Boat is a level below Shabazz. I think that's 100 percent fair - and I imagine almost everyone would agree.
But statements like this one and the ones others make that we just "rode Bazz to the 2014 title" discount what Boat brought to the table. Boat was actually on that 2013 team and averaged 15 ppg, plus had as many assists as Bazz (albeit in two less games). He had a huge hand in that team being 20-10. We clearly don't win the title without Boat last year - he came up big against St. Joe's when Bazz was AWOL, he led the team's D against Nova with Bazz in foul trouble, he took MSU's guards and Wilbekin out of the game, he was big against Kentucky. Bazz was the lead dog, and his huge shots outweigh his couple of blips in the six-game run, but Boat's role was much, much more than going along for the ride. Some have knocked Boat for not making his teammates better, but one guy he helped make better was Bazz.
Just as a parallel, KEA didn't have a great year without Rip and Ricky (better than this one, but relatively speaking, a similar drop off - going from being ranked No. 1 or No. 2 all year to out of the top 25). Rarely does anyone consider that a flaw in KEA - just an acceptance that the team wasn't good enough and pieces didn't fit as well (Free at 3, eg). Same deal this year. Over time, KEA is thought of far, far more for 1999 than our junior year struggles, and rightfully so, and Boat should be thought of more for 2014 and being a huge, huge part of that two-year run back from the abyss, than trying to lead a team that wasn't good enough his final season.
