The top ten programs of the NCAA Tournament Era

[EricLA]

If we're talking all=time, I might go with Lisa Leslie over Tina Charles, and, I know how this will sound, but I'd at least consider going with Cynthia Cooper over DT. (Calm down , just considering it. It's a reasonable thing to consider.)

You are probably right about Leslie over Charles - she was taller and had a bit more to her game, but as far as being the best in the world right now, I think those 4 UCONN players are at the very top in their respective positions.

As for Cooper over Dee... She really only played 4 total years in the pros, took 3 years off, then came back for 4 games and was done. I don't see her in the same class as Dee - partly because Dee has played at such a high level for so long... just my $.02!

 

[RegisteredUconn]

I enjoy your posts and appreciate your analyses and contributions to this board.

Your perspicacity is truly astonishing!

 

[Gus Mahler]

Your perspicacity is truly astonishing!

Well . . . yeah . . .

 

[Wally East]

You are probably right about Leslie over Charles - she was taller and had a bit more to her game, but as far as being the best in the world right now, I think those 4 UCONN players are at the very top in their respective positions.

Agreed about right now as far as I know.

As for Cooper over Dee... She really only played 4 total years in the pros, took 3 years off, then came back for 4 games and was done. I don't see her in the same class as Dee - partly because Dee has played at such a high level for so long... just my $.02!

Well, Cynthia would've played more but was old. She performed at a really high level starting at age 34 and continued through age 37. I don't think it's a stretch to say she would've performed at a higher level when she was younger.

I have a feeling some people will hate this stat but career Win Shares per 48 minutes puts Cooper on top by a huge margin.

 

[KnightBridgeAZ]

You are probably right about Leslie over Charles - she was taller and had a bit more to her game, but as far as being the best in the world right now, I think those 4 UCONN players are at the very top in their respective positions.

As for Cooper over Dee... She really only played 4 total years in the pros, took 3 years off, then came back for 4 games and was done. I don't see her in the same class as Dee - partly because Dee has played at such a high level for so long... just my $.02!

Cooper is a really special case, because as Wally just pointed out, she was old with much of her career behind her in '96. IIRC she didn't generally participate much with USA basketball, but she did play overseas for many many years before the "W". I think (but I don't know it) that she was a better pro than college player. In the abstract, in her prime, as a pro at least, she was a "Dee" type player. But not perhaps stylistically as good a fit with the other players as Dee both would be in the abstract and actually is.

I think consideration to Leslie and Parker (for the variety of her game) isn't misplaced. Other national team players were great players, including Staley and Edwards among others, but I see nothing that would indicate that Bird, Dee and Maya are not collectively as good or better than any other lineup USA basketball ever put out, in their prime, anyhow. I am concerned that Bird is getting to be a bit of an elder stateswoman.