 76]

Somebody please cast a vote for Donyell. 0 votes is an embarrassment for a UConn great.

 

[8893]

Somebody please cast a vote for Donyell. 0 votes is an embarrassment for a UConn great.

Those damn foul shots are still haunting him. Incredible college career though.

 

[mauconnfan]

Meg Ryan.

I just hope she didn't get those new monstrous lips done by any med grad from UConn!

 

[mauconnfan]

Those damn foul shots are still haunting him. Incredible college career though.

Sorry but they don't keep me from thinking he had the absolute best single year for sure of all listed. Kemba was 2nd, Emeka 3rd but 'Yell was dominant. The FT's were killer but they don't tell the whole story at all.

 

[HuskyHawk]

Wow. Surprised how few for Donyell. He was my #2 choice.

 

[UCLJ0211]

If Burrell had starred at UConn playing for Randy Edsall or Skip Holtz or whoever, and was a Major league All star, I'd say ok.

That being said, as a great all around athlete, Burrell comes closer than anyone else I can think of.

And he can make a free throw in front of MJ!

 

[InKembaITrust]

In Kemba I Trust.

 

[InKembaITrust]

TV room wall in my apartment, hope to get these signed one day.

 

[HuskyHawk]

I love Bazz, but I look at it this way: if all these players were lined up in a gym (their peak college version), Bazz isn’t one of the first four taken. I think I would go Okafor but trying to pick between him, Ray, Rip, and Kemba is really tough.

Now that I’ve said that, I really want to see that pick up game!

You forgot Donyell, but yes. Are we talking about best career with the Huskies? Best actual player? Best overall career UConn + NBA? Lots of different criteria.

In terms of best actual player, Shabazz is probably the worst player in this poll. UConn + NBA is probably Ray for now, with Kemba gaining on him. Lots of ways to look at this. I tend to not go with Emeka or Ben because they had each other and an overall loaded team. In any event we are blessed.

 

[Dream Jobbed 2.0]

Why do all the players from the 50s-70s look like they’re 35 years old?

 

[8893]

Sorry but they don't keep me from thinking he had the absolute best single year for sure of all listed. Kemba was 2nd, Emeka 3rd but 'Yell was dominant. The FT's were killer but they don't tell the whole story at all.

Agreed. I may have attended more games that season than any other; and I was at the Garden when he dropped 42 points on St. John's in the BET. He made 20/20 free throws that game (and 18 boards!). I thought we were finally getting to the top of the mountain and I had planned to attend the FF...

It's funny that we all have our own scars from the pre-1999 years that are still difficult to overcome. I was floored when I circulated that "One Shining Moment" video among one group of friends last week that had attended "The Shot" game in 1990, as well as the next game, and were planning to attend the FF. None of them could get past the trauma they were still suffering from the letdown after the Laettner dagger, and they couldn't even appreciate the video as a result because it started with "The Shot." I was living in San Francisco at the time so I watched the games on TV, and I had no plans to attend the FF because I couldn't, so I wasn't nearly as traumatized.

But the Donyell missed FTs vs. Florida definitely scarred me in a similar way. I got over it once we finally won it all in '99, but I still hold it against his legacy, justified or not. I think the fact that he was reportedly partying until 3:00 a.m. the night before, and left after that season for the NBA, helped the bad taste linger longer than it would have otherwise.

 

[superjohn]

Rip isn't getting enough love. NBA championship + 1st NCAA Championship, the mask.

He never does, he got my vote.

 

[RedDog]

If we're talking someone that represents UCONN, we need to consider Rudy Gay.
1. 2005 co-rookie of the year. Big East
2. National rookie of the year. Sporting News 2005
3. First team All America 2006
4. Huskies Ring of Honor
5. #8 pick in the 2006 NBA draft
6. Still active in the NBA (season 14)
7. This car!!

 

[Mr. French]

Not even close. Emeka was the best player in college ball. Bazz was/is awesome. Mek dominated college basketball. He was the best player on the best team that destroyed and humiliated the rest of college basketball. On par with Gordon but not Mek.

He was the best player ... except he wasn't because Jameer Nelson beat him out in most NPOY awards. Shabazz was probably the 2nd best player in the country to Doug McDermott. You could argue, as Calhoun did with Kemba, that regardless of "best" Shabazz was the most important player to his team in the nation. Then add in his first 3 years and another chip, a conference POY, etc.

The 2004 team was the best team in the country, but they didn't destroy and humiliate the rest of the country, really until the NCAA. Emeka wasn't even playing when they won the Big East tournament, that was ALL Gentle Ben.

It's much, much closer than you're claiming. Shabazz has a resume that rivals ANYONE that's ever played for UConn. Again, the question isn't "who would you pick in a game of 5 on 5" or even "who was the most dominant at their peak" but rather "who is the greatest Husky, encompassing EVERYTHING they stand for. Shabazz is actually UNDERRATED in this poll.

Edit: I mean underrated by many of the people here ... his votes are about where they should be, IMO. But people either agree with the truth or they're knocking him. I don't get that. People are already forgetting how good the most recent guy was? Maybe that's why, distance makes the heart grow fonder.

 

[Mr. French]

If we're talking someone that represents UCONN, we need to consider Rudy Gay.
1. 2005 co-rookie of the year. Big East
2. National rookie of the year. Sporting News 2005
3. First team All America 2006
4. Huskies Ring of Honor
5. #8 pick in the 2006 NBA draft
6. Still active in the NBA (season 14)
7. This car!!

Disagree with the sentiment but always LOVED Rudy, the way he reps UConn, and damn that car is perfect with the best Husky logo!

 

[8893]

I realize that this is debatable, too, but if you look at the respective NC rosters--including the experience of the players on the rosters--I think Kemba had to carry the most on his back in getting us there.

The 2004 team clearly had the most talent and experience of our four NC teams. 1999 would probably be next, followed by 2014 and then 2011.

 

[nadav]

BS the sniper isn’t a choice

 

[HuskyHawk]

I realize that this is debatable, too, but if you look at the respective NC rosters--including the experience of the players on the rosters--I think Kemba had to carry the most on his back in getting us there.

The 2004 team clearly had the most talent and experience of our four NC teams. 1999 would probably be next, followed by 2014 and then 2011.

Nah. 2011 would beat 2014. I just don’t think 2014 was really all that good. They had a lot of good fortune on that run.

 

[8893]

Nah. 2011 would beat 2014. I just don’t think 2014 was really all that good. They had a lot of good fortune on that run.

Agree and disagree. I think 2011 wins because of Kemba, but I think the overall mean level of talent and experience on the 2014 team was higher than 2011.

Neils was a senior in 2014 and had an unbelievably great tournament. He, Bazz and Tyler had already played on another NC team in 2011. Deandre and Bazz were juniors and were really well seasoned.

 

[BigErnMcCracken]

Agree and disagree. I think 2011 wins because of Kemba, but I think the overall mean level of talent and experience on the 2014 team was higher than 2011.

Neils was a senior in 2014 and had an unbelievably great tournament. He, Bazz and Tyler had already played on another NC team in 2011. Deandre and Bazz were juniors and were really well seasoned.

Also, 2014 didn't get lucky. Huge play by Brimah to get past St. Joes, but they manhandled the team that most people thought was the best overall (Florida) and took out MSU, a game Iowa State team, Kentucky, and Villanova. They ran a gauntlet.

 

[XLCenterFan]

Great poll. Glad you got everyone's name right.

Like I said in that other thread - just hand that bracket challenge to Kemba. It's not even a question IMO.

 

[Bonesbrigade]

I'm surprised Caron didn't make the list.

RIP
Ray
Okafor
Kemba
Donyell
Chris Smith

 

[StllH8L8ner]

Interesting that Thabeet was the #2 pick in the NBA draft, yet never mentioned as a great.

I was hoping for the best for him but deep down I knew that while he did improve significantly through three years at UConn, he would get pushed around in the pros and would need to get ALOT better to consistently produce anything worthy of a #2 pick.