The Uconn GOAT
- Thread starter the Blades
- Start date
It's going to be Kemba Walker vs. Ray Allen in the finals.
The most interesting Elite 8 matchup is Shabazz vs. Emeka. Both were MOP of a Final 4 but Emeka was I believe a national player of the year. So gotta give that one to Emeka.
The most interesting Elite 8 matchup is Shabazz vs. Emeka. Both were MOP of a Final 4 but Emeka was I believe a national player of the year. So gotta give that one to Emeka.
Just like Shabazz lost out to Doug McDermott, Emeka lost out player of the year to Jameer Nelson of St. Joe's, who was the consensus player of the year except with NABC who split it between Nelson and Emeka.
I did recall that someone gave Okafor co-National Player of the Year - it was NABC. He was also Big East Player of the Year, national defensive player of the year and led the nation in blocked shots. Shabazz was also in his senior year the inaugural AAC Player of the Year. Albeit it was less prestigious than winning the Big East Player of the Year. It should also be remembered that UConn did not win the AAC Championship in Napier's senior year- Louisville did. UConn won the Big East championship in 2 of Okafor's 3 seasons, and won the conference championship in 1 of Napier's 4 seasons. Although in 2004 I don't think Okafor played in the Big East tournament and UConn won primarily because of Ben "Madison Square" Gordon.
The quarterfinal between Emeka and Shabazz is the closest of the Elite 8 matchups. But slight edge to Emeka.
The quarterfinal between Emeka and Shabazz is the closest of the Elite 8 matchups. But slight edge to Emeka.
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True it was Ray over Shabazz .....and Kemba besting Rip .....in the Final four...
Kemba Walker (87%) vs. Rip Hamilton (13%) ......Ray Allen (64%) vs. Shabazz Napier (36%)
BTW.... Shabazz Napier (54%) bested Emeka Okafor (46%) to get into the FF and they received the most votes (2,162) of the four Elite eight match-ups
and the winner was.....
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It was new money that carried Kemba over Ray and Shabazz over Emeka.......but I can't really argue with the results, they were all great players. For my money, and I have been watching UConn basketball since the 1978-79 season when Bobby Dulin, Mike McKay, and Corny Thompson were on the team, Kemba's junior season in 2010-11 was by far the best season any UConn player has had in that time span. It was simply magical from beginning to end and he was at his best in the Maui and post season tournaments.
But there is a guy on the current team that has as much or more offensive talent as Kemba in James Bouknight. What we don't know yet is whether he has the same work ethic. What made Kemba great was an explosive first step that got him by people and his work ethic and desire and lack of fear going to the hole. Bouknight has to decide whether he wants to work as hard as Kemba did and if he does, he can have a magical year or two for UConn. I hope players like Kemba and Shabazz reach out to this kid and tell him what he needs to do to get his name into the Huskies Ring of Honor.
But there is a guy on the current team that has as much or more offensive talent as Kemba in James Bouknight. What we don't know yet is whether he has the same work ethic. What made Kemba great was an explosive first step that got him by people and his work ethic and desire and lack of fear going to the hole. Bouknight has to decide whether he wants to work as hard as Kemba did and if he does, he can have a magical year or two for UConn. I hope players like Kemba and Shabazz reach out to this kid and tell him what he needs to do to get his name into the Huskies Ring of Honor.
There is one UCONN mens player in the HOF
Until someone else makes it, Ray Allen is the clear GOAT
Kemba is the 2nd best pro UCONN ever produced
RIP is a close 3rd
If we are talking only about accomplishments while in the blue and white uni, Shabazz Napier is the only major contributor on 2 national championship teams.
And he played 4 years
Also just noticed Rodney Purvis was an 8 seed.
BWHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHHAHAHA
Until someone else makes it, Ray Allen is the clear GOAT
Kemba is the 2nd best pro UCONN ever produced
RIP is a close 3rd
If we are talking only about accomplishments while in the blue and white uni, Shabazz Napier is the only major contributor on 2 national championship teams.
And he played 4 years
Also just noticed Rodney Purvis was an 8 seed.
BWHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHHAHAHA
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The "Ferrari in the Garage" who developed some mechanical problems once he got out on the road...........Art Quimby was also an 8 seed, despite holding the UConn school records of 24.4 rebounds per game in a season and 21.5 rebounds per game for his career, while standing 6'5". Quimby led the nation in rebounding in his junior and senior seasons.
True... alot of that in the voting....Not that I remember some of the guys like Quimby or Toby Kimball (NBA Stats), who played 9 years in the NBA and averaged 20pts/ 21 reb his SR year at Uconn , but I've read about them. I started following around the Tony Hanson era when my uncle was at Uconn and I'd go up to Storrs as kid. Tony was another one the newbies don't remember...... He was way better than Taliek, who beat him in the voting ....hell.... he averaged a 26pt and 10.5 reb -double-double..... his SR year as a 6-5 wing player.
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