UConn All-Time Defensive Squad

[Dogbreath2U]

You literally cannot have this team without Thabeet, Okafor, or Moore. Thabeet was the definition of dominance on the defensive end. He'd probably make a list of top 10 defensive college centers of all time.

Dominance is a difficult thing to define in a precise way, but Thabeet sure had his moments. IMHO, Emeka was the best we have had at the center position and it's not close. He had amazing lateral quickness and cat-like instincts when it came to blocking shots (remember him switching hands and blocking that shot left-handed against Villanova - it was a thing of beauty). Hasheem was amazing with his size and how far he came, but he was much more limited than Emeka offensively and in just understanding the game. I would agree that Hasheem had the greater intimidation factor.

PG: Ricky Moore
SG: Ryan B.
SF: Nadav (he could be a 3 or 4).
PF: Kevin Freeman (he didn't get the blocks, but he could defend 1-4 and even some 5)
C: Emeka

 

[mauconnfan]

Moore
Freeman
DePriest
Thabeet
Henefeld
Okafor

 

[boog204]

i dont see much separation between napier and boat as defenders frankly. Napier usually drew the tougher (bigger) assignment when they shared the floor, and posted excellent defensive numbers in his last two years.

Eh, don't know about that one. Napier was very good at picking you and he was sneaky. Boat just devoured guys. What he did to Appling, Wilbekin, and whichever crappy Harrison played the point was downright criminal. Boat wasn't on Ricky level (who is the best on ball defender I think I've ever seen) but to me he was a much better defender than Bazz. Bazz, for all of his "reach around bandit-ness," got burned quite a bit his soph/junior year going for steals.

 

[intlzncster]

Dominance is a difficult thing to define in a precise way, but Thabeet sure had his moments. IMHO, Emeka was the best we have had at the center position and it's not close. He had amazing lateral quickness and cat-like instincts when it came to blocking shots (remember him switching hands and blocking that shot left-handed against Villanova - it was a thing of beauty). Hasheem was amazing with his size and how far he came, but he was much more limited than Emeka offensively and in just understanding the game. I would agree that Hasheem had the greater intimidation factor.

PG: Ricky Moore
SG: Ryan B.
SF: Nadav (he could be a 3 or 4).
PF: Kevin Freeman (he didn't get the blocks, but he could defend 1-4 and even some 5)
C: Emeka

Oh, Emeka is a far better center, it's not even close, but we are talking about an all defensive team here (no consideration of offense). I don't think people remember how much Thabeet changed the game. Other teams would simply drop their philosophy because they had no choice. A dribble drive team would become a jump shooting team, if not before the whistle, then pretty damn quick after. Guy's were terrified of him.

Note, I'd have both of them on the team.

 

[James]

Eh, don't know about that one. Napier was very good at picking you and he was sneaky. Boat just devoured guys. What he did to Appling, Wilbekin, and whichever crappy Harrison played the point was downright criminal. Boat wasn't on Ricky level (who is the best on ball defender I think I've ever seen) but to me he was a much better defender than Bazz. Bazz, for all of his "reach around bandit-ness," got burned quite a bit his soph/junior year going for steals.

theres more to defense than pressuring the ball. Napier was essentially the defensive anchor his junior and senior years ( posting the best or 2nd best drating on the team ). he was highly intelligent on defense, slipping under screens on bad shooters, 'scrapping' on post ups... This isn't to take credit away from boat as he probably played better defense in the ncaat 2014 than napier...but boat got burned a ton when he was an underclassmen too. Napier was also a wayyyyyyy better frosh defensive player than frosh boatright .

 

[Scottzer]

Oh, Emeka is a far better center, it's not even close, but we are talking about an all defensive team here (no consideration of offense). I don't think people remember how much Thabeet changed the game. Other teams would simply drop their philosophy because they had no choice. A dribble drive team would become a jump shooting team, if not before the whistle, then pretty damn quick after. Guy's were terrified of him.

Note, I'd have both of them on the team.

Not that I recall anybody else being able to do it, but (fellow draft bust) Blair did a pretty good job of exposing him. I just don't recall that sort of thing happening to Emeka. Both were phenomenal defensive centers, but with Emeka's d also translating to the NBA, I just can't pick Thabeet over him.

 

[johnhuskies95]

He was the best on-ball defender on that squad. He could legitimately guard four positions at a high level.

I've charted a few of the '09 games recently and one thing I've realized is that Robinson was a great defender, and Adrien, although being a great rebounder, was a pretty bad defender.

 

[JimHurley]

How can anyone not have Boat on their list. Best on ball defender behind Moore IMO.

 

[boog204]

theres more to defense than pressuring the ball. Napier was essentially the defensive anchor his junior and senior years ( posting the best or 2nd best drating on the team ). he was highly intelligent on defense, slipping under screens on bad shooters, 'scrapping' on post ups... This isn't to take credit away from boat as he probably played better defense in the ncaat 2014 than napier...but boat got burned a ton when he was an underclassmen too. Napier was also a wayyyyyyy better frosh defensive player than frosh boatright .

Agreed... At their best, I think Boat was a much better defender. Unfortunately, they didn't always give their best effort on D and you are right, Boat got burned quite a bit himself.

 

[joober jones]

I'd have Armstrong over Boone

 

[Dogbreath2U]

Note, I'd have both of them on the team.

yes, I noticed that after I wrote my post. oops.

 

[Blue Blood]

Boat Bazz Moore Okafor Thabeet. The combo d of bazz and boat is the single greatest reason banner 4 hangs.

 

[jleves]

I scanned quickly but I don't recall seeing Freeman on the list. That kid was an excellent defender. Jake should have some consideration although behind Thabeet and Oak for the C spot.

 

[nomar]

I am willing to bet Scottie Wilbekin still has night terrors about being guarded by Boat.

Totally. That was the best perimeter defense I've ever seen out of a UConn guard over a 6-game stretch. (Including Ricky.) But he didn't play with that intensity his entire career. Some of that was due to injuries. Some of that was due to (understandably) not going 200 mph every possession of every game. Thabeet ERASED the other team. Every game. (Except the Blair game.)

We all saw what Boat did in the Final 4, and to MSU's guards. It was transcendent. They couldn't even get inside the 3-point line. But I'm looking at it with a wider perspective. For their careers, Boat just wasn't in Hash's league defensively, IMO.

 

[BUConn10]

The correct answer:

Ricky Moore
Ryan Boatright
Jerome Dyson
Emeka Okafor
Hasheem Thabeet

No on would even dare take a shot against this team, inside or out.

 

[RichZ]

Ricky
Mek
Lyman

Those three are givens. After that, it's a crap shoot, but I'm going with
Bazz
Caron.

 

[MilliniumPrince]

Totally. That was the best perimeter defense I've ever seen out of a UConn guard over a 6-game stretch. (Including Ricky.) But he didn't play with that intensity his entire career. Some of that was due to injuries. Some of that was due to (understandably) not going 200 mph every possession of every game. Thabeet ERASED the other team. Every game. (Except the Blair game.)

We all saw what Boat did in the Final 4, and to MSU's guards. It was transcendent. They couldn't even get inside the 3-point line. But I'm looking at it with a wider perspective. For their careers, Boat just wasn't in Hash's league defensively, IMO.

Fair point. I tried to do it by position so i could not include Beet because Mek is the best defender at center in the history of the program IMO.

 

[nomar]

Fair point. I tried to do it by position so i could not include Beet because Mek is the best defender at center in the history of the program IMO.

I wouldn't put Thabeet over Emeka, either. I'd go with the Mourning-Mutobo Twin Towers approach.

 

[Gwynning]

Let's give Jake Voskuhl an honorable mention. He wasn't an elite jumper but he may have had the best defensive footwork and work ethic of any of our big men.

 

[RichZ]

Let's give Jake Voskuhl an honorable mention. He wasn't an elite jumper but he may have had the best defensive footwork and work ethic of any of our big men.

Mek's footwork and work ethic were at least as good as Jake's. What Jake had that few of our centers have had was the ability to set a a screen that was wide and strong. But this is a defensive list, so that doesn't come into play.

 

[tentoes4rings]

Marcus Williams
Ben
Sam Funchess
Charlie V
Mandeldove

 

[Dogbreath2U]

Mek's footwork and work ethic were at least as good as Jake's. What Jake had that few of our centers have had was the ability to set a a screen that was wide and strong. But this is a defensive list, so that doesn't come into play.

Jake had one advantage over Mek. He had extra gravity or something cuz when players ran into him when he set screens, they bounced off him. He never seemed to be moved at all.

 

[Hugo]

Jake is under rated as a defender. Was he as good as Emeka, NO. But he was no slouch either and was an excellent positional defender. That "gravity" as Dogbreath mentioned allowed him to set up defensively a little further out than a normal 5 does hold that position thereby preventing his opponent from getting a lot of bunnies at the rim.

 

[61cygni]

Giffey should also be considered. Won't see it in his stats but guarded 1-5 and provided excellent team defense on the way to a championship

Loved Giffey. Always seemed like he would play great defense and then the other guy would just hit a jumper anyway even when Giffey was right on top of him.

 

[tkmill]

ricky
chris smith
lyman
burrell
emeka

boat, k-free, and jake off the bench