March 14, 2005

All College Team

Who are the best five collegiate players that you saw in person while they were in college? Can you beat my all star team:

Larry Bird
Greg Kelser
Danny Manning
Earvin Johnson
Isiah Thomas

Of course, if someone will come forward with some Final Four tickets this year, I may have to change this somewhat...

Posted by Charles Austin at March 14, 2005 09:24 PM
Comments

I could probably include any ACC player from 1982-1985. I'm sure I'm overlooking some. But off the top of my head here is a team that I've watched in person while they were still in college.

Michael Jordan
Len Bias
James Worthy
Glen Robinson
Ralph Sampson
Mark Price

Posted by: Jon at 12:19 PM

No wonder the ACC is so dominant. They get to field six-man teams.

Posted by: charles austin at 02:25 PM

I just added my first player off the bench... or perhaps I should have just left off my token Big-10 player... ;^)

Posted by: Jon at 03:29 PM

Larry Bird
Tim Duncan
Danny Manning
Shaquille O'Neal
Paul Pierce

Posted by: Matt at 07:10 PM

You got no guards Matt.

Posted by: charles austin at 07:57 PM

Lew Alcindor
Bill Walton
Oscar Robertson
Sidney Wicks
Jerry Lucas

(Assuming they can be from different eras and teams)

Although I lived in Los Angeles, I saw Robertson and Lucas in a couple of west-coast-based Final Fours. Also, I was present when Alcindor and UCLA obliterated Houston and Elvin Hayes in the 1968 Final Four in the greatest college basketball game I ever saw.

Posted by: Bruce Lagasse at 10:08 PM

I think Bruce wins.

Posted by: charles austin at 01:05 PM

I'd say Bruce wins walking away, but looking at your list, Charles, and being as I'm in Indianapolis, why did Thomas turn out to be such a lousy coach?

Posted by: greg at 03:30 PM

I don't know about walking away, but I'll give him an edge.

As for Thomas, maybe for the same reasons as Johnson and Bird. great players generally do not make great coaches.

Posted by: charles austin at 06:33 PM