Where is Shabazz on the Pantheon?

[EdgewoodNHV]

Seriously. Between his performance tonight and his standing tall for this program, it's an interesting question.

 

[UCHuskies08]

#1

 

[uconnfan68]

Seriously. Between his performance tonight and his standing tall for this program, it's an interesting question.

One of my many personal favorites.

 

[NHUConnfan]

It was pretty impressive. I still give Kemba the slight edge in it all, but Shabazz will always be remembered as one of the greats.

 

[CL82]

Need to think about it. Kemba's 11 game run was a thing of beauty, but Bazz is a two championship Husky (along with Giffey and Olander.)

 

[rw005]

Definitely need to think about it, but considering #1.

 

[Tommyboy]

#1

agreed. Bookending titles with staying and saving the program? There may never be someone more important to the uconn basketball. Though I consider everyone who ever played important.

 

[PcketknfNiels]

Honestly think he just needs to co-occupy whatever spot kemba holds in everyone's personal rankings. The parallels and their performances in their respective title years are just amazing.

 

[guyergym]

Two championships, one as the unquestioned leader.

Sticking around in the tough times when others left.

And getting his degree in four years, helping out the APR.

ABSOLUTELY No. 1.

 

[BigErnMcCracken]

#1.

The speech sealed it.

 

[Davidm]

Honestly think he just needs to co-occupy whatever spot kemba holds in everyone's personal rankings. The parallels and their performances in their respective title years are just amazing.

I don't think enough people realize the trouble we would have been if shabazz and boat didn't stay, he might have saved this program (I'm going to leave it up to the imagination how we might have done). That alone makes me consider putting him near the all time top.

I love kemba and he was amazing I just don't know at this point. But I DO know that bazz was instrumental to this program and that earns alot of points from me, if hes top 3 AT LEAST if not top 2 in my books.

 

[Mots010]

#1

 

[PcketknfNiels]

agreed. Bookending titles with staying and saving the program? There may never be someone more important to the uconn basketball. Though I consider everyone who ever played important.

I'd argue kemba getting calhoun his 3rd NC and really, truly cementing calhoun among that top 4-5 coaches of all time is just as important. I'd rather have Calhoun be in the class of knight, smith, etc than any argument that pitino, boeheim, etc were as good.

 

[Tommyboy]

I'd argue kemba getting calhoun his 3rd NC and really, truly cementing calhoun among that top 4-5 coaches of all time is just as important. I'd rather have Calhoun be in the class of knight, smith, etc than any argument that pitino, boeheim, etc were as good.

It's an awesome discussion to have isn't it?

 

[BlueMAB]

The thing about the bookends is the first doesn't happen without Kemba.

That said.

1) Shabazz
1) Kemba
1) Rip
1) Emeka


Why do we need to rank them in some arbitrary order? They're all Huskies. They're all family. They're all champions. They're all legends.

 

[PcketknfNiels]

I don't think enough people realize the trouble we would have been if shabazz and boat didn't stay, he might have saved this program (I'm going to leave it up to the imagination how we might have done). That alone makes me consider putting him near the all time top.

I love kemba and he was amazing I just don't know at this point. But I DO know that bazz was instrumental to this program and that earns alot of points from me, if hes top 3 AT LEAST if not top 2 in my books.

Great thing is that we have enough options to debate a mt rushmore, that proves how great we are.

That being said, while we don't win tonight without the road we've taken (and trust me I LOVEEEE ollie) I don't think we'd have disappeared. We don't have as much historical cache but we still would've had 3 titles and the whole shaka smart wanting to come here thing. But honestly thinking about that, we won number 4 and both bazz and ollie have established themselves as something truly special.

 

[UConn5]

I think he is at the top. He was a major factor in 2011. He was THE factor in 2014.

 

[Waquoit]

I can't think straight yet. But Rushmore for sure.

 

[PcketknfNiels]

It's an awesome discussion to have isn't it?

It's incredible. I'm 25 and the first year I really started following sports with any kind of knowledge as to what's going on (uconn, redsox, pats) was 1999. It's to the point where I almost feel bad I couldn't be there for the times before that, like I'm getting all the rewards without paying my dues.

 

[PcketknfNiels]

I can't think straight yet. But Rushmore for sure.

Bazz kemba okafor rip?

 

[Ohio UConn]

I love the class & respectfulness of this thread! But think of it this way................who in their right mind would have thought we would be debating this (discussing it). I thought Kemba could never ever be topped.............but Shabazz is a very worthy candidate. Surreal..............totally

 

[Davidm]

Great thing is that we have enough options to debate a mt rushmore, that proves how great we are.

That being said, while we don't win tonight without the road we've taken (and trust me I LOVEEEE ollie) I don't think we'd have disappeared. We don't have as much historical cache but we still would've had 3 titles and the whole shaka smart wanting to come here thing. But honestly thinking about that, we won number 4 and both bazz and ollie have established themselves as something truly special.

Exactly, I'm not saying we would have fallen off or anything like that (Ollie would have still been Ollie) but we would not have been as stable as a power as we are right now, with this win we secured recruits to reload for more national championships to come. Really don't think that can be over looked as a part of bazz's legacy

 

[Ohio UConn]

Let's face it................there is pixie dust in the CT State Ag Dept ice cream store milk shakes!

 

[johnhuskies95]

I think that Kemba and perhaps Rip and Emeka were better at their peak, but Shabazz has had the best career of any UConn player.

 

[PcketknfNiels]

It definitely can't be, but the signature players on every title team have their own claim toward building us as a truly elite, historically great program.

Even as soon as the sweet 16 I've been excited to see what we do with future recruiting between the kind of person ollie is and this accomplishment