Villanueva back in Storrs

[tcf15]

 

[superjohn]

Villanueva seems about the least talked about of our great players.

 

[Storrs South]

No offense, but surprised Dyson is on that mural and not Khalid, Chris Smith, or Marcus Williams

 

[tcf15]

No offense, but surprised Dyson is on that mural and not Khalid, Chris Smith, or Marcus Williams

That's Hilton.

 

[Storrs South]

That's Hilton.

Oh wow you are right. Then this kind of makes more sense since they appear to be pushing NBA presence on this mural and the guys I mentioned had limited run in the NBA

 

[JakeTheDog]

Going off memory here- except Shabazz those are our lottery picks, no?

 

[LIuconn]

Can't be the whole wall if KEA and CSmith aren't there?

 

[intlzncster]

Villanueva seems about the least talked about of our great players.

I wouldn't consider him one of our greats. He was a very good player, but did he really separate himself, by carrying the team or by being in the MCBB AA conversation? Not really.

Certainly belongs nowhere near the Kemba, Bazz, Emeka, Marshall, Rip, Ray, Butler, KEA, et al group.

 

[intlzncster]

Oh wow you are right. Then this kind of makes more sense since they appear to be pushing NBA presence on this mural and the guys I mentioned had limited run in the NBA

As a talking point, Hilton is a great example to give recruits (even tho it wasn't this staff). Came in as a very unheralded, string bean. A guy I doubted would ever be in the conversation of All Conference players, never mind an NBA Lottery pick. That kind of rise is unusual to say the least. It's the water up here!

 

[superjohn]

I wouldn't consider him one of our greats. He was a very good player, but did he really separate himself, by carrying the team or by being in the MCBB AA conversation? Not really.

Certainly belongs nowhere near the Kemba, Bazz, Emeka, Marshall, Rip, Ray, Butler, KEA, et al group.

He's one of our greats. Won a championship, arguably our most offensively skilled big man ever, lottery pick, and had a solid 12 year NBA career.

 

[intlzncster]

He's one of our greats. Won a championship, arguably our most offensively skilled big man ever, lottery pick, and had a solid 12 year NBA career.

I guess it's a difference in definitions of greatness then. There's at minimum 20 players I'd instantly take ahead of him. How many guys can make an All Time Great list?

I mean, Hilton was a lottery pick too, and no one would mistake him for an All Time Great.

 

[Battasbaby]

Can't be the whole wall if KEA and CSmith aren't there?

Wasn't Khalid a second round pick back to back with Jake?

 

[TheChamps990411]

I wouldn't consider him one of our greats. He was a very good player, but did he really separate himself, by carrying the team or by being in the MCBB AA conversation? Not really.

Certainly belongs nowhere near the Kemba, Bazz, Emeka, Marshall, Rip, Ray, Butler, KEA, et al group.

I think he earns a spot as a great for what he did in the first half against Duke in the national semi. That alone put and kept him in my good graces for the rest of his time here.

 

[superjohn]

I guess it's a difference in definitions of greatness. There's at minimum 20 players I'd instantly take ahead of him.

I mean, Hilton was a lottery pick too, and no one would mistake him for an All Time Great.

It also depends on what your criteria is, my guess is you might not have Drummond on your list and he's one of the top 5 or 6 best basketball players to ever play here. My point was this board never talks about Villanueva which seems a bit strange considering his stature as a player. I legit only remember him being talked about when someone stole his toilet.

A bit curious who the 20 players you would instantly take over Villanueva are...

 

[intlzncster]

A bit curious who the 20 players you would instantly take over Villanueva are...

Obviously I just tossed out a random number, but for fun:

1. Shabazz
2. Kemba
3. Gordon
4. Emeka
5. Marshall
6. Rip
7. Butler
8. Ray
9. KEA
10. Rudy
11. Drummond
12. Thabeet
13. Uncle Cliffy
14. Chris Smith
15. Burrell
16. Sheffer
17. Nadav
18. Kfree
19. Adrien
20. I'm running out of steam here in terms of memory, but there's lots you could argue either way
21. Heck after this year, Jalen could very well be on the list. Though not yet...

And these guys aren't on my list, but they're often thrown out there in discussions like this: Bialosuknia, Quimby, Dropo, Kimball , Corny, Kelley... No comment as I never saw any of them.​

Though I could see Charlie slotted in the mid teens somewhere. And you are correct that he's rarely talked about. A lot of that has to do with who he played with overshadowing him (Emeka/Ben).

EDIT: per comment below, the Top 10+ aren't in any specific order.

 

[Chief00]

Obviously I just tossed out a random number, but for fun:

1. Shabazz
2. Kemba
3. Gordon
4. Emeka
5. Marshall
6. Rip
7. Butler
8. Ray
9. KEA
10. Rudy
11. Thabeet
12. Uncle Cliffy
13. Chris Smith
14. Burrell
15. Sheffer
16. Nadav
17. Kfree
18. Adrien
19. I'm running out of steam here in terms of memory, but there's lots you could argue either way
20. Heck after this year, Jalen could very well be on the list. Though not yet...

And these guys aren't on my list, but they're often thrown out there in discussions like this: Bialosuknia, Quimby, Dropo, Kimball , Corny, Kelley... No comment as I never saw any of them.​

To me, an all time great list is about much more than pure talent; talents a big piece, but so is what they did and meant to UCONN. I mean, if a guy like Drummond comes here for 6 months, and is insanely talented, but leaves no legacy, why would you ever put him on a UCONN ATG list?

You are correct that Charlie is rarely talked about. A lot of that has to do with who he played with overshadowing him (Emeka/Ben).

Dre needs to be in top 10.

 

[intlzncster]

Dre needs to be in top 10.

The Top 10+ weren't in any particular order. But yes, I forgot to add him. Doing this on memory. Even tho he was mentioned 2 posts above. Will revise/edit.

My personal number one would be Ray.

 

[superjohn]

Obviously I just tossed out a random number, but for fun:

1. Shabazz
2. Kemba
3. Gordon
4. Emeka
5. Rudy
6. Marshall
7. Rip
8. Butler
9. Ray
10. KEA
11. Hasheem Thabeet
12. Uncle Cliffy
13. Chris Smith
14. Burrell
15. Sheffer
16. Nadav
17. Kfree
18. Adrien
19. I'm running out of steam here in terms of memory, but there's lots you could argue either way
20. Heck after this year, Jalen could very well be on the list. Though not yet...

And these guys aren't on my list, but they're often thrown out there in discussions like this: Bialosuknia, Quimby, Dropo, Kimball , Corny, Kelley... No comment as I never saw any of them.​

I guess you are talking about pure talent, vs actually what they meant or did for UCONN. On a UCONN ATG list, the latter is more important to me.

He was only here 2 years, he won a title. Only 6 of those guys you named won a title. Villanueva is better than half the guys on your list which is why he was only here for 2 years.

 

[WrenchFan69]

Obviously I just tossed out a random number, but for fun:

1. Shabazz
2. Kemba
3. Gordon
4. Emeka
5. Marshall
6. Rip
7. Butler
8. Ray
9. KEA
10. Rudy
11. Drummond
12. Thabeet
13. Uncle Cliffy
14. Chris Smith
15. Burrell
16. Sheffer
17. Nadav
18. Kfree
19. Adrien
20. I'm running out of steam here in terms of memory, but there's lots you could argue either way
21. Heck after this year, Jalen could very well be on the list. Though not yet...

And these guys aren't on my list, but they're often thrown out there in discussions like this: Bialosuknia, Quimby, Dropo, Kimball , Corny, Kelley... No comment as I never saw any of them.​

Though I could see Charlie slotted in the mid teens somewhere. And you are correct that he's rarely talked about. A lot of that has to do with who he played with overshadowing him (Emeka/Ben).

EDIT: per comment below, the Top 10+ aren't in any specific order.

No Boatright? Second-best player and invaluable member of a national championship team, top 10 in scoring, elite solo performance his senior year when it was just him.

 

[joober jones]

I guess it's a difference in definitions of greatness then. There's at minimum 20 players I'd instantly take ahead of him. How many guys can make an All Time Great list?

I mean, Hilton was a lottery pick too, and no one would mistake him for an All Time Great.

Come on, he was the best player ever to wear number 57 in the NBA.

 

[intlzncster]

He was only here 2 years, he won a title. Only 6 of those guys you named won a title. Villanueva is better than half the guys on your list which is why he was only here for 2 years.

The list of great players doesn't go by who leaves the earliest. I don't think you'll find a single fan who thinks Villanueva was a greater player than Bazz at UCONN.

Nor does it go by who won a title--Ray didn't and he's THE guy from UCONN--unless they are the main reason, And let's be real, Ben and Mek won that title.

 

[intlzncster]

No Boatright? Second-best player and invaluable member of a national championship team, top 10 in scoring, elite solo performance his senior year when it was just him.

I can't remember everybody on the spot man.

 

[superjohn]

The list of great players doesn't go by who leaves the earliest. I don't think you'll find a single fan who thinks Villanueva was a greater player than Bazz at UCONN.

Nor does it go by who won a title--Ray didn't and he's THE guy from UCONN--unless they are the main reason, And let's be real, Ben and Mek won that title.

Then why would Drummond be in your top 10 when he was only here 1 year and never won a tournament game?

The point is great players tend to get drafted early and go really high. You seem to think he didn't accomplish enough to be considered great even though he won a title, to each his own.

Just seems like a weird thing to post when I post that he never gets mentioned on this board.

 

[intlzncster]

Then why would Drummond be in your top 10 when he was only here 1 year and never won a tournament game?

I didn't put him in my top 10. I didn't even give a real top 10. They're all kinda thrown together.

The point is great players tend to get drafted early and go really high.

Guys get drafted on measurables and potential all the time. Hence why Hilton and Thabeet got drafted so high. Doesn't mean they are necessarily better players. Again, I'd take Bazz over both.

You seem to think he didn't accomplish enough to be considered great even though he won a title, to each his own.

He was like the 3rd or 4th best guy on the team. I'm not lauding Roscoe Smith or Alex Oriakhi either. Note, I hold Charlie in much higher regard than both those guys mind you.

Just seems like a weird thing to post when I post that he never gets mentioned on this board.

The implication was that he doesn't get mentioned probably because he's not in the same class as the guys most consider 'great'.

 

[superjohn]

I didn't put him in my top 10. I didn't even give a real top 10. They're all kinda thrown together.



Guys get drafted on measurables and potential all the time. Hence why Hilton and Thabeet got drafted so high. Doesn't mean they are necessarily better players. Again, I'd take Bazz over both.



He was like the 3rd or 4th best guy on the team. I'm not lauding Roscoe Smith or Alex Oriakhi either. Note, I hold Charlie in much higher regard than both those guys mind you.



The implication was that he doesn't get mentioned probably because he's not in the same class as the guys most consider 'great'.

Dre needs to be in top 10.

The Top 10+ weren't in any particular order. But yes, I forgot to add him. Doing this on memory. Even tho he was mentioned 2 posts above. Will revise/edit.

My personal number one would be Ray.

It doesn't make any sense Drummond would be on your list and not have Villanueva on your list. And you're just being difficult when you bring up Roscoe and Oriakhi, obviously you know Villanueva is a much better basketball player.