Ranking the 10 Best Starting Lineups in College Basketball History
As you look throughout the history of college basketball, there are dozens and dozens of great teams that have made their mark on the sport.
But, even among the great teams, there are a select few that stand apart from the rest.
Here are the 10 best starting lineups of all time.
This list is not solely based upon numbers of NBA draft picks or a variety of rewards and recognitions. This list looks at team accomplishments instead of potential or talent.
Some teams had the horses but didn’t ultimately finish the race. They are not included.
These teams played well and won lots of games…and championships!
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10 College Basketball Teams Loaded with Experienced Players for 2013-14 Season
One senior started in the national championship game in 2013. The year before, Kentucky won the title with one senior in its rotation, and KU’s Tyshawn Taylor was the only senior to start in the title game.
The one-and-done rule has changed the way some champions are built, but given the option, coaches still want some experience. Talented experience is even better.
Kentucky’s baby burger boys will be the story in the preseason, but by March, we’ll hear plenty about the guys who have prolonged their stay.
The mid-majors who crash the party are typically chock-full of them. A few contenders among the big boys also have a good share of upperclassmen next season.
Here are 10 long-toothed rosters to keep an eye on.
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Ranking the College Basketball Teams That Have Had the Best Offseasons so Far
All college basketball offseasons are not created equal.
On one end of the spectrum, you have a school like New Mexico that lost its coach to UCLA a mere days after he signed a 10-year contract, while on the other end a school like Kentucky spent the spring months finalizing the commitments from approximately 300 5-star recruits.
Read on to see exactly which teams have had the best offseasons thus far.
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Ranking the 10 Most Talented College Basketball Teams for 2013-14 Season
College basketball fans: we are five months away from preseason practices and exhibition games.
Coaches and their staffs have been working tirelessly since the close of the 2012-13 season to bring in more talented players and begin to develop them during the offseason.
Let’s take a quick look at the the 10 most-talented college basketball teams.
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Ranking the 20 Most Dominant College Basketball Players in History
While there are many college basketball players who would be considered “great” or “outstanding,” dominant players are more rare.
In fact, this past college hoops season was a good example of how there were many excellent players, but not a truly dominant player in the mix.
Dominance is more than just a review of simple statistics. While a player’s numbers are definitely a part of the equation, other factors such as team success and national award recognition also help determine how dominant a player really is.
The following is a list of the 20 most dominant college basketball players of all time.
Let’s go!
Note: Player career statistics are provided by Sports-reference.com
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College Basketball Recruiting: Greatest Asset of Each Top Player in 2014 Class
Although Andrew Wiggins’ commitment to Kansas is putting the 2013 recruiting class in today’s headlines, coaches around college basketball are well aware that it’s already time to worry about their 2014 recruits. As the nation’s best high schoolers prepare for their senior seasons, many have already established top-tier skills that they can count on to earn them playing time at the college level.
One prime example of that phenomenon is athletic SF Jalen Lindsey, set to take over Wiggins’ starting job at Huntington Prep. Lindsey may not have his predecessor’s versatility, but he can throw down a dunk with highlight-reel panache.
Herein, a closer look at Lindsey’s finishing ability and the biggest strengths of the rest of ESPN’s top 20 recruits for 2014.
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Andrew Wiggins’ Decision Will Have Long-Lasting Effect on College Basketball
No. 1 basketball recruit Andrew Wiggins will make his college decision on Tuesday at approximately 12:15 p.m. ET. Wherever the 5-star standout from Huntington Prep (W.Va.) chooses, the ramifications will be felt for an extended period of time in the sport—despite the fact that he will in all likelihood only play one year at the collegiate level.
The four finalists to land Wiggins’ sought-after services are Florida State, Kentucky, North Carolina and Kansas, per 247Sports.com. It’s a diverse set of programs, and each gives him an opportunity to write a unique—albeit relatively brief—legacy.
Wiggins’ parents attended Florida State, and if he committed to the Seminoles, the team’s fortunes would be instantly altered. FSU isn’t as prominent on the marquee as Wiggins’ other three finalists, but that might be just what he’s looking for.
Having the opportunity to carry his squad right away would most easily be done in Tallahassee. Plus, FSU has coveted him for so long, and already landed his close friend, Xavier Rathan-Mayes.
While the other three schools should still have little trouble recruiting top-tier talent, the impact that Wiggins would have at Florida State could feasibly allow head coach Leonard Hamilton to get a massive boost to his already stellar reputation and truly put the Seminoles on the map for years to come.
Now, onto Kentucky and North Carolina—winners of two of the past five national titles, yet neither had strong campaigns this past season.
Given the caliber of players each of those prominent coaches rope in on an annual basis, it’s not far short of a shock that both didn’t live up to expectations.
Once again, the Wildcats are absolutely loaded with top prospects and even several returning players. Wiggins would be icing on the cake, and championship hopes would be high.
However, the rotation would be extremely convoluted. If Wiggins doesn’t live up to the hype immediately, his NBA outlook could change for the worse. On the other hand, if he becomes the go-to player in Lexington, Wiggins will take minutes away from the other top-flight players head coach John Calipari brought in.
That would allow Kentucky to retain even more talent even if Wiggins decides to go pro, because some of the other top Wildcats won’t have as much of a chance to consistently prove their worth.
Calipari took to Twitter on Tuesday morning to discuss what makes the Wildcats so unique—and it pertains to on-court success as well as the work the players are putting in academically:
Wiggins would presumably fall into the “going pro” category.
For the Tar Heels, the up-tempo style that coach Roy Williams deploys would suit Wiggins well, especially if he played at the 4 position.
UNC is losing traction in recent years with inconsistency. Adding a player like Wiggins would not only form a magnificent core with P.J. Hairston, James Michael McAdoo and point guard Marcus Page, but also revitalize the on-court quality of hoops in Chapel Hill.
The Kansas Jayhawks lost their entire starting five—dynamic freshman scorer Ben McLemore was a clear one-and-done, while the other four were seniors.
Such circumstances dictate that Wiggins will be the primary option from Day 1. With the Jayhawks winning at least a share of the Big 12 crown nine years running, it never seems to matter who Bill Self has at his disposal—it usually results in piling up victories.
The fact that his brother plays close by at Wichita State also doesn’t hurt Kansas’ cause in landing him, as ESPN’s Paul Biancardi points out (subscription required).
Wiggins can’t really go wrong with his decision, because he is such an incredible talent. With the athleticism he possesses at 6’8″ and the versatility to play outside or inside, he has the skill set to be an immediate impact player.
Whatever the decision winds up being, though, the impact will be felt on the school he chooses—and the three he thwarts—for longer than the lone year he’s expected to play in college.
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How Andrew Wiggins Would Impact Each Potential College Choice
Andrew Wiggins has the college basketball world abuzz with his decision as to where he’ll be playing next year, which is likely to made at 12:15 p.m. on Tuesday, according to Huntington Prep coach Rob Fulford.
Wiggins—widely considered the best high school player since this guy called LeBron James—has a mountain of hype surrounding him—making the decision as to where he’s playing basketball next year a big one. It’s the type of decision that could completely change the college basketball landscape, with the team that lands his services potentially becoming title favorites in 2013.
That might seem like an overreaction, but it’s not. The kid is that good.
So where’s Wiggins going to be playing next year?
Well, for that, you’ll have to tune in to his announcement around lunch time on Tuesday, but there’s four key programs thought to be in the mix for the star
Read on to see who they are, and how Wiggins’ arrival could impact them in 2013.
Florida State University Seminoles
Wiggins is going to be a star wherever he ends up next season, but at Florida State, he would be the undisputed go-to option from the opening tip.
FSU has the allure of having good friends in the program, and for the Seminoles, it would be the biggest commit in a long time. After all, they are the only program out of the four mentioned that haven’t won a National Championship, and it would definitely get them back in the media spotlight.
Statistically, Florida State ranked outside the top 100 in terms of offensively efficiency in 2012—something that having Wiggins would definitely change.
Be that in terms of scoring or in terms of rebounding, Wiggins would be able to transform the Seminoles from being another middle-of-the-road team in 2012 to a team with some serious underdog status. What’s more, they would be more than capable knocking off the top programs around the country with his arrival, and could well make a surprise run once they get going later in the year.
Kansas Jayhawks
Having lost star Ben McLemore to the NBA draft this year, signing Wiggins would be a huge recruit for Kansas, and one that could allow them to continue to compete at the highest level in 2013.
Allen Fieldhouse would be buzzing again, for the Jayhawks would be national title contenders again—despite losing several of their starters. And with their sound defense and good recruiting so far, Wiggins’ offensive skills would definitely be welcomed.
Eric Bossi of Rivals.com writes (via USA Today):
Kansas, maybe even more than Florida State, is a place he could make an immediate impact. They don’t really have that true high flyer. He could also, theoretically, play power forward for them because he’s so quick and athletic.
Kansas would again be competitive for a Big 12 title and, depending on the cohesion it develops early on, could well enter March Madness as a No. 1 seed.
The presence of Wiggins would rejuvenate this young team into an explosive offense powerhouse that is more than capable of getting the job done.
North Carolina Tar Heels
With James Michael McAdoo opting to stay on for another year, North Carolina finds itself in a particularly strong position if they can secure Wiggins.
Not only would have they have an explosive frontcourt in Roy Williams’ push-the-pace offense, they’d have arguably the most explosive offensive player in the league—capable of dominating inside and in transition, as well as racking up plenty of boards at either end of the court.
Marcus Paige is a pass-first guy in the backcourt who could establish a great connection with Wiggins—turning the Tar Heels into the team to beat next season. Moreover, it would give UNC a huge advantage over their rivals Duke, who have picked up top prospect Jabari Parker for the year ahead, and could establish a thrilling rivalry between Wiggins and Parker at an individual level also.
It’s perhaps a stretch to say that they’re title contenders, but they’re definitely capable of making a strong run in the NCAA Tournament, given the experience that many of their players will have and the fact they’ve got a guy like Wiggins on their roster.
Kentucky Wildcats
However, the strongest impact that Wiggins could have next year would be at Kentucky—and it’s not even close. In the eyes of many, the Wildcats are already the team to beat for the National Championship thanks to their strong recruiting class. Adding in Wiggins would simply confirm that fact even more, and create one of the most most star-studded lineups seen since the Fab Five.
Yes, the Wildcats would be that good next season.
John Calipari‘s team would have at least six first-round draft prospects on hand, and that could only mean big things for the Huntington Prep star.
For at Kentucky, opposing teams can’t afford to double-team him every time he gets the ball in good positions—like they could do if he was at FSU, for example.
Wiggins would thrive in a dribble-drive offense like Kentucky’s, and most likely playing at small-forward, could have an impact both as a scorer and a creator.
He’s unlikely to do that anywhere else, for they would likely need his scoring skills more than anything; yet at Kentucky, they’ve already got plenty of go-to options.
If he wants to win a title, Kentucky is the place to go, for with Wiggins in their roster, the Wildcats would be tremendously difficult to shut down in 2013.
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Ranking the Most Iconic Jerseys in College Basketball History
How awesome would it be to have a collection of some of the most legendary college basketball jerseys of all time?
From every decade from the 1950s until now. From superstars who represented fabled programs. Players of the Year. Most Outstanding Players.
Here is a ranking of the 12 most iconic jerseys in college basketball history.
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Andrew Wiggins’ decision weighs heavily on college hoops landscape
Florida State, Kentucky, North Carolina and Kansas are all candidates to land Wiggins.
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