UConn Top 20 (Here we go again)

[Cagey_Tee]

The Boneyard has debated this many times before, but impressions do change over time (for example, a few years ago we had Hamilton as #2).

Here is how my buddy and I come out now.

Regardless of relative position, have we inadvertently forgotten anyone?

TOP TEN

1 Ray Allen best of the best
2 Kemba Walker
3 Richard Hamilton
4 Omeka Okafor
5 Khalid El-Amin
6 Shabazz Napier
7 Donyell Marshall
8 Caron Butler
9 Cliff Robinson
10 Rudy Gay

NEXT TEN

11 James Booknight if no injuries - up?
12 Ben Gordon
13 Ricky Moore
14 Chris Smith started it all
15 Jeremy Lamb
16 A J Price
17 Ryan Boatright
18 Jerome Dyson
19 Christian Vital on a weak team
20 Jalen Adams on a weak team

OTHER NOTABLES (IN ALPHA ORDER)

? Jeff Adrian
? Josh Boone
? Scott Burrell
? Kevin Freeman underrated
? Phil Gamble
? Tate George
? Neils Giffey
? Nadov Henefeld (only one year)
? Donny Marshall
? Kevin Ollie
? Doron Sheffer
? Adama Sonago potentially
? Hasheem Thabeet

 

[8893]

What is the basis for your rankings? Best players? Best college careers? Best representative of the University of Connecticut basketball program? How much of a factor is the NBA career?

FWIW, here's where it came out last time, with the given criteria:

Poll: Greatest Husky of All Time

Men's basketball players only considered. I included all the #1 and #2 seeds from the brackets and listed them in alphabetical order. I was very close to adding Khalid as my personal favorite, but that would have been biased and opened the door to all the #3 seeds, which I don't think is...

the-boneyard.com

 

[Chin Diesel]

I'd say KEA is too high. Put Donyell and Caron above him.

I'd put Smitty in top 10 and drop Rudy out of it. I'd move BG to #11 as well ahead of Rudy and Bouk.

 

[Kenny11]

Love bouk but Ben has to above him

 

[pj]

I guess what I would care about is, what would be the team I'd most like to watch?

For me that would be: Kemba, Ray, Caron, Cliff, Emeka.

 

[Samoo]

The Boneyard has debated this many times before, but impressions do change over time (for example, a few years ago we had Hamilton as #2).

Here is how my buddy and I come out now.

Regardless of relative position, have we inadvertently forgotten anyone?

TOP TEN

1 Ray Allen best of the best
2 Kemba Walker
3 Richard Hamilton
4 Omeka Okafor
5 Khalid El-Amin
6 Shabazz Napier
7 Donyell Marshall
8 Caron Butler
9 Cliff Robinson
10 Rudy Gay

NEXT TEN

11 James Booknight if no injuries - up?
12 Ben Gordon
13 Ricky Moore
14 Chris Smith started it all
15 Jeremy Lamb
16 A J Price
17 Ryan Boatright
18 Jerome Dyson
19 Christian Vital on a weak team
20 Jalen Adams on a weak team

OTHER NOTABLES (IN ALPHA ORDER)

? Jeff Adrian
? Josh Boone
? Scott Burrell
? Kevin Freeman underrated
? Phil Gamble
? Tate George
? Neils Giffey
? Nadov Henefeld (only one year)
? Donny Marshall
? Kevin Ollie
? Doron Sheffer
? Adama Sonago potentially
? Hasheem Thabeet

You forgot Hilton. Being the basis of all UConn measurements should count for something...

 

[Waquoit]

Are we just basing this on UConn or career? Because if it's UConn, this is way off.

 

[husky429]

What are we measuring here? Talent as a college player? Post-season? National accolades? NBA work? Depending on what you want to value, this list can change a lot.

Because senior Boat is a better player than Sophomore Bouk, for example.

Total accomplishments as a college player? Bazz needs to be bumped up.

Best individual season as a college player?

NBA body of work? Drop Shabazz, Bump donyell... you get the idea.

 

[QDOG5]

Guys who shined on NC teams should be rated higher. BG is definitely a top ten player. I'd move him to 7, Smitty to 8 and Gay to 14. and push Butler, Cliffy down one. Ricky Moore to 12. Bouk needs to move down significantly. I'd move him, CV, and Jalen Adams to notables and bring up Thabeet, Burrell and Freeman

 

[superjohn]

The Boneyard has debated this many times before, but impressions do change over time (for example, a few years ago we had Hamilton as #2).

Here is how my buddy and I come out now.

Regardless of relative position, have we inadvertently forgotten anyone?

TOP TEN

1 Ray Allen best of the best
2 Kemba Walker
3 Richard Hamilton
4 Omeka Okafor
5 Khalid El-Amin
6 Shabazz Napier
7 Donyell Marshall
8 Caron Butler
9 Cliff Robinson
10 Rudy Gay

NEXT TEN

11 James Booknight if no injuries - up?
12 Ben Gordon
13 Ricky Moore
14 Chris Smith started it all
15 Jeremy Lamb
16 A J Price
17 Ryan Boatright
18 Jerome Dyson
19 Christian Vital on a weak team
20 Jalen Adams on a weak team

OTHER NOTABLES (IN ALPHA ORDER)

? Jeff Adrian
? Josh Boone
? Scott Burrell
? Kevin Freeman underrated
? Phil Gamble
? Tate George
? Neils Giffey
? Nadov Henefeld (only one year)
? Donny Marshall
? Kevin Ollie
? Doron Sheffer
? Adama Sonago potentially
? Hasheem Thabeet

Is this based on UConn career or total basketball career? Are we leaving out old timers Toby Kimball, Tony Hanson? If it's based on UConn career Ray isn't #1, you have Khalid too high, Donyell too low, Chris Smith way too low, Gordon too low. Jerome Dyson shouldn't be on the list, neither should Jalen Adams and Vital. Replace them with Hasheem, Boone, and Scott Burrell. Hasheem needs to be in the top 15. It's Emeka and Doron.

 

[gtcam]

Your top 9 are solid
Bouknight hasn't accomplished near enough at UConn to be on the list
Every player you have listed below the top 20 except Sonago is above JB
JB is a talent yes, but contributor? Not in top 35/40 terms IMHO (Wes B, Tony H, Corny T, Toby K, Taliek, Hobbs, AJ, Sticks, Marcus Williams and others contributed much more than JB) . If Drummond isn't on there than neither should JB - both were high draft picks but that's about it
I feel Rudy is not Top 10 but Ben certainly is
Love that JA and CV received some love

 

[businesslawyer]

Without any criteria not even a discussion. But by any criteria, Vital and Adams above Sheffer is absurd. It's one thing to put up numbers for poor or mediocre teams. It's another thing to be playing at an all-old Big East level for three years for a team that goes to the second weekend three times.

 

[AdamaNation]

The Boneyard has debated this many times before, but impressions do change over time (for example, a few years ago we had Hamilton as #2).

Here is how my buddy and I come out now.

Regardless of relative position, have we inadvertently forgotten anyone?

TOP TEN

1 Ray Allen best of the best
2 Kemba Walker
3 Richard Hamilton
4 Omeka Okafor
5 Khalid El-Amin
6 Shabazz Napier
7 Donyell Marshall
8 Caron Butler
9 Cliff Robinson
10 Rudy Gay

NEXT TEN

11 James Booknight if no injuries - up?
12 Ben Gordon
13 Ricky Moore
14 Chris Smith started it all
15 Jeremy Lamb
16 A J Price
17 Ryan Boatright
18 Jerome Dyson
19 Christian Vital on a weak team
20 Jalen Adams on a weak team

OTHER NOTABLES (IN ALPHA ORDER)

? Jeff Adrian
? Josh Boone
? Scott Burrell
? Kevin Freeman underrated
? Phil Gamble
? Tate George
? Neils Giffey
? Nadov Henefeld (only one year)
? Donny Marshall
? Kevin Ollie
? Doron Sheffer
? Adama Sonago potentially
? Hasheem Thabeet

No love for DHam on this list? Or sticks?

 

[UofCT]

Why is Thabeet so low? He was arguably the best defensive player in all of college basketball for two season, led us to a final four, all big east, lottery pick, etc.

 

[HuskyHawk]

What is the basis for your rankings? Best players? Best college careers? Best representative of the University of Connecticut basketball program? How much of a factor is the NBA career?

FWIW, here's where it came out last time, with the given criteria:

Poll: Greatest Husky of All Time

Men's basketball players only considered. I included all the #1 and #2 seeds from the brackets and listed them in alphabetical order. I was very close to adding Khalid as my personal favorite, but that would have been biased and opened the door to all the #3 seeds, which I don't think is...

the-boneyard.com

This is the question that must be answered. Looking at entire career, including NBA? Just UConn? Factoring in any intangibles (like starring in a Spike Lee movie)? How about coaching careers after playing careers? Until we know the criteria it's impossible.

 

[HeyMoe]

I guess what I would care about is, what would be the team I'd most like to watch?

For me that would be: Kemba, Ray, Caron, Cliff, Emeka.

For me it would be Kemba, Ray, Rip, Donyell, Emeka

 

[CL82]

Omeka?

 

[businesslawyer]

For me it would be Kemba, Ray, Rip, Donyell, Emeka

Reasonable people could argue Caron or Rip on the team they most want to watch. On a college level, Cliff Robinson couldn't carry Donyell Marshall's water.

 

[Waquoit]

Reminder, Shabazz Napier was the best player in the country his senior year.

 

[8893]

Reasonable people could argue Caron or Rip on the team they most want to watch. On a college level, Cliff Robinson couldn't carry Donyell Marshall's water.

Does bong water count?

 

[Hoophound]

No love for DHam on this list? Or sticks?

Nope, not even close. Nothing against them personally, of course.

 

[huskyinfl]

Taliek isn't notable?

 

[Waquoit]

Taliek isn't notable?

For what?

 

[Husky68]

So no Toby Kimball or Wonderful Wes? How about Tony Hanson? Is this a list that starts with Calhoun as coach?

Any of these guys better in college than Art Quimby:

"Art Quimby is a member of the UConn Basketball All Century Team. He owns the University of Connecticut men’s basketball record for single-season total rebounds (611) and rebound average (24.4/game). He totaled more points (1,398) and rebounds (1,716) combined than any player in UConn history (3,114) and he ranks No. 1 in career rebounding and career rebound average (21.5/game)."

 

[UCfor3]

18, 19, 20 over Thabeet is pretty rough. People forget how good he was because it didn't go as planned after UConn. Also, Ricky Moore is way too high. Great defensive player and played great against Duke but 13 overall is insane. Vital has gone from maligned to underappreciated to now a bit overrated.

 

[superjohn]

Why is Thabeet so low? He was arguably the best defensive player in all of college basketball for two season, led us to a final four, all big east, lottery pick, etc.

He's probably the most underrated UConn player ever. Party because he never won a national title but mostly because he's one of the all-time NBA busts. I guarantee if he was a stud in the NBA the fanbase would have him top 10.

 

[huskyfan224]

I love Bouk and think he’s very good, but he isn’t close to top 10 and a travesty to have him above Ben Gordon

 

[superjohn]

Reminder, Shabazz Napier was the best player in the country his senior year.

Yes he was but we've had several of those.

Some amazing players came through this place. There's an ironclad top 6 all-time UConn list of Rip, Okafor, Kemba, Shabazz, Donyell, Ray. People can debate the order.

 

[HeyMoe]

Reasonable people could argue Caron or Rip on the team they most want to watch. On a college level, Cliff Robinson couldn't carry Donyell Marshall's water.

I think a lot of people forget how good he was. Donyell's Junior year was insane. To me it may be the best single season ever at UConn (could also argue the same for Kemba his last year). I think he would be thought of differently if he made those free throws against Florida.

Season​

College​

G​

MP​

FG​

FGA​

3P​

3PA​

FT​

FTA​

TRB​

AST​

STL​

BLK​

TOV​

PF​

PTS​

FG%​

3P%​

FT%​

MP​

PTS​

TRB​

AST​

1993-94

UCONN

34​

1157​

306​

599​

41​

132​

200​

266​

302​

56​

43​

108​

98​

70​

853​

.511​

.311​

.752​

34.0​

25.1​

8.9​

1​

 

[navery12]

I'd probably go something like this:

1. Adama Sanogo
2. RJ Cole
3. Dan Hurley
4. Andre Jackson
5. Jordan Hawkins
6. Isaiah Whaley
7. Luke Murray
8. Akok Akok
9. Jalen Gaffney
10. Tom Moore
11. Tyrese Martin
12. Tyler Polley
13. Kimani Young
14. Rahsool Diggins
15. Samson Johnson
16. Richie Springs
17. Corey Floyd Jr
18. Tripp Doherty
19. James Doran
20. Gavin Roberts

HM: Taliek Brown, Donovan Clingan, Alex Karaban