The best players in UConn’s history

[BrianUC]

I think that major league baseball, with its long history, would require a much larger Mt Rushmore than UConn WBB. Ernie had 2 MVPs and was probably among the 4 best players for his era.

 

[Kaizen]

Well, it's quite simple--when all the other great players have achieved something, then it probably is a standard, especially when you talking about the "Mount Rushmore". In a team sport, one of the critical measurements of achievement is winning a championship.., Is there any all-time performer in any sport who did not win a championship?

-So it is probably a standard?

-Where do I say "Mount Rushmore"? I have never used "Mount Rushmore" in any of my post. Read my post again

 

[tchalla1]

I think that major league baseball, with its long history, would require a much larger Mt Rushmore than UConn WBB. Ernie had 2 MVPs and was probably among the 4 best players for his era.

-So it is probably a standard?

-Where do I say "Mount Rushmore"? I have never used "Mount Rushmore" in any of my post. Read my post again

I think this is a mixed thread--i was referring to Thread #7:
'The most accomplished, Stewie. The best of all time DT. Still writing her legacy, Paige. After the dust settles, maybe 3 of the 4 on UConn Mt. Rushmore. Who's the 4th? A few very good candidates...

 

[Kaizen]

Is there any all-time performer in any sport who did not win a championship?

The greatest athletes who never won a championship​

-Jeff Bagwell and Craig Biggio
-Ernie Banks
-Charles Barkley
-Elgin Baylor
-Pavel Bure
-Tina Charles
-Patrick Ewing
-Ken Griffey Jr

The greatest athletes who never won a championship

Here is a look at some of the peak performers of all-time that never finished a season as the last man or woman standing.

www.yardbarker.com

 

[HuskyNan]

Well tchalla1 was talking about Mt Rushmore. You answered that. Then you added in info (Dangerfield and Bascom) about the OP list. These are 2 different lists.

Well sorry. There is nothing in writing, anywhere for Mt Rushmore list. Just for your information there isn't actually a Mt Rushmore (or Mt Storrs) for UCONN players. It's just a made up idea. The criteria for such is also made up.

However, common sense dictates what the criteria should be.

But, if you want something written down....here it is.

To be in consideration for the Mt Rushmore of UCONN a player must have
1) Multiple AA's
2) Multiple NPOY's
3) Multiple NC's
4) Top 10 in multiple UCONN career categories

There you go.

As for the OP list. No there is nothing written for that either. But again Common Sense dictates AA should have been a criteria for it. And obviously it wasn't. Hence, why so many people on here think the OP list is a piece of crap. Or at least with a little effort and thought, could have been better.

For some programs, it wouldn't really matter. But for a program like UCONN with 24 AA's, 16 multiple AA's, 9 NPOY's, the criteria is gonna be a lot higher. If you're doing a Top 20 list, common sense says you start with the 24 AA's and whittle down from there.

Sorry you're not a fan of common sense. It can make things much easier.

Kerry Bascom didn’t play with highly rated players and some of the awards won by Maya et al simply didn’t exist at the time. UConn played regional games that garnered little to no attention nationally so she simply wasn’t known. That’s one of the problems with comparing generations of players.

 

[JonathanXIV]

Well, it's quite simple--when all the other great players have achieved something, then it probably is a standard, especially when you talking about the "Mount Rushmore". In a team sport, one of the critical measurements of achievement is winning a championship.., Is there any all-time performer in any sport who did not win a championship?

Ernie Banks. Dan Marino. Elgin Baylor. Ty Cobb. Ted Williams. Ken Griffey Jr.

 

[JonathanXIV]

And to anticipate your response. Ted Williams is on Mt. Rushmore.

 

[Skeets]

I think this is a mixed thread--i was referring to Thread #7:
'The most accomplished, Stewie. The best of all time DT. Still writing her legacy, Paige. After the dust settles, maybe 3 of the 4 on UConn Mt. Rushmore. Who's the 4th? A few very good candidates...

And regarding post #7, I didn't mean to dis Maya. She's on the Mt. The post was more about Paige. If, and only if, she can duplicate her freshman year she has to enter into the discussion. I don't think an NC is a criteria. If Paige stays for another year after that and triplicates her freshman year it will be a very interesting discussion on who (if anyone) gets bumped off the Mt and into the foothills. This is unlikely, but if it does happen, Sue is on the bubble (maybe not out, but on the bubble).

 

[tchalla1]

And regarding post #7, I didn't mean to dis Maya. She's on the Mt. The post was more about Paige. If, and only if, she can duplicate her freshman year she has to enter into the discussion. I don't think an NC is a criteria. If Paige stays for another year after that and triplicates her freshman year it will be a very interesting discussion on who (if anyone) gets bumped off the Mt and into the foothills. This is unlikely, but if it does happen, Sue is on the bubble (maybe not out, but on the bubble).

Lol--you guys are possibly the ONLY people on the planet who think you can be an all-time great without winning a championship... Ridiculous.

 

[Skeets]

Lol--you guys are possibly the ONLY people on the planet who think you can be an all-time great without winning a championship... Ridiculous.

LOL. there maybe a couple more people on this planet (or another planet), but I have no empirical evidence of that. Paige had the greatest freshman season ever, but no NC. So, I guess it was all for naught. Oh well, throw her season away, like it didn't happen.

 

[meyers7]

Kerry Bascom didn’t play with highly rated players and some of the awards won by Maya et al simply didn’t exist at the time. UConn played regional games that garnered little to no attention nationally so she simply wasn’t known. That’s one of the problems with comparing generations of players.

Kerry played 1987-1991
She was a Kodak AA so that existed
Naismith NPOY started 1983
Wade (WBCA) NPOY started 1978
USBWA NPOY started 1988
NCAA NC's started in 1982

But yes, she didn't have the same level of players playing with her.

 

[meyers7]

I think that major league baseball, with its long history, would require a much larger Mt Rushmore than UConn WBB. Ernie had 2 MVPs and was probably among the 4 best players for his era.

Well I think that answers the question right there. No, Banks would not be on the Mr Rushmore of baseball.

But I think the Mt Rushmore of baseball would be very difficult to figure out. Live ball/dead ball, segregation and well over 100 years.

 

[darkstar1]

I love Crystal, but I agree. Gabby may have been the best overall player between Stewie and Paige, at least on a par with Lou and Phee.

And I loved Gabby, but Phee doesn’t get the credit she deserves. I wonder where she would rank in fans eyes if her team won 3 nattys instead of 1, which was oh so close.

 

[Wally East]

The greatest athletes who never won a championship​

-Jeff Bagwell and Craig Biggio
-Ernie Banks
-Charles Barkley
-Elgin Baylor
-Pavel Bure
-Tina Charles
-Patrick Ewing
-Ken Griffey Jr

The greatest athletes who never won a championship

Here is a look at some of the peak performers of all-time that never finished a season as the last man or woman standing.

www.yardbarker.com

Ted Williams. Yaz. Alysheba

 

[tchalla1]

LOL. there maybe a couple more people on this planet (or another planet), but I have no empirical evidence of that. Paige had the greatest freshman season ever, but no NC. So, I guess it was all for naught. Oh well, throw her season away, like it didn't happen.

Oh wow, are you kidding? Your melodramatic take is over the top. Come back to Earth. Paige still has time to complete her resume with a national championship. I know the Paige bias out here is super high, but she is yet to become an all-time player at UConn. She's played one full year during her collegiate career. It is a slight to other UConn players who have had stellar full careers to place Paige ahead of them, IMO. In addition to Paige, UConn has had 11 AP POYs--and all of them won NCs. My initial post was to the By-er who had Paige on the 'Mount Rushmore of UConn WBB, and in the top all-time players ahead of Maya Moore, who was a four-time AA and won 2 national championships--I find this absurd...

A criterion for the football. hockey and basketball HOFs is championships won, and also sustained excellence...but I guess UConn is in a different universe.

 

[hoophuskee]

Mount Rushmore has nothing to do with basketball. My top 8 not in any order but a rotation are
Stewie, DT, Maya, Lobo, Bird, MoJeff, Tina, and Sales.

A surprise on here is MoJeff, but imo she might have been POY 2 straight years if given a bit further chance and if not for Stewie. Possibly Stewie made her this but I know and Stewie even admitted was that one year MoJeff should have been FF MVP.

The fact she ddin't get 1st team A/A AP was a complete joke. She shot for the season 58.7% from 2 and 49.6% from 3 while averaging 12.4 ppg. Her efg% was 65.2%. Her assist to turnover ratio was over 3 to 1. In addtion she was an elite defender. Elite.

For the record, imo Steiw is the best.

 

[baggerbob]

Kerry Bascom didn’t play with highly rated players and some of the awards won by Maya et al simply didn’t exist at the time. UConn played regional games that garnered little to no attention nationally so she simply wasn’t known. That’s one of the problems with comparing generations of players.

Great reply, and common sense.

 

[Mandoo]

I don't see how Paige is one of the 20 best considering how much talent has come through Storrs. That's just ridiculous to put someone with 800 career points and zero titles heading into their senior season on this list.

If I was a pro golfer and I won 13 tournaments in a row, about a half year, but I then retired, would you say it was ridiculous to put me at or near the top of the talent heap? Paige's first year was the BEST ever in Uconn history, ever! She totally dominated all facets of the game and I do not believe that first year has ever been, prior or after, surpassed.

 

[meyers7]

If I was a pro golfer and I won 13 tournaments in a row, about a half year, but I then retired, would you say it was ridiculous to put me at or near the top of the talent heap? Paige's first year was the BEST ever in Uconn history, ever! She totally dominated all facets of the game and I do not believe that first year has ever been, prior or after, surpassed.

Yes, yes I would say it's ridiculous.

 

[dtbtbtb]

It's very difficult to choose but I'll go:
1. Stewie (the best college career of all time)
2. Maya (lost 4 games in her whole UConn career with 2 undefeated seasons)
3. DT (the one that got me to be a UConn fan)
4.Paige (her freshmen season was the best ever for a UConn player and after coming back from injury brought UConn to the finals in her second season. If she can stay healthy this season, WBB will be treated for some magic).
5. Sue (the best PG of all time)

 

[PJCLaw]

The most accomplished, Stewie. The best of all time DT. Still writing her legacy, Paige. After the dust settles, maybe 3 of the 4 on UConn Mt. Rushmore. Who's the 4th? A few very good candidates...

Come on now! If any UConn Mt. Rushmore list leaves out Maya, it is suspect to me. She is all-time top 10 in too many categories to count, leading scorer in school history, FOUR-time AP and WBCA AA, 3-time Wade winner, TWO-time Naismith National Player of the Year, TWO-time Natty Champ, was money from day one and NEVER had a slump (according to Geno himself), etc. Class, grace, and a badass player from the minute she stepped onto campus. I love Paige, but how in your ever-loving mind can you think to have Paige over Maya, even when the dust settles. At best, Paige can equal Maya's two Natty (assuming she uses her extra COVID year), she will never reach the other accolades, let alone surpass them, that Maya accumulated. You're entitled to your opinion, but this borders on disrespectful to Maya's legacy! Sheesh!!!

 

[baggerbob]

Come on now! If any UConn Mt. Rushmore list leaves out Maya, it is suspect to me. She is all-time top 10 in too many categories to count, leading scorer in school history, FOUR-time AP and WBCA AA, 3-time Wade winner, TWO-time Naismith National Player of the Year, TWO-time Natty Champ, was money from day one and NEVER had a slump (according to Geno himself), etc. Class, grace, and a badass player from the minute she stepped onto campus. I love Paige, but how in your ever-loving mind can you think to have Paige over Maya, even when the dust settles. At best, Paige can equal Maya's two Natty (assuming she uses her extra COVID year), she will never reach the other accolades, let alone surpass them, that Maya accumulated. You're entitled to your opinion, but this borders on disrespectful to Maya's legacy! Sheesh!!!

Paige hasn't done enough to be in the conversation with DT, Maya, and Stewie.
Three, Two, and Four, National Championships.
When Paige actually wins something, then she can be compared to the 3 greats.

 

[tchalla1]

Come on now! If any UConn Mt. Rushmore list leaves out Maya, it is suspect to me. She is all-time top 10 in too many categories to count, leading scorer in school history, FOUR-time AP and WBCA AA, 3-time Wade winner, TWO-time Naismith National Player of the Year, TWO-time Natty Champ, was money from day one and NEVER had a slump (according to Geno himself), etc. Class, grace, and a badass player from the minute she stepped onto campus. I love Paige, but how in your ever-loving mind can you think to have Paige over Maya, even when the dust settles. At best, Paige can equal Maya's two Natty (assuming she uses her extra COVID year), she will never reach the other accolades, let alone surpass them, that Maya accumulated. You're entitled to your opinion, but this borders on disrespectful to Maya's legacy! Sheesh!!!

All I can say is Amen and a shout!