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Posted

 

here’s my list off the top of my head, i’m sure i’ll eventually amend it more than once:

G-Pete Maravich

G- David Thompson

G- Michael Jordan

F- Tim Duncan

C- Lew Alcindor 

Posted

Magic, Bird, Kareem automatic. 

The Duncan pick is probably correct. Laetnner deserves a shout. 

I'm not sure I'd have MJ but based on his rookie season I probably should. 

Wade and Curry at my SG would both be fun options. 

I'm much less of a college historian than NBA. Would have to do a deep dive to really grade guys properly. 

Do any of the one and dones make the cut? Feel like you can always find a better 3 or 4 year player but Melo, KD and AD were all ridiculous. 

Posted (edited)

I’ll limit mine to only players I actually saw play as a ‘fan’ vs a little kid, which I’m arbitrarily picking as age 13 so 1979 for me. I’m also only picking people who played at least 3 years of actual college basketball, which obviously eliminates most of the great players of the last 20 years. Trying to make this a more or less 5 position lineup aka not 5 big men. No particular order:

Christian Laettner

Patrick Ewing

Chris Mullen

Kemba Walker (came real close to JJ Redick here but fuck JJ Redick on general Duke principle; I already have Christian fucking Laettner)

Danny Manning (I’m making him a 3 here which he didn’t play at the time but he would have killed as a 3 and D guy in todays game)

 

Edited by Ignatius
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Posted

i find it impossible to pick a one year player when you have guys like sampson and thompson who were three-time NPOY guys. 

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Posted
10 minutes ago, ztejas said:

Magic, Bird, Kareem automatic. 

The Duncan pick is probably correct. Laetnner deserves a shout. 

I'm not sure I'd have MJ but based on his rookie season I probably should. 

Wade and Curry at my SG would both be fun options. 

I'm much less of a college historian than NBA. Would have to do a deep dive to really grade guys properly. 

Do any of the one and dones make the cut? Feel like you can always find a better 3 or 4 year player but Melo, KD and AD were all ridiculous. 

I have it because I forgot one. Magic at the point you need a knockdown shooter that won't be asked to do much else. (Assuming we are playing 2025 rules):

Magic

JJ Redick 

Bird

Duncan

Kareem

Posted

i was so busy hating jj redick when he was at duke that i didn’t fully appreciate his greatness until well after he was gone. aj abrams was the best 3-pt shooter in B12 history. off the top of my head he shot 40% for his career on 7-8 3pa/gm. even years after he’d been gone there was nobody shooting like him. seriously impressive. and then you go look at jj’s numbers, and you remember how much bigger, and stronger, and more versatile, and well rounded he was, and you look back at his ridiculous college stats, and you suddenly find yourself appreciating him much more than you did while he was playing at duke. that was my experience anyway. jj is an all time great.

Posted

you know what’s interesting is that outside of tobacco road, i doubt you’d find very many people who’d include tyler hansborough on their all time 12-15 man roster. just a random thought.

Posted
4 minutes ago, Derka said:

i was so busy hating jj redick when he was at duke that i didn’t fully appreciate his greatness until well after he was gone. aj abrams was the best 3-pt shooter in B12 history. off the top of my head he shot 40% for his career on 7-8 3pa/gm. even years after he’d been gone there was nobody shooting like him. seriously impressive. and then you go look at jj’s numbers, and you remember how much bigger, and stronger, and more versatile, and well rounded he was, and you look back at his ridiculous college stats, and you suddenly find yourself appreciating him much more than you did while he was playing at duke. that was my experience anyway. jj is an all time great.

Yeah I was going to take Curry then went and looked up what JJ did in the fucking ACC as a senior. Ridiculous. 

Good pro too and seems like a good coach. And he's become much more likeable - even he admits he was a total douche at Duke. 

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Posted
37 minutes ago, ztejas said:

Do any of the one and dones make the cut? Feel like you can always find a better 3 or 4 year player but Melo, KD and AD were all ridiculous. 

just for one game, or maybe a best of 7, i wonder how this lineup would fare against any of the all time lineups listed in this thread:

G-Derrick Rose

G/F- Zion Williamson

F- Carmelo Anthony

F- Kevin Durant 

C- Anthony Davis

no doubt these guys do not have the accolades or records that the all time guys have, and it’s also true that these guys were teenagers when they played, while everyone on our lists played 3-4 years. all of that is true. but my heart tells me that if this team played one of those teams, with wider rules, including a three point line, that it could absolutely beat the “all time starting five”, at least for a game, and possibly it even for a series. i feel like the series would go at least six games.

Posted
25 minutes ago, ztejas said:

I have it because I forgot one. Magic at the point you need a knockdown shooter that won't be asked to do much else. (Assuming we are playing 2025 rules):

Magic

JJ Redick 

Bird

Duncan

Kareem

I like this list, rotate with Steph Curry, Kemba Walker/Dwyane Wade (pick one), Carmelo Anthony, Patrick Ewing, Tyler Hansbrough

There are a few others I'd like to throw in just to shake it up like Jalen Brunson or David Robinson (people forget he was also bad ass at Navy)

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Posted
10 minutes ago, Derka said:

just for one game, or maybe a best of 7, i wonder how this lineup would fare against any of the all time lineups listed in this thread:

G-Derrick Rose

G/F- Zion Williamson

F- Carmelo Anthony

F- Kevin Durant 

C- Anthony Davis

no doubt these guys do not have the accolades or records that the all time guys have, and it’s also true that these guys were teenagers when they played, while everyone on our lists played 3-4 years. all of that is true. but my heart tells me that if this team played one of those teams, with wider rules, including a three point line, that it could absolutely beat the “all time starting five”, at least for a game, and possibly it even for a series. i feel like the series would go at least six games.

I think you'd run into experience/leadership issues. As well as something like my initial lineup being 2 or 3 years older on average. 

But you bring up a good point. Just stack the freak NBA talent and see what happens. What about like:

Rose

Zion

KD

Chet

AD

There's some fun combos for sure. Or you could get real fun and mix-and-match. I'm gonna throw another name in there:

Ja Morant

Steph

Bird

Duncan

AD

We haven't even mentioned Shaq yet 😂

Posted (edited)

My first thought was Lew (Kareem).  Then I got mired in a morass of Bird vs Magic (rivalry, not position), Laetnner (fuck Laetnner), Durant, Manning, god the list goes on.  I do think MJ was a bit of a Clemens -- pro career outshone the college career.  Interesting topic.

Edited by jimmyjazz
Posted
14 minutes ago, Brian Fantana said:

I like this list, rotate with Steph Curry, Kemba Walker/Dwyane Wade (pick one), Carmelo Anthony, Patrick Ewing, Tyler Hansbrough

There are a few others I'd like to throw in just to shake it up like Jalen Brunson or David Robinson (people forget he was also bad ass at Navy)

I looked up Wade's #s - he was fucking sick - just not much of a 3P threat. Defensively though he was nuts - put up 2.2 swipes and 1.3 blocks per game as a soph.

Posted (edited)

Lil bro's first crack at it who is young but a serious hooper. 

Screenshot_20250312_192157_Messages.jpg.407c6fab6d2418b59d7e42dcfe56e685.jpg

He hadn't seen my 5 yet so Redick was organic.

I like Blake Griffin in there. 

There's just sooo many fucking names, man. 

Dad goes "I want Zion and Danny Manning on the same team"

Edited by ztejas
Posted (edited)

I may be underrating KD, honestly. He went 26/11 2 steals 2 blocks on 47/40/82 and swept the NPOY awards in the Big 12.

I mean he was better than Melo. 

Edited by ztejas
Posted (edited)

yeah nobody ever talks about KD’s impact on the defensive end in college. Barnes trashed him as a defender when he got here, famously stopping practice to apologize to aj abrams, saying, “aj, i need to apologize to you, because i called you the worst defensive player i’ve ever seen, and kevin durant is *the worst* defensive player i've ever seen.” KD took that to heart, and became a menacing defender by the end of his one season here. he still wasn’t the best all around defender, but he made several impact plays on a nightly basis. that triple block vs KSU was so sick.

Edited by Derka
Posted

Speaking of Zion, who's on our all time fat boy NCAA team?

Julius Peppers

Larry Johnson

Zion Williamson

Shelvin Mack

Sherron Collins?

 

That's just off the top of my head, I'm probably missing quite a few.

Just now, Derka said:

yeah nobody ever talks about KD’s impact on the defensive end in college. Barnes trashed him as a defender hence he got here, famously stopping practice to apologize to aj abrams, saying, “aj, i need to apologize to you, be wise i called you the worst defensive player i’ve ever seen, and kevin durant is *the worst* defensive player ive ever seen.” KD took that to heart, and became a menacing defender by the end of his one season here. he still wasn’t the best all around defender, but he made several impact plays on a nightly basis. that triple block vs KSU was so sick.

I remember people calling him _urant at the beginning of the year because of that

Posted (edited)

Kareen (Alcindor)

Laettner

Oscar

Carr

Maravich

If Villanova hadn't beaten Georgetown in 85 (in probably the greatest upset in title game history, maybe in any sport) Patrick Ewing would have an argument.

Edited by Message Board User
Posted
Just now, Message Board User said:

Zero Final Fours for Duncan is disqualifying.  

What does first-team All-NBA the next season qualify him for?

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Posted
1 minute ago, Message Board User said:

All-NBA.

How much better do you think he got in 8 months? You can't go to the Final Four with one player unless it's 1979 and the talent is shit and the one player is Larry Bird. 

Duncan made the EE in '96. That team had nothing on it in '97.

Posted (edited)

Maravich
Magic
Zion
Shaq
Curry/DWade/any other guard I am too tired to think of

Every list must start with Maravich; all-time leading scorer even without a three-point line and playing JV his freshman year
No Laettnar, because fuck him; Shaq should have been on the Dream Team

 

Edited by HornOnTheBayou
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Posted
1 hour ago, Derka said:

you know what’s interesting is that outside of tobacco road, i doubt you’d find very many people who’d include tyler hansborough on their all time 12-15 man roster. just a random thought.

If I had a 2nd team he’d probably be on it…

Posted
33 minutes ago, HornOnTheBayou said:

Maravich
Magic
Zion
Shaq
Curry/DWade/any other guard I am too tired to think of

Every list must start with Maravich; all-time leading scorer even without a three-point line and playing JV his freshman year
No Laettnar, because fuck him; Shaq should have been on the Dream Team

 

Christian Laettner was a better college player than Shaq…

Posted
19 minutes ago, HornOnTheBayou said:

Zion

Oh come on.

19 minutes ago, HornOnTheBayou said:

No Laettnar, because fuck him

I do understand the Laettner hate - Duke, pretty white boy, kind of dirty - but he was POY, 2x national champion, and perhaps most importantly was the centerpiece of Duke-Kentucky.

For the young'ns on here, do yourself a favor and watch that game (it's on youtube) - 92 Duke-Kentucky was college basketball at its absolute pinnacle.  Just an incredible spectacle - defending champion Duke vs Kentucky having risen from the ashes ("Kentucky's shame").  Coach K vs Pitino.  And it delivered to the point where it's undoubtedly the greatest college bball game in history and it's in the running for greatest contest in any sport (along with perhaps USC-UT, Pats-Giants SB, Bosox-Yankees Game 7).  One of the very few sporting events from that long ago that I distinctly remember where I was when watching it and I was transfixed - it was almost like time stopped for the game and the entirety of the county was watching.

And in that contest, Laettner was otherworldly - I think he was 10-10 from the field and 10-10 from the line and of course hit the shot at the end (perhaps @Underdog can explain why Pitino didn't have someone covering the inbound pass, but I digress...).

Unfortunately, those kinds of contests are a thing of the past, what with early entries to the draft, the specter of NIL, and transfer portals.  These things are good for the player but if you are of a certain age you know that college basketball today is (right or wrong) just not the same and never will be the same again as it was prior to the mid-90s.

Posted
2 minutes ago, Message Board User said:

Oh come on.

I do understand the Laettner hate - Duke, pretty white boy, kind of dirty - but he was POY, 2x national champion, and perhaps most importantly was the centerpiece of Duke-Kentucky.

For the young'ns on here, do yourself a favor and watch that game (it's on youtube) - 92 Duke-Kentucky was college basketball at its absolute pinnacle.  Just an incredible spectacle - defending champion Duke vs Kentucky having risen from the ashes ("Kentucky's shame").  Coach K vs Pitino.  And it delivered to the point where it's undoubtedly the greatest college bball game in history and it's in the running for greatest contest in any sport (along with perhaps USC-UT, Pats-Giants SB, Bosox-Yankees Game 7).  One of the very few sporting events from that long ago that I distinctly remember where I was when watching it and I was transfixed - it was almost like time stopped for the game and the entirety of the county was watching.

And in that contest, Laettner was otherworldly - I think he was 10-10 from the field and 10-10 from the line and of course hit the shot at the end (perhaps @Underdog can explain why Pitino didn't have someone covering the inbound pass, but I digress...).

Unfortunately, those kinds of contests are a thing of the past, what with early entries to the draft, the specter of NIL, and transfer portals.  These things are good for the player but if you are of a certain age you know that college basketball today is (right or wrong) just not the same and never will be the same again as it was prior to the mid-90s.

My goal was to make the best 5-man lineup not rank the best or most magical college careers. But it could be up for interpretation.

I mean Tim Duncan is obviously a better player than Laettner. It's not like Duke doesn't win those titles if you swap them - they would have fucking rolled everyone. 

Posted
6 minutes ago, Ignatius said:

Christian Laettner was a better college player than Shaq…

Um. No. It's not even close. Shaq in '91 put up 28/15 on 63% FG plus 1.5 swipes and fucking 5 blocks. He was a 2 time 1st team AA to Laettner's 1 and he only played 3 seasons. 

Center is just too deep which is why I said it's lame if you go double center. Laettner deserves a shout at SF or PF but there are easily 12 or 15 college centers that were much better players. He went 3rd in a really shitty NBA draft behind Shaq and Zo. 

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Posted
8 minutes ago, Ignatius said:

Christian Laettner was a better college player than Shaq…

Shaq averaged more points and rebounds than Laettner with a better FG and eFG percentage. I know that Laettner's teams had more success than Shaq's, but when comparing individual players, I hate looking at team success. Laettner had a whole lot more talent around him than Shaq did.

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Posted
4 minutes ago, MrX said:

Also I’d love to see freshman Zion try to do anything against senior year Tim Duncan

I remember one time Kevin Garnett was mushing him, and shoving him in the face; and Tim Duncan didn’t do anything, he didn’t react. He just kicked Kevin Garnett’s ass, and won the damn championship. You know what I’m sayin‘? That’s gangsta. Everybody can show emotion, dunk on somebody, scream and be real cocky; but Tim Duncan is a … he’s a pimp.

Posted
55 minutes ago, LTtxfan said:

What's your top 5 starting Longhorn line-up?

TJ and Durrant for sure.

Lots of others to consider 🤔

i’ve spent more time thinking about this than you can imagine. actually, you can probably imagine it lol. the all time starting five is hard enough, but i think that the all time 12 man roster might be even harder, at least for people to come to a consensus. after your top 7-8 guys, the rest of the team is all role players who get spot minutes, no matter how awesome they were at Texas. and, re: the starting five, you definitely can’t just name the five best players, you still need a balanced lineup that’s designed to win games. so off the top of my head i’d go:

G- TJ Ford

G- Avery Bradley

G/F- PJ Tucker

F- KD

C- Lasalle Thompson

 

thats a really, really good defensive team, with an NPOY PG and an NPOY shooter who’s also 6’11”. that lineup won’t measure up to the likes of ucla or kentucky, but it’s a pretty got damn well rounded starting five for college ball. 

 

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Posted

Imma run y’all into the ground

Allen Iverson 

Vince Carter

Grant Hill 

Chris Webber

Shaq

————————

Penny Hardaway

Chris Mullin

Kevin Durant

Christian Laettner

Bill Russell

Posted
9 minutes ago, Derka said:

i’ve spent more time thinking about this than you can imagine. actually, you can probably imagine it lol. the all time starting five is hard enough, but i think that the all time 12 man roster might be even harder, at least for people to come to a consensus. after your top 7-8 guys, the rest of the team is all role players who get spot minutes, no matter how awesome they were at Texas. and, re: the starting five, you definitely can’t just name the five best players, you still need a balanced lineup that’s designed to win games. so off the top of my head i’d go:

G- TJ Ford

G- Avery Bradley

G/F- PJ Tucker

F- KD

C- Lasalle Thompson

 

thats a really, really good defensive team, with an NPOY PG and an NPOY shooter who’s also 6’11”. that lineup won’t measure up to the likes of ucla or kentucky, but it’s a pretty got damn well rounded starting five for college ball. 

 

I’ll swap out Bradley for Travis Mays and take the over on offense/defense tradeoff, but a solid lineup for sure…

 

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Posted
24 minutes ago, HornOnTheBayou said:

Shaq averaged more points and rebounds than Laettner with a better FG and eFG percentage. I know that Laettner's teams had more success than Shaq's, but when comparing individual players, I hate looking at team success. Laettner had a whole lot more talent around him than Shaq did.

Shaq played with Chris Jackson, Stanley Roberts, and other NBA players - outside of Grant Hill, who else on Duke’s teams had NBA careers like those guys.

Sub out Shaq for Laettner in that ‘92 game against Kentucky and Shaq goes 37/19 with 11 blocks and Duke loses in regulation…

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