Where is Shabazz on the Pantheon?

[PcketknfNiels]

He has to be tied with Kemba for #1 at the very least. Kemba powered an unforgettable run through the Big East tournament all the way through the NCAAs to cement Calhoun's place among the pantheon of uber-elite college coaches.

Shabazz contributed to Kemba's run during his freshman year, and heroically weathered some very trying times during the postseason ban, conference realignment and coaching transition. He could have fled when we were taking on water, but he stayed and because of him and Kevin Ollie we haven't skipped a goshdarn beat. He just won his second ring and UCONN's fourth title, in Ollie's first tournament as head coach.

It wouldn't be wrong to consider him the program's savior at this point. Shabazz said it himself: "That's what Huskies do. We're never gonna lay down. No matter how many times we get hit we're gonna stand back up."

That quote needs to be inscribed in the new practice facility, posthaste.

Him kemba okafor rip just need to be tied. All of them have had their own amazing contributions to establish calhoun/ollie/themselves/the program as a whole

 

[chapwilvaug72]

Bazz: I: 2 final fours; 2 titles
Kemba: Ia: 2 final fours; 1 title, 1 five game big east title

 

[BlueMAB]

I'm not trying to stop people from having the discussion, but Tyler Olander and Niels Giffey have two rings and two final fours too.









(Thanks to Kemba)

 

[Matrim55]

1. Bazz
2. Chris Smith
3. Kemba
4. Emeka

 

[Vuder]

I LOVE Kemba... And this is not a knock on him - he absolutely should have left when his NBA stock was high. However, Shabazz represents something greater than the accolades and banners for the program and the University: loyalty. In an era where players leave school early and athletic programs leave one another in the dust, Shabazz stayed loyal to himself, his mom, and his teammates. He didn't leave us throughout all the turmoil. He didn't leave school early to chase an NBA paycheck. He stuck it out, and kept his promise to his mom to complete his degree at UConn. Shabazz will forever be a symbol of loyalty for the University of Connecticut, and that places him at #1 in my book.

 

[jfuchs91]

Rip was so important and the first title meant so much that it was hard to think anyone could surpass him. Then Okafor was just so consistently dominant and he was right with Rip, and it was hard to imagine anyone being better. Kemba's run in 2011, I genuinely felt at the time was incapable of being passed; he did so much to absolutely will that team to a title that even most of us thought was an incredible long shot going into the year.

But Shabazz has put himself right there. How lucky are we?!

 

[jfuchs91]

I LOVE Kemba... And this is not a knock on him - he absolutely should have left when his NBA stock was high. However, Shabazz represents something greater than the accolades and banners for the program and the University: loyalty. In an era where players leave school early and athletic programs leave one another in the dust, Shabazz stayed loyal to himself, his mom, and his teammates. He didn't leave us throughout all the turmoil. He didn't leave school early to chase an NBA paycheck. He stuck it out, and kept his promise to his mom to complete his degree at UConn. Shabazz will forever be a symbol of loyalty for the University of Connecticut, and that places him at #1 in my book.

Keep in mind that Kemba also graduated in 3 years. Yes, he "left early" for the NBA, but he was also done with school.