As you've surely noticed, ESPN has been filling space with this cute (no, not really) countdown of the 25 Greatest Players in College Basketball. Tonight Lew Alcindor (Kareem Abdul-Jabbar) will be crowned #1 during the Duke-North Carolina game. An acceptable choice obviously, with his three national championships and two player of the year awards while at UCLA, but my list would look differently.
Pistol Pete Maravich should be #1 and Oscar Robinson #2 ahead of Alcindor. Need I remind anyone that Pete averaged 44.2 points per game for his career at LSU without the benefit of the three-point line. It's been said that former Tigers coach Dale Brown estimated that number would have risen to 57 had he been credited for those shots from long distance. 57 points. On average. He also recorded 5 assists and 6 rebounds a game. Furthermore, you've got to take into account that Pete didn't played for the well established UCLA Bruins under John Wooden. Before Maravich played for LSU, they were 3-20. There's little doubt in my mind Maravich is the best player in the history of college basketball and Oscar Robertson isn't too far behind. Most of Oscar's ridiculous scoring records were broken by Pete. Neither won an NCAA Title, but this wasn't a team compilation.
The top order of ESPN's list isn't where I take issue. All these top 6-7 players were tremendous in their own right and there's not much separation. Where I have a problem is Michael Jordan at #13. MJ was a great college player at UNC, no doubt, but 13th best all-time? In fact, I'm not so sure fellow NBA All-Stars Larry Bird (9) and Magic Johnson (15), or even Tim Duncan (21) would be as high as they are without their professional careers being so well documented.
Mostly, any list of the best college basketball players can't be considered legit without Danny Manning in at least the top 15. The 1988 Player of the Year is 8th on the all-time NCAA scoring list and dominated the college game for 4 seasons. It's unfortunate Manning didn't have as much success in the NBA, but that can't be held against him here.
A nice list, but I'd have like to have seen college success play more of a role ... being that it was the Top 25 players in college basketball history.
MJ isn't even the best Tar Heel of all-time and he is the only Tar Heel on the list so highly up. I would rather have players like Phil Ford, James Worthy, and Lennie Rosenbluth in front of Jordan. Especially Ford.
I have to admit, I wasn't following this list real closely - who picked it, and what criteria was used ? It's always subject for debate when there is no set criteria. Look at people who actually changed the game, in some cases by rule changes; in others by how the game was played:
- George Mikan / Wilt Chamberlain -> changed the width of the 3-second lane
- Elgin Baylor / Alcindor,Jabaar -> Restrictions on dunking
- Phil Ford & others -> 45 second clock....can't just stand at half-court dribbling, wasting time on the clock !! :-)
- Pistol Pete -> Helped make the game more entertaining
I have to agree, I think I'd have the Pistol at the top, likely w/ Aclindor at a close #2. One dispute I have is the comment about Pete would've averaged 57 points a game with a 3-point line. With no 3-point line, the other defense would let Pete shoot from out there; however, if there was a 3-point line, the defense would be forced to come out & guard him. I'm not saying he still wouldn't have averaged 40+ points, but he would not have averaged 57.
Other omissions and/or comments:
- Tom Gola should've been higher
- So should've Laettner (never was a big fan of his, but he was deserving to be higher)
- Magic only played 2 seasons at MSU. Granted, they were great, great seasons....but just 2 !
- Jordan did win 'Player of the Year' twice, so I have no problem with him being where he is. In fact, he & David Thompson had fairly similar NCAA careers, Thompson likely would get the nod between them though.
- I agree with the Danny Manning snub
- What about others like Hersey Hawkins (3,000+ points), Derrick Coleman (NCAA leading rebounder since 1973), Mark Aguirre (3-time All-American), Isiah Thomas (similar career to Magic; 2 years & a title)
- I'd slide down Bradley, Chamberlain, Bird, and swap Murphy & Robinson for Hawkins & Manning
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