Best Longhorns of the Modern Era

[Fastbreak 4045]

New Board, new Best of Post!

My Modern Era = Penders onwards.

PG - T.J. Ford
This one is pretty easy. As a sophomore he average 15 points and 7.7 assists in leading Texas to the Final 4. Naismith and Wooden Award Winner. Consensus first team All-American.

SG - Travis Mays
A four year player who averaged 35 minutes per game over his career. Scored 24.1 points per game with 5.1 rebounds as a senior. 2270 career points and was the leader of the BMW elite 8 team. 2 time SWC Player of the Year.

SF - P.J. Tucker
This one might bring some controversy. Extremely consistent player averaging 18.4,18.6 and 18.6 points and 12.1, 10.9 and 11.1 rebounds per 40 minutes over his 3 years. Big 12 Player of the Year. Consensus second team All-American.

PF - Kevin Durant
In his single season, scored 25.8 points per game to go with 11.1 rebounds. Chipped in 1.9 steals and blocks. One of the best players to ever play college ball. Naismith and Wooden Award Winner. Consensus first team All-American.

C - Chris Mihm 
Averaged 17.7 points per game and 10.5 rebounds as a junior. Consensus first team All-American.

Bench
PG - D.J. Augustin

PG - B.J. Tyler

PG - Joey Wright

SG - Terrence Rencher

SG - Reggie Freeman

SF - Lance Blanks

SF - Damion James

SF - Kris Clack

PF - LeMarcus Aldridge

[thrillhammer 686]

royal ivey, tristan thompson, gabe muoneke, dexter pittman, aj abrams

[Goo Punch 4275]

Yeah AJ is the best 3-point shooter in Big XII history, got to have him in there.

[Gut Wagon 8219]

Would be cool to see the 1978 NIT champion team play the Texas team from any other year. Obviously the 2003 team would be favored over them, but I'm not sure how many others should be. Those guys just had "it." 

[TrashMaster G 18082]

No love for James Thomas?

[BigOrange1 6611]

i'll just rank the top 5 since i've been seriously paying attention (circa 2000ish) and based only on their time at texas:

1. Kevin Durant (duh)
2. TJ Ford
3. PJ Tucker
4. LaMarcus Aldridge
5. DJ Augustin

[Goo Punch 4275]

Had nobody left early, this would have been your 2006-07 Longhorns:

 

G- DJ Augustin

G- Boobie Gibson

F- Kevin Durant 

F- PJ Tucker

F/C- LaMarcus Aldridge

 

bench:

AJ Abrams

Damion James

Justin Mason

Connor Atchley

 

Woukd have easily rivaled if not triumphed over Florida.

Edited April 9, 2018 by Goo Punch

[Machinator 32103]

I'm always miffed when I see highlight reels of the NCAA tournament and they don't show the ending of our Sweet 16 game against West Virginia. That Pittsnogle-Abrams sequence perfectly encapsulated the Madness of the first weekend.

[Braff Zacklin 13676]

I'd bump KD to SF so LMA can slide in at PF.

Ford was undersized, but KD and LMA more than make up for it. Mays was an underrated defender and could fill it up with the best of them. With all that firepower, it's tempting to focus on a more athletic rim defender at center, but then again, Mihm was no slouch as a shot blocker and rebounder.

Lots of competition at off-guard with the aforementioned Mays, Bradley, and even Royal with Cheese Ivey (also a PG, I know, but he was 6-4 and a good defender, I guess he'd be our combo).

So much talent over the years. I miss them all, TJ most.

[Fastbreak 4045]

AJ and Royal were the next 2 on my list.

Who are you going to kick off to add them?

[Blotto 24013]

Not sure where I'd rank him numerically, but I loved Mouton's game.

[Lidig8r 1906]

Give me Johnny Moore and Jim Krivacs at guards, Ron Baxter and the only white man ever named Tyrone, Tyrone Branyan at forward and LaSalle Thompson at center.

[BurntOrange&White 41846]

Had nobody left early, this would have been your 2006-07 Longhorns:
 
G- DJ Augustin
G- Boobie Gibson
F- Kevin Durant 
F- PJ Tucker
F/C- LaMarcus Aldridge
 
bench:
AJ Abrams
Damion James
Justin Mason
Connor Atchley
 
Woukd have easily rivaled if not triumphed over Florida.

With Rick Barnes?

[Fastbreak 4045]

1 hour ago, Blotto said:

Not sure where I'd rank him numerically, but I loved Mouton's game.

Mouton to me is with the next group of Buckman, Thomas, Cambridge, Anderson, etc

I loved his tomahawk dunks

[Goo Punch 4275]

Since Mouton left we’ve really only had one other player like him: Jordan Hamilton. We’ve had a ton of great big men and guards, but we’ve really lacked that wing scorer with size for a very long time. Not saying they grow on trees, but they have been few and far between at Texas.