UConn top 5 all time: CT Post

[Kitaman]

Here is the CT Post's version of UConn top 5 all time:

http://www.ctpost.com/uconn/slideshow/UConn-men-The-top-5-players-105364/photo-3821332.php

1. Ray Allen
2. Kemba
3. Emeka
4. Rip
5. Bazz

Good list and hard to replace any of them. All were AAs.

 

[CallMeBruce]

I love Bazz, but Donyell was definitely a better player at UConn.

The other four spots, I have no problem with.

 

[J187Money]

I love Bazz, but Donyell was definitely a better player at UConn. The other four spots, I have no problem with.

I hear you. But two titles v bricking a pair of FTs in the E8 will drop you down.

 

[tdrink]

I love Bazz, but Donyell was definitely a better player at UConn.

The other four spots, I have no problem with.

If he had made one of those two free throws you'd have a point.

 

[Point6]

Caron should also get some consideration.

 

[Scoe]

Interesting, such a hard list to come up with which is a great problem to have.

 

[Scoe]

Caron should also get some consideration.

Yep Ben Gordon as well, guys like Chris Smith get lost in the conversation as the years go by.

 

[CallMeBruce]

If he had made one of those two free throws you'd have a point.

I have a lot of points. Distilling Donyell's career down to two free throws does him and the program a disservice. On the balance of their careers, Donyell was the better player. At their college peaks, Donyell was a much better player. Sure, I wish Donyell had led the team to a title, but that he didn't doesn't negate everything else he did. If we're going to do that, why put Ray Allen #1? He was 9-25 against Mississippi State, costing arguably the best UConn team it's shot at a title.

 

[Scoe]

Brimah grabbed a Shabazz missed shot and got a 3 point play, if not for Brimah's rebound, Shabazz final legacy is losing to St Joes in his last game.

 

[mauconnfan]

I hear you. But two titles v bricking a pair of FTs in the E8 will drop you down.

Those 2 FT's mean little vs the year he had for us - I'm more the guy who says we're not even close to getting those 2 FT's without him for the whole year. He was a Top 5.

 

[imno1]

Depends on the criteria but I put Bazz #1 for being a huge part of 2 titles and keeping the team together during the ban. His senior year he led the team in scoring and assists and for most of the year in rebounding. As much as I love Ray he was on some great teams but never even made a final 4.

 

[mauconnfan]

Brimah grabbed a Shabazz missed shot and got a 3 point play, if not for Brimah's rebound, Shabazz final legacy is losing to St Joes in his last game.

So AB should be Top 5? lol

 

[mauconnfan]

Depends on the criteria but I put Bazz #1 for being a huge part of 2 titles and keeping the team together during the ban. His senior year he led the team in scoring and assists and for most of the year in rebounding. As much as I love Ray he was on some great teams but never even made a final 4.

Things happen. That game vs UConn made Toby Bailey's legacy and what did he do after that? They were the 2nd best if not the best team that year but someone had an out of body game.

 

[Inyatkin]

I have a lot of points. Distilling Donyell's career down to two free throws does him and the program a disservice. On the balance of their careers, Donyell was the better player. At their college peaks, Donyell was a much better player. Sure, I wish Donyell had led the team to a title, but that he didn't doesn't negate everything else he did. If we're going to do that, why put Ray Allen #1? He was 9-25 against Mississippi State, costing arguably the best UConn team it's shot at a title.

You'd have to do a lot of arguing to call that the best UConn team

 

[Scoe]

So AB should be Top 5? lol

Umm did I say that, you can nitpick at anyones career. I was responding to the poster who mentioned Donyell's missed fts, and Ray's 9-25 in his final game.

 

[CallMeBruce]

You'd have to do a lot of arguing to call that the best UConn team

Less than you'd think. I wouldn't put them #1, but going by SRS, they are.

http://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/schools/connecticut/

Also, none of that is the point. I'm just showing that you can't knock Donyell off the top-5 because of a couple of missed free throws, no matter how critical they were, and then put Ray #1 after he fell apart against Mississippi State. There's too much randomness in basketball to evaluate entire careers on a few plays or even a few games.

 

[Inyatkin]

Less than you'd think. I wouldn't put them #1, but going by SRS, they are.

http://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/schools/connecticut/

Also, none of that is the point. I'm just showing that you can't knock Donyell off the top-5 because of a couple of missed free throws, no matter how critical they were, and then put Ray #1 after he fell apart against Mississippi State. There's too much randomness in basketball to evaluate entire careers on a few plays or even a few games.

Donyell was probably one of our top five players of all time. He was dominant. Before last season I would have said our top five must include Donyell, Ray, Rip, Emeka and Kemba.
Napier, it's fair to say, put himself into the mix.

But if you're ranking seasons, the end result matters most.

 

[Deadrody]

I love Bazz, but Donyell was definitely a better player at UConn.

The other four spots, I have no problem with.

Look, I don't have anything against Donyell, really. But he was dominant - one year. Shabazz is a two time national champion, And he willed the second one into being in only slightly less dramatic fashion than Kemba.

 

[AZHuskiePop]

Donyell was probably one of our top five players of all time. He was dominant. Before last season I would have said our top five must include Donyell, Ray, Rip, Emeka and Kemba.
Napier, it's fair to say, put himself into the mix.

But if you're ranking seasons, the end result matters most.

if your going for a team the no indicates position
First team
1 KW
2 RA
3 RH
4 DM
5 EO
subs
1 SN
2 CS
3 CB
4 CR
5 HT

If they played ten times it would probably be pretty even
Actually team two might be a better team defensively

I would love to see that game
PF or 4 is tough, a team might be better of with a guy like KF ,or JA
Or Put HM at 5 and EO at the 4
KW would have 12 assists be game.

 

[RichZ]

I'm just showing that you can't knock Donyell off the top-5 because of a couple of missed free throws, no matter how critical they were, and then put Ray #1 after he fell apart against Mississippi State.

A career 48% shooter going 36% from the field in a game is not falling apart. It's not near his best game, but it's not abject failure, like a near 80% FT shooter choking at the line with the season on the line. Does it negate the rest of his season or his career? Absolutely not. Does it disqualify him from consideration as UConn's best ever? Yeah, in my mind, it does.

In my mind, it's Ray, Kemba and Mek, then everybody else. I can't even put an order on the top 3. Yeah, if it wasn't for two lousy free throws, it would be a top four and everybody else. But the FTs happened. I can't forget them.

If Caron had stayed one more year, that cluster at the top might well have another member, too. Heck, I'm having trouble keeping Bazz out of that cluster now. oddly, not as much for 2 championships, as for his endgame heroics pretty much throughout his career.

There's too much randomness in basketball to evaluate entire careers on a few plays or even a few games.

It's a subjective judgment. If it wasn't about opinion, this entire thread would be pointless. It would just be a matter of looking at the stats and putting them in order, and then there's no discussion. What fun is there in that?

 

[CallMeBruce]

It's a subjective judgment. If it wasn't about opinion, this entire thread would be pointless. It would just be a matter of looking at the stats and putting them in order, and then there's no discussion. What fun is there in that?

SOME PEOPLE LIKE NUMBERS

 

[Rocktheworld]

UConn has had way too many amazing players for a top 5.

Needs to be 10 spots minimal.

 

[mets1090]

SOME PEOPLE LIKE NUMBERS

We're called baseball fans.

 

[J187Money]

I have a lot of points. Distilling Donyell's career down to two free throws does him and the program a disservice. On the balance of their careers, Donyell was the better player. At their college peaks, Donyell was a much better player. Sure, I wish Donyell had led the team to a title, but that he didn't doesn't negate everything else he did. If we're going to do that, why put Ray Allen #1? He was 9-25 against Mississippi State, costing arguably the best UConn team it's shot at a title.

I'm not being snippy. And you are right. But results matter. And we hadn't yet gone to a FF. And then he left early. That left a bad taste in some peoples mouths, even if it was 100% the right decision for him. And I don't blame him - it happens (if Boat didn't miss some FTs we might have gone dancing). But that is what separates great from legendary. And for this program, Bazz was a legend, even though Donyell was a better player.

 

[RayRay19]

Pitt game big East tournament where kemba hit the step back. He missed the shot he took before the step back but Jamal coombs McDaniel got the offensive rebound over 4 Pitt players...a single play can define a legacy...if he missed the shot and pitt gets the rebound who knows what would have happened. Kemba might never be on the wall then...