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Reactions: SI's All-Century Team
Posted: Thursday November 11, 1999 01:06 PM We asked for feedback on Sports Illustrated's college basketball All-Century Team. Here's a selection of players some of you would have included in your starting five. Click here to give us your take. Jerry West led West Virginia to the NCAA finals and was one of the best
college scorers of all time. He was also a very good defensive player who could
play all five positions on the court. A backcourt of West and Oscar Robertson
would be unstoppable even
today.
Glen Rice of the University of Michigan should have made the starting
five. Rice left school as the Big Ten's alltime leading scorer and still holds
the record for most points scored in an NCAA Tournament. His shooting
performances in the 1989 Final Four, where he was named Most Outstanding Player
and led the Wolverines to the title, are perhaps the best I've ever
seen.
When I saw this list previewed, Pete Maravich and Lew Alcindor were the
only two I felt certain would make the team. How do you leave off a player who
dominated the game without a supporting cast? In only three seasons, Maravich
scored more points (3,667) in college than any other player in history -- 1,138
points in 1968, 1,148 in 1969 and 1,381 in 1970, for averages of 43.8, 44.2 and
44.5 points per game. In the process, "Pistol Pete" set numerous NCAA,
SEC and school records and was named a three-time All-America. He also set an
NCAA record by scoring more than 50 points 28
times.
You missed out on a truly great big man, even though he has no national
championships to his credit ... none other than Ralph
Sampson!
I have to say Christian Laettner was one of the best five college players
of the century. Look at what the guy did: He won back-to-back titles in 1991-92,
is the NCAA tourney's alltime leading scorer and has played more tourney games
than anyone else. And he was clutch; just ask UConn in 1990 or Kentucky in
1992.
I agree with three of your five -- Alcindor/Jabbar, Robertson and Lucas. I would
include Elgin Baylor and Bob Cousy. Baylor introduced the concept
of "hang time." Even though he wasn't a three-year player, his
accomplishments with Seattle University foreshadowed the careers of others who
followed. He personally challenged Adolph Rupp's Kentucky team in the 1958
tournament and carried his team throughout the season. Cousy was probably the
first of what would later be called point guards, those who passed the ball and
kept teammates involved in the flow of the game. His style deviated
significantly from the two-handed chest and bounce passes of that time -- and
revolutionized offensive
basketball.
I think you missed the boat at the point-guard position. There is no doubt that
Oscar Robertson was an unbelievable player, but as far as true point guards go
nobody comes close to Bobby Hurley of Duke. He may not have been a
30-plus-point scorer, but nobody ran an offense or commanded a team as well as
Hurley did. Without him on the court, three of Coach K's Final Four appearances
would be remembered instead as mediocre
seasons.
Patrick Ewing is arguably the greatest defensive player in college
basketball history. He was an intimidating force from the moment he stepped on
the college hardwood. It will be a long time before as great a weapon in college
comes along and makes that kind of an impact. Despite not being an offensive
threat, Ewing had the ability to simultaneously alter opponents' game plans and
direct and dictate his team's
action.
Danny Manning literally won the national title for Kansas in 1988. It
wasn't the Jayhawks, it wasn't Coach Brown, it was Danny Manning all by himself.
Not too many players can do that, and I don't think too many have to the degree
that Danny did. Wilt Chamberlain could have, but he was too afraid of what
people would think of him if he
did.
No Larry Bird? What?!? I guess single-handedly carrying your team to a
33-0 record and your school's only NCAA Tournament appearance (not to mention
all the way to the final) isn't enough. Can you name anybody else from that 1979
Indiana State team? I can ... Brad Miley, but that's only because I've seen
Bird's video more than 100 times. Let's just say he had no help. None.
The Sycamores went 33-0. Granted, he didn't play four years of college ball and
he didn't win a title, but he was at least as dominant a forward as Bradley (I'm
not gonna mess with David
Thompson).
How about Grant Hill? He won two titles at Duke and almost won a third by
himself. Not to take anything away from the other players, but you need to have
at least one guy from the past 25 years. You would be hard pressed to find one
better than Grant Hill. And he stayed at Duke for four
years.
Tim Duncan is thought by many to be the greatest center in college
basketball. He could do it all in college, and if his team would have helped him
his senior year, he would have won an NCAA championship. He was one of the
greatest shotblockers and rebounders ever, and a pretty good scorer
also.
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