UConn's best 5 NBA players

[champs99and04]

Completely disagree with you on Rip, the guy was the best mid range jump shooter in the league for years and was an elite and clutch scorer on one of the best teams in the league for many seasons, he wasn't an elite defender but not nearly as bad as you make it out, not having Rip in your type 5 is just crazy, actually not having him in your top 2 is pretty crazy. I also don't agree that Caron's size hurt him much, it was injuries that derailed his career. The only time he was pretty much injury free he made 2 all-star games, injuries robbed him of some more 20 ppg seasons. Boat would be a very very poor man's Iverson.

Yeah, Rip outplayed Kobe during the '04 finals. He has to be #2, IMO.

 

[aceboon]

What in the world is @DogMania talking about in regards to Rip? He averaged over 17ppg for 10 consecutive seasons, and efficiently to boot. He didn't fall off the face of the Earth, he got old and his body began to breakdown on him, something that happens to a lot of professional athletes. Not having him in your top 5 is bizarre. Most of your other player write-ups aren't really accurate either but that one easily sticks out the most, makes me wonder if you've actually watched much of these guys play in the NBA.

 

[DogMania]

Completely disagree with you on Rip, the guy was the best mid range jump shooter in the league for years and was an elite and clutch scorer on one of the best teams in the league for many seasons, he wasn't an elite defender but not nearly as bad as you make it out, not having Rip in your type 5 is just crazy, actually not having him in your top 2 is pretty crazy. I also don't agree that Caron's size hurt him much, it was injuries that derailed his career. The only time he was pretty much injury free he made 2 all-star games, injuries robbed him of some more 20 ppg seasons. Boat would be a very very poor man's Iverson.

Samson Johnson, you have a few valid points there. I might be in fact selling RIP short there. He might have had a better and longer run than what I remember. After reading your post, I do remember him having a deadly midrange game for stretch there. I just thought it was for a shorter stretch than it actually might have been. I really didn't spend any time to look things up. And I do remember Caron struggling with some injuries, and although he was a very good player, with a few more inches you could have been a great player. With that said he was still one heck of a player at both the college and the pro levels.

 

[DogMania]

What in the world is @DogMania talking about in regards to Rip? He averaged over 17ppg for 10 consecutive seasons, and efficiently to boot. He didn't fall off the face of the Earth, he got old and his body began to breakdown on him, something that happens to a lot of professional athletes. Not having him in your top 5 is bizarre. Most of your other player write-ups aren't really accurate either but that one easily sticks out the most, makes me wonder if you've actually watched much of these guys play in the NBA.

Yeah, I think I got RIP pretty wrong there. It just seemed that in Detroit when there was that coaching change, his name escapes me, that RIP's production really dipped. But that might not be due to his ability to play, but the coach just didn't like him and age, as you pointed out. Carlisle wasn't it.

I don't watch nearly as much pro basketball as I do college, but I don't feel I'm completely clueless as you are trying to point out. Just don't understand why people have to personally attack people who post on this board. I know for a fact that there are some people that just don't post because they don't like to be called out like this. On the other hand, I'm a glutton for punishment, and don't mind if people disagree with me. Anyhow, like Roger Clemens, maybe I'm just misremembering.

 

[aceboon]

Nobody personally attacked you, you typed up a lot of text that was way off the mark and it was pointed out.

 

[James]

For me it's more the fact that both Memphis and Toronto seemed to improve demonstrably after trading him.

He's played well these last couple years for Sacramento, though.

Well the thing is , how many peak years has caron had? Way way less than rudy... and we haven't even brought into the discussion rudy's accomplishments internationally. When both their respective careers are finshed, rudy will have a 5000+ career pt advantage on caron.


completely off the rudy topic, MAN imagine if the pistons beat the spurs in that game 7 in 05 for the repeat. I was all in on the pistons, but ginobili went nuts ( like insane), really made me envy the spurs for stealing a title from rip ( who was abhorrent in that series, terrible. good in the playoffs just not the finals). WHY LEAVE HORRY OPEN SHEED!

I also believe rip would have been a more eager (and efficient) 3pt shooter if he played in this era. He had gifted mechanics and offensive awareness.

 

[DogMania]

Nobody personally attacked you, you typed up a lot of text that was way off the mark and it was pointed out.

I respectfully disagree that a lot of it is way off. So what else do you disagree with?

 

[DogMania]

Well the thing is , how many peak years has caron had? Way way less than rudy... and we haven't even brought into the discussion rudy's accomplishments internationally. When both their respective careers are finshed, rudy will have a 5000+ career pt advantage on caron.


completely off the rudy topic, MAN imagine if the pistons beat the spurs in that game 7 in 05 for the repeat. I was all in on the pistons, but ginobili went nuts ( like insane), really made me envy the spurs for stealing a title from rip ( who was abhorrent in that series, terrible. good in the playoffs just not the finals). WHY LEAVE HORRY OPEN SHEED!

I also believe rip would have been a more eager (and efficient) 3pt shooter if he played in this era. He had gifted mechanics and offensive awareness.

See, Rip wasn't all that great a player. I'm kidding! Just trying to grasp at straws here. As I said above, I definitely under valued Rip's career. Not the first time I've been wrong, nor will it be the last.

 

[David 76]

I don't see how Kemba or Andre could be in the top 5. They haven't done it yet. You can think they will make it. But they haven't. If they had career ending injuries tomorrow, they are not among the top 5 NBA players from UConn.

I wonder if we are ignoring an older player like Toby?

 

[James]

cliffy also deserves some props for his game 4 performance vs one of the greatest teams in nba history 91 bulls and peak jordan. blistering efficiency on a loaded blazers team, he was probably the best player that night...in a win. ( him or kersey RIP)

 

[Huskybass]

I thank everyone for chiming in on this thread. I follow UConn much more closely than I follow the NBA. My top 5 based solely on NBA careers:
Ray, Rip, Cliffy, Rudy and Caron. I think Kemba and Andre both haveva chance to eventually crack the top 5 though. Feel free to disagree with me, as I am certainly not an expert on the NBA.

 

[James]

I don't see how Kemba or Andre could be in the top 5. They haven't done it yet. You can think they will make it. But they haven't. If they had career ending injuries tomorrow, they are not among the top 5 NBA players from UConn.

I wonder if we are ignoring an older player like Toby?

yeah neither of them should be near this discussion yet, especially kemba.

 

[DogMania]

I don't see how Kemba or Andre could be in the top 5. They haven't done it yet. You can think they will make it. But they haven't. If they had career ending injuries tomorrow, they are not among the top 5 NBA players from UConn.

I wonder if we are ignoring an older player like Toby?

I did apply future uncertain projections with my list which could turn out to be very wrong. Just adding a little different perspective, that's all.

 

[aceboon]

I respectfully disagree that a lot of it is way off. So what else do you disagree with?

Way too high on Kemba at this point in his career, he's only 4 years deep into his career and still young but only 1 year above 40% from the field while shooting a high volume of shots isn't worthy of crowning him with top 5 status or being labeled a great scorer. BG has also had more factors than just "defense" contributing to his decline and him being moved, the same for the Rudy and Caron, who wasn't really undersized or a poor defender as you labeled him.

 

[champs99and04]

Well the thing is , how many peak years has caron had? Way way less than rudy... and we haven't even brought into the discussion rudy's accomplishments internationally. When both their respective careers are finshed, rudy will have a 5000+ career pt advantage on caron.


completely off the rudy topic, MAN imagine if the pistons beat the spurs in that game 7 in 05 for the repeat. I was all in on the pistons, but ginobili went nuts ( like insane), really made me envy the spurs for stealing a title from rip ( who was abhorrent in that series, terrible. good in the playoffs just not the finals). WHY LEAVE HORRY OPEN SHEED!

I also believe rip would have been a more eager (and efficient) 3pt shooter if he played in this era. He had gifted mechanics and offensive awareness.

I'd say Caron had six, maybe seven peak years. Clearly, he did his best work with Washington (amazing how fast that all fell part in DC; Gilbert, Caron, Jamison...some real great games with LeBron's Cavs). I don't disagree that Rudy could pass him, but as of now I have Caron ahead.

I loved those Pistons teams, too. They had some dominant regular seasons.

 

[Gurleyman]

Well the thing is , how many peak years has caron had? Way way less than rudy... and we haven't even brought into the discussion rudy's accomplishments internationally. When both their respective careers are finshed, rudy will have a 5000+ career pt advantage on caron. completely off the rudy topic, MAN imagine if the pistons beat the spurs in that game 7 in 05 for the repeat. I was all in on the pistons, but ginobili went nuts ( like insane), really made me envy the spurs for stealing a title from rip ( who was abhorrent in that series, terrible. good in the playoffs just not the finals). WHY LEAVE HORRY OPEN SHEED! I also believe rip would have been a more eager (and efficient) 3pt shooter if he played in this era. He had gifted mechanics and offensive awareness.

Caron was a two-time All-Star. Rudy hasn't gotten there (and may never get there - his window is almost closed).

 

[James]

Caron was a two-time All-Star. Rudy hasn't gotten there (and may never get there - his window is almost closed).

its a slippery slope once you start putting all star selections on a pedestal, I dont consider that meaningful metric at all. the whole system of who gets selected is flawed.

@champs99and04 7 peak years champs? for real? I could see maybe 4 max. regardless it is a much lower number than rudys... who has been putting up peak level #s since 2008.

 

[champs99and04]

its a slippery slope once you start putting all star selections on a pedestal, I dont consider that meaningful metric at all. the whole system of who gets selected is flawed.

@champs99and04 7 peak years champs? for real? I could see maybe 4 max. regardless it is a much lower number than rudys... who has been putting up peak level #s since 2008.

Well, I guess it's a matter of how liberal you are with the word "peak." From '04 to his final year in Washington in 2010, he posted 18/6/3. If you want to go with the three year peak he was 20/7/4. Rudy is at 20/6/2 over the last eight years, which to me is comparable.

 

[champs99and04]

Yeah, I think I got RIP pretty wrong there. It just seemed that in Detroit when there was that coaching change, his name escapes me, that RIP's production really dipped. But that might not be due to his ability to play, but the coach just didn't like him and age, as you pointed out. Carlisle wasn't it.

I don't watch nearly as much pro basketball as I do college, but I don't feel I'm completely clueless as you are trying to point out. Just don't understand why people have to personally attack people who post on this board. I know for a fact that there are some people that just don't post because they don't like to be called out like this. On the other hand, I'm a glutton for punishment, and don't mind if people disagree with me. Anyhow, like Roger Clemens, maybe I'm just misremembering.

Not sure what you're referring to in regards to Rip's production dipping after a coaching change. He played for four different coaches in Detroit and his production pretty much remained steady throughout.