Top 22 College Basketball Players of all time

VF21

VF21

Super Moderator Emeritus
SME
#1
#1
Okay, there were 25 but I missed the first three. ;)

Here you go:

22. Isiah Thomas
21. Elgin Baylor
20. Danny Manning
19. David Robinson
18. Ralph Sampson
17. Hakeem Olajuwon
16. Christian Laettner
15. Tim Duncan
14. Jerry Lucas
13. Bill Bradley
12. David Thompson
11. Patrick Ewing
10. Michael Jordan
9. Jerry West
8. Wilt Chamberlin
7. Pete Maravich
6. Bill Russell

to be continued...and be prepared for a shock. ;)
 
VF21

VF21

Super Moderator Emeritus
SME
#2
#2
5. Magic Johnson
4. Oscar Robertson
3. Larry Bird

Okay, brace yourselves:






















2. Bill Walton
1. Lew Alcindor (who later became Kareem Abdul-Jabbar)
 
VF21

VF21

Super Moderator Emeritus
SME
#3
#3
Bleeping Bill Walton?

...

And how upset can Shaq be to not even make the top 25?

(He didn't, even though I forgot to write down who 25, 24 and 23 actually were.)

............

Bill Bleeping Walton?

ACK!!!!!
 
iheartBrad

iheartBrad

All-Star
#4
#4
Never saw him play in college (obviously) so I can't say anything really...I'm sure he was a good basketball player then...

where is this from by the way?
 
VF21

VF21

Super Moderator Emeritus
SME
#6
#6
It was on TV this morning, right after the announcement of the John Wooden Player of the Year...Augustus Bogut.

Yes, Walton was good AND he played for Wooden at UCLA, so perhaps that's the tie. Personally, I think David Robinson (The Admiral) at Navy and Pete (Pistol Pete) Maravich at LSU were much better than Walton.

Hakeem Olajuwon and his sky-hook was also pivotal and I think much better...

I don't like Bill Walton. I do not think he is an apt poster child for everything good to come out of the UCLA basketball program. Some of my feelings are personal, as I know someone who actually played against him in college...
 
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Gargamel

Gargamel

Starter
#7
#7
VF21 said:
Okay, brace yourselves:

2. Bill Walton
1. Lew Alcindor (who later became Kareem Abdul-Jabbar)
Click to expand...
That's who I would've ranked 1/2. It's pretty hard to dispute. However, Maravich is probably higher than 7, although he didn't win a title.

This is going off of records and such, I've only seen sparse footage of him in college on BSPN Classic, but I'd bet my left shoe that if you get 50 college basketball gurus in a room to make that list -- 90% of them rank Walton and Alcindor 1/2. Some may even rank Walton 1. I've heard more than one talking head on TV and radio call Walton the best college player ever. He wasn't too shabby in the pros either, despite Bowiesque injuries. He was the cornerstone for Portland's only title, the 1977 Finals MVP, the 1978 league MVP, and the 1986 Sixth Man. He's the only player to have won all three of those awards. His most famous moment was the 21/22 FG in an NCAA tourney game.
 
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Gargamel

Gargamel

Starter
#8
#8
Bill Walton - UCLA Bruins

* The Sporting News College Player of the Year (1972-74)
* Naismith Award winner (1972-74)
* The Sporting News All-America first team (1972-74)
* NCAA Division I Tournament Most Outstanding Player (1972-73)
* Member of NCAA Division I championship teams (1972-73)
* Holds NCAA tournament career record for highest field goal percentage (minimum of 60 made) 68.6 percent, 109 of 159 (1972-74)
* Holds NCAA tournament single-season record of highest field-goal percentage (minimum of 40 made) 76.3 percent, 45-of-59 (1973)
* Averaged 20.3 points and 15.7 rebounds per game
* Member of UCLA team with record 88 straight wins
* Was the foundation of the only teams to record back-to-back 30-0 seasons
* Led UCLA to 86-4 record during his three years
* Scored 44 points on 21-of-22 shooting in 1973 NCAA tournament win over Memphis State
* Named All-State, All-American, All-Conference and Conference MVP three times (1967-70)
* Ranks first in career rebounding with 1,370 (15.7 average)
* Ranks second in field goal percentage (.651)
* Ranks third in career scoring average (20.3 ppg) and 10th in career points (1,767)
* Holds UCLA record for rebounds in a season (506 for a 16.9 average) and twice had 27, one shy of that record
 
VF21

VF21

Super Moderator Emeritus
SME
#13
#13
Gargamel said:
Bill Walton - UCLA Bruins

* The Sporting News College Player of the Year (1972-74)
* Naismith Award winner (1972-74)
* The Sporting News All-America first team (1972-74)
* NCAA Division I Tournament Most Outstanding Player (1972-73)
* Member of NCAA Division I championship teams (1972-73)
* Holds NCAA tournament career record for highest field goal percentage (minimum of 60 made) 68.6 percent, 109 of 159 (1972-74)
* Holds NCAA tournament single-season record of highest field-goal percentage (minimum of 40 made) 76.3 percent, 45-of-59 (1973)
* Averaged 20.3 points and 15.7 rebounds per game
* Member of UCLA team with record 88 straight wins
* Was the foundation of the only teams to record back-to-back 30-0 seasons
* Led UCLA to 86-4 record during his three years
* Scored 44 points on 21-of-22 shooting in 1973 NCAA tournament win over Memphis State
* Named All-State, All-American, All-Conference and Conference MVP three times (1967-70)
* Ranks first in career rebounding with 1,370 (15.7 average)
* Ranks second in field goal percentage (.651)
* Ranks third in career scoring average (20.3 ppg) and 10th in career points (1,767)
* Holds UCLA record for rebounds in a season (506 for a 16.9 average) and twice had 27, one shy of that record
Click to expand...
To graphically illustrate my favorite quote from Monty Python:



Yeah, sure - Walton set a lot of records, etc. I still DON'T like him...

;)
 
Gargamel

Gargamel

Starter
#14
#14
Well, I just love him. How could a Lakerfan not like a former Blazer, Clipper, and Celtic? He's no worse than 2 on that list. It's legit.

I'm not too sure about that Duncan over Laettner thing. Duncan had the stats, but it's not exactly ancient history what Laettner did in his tournament appearances. There was a reason why Laettner, and not Shaq, represented the NCAAs in the Barcelona Olympics. This is a college list, not an NBA list. A great college player can be a not-so-great NBA player (Bobby Hurley is another example). Laettner was, imo, a better college player than Duncan -- he was a winner.

I also think Isiah is underrated, but ain't that the story of his NBA career too?

Finally, why does that list use Kareem's old "Lew Alcindor", but not Hakeem's old "Akeem"? ;)
 
Gargamel

Gargamel

Starter
#17
#17
Hey, I'm watching the end of the Ill/NC title game and they said of Sean May, "Ten of 11 from the field tonight, a Bill Walton like performance." Then they referenced Bill's 1973 Memphis St. 21/22 tourney game. ;)

Goodness gracious, snakes alive!

 
HndsmCelt

HndsmCelt

Hall of Famer
#18
#18
Gargy and I agree here. Walton as college player was UNSTOPABLE. Saw him play live and on TV and the guys realy was all that and a bag of chips. In his early years at Portland he was THE most domanat player in the NBA and prety much single handedly won the championship in 77, destroying his knees in the process. Still made the MVP the next year and after he was considered washed up and near the end was the OBVIOUS 6th man of the year for the 86 Celts wher he won a second championship.

Hate his hyperbobly all you want but the man could ball and has given his health, life and even his DNA up for the game.
 
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