X J. J. Redick

Jonathan Clay "J.J." Redick (born June 24, 1984 in Cookeville, Tennessee) is an American professional basketball player at the shooting guard position who was selected 11th overall by the Orlando Magic in the 2006 NBA Draft. In his collegiate years, Redick played for Duke University, becoming the all-time leading scorer in the Atlantic Coast Conference history. His jersey number, 4, was retired on February 4, 2007. Playing primarily at the shooting guard position, Redick is known for his accurate free throw and three-point shooting.

Source: Wikipedia

X Adam Morrison

Adam Morrison (born July 19, 1984 in Glendive, Montana) is an American professional basketball player with the Charlotte Bobcats of the National Basketball Association. Morrison played for three years at Gonzaga University and was considered to be one of the top college basketball players in 2005–06. He was a finalist for the Naismith and the Wooden Award. He was named Co-Player of the Year with Duke University's J.J. Redick by the United States Basketball Writers Association and won the 2006 Chevrolet Player of the Year award.

Source: Wikipedia

X Andrew Bogut

As a freshman at Utah in 2003-04, he barely missed averaging a double-double for the season with 12.5 points and 9.9 rebounds, and was named Freshman of the Year in the Mountain West Conference. During the summer, he was a starter for the Boomers at the 2004 Athens Olympics, averaging 14.8 points, 8.8 rebounds, and 1.2 blocked shots and shooting 58.0% from the field. After his solid though unspectacular freshman season, he did not even receive honorable mention on the preseason All-America team for the 2004-05 season. However, he had a true breakout season as a sophomore. Bogut averaged 20.4 points, 12.2 rebounds (second in Division I), 2.3 assists, and 1.8 blocks, and shot 62.0% from the field (eighth in Division I). He also led Division I in double-doubles, with 26.

Source: Wikipedia

X Jameer Nelson

Nelson became arguably the most publicized player in the country during his senior season in 2003-2004 as he led the Saint Joseph's Hawks to a 27-0 regular season record. Nelson and junior guard Delonte West formed what was largely considered the nation's best backcourt, helping the Hawks earn a #1 Seed in the NCAA Tournament. They advanced to the Elite Eight and were within seconds of the Final Four before Oklahoma State Cowboys' John Lucas III hit a three-pointer with only a few seconds remaining (after the make, Nelson dribbled up the court and had a chance to tie the game, but his 15-foot shot hit the front on the rim and bounced out.) Saint Joseph's finished with a 30-2 record, the best in the University's history. Nelson averaged 20.6 points, 5.3 assists, and 2.9 steals per game. He left the Hawks as the best player in the program's history, as its all time leader in scoring (2094 points), assists (714), and steals (256). Nelson's number was retired by the university on April 23, 2004.

Source: Wikipedia

X David West

David Moorer West (born August 29, 1980, in Teaneck, New Jersey) is an American professional basketball player in the NBA's New Orleans Hornets. West is considered one of the game's most promising young power forwards, and his playing style is often compared to Karl Malone, Tim Duncan, Hakeem Olajuwon and Kevin Garnett. He is often unnoted and underated when it comes to basketball, that is why he isn't a household name except by most Hornets fans. He went to high school at Garner High School in Garner, North Carolina and at Hargrave Military Academy in Chatham, Virginia and won 1st Team All-State honors in North Carolina. After a four-year career at Xavier University, he was named National Player of the Year in 2003, winning both the Adolph Rupp Trophy and the Oscar Robertson Trophy. He also was voted onto the Atlantic 10 All-Rookie Team in 2000, named Honorable Mention All-American by the Associated Press, Atlantic 10 player of the year (by coaches in 2001, 2002, 2003).

Source: Wikipedia

X Jay Williams

Jason "Jay" Williams (born September 10, 1981 in Plainfield, New Jersey) The 6'2" (188 cm) point guard grew up in New Jersey, and attended St. Joseph High School in Metuchen, graduating in 1999. He not only excelled at basketball, but took an active interest in other activities, notably chess. His nickname in high school was "Jay Dubs". He also played junior varsity soccer during his freshman year and varsity volleyball during his senior year. In college, he was a star at Duke University where he graduated in three years, and had his jersey number #22 retired. After his junior season, he became the most sought-after American player in the 2002 NBA Draft. He was voted as the best player in college basketball and received the Naismith Award. Subsequently, he was selected by the Chicago Bulls with the second overall pick, after Chinese player Yao Ming was selected first by the Houston Rockets.

Source: Wikipedia

X Shane Battier

Shane Courtney Battier (born September 9, 1978 in Birmingham, Michigan) is an American professional basketball player with the Houston Rockets of the National Basketball Association and the U.S. national team. Battier attended Duke University, where he played under head coach Mike Krzyzewski. He led the Blue Devils to two Final Fours, in 1999 and 2001. The Blue Devils lost to the Connecticut Huskies in the 1999 finals, but came back to win the national championship by defeating the Arizona Wildcats two years later. He even had his number 31 retired by the Blue Devils. Coincidentally, the Metrodome in Minneapolis, Minnesota, where the Blue Devils won the 2001 championship, was the very same building in which they won the 1992 championship with Christian Laettner, Grant Hill, and Bobby Hurley leading the way. Battier himself drew many comparisons to Hill, and he played all four years at Duke.

Source: Wikipedia

X Kenyon Martin

Kenyon Lee Martin (born December 30, 1977 in Saginaw, Michigan), is an American professional basketball player. Martin was an outstanding player in college, playing for the Cincinnati Bearcats under the direction of Bob Huggins. As a senior, he averaged 18.9 points, 9.7 rebounds and 3.5 blocks per game and was the consensus National Player of the Year, earning numerous awards from various organizations, but suffered a broken leg in the Conference USA Tournament, keeping him out of the NCAA Tournament that year. Cincinnati retired his #4 jersey on April 25, 2000. Later that year, he was selected first overall in the 2000 NBA Draft by the New Jersey Nets. Martin is the last American-born college senior to have been the top overall pick; the six top picks since him consist of three high school players (Kwame Brown, LeBron James, Dwight Howard), one international player with two years of U.S. college experience (Andrew Bogut), and two international players with no American college experience (Yao Ming, Andrea Bargnani).

Source: Wikipedia

X Elton Brand

Elton Tyron Brand (born March 11, 1979 in Peekskill, New York). As a sophomore, Brand was the dominant inside presence for a Duke team that is widely regarded as one of the most talented teams in recent NCAA history. After leading the Blue Devils to the championship game of the Final Four–where they were upset by the University of Connecticut–Brand was named the consensus National Player of the Year. He subsequently decided to leave Duke after his sophomore season and apply for the NBA draft, where he was selected by the Chicago Bulls with the first pick. Brand, along with William Avery, were the first player in Duke basketball history to leave school early for the NBA Draft. Both entered the 1999 NBA Draft after their sophomore year at Duke.

Source: Wikipedia

X Antawn Jamison

Antawn Cortez Jamison (born June 12, 1976, in Shreveport, Louisiana). Jamison played college basketball at University of North Carolina for three seasons, averaging 19.0 points and 9.9 rebounds per game. His junior year, he was awarded both the Naismith and Wooden Awards as the most outstanding men's college basketball player for the 1997-98 season. Deciding to forgo his senior year of eligibility, Jamison was selected by the Toronto Raptors with the fourth pick of the 1998 NBA Draft, Jamison was immediately dealt to the Golden State Warriors in exchange for former North Carolina teammate and best friend Vince Carter.

Source: Wikipedia

X Tim Duncan

Timothy (Tim) Theodore Duncan (born April 25, 1976 in Christiansted, St. Croix, United States Virgin Islands). Tim Duncan was a two-time ACC Player of the Year with the Wake Forest University Demon Deacons. Duncan was an All-American at Wake Forest, where he finished with honors in psychology. Duncan won the 1997 John Wooden Award as the NCAA's best overall male player based on the votes of sportscasters and newswriters. In that season, Duncan averaged 20.8 points per game and 14.7 rebounds per game. Duncan finished his college career as the leading shot blocker in NCAA history, and is one of only 10 players with more than 2,000 career points and 1,500 career rebounds. He was also the first player in NCAA history to reach 1,500 points, 1,000 rebounds, 400 blocked shots and 200 assists.

Source: Wikipedia

X Marcus Camby

Marcus D. Camby (born March 22, 1974 in Hartford, Connecticut)is an American professional basketball player who currently plays center for the Denver Nuggets of the NBA. His college basketball record at UMass was outstanding, earning him a Player of the Year award for 1995-1996. He led the team to numerous #1 rankings and the 1996 Final Four. The UMass Minutemen's visit to the Final Four was later officially vacated by the NCAA because Camby had been found to have accepted $28,000 from two sports agents. In 1996, forgoing his senior year at the University of Massachusetts, he was selected by the Toronto Raptors as the second pick of the NBA Draft.

Source: Wikipedia

X Ed O'Bannon

Edward Charles O'Bannon, Jr. (born August 14, 1972 in Los Angeles, California) is a former basketball player, who was a star small forward for the UCLA Bruins, where he was known as "Ed-O," but had a less-than-illustrious career as a professional basketball player. He is the older brother of former Detroit Pistons guard Charles O'Bannon, who also played collegiate ball at UCLA. He was a McDonald's High School All-American coming from Artesia High School and was all set to go to UNLV when the program came under probation due to recruiting improprieties, and he switched to UCLA. He had little impact, however, at the beginning as he tore his anterior cruciate ligament. He was told he might not be able to walk properly again, but eighteen months later, he returned to playing basketball and became the team leader. He was the key to UCLA's 1995 NCAA Basketball Championship scoring 30 points and taking 17 rebounds. For the season, he averaged 20.4 points (.533 field-goal percentage, .433 3-point percentage) and 8.3 rebounds.

Source: Wikipedia

X Glenn Robinson

Glenn "Big Dog" Robinson (born January 10, 1973 in Gary, Indiana) is an American professional basketball player in the NBA, currently not on any team and inactive. He led Gary (Indiana) Roosevelt High School to a state basketball championship and was a McDonald's All-American before playing college basketball at Purdue University, and in 1994 he received the Wooden and Naismith Awards. Robinson was also unanimously elected as Big Ten Player of the Year following his junior campaign. On the season, he averaged 30.3 points and more than 10 rebounds per game, leading the Big Ten in both categories.

Source: Wikipedia

X Calbert Cheaney

Cheaney was both a shooting guard and a small forward at Indiana University where his offensive game and defensive prowess helped him lead one of the most exciting Hoosier teams ever. Four years of instruction from Hall of Fame coach Bobby Knight and Cheaney's resilient work ethic helped the 6' 7" southpaw maximize his talent. His skills and character fit perfectly into the Hoosiers' system, a match which benefitted both the player and the program. Led by Cheaney, the 1991-1993 Hoosiers were ranked by the polls among the top five in America for most of those two seasons. Along the way, the Class of 1993 defended their home court relentlessly. When the Hoosiers lost to Iowa by a single point on February 21, 1991, this was the last time a visiting team would win at Assembly Hall until Michigan did so in 1995 - a streak of 56 games. Indiana nearly captured the 1992 National Championship, falling short to Duke in a foul-plagued Final Four game in Minneapolis. In 1993, the AP selected the 31-4 Hoosiers as their regular season national champion. While at Indiana, Cheaney scored 30 or more points thirteen times and averaged 19.8 points per game in his collegiate career, with a high of 22.4 as senior. Cheaney won 105 games in his four years - the most of any Hoosier. Over his last three seasons in college, Cheaney led his teams to an 87-16 (.845) record and a 46-8 (.852) mark in the Big Ten Conference; they won nine games in the NCAA tournament and captured back to back Big Ten crowns. With the recent trend of top players heading early to the NBA, Cheaney may be remembered as one of the last of the top-tier college players to play a senior season, and his Big Ten career scoring record may remain unbroken.

Source: Wikipedia

X Christian Laettner

Christian Donald Laettner (born August 17, 1969 in Angola, New York) is a former professional basketball player who has played 13 seasons in the NBA on six different teams. He started for the 1991 and 1992 NCAA champion Duke University Blue Devils. He is considered one of the greatest collegiate players of all time. Laettner is especially known for his game-winning last-second jump shot in Duke's dramatic 104-103 victory over Kentucky in the East regional final of the 1992 NCAA Tournament, acclaimed by many as the "greatest college basketball game ever played". Footage of Laettner's buzzer beater shot is frequently included in televised montages depicting college basketball and the NCAA tournament, and in 2003 it was used in a nationally televised commercial by Allstate. In the game as a whole, Laettner made ten of ten shots from the field and ten of ten from the free throw line. His performance in the game as a whole earned him a 1993 ESPY Award for "Outstanding Performance Under Pressure", and the shot in particular received the 1993 ESPY for "College Basketball Play of the Year". Laettner also received the 1993 ESPY for "Outstanding College Basketball Performer of the Year".

Source: Wikipedia

X Larry Johnson

Larry Demetric Johnson (born March 14, 1969 in Dallas, Texas) is an American former NBA player who spent his career with the Charlotte Hornets and New York Knicks. He was listed as a 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m) forward. Johnson played his collegiate ball at UNLV, winning the 1990 NCAA Championship title with them, was selected first overall in the 1991 NBA Draft by the Hornets, and would win the NBA Rookie of the Year Award the following year. Along with Alonzo Mourning and Muggsy Bogues, Johnson played with the Hornets at the height of their popularity in the early and mid-1990s. During this time, Johnson, who went by his initialism "LJ" and the nickname "Grandma-ma" (because of a popular Converse commercial in which he dressed up like an old lady, which led to a role on the sitcom Family Matters), was featured on the cover of the premiere issue of SLAM Magazine. Unfortunately, friction between Johnson and Mourning forced the organization to make a change, so the Hornets traded Mourning to the Miami Heat. A year later, Johnson himself was traded by the Hornets for fan-favorite Knicks player, Anthony Mason.

Source: Wikipedia

X Lionel Simmons

Lionel James "L-Train" Simmons (born November 14, 1968 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) is a former professional basketball player. A 6'7" small forward from La Salle University (where he won the Naismith College Player of the Year and John R. Wooden Award as a senior), he was selected by the Sacramento Kings with the seventh pick of the 1990 NBA Draft. Simmons is third in all-time NCAA career points with 3,217. He trails only Pete Maravich and Freeman Williams. Simmons played seven seasons for the Kings, scoring 5,833 career points until prematurely retiring in 1997 due to chronic injuries.

Source: Wikipedia

X Danny Ferry

Son of former NBA center Bob Ferry, Danny Ferry began his basketball career in earnest at DeMatha Catholic High School in Maryland. Under Morgan Wootten Ferry excelled at the high school level and continued to hone his skills in college at Duke University. After college, the Los Angeles Clippers drafted Ferry in the first round (second overall pick) of the 1989 draft; he did not want to play with the Clippers, and Ferry soon afterwards accepted an offer to play for the Italian league's Il Messaggero (now Virtus Roma) instead. Soon after Ferry went to Italy, his draft rights were traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers in exchange for high-scoring guard Ron Harper.Wikipedia

X Hersey Hawkins

Hersey R. Hawkins, Jr. (born September 29, 1966, in Chicago, Illinois) is an American former professional basketball player. After starring at Westinghouse High School in Chicago, the 6’ 3” shooting guard attended Bradley University, where he averaged an NCAA Division I-high 36.3 points per game in 1988. He was then drafted by the Los Angeles Clippers in the first round of the 1988 NBA Draft, but his rights were immediately traded to the Philadelphia 76ers for the draft rights to Charles Smith. Hawkins earned NBA All-Rookie First Team Honors in 1989, and in 1991 he averaged 22.1 points and appeared in the NBA All-Star Game. Hawkins was well-known for his outside-shooting ability and his defensive skills. On the 76ers, "Hawk" was the second scoring option after Charles Barkley.Wikipedia

X David Robinson

David Maurice Robinson (born August 6, 1965 in Key West, Florida) is a former NBA basketball player, who is often considered one of the greatest centers to ever play the game. He played NCAA basketball at the Naval Academy, choosing jersey number 50 after his idol Ralph Sampson. He was a math major. By the time he took the court in his first basketball game for Navy, he had grown to 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m), and over the course of his college basketball career, he grew to 7 ft 1 in (2.16 m). In his final two years, he was a consensus All-American, and won college basketball's two most prestigious player awards, the Naismith and Wooden Awards, as a Naval Academy first classman (senior). Upon graduation, he became eligible for the 1987 NBA Draft and was selected by the San Antonio Spurs with the first overall pick; however, the Spurs had to wait two years before he could join them because he needed to fulfill two years of Navy duty.

Source:Wikipedia

X Walter Berry

Walter Berry (born May 14, 1964 in New York City) is an American former professional and college basketball player. He played basketball for his hometown college, St. John's University, and won the John Wooden Award and the Big East Men's Basketball Player of the Year award plus USBWA College Player of the Year in 1986, averaging 23 points and 11.1 rebounds per game. Berry, nicknamed "The Truth", was also the second leading scorer on St. John's 1985 Final Four team. He spent three seasons in the NBA, from 1986 to 1989. He used to play the power forward position and he was known for his very effective left-hand skyhook. Berry spent much of his career playing in Greece, where he forged a reputation as one of the most savvy scorers of his generation, with a wide variety of shots and ways of scoring. This made him one of the most difficult opponents to guard against, and helped him to establish a great relationship with the fans, who would rhythmically chant "O Berry, Berry!!!". He was particularly popular in Iraklis, whom he inspired to 3rd-place in the Greek Championship in 1994-95 with a series of memorable performances. However he gained a reputation for never remaining more than one year at the same team.

Source:Wikipedia

X Chris Mullin

Christopher Paul Mullin (born July 30, 1963 in Brooklyn, New York) is the General Manager of the Golden State Warriors and a former American basketball player. Mullin played small forward in the NBA from 1985 to 2001. After playing at St. John's University, during which he won Big East Men's Basketball Player of the Year three times, and was a member the 1984 amateur U.S. team, Mullin was chosen as the seventh pick by the Golden State Warriors in the first round of the 1985 NBA Draft. Signing to play for St. John's University in nearby Queens, Mullin in his freshman year averaged 16.6 points per game (also setting the school freshman record for points scored). In his subsequent three years for the Redmen, he would be named Big East Player of the Year 3 times, named to the All-America team three times, play for the gold medal-winning 1984 Olympic team, receive the 1985 Wooden Award, USBWA College Player of the Year and lead his team to the 1985 Final Four. To this day, he still holds the school record for most career points scored.

Source:Wikipedia

X Michael Jordan

Michael Jeffrey Jordan (born February 17, 1963) is a retired American professional basketball player. Widely considered to be one of the greatest basketball players of all time, he became the most effectively marketed athlete of his generation and was instrumental in spreading the appeal of the NBA (National Basketball Association) around the world in the 1980s and 1990s. He is currently a part-owner of the Charlotte Bobcats. Jordan earned a basketball scholarship to the University of North Carolina, where he majored in geography. As a freshman in legendary coach Dean Smith's team-oriented system, Jordan was named ACC Freshman of the Year as he averaged 13.4 ppg on 53.4% shooting.[6] He was an exciting if not dominant player, but the Tar Heels were led by All-American and future Hall of Famer James Worthy. Jordan made the game-winning shot in the 1982 NCAA Basketball Championship game against Georgetown, which was led by future NBA rival Patrick Ewing.[1] After winning the Naismith and Wooden College Player of the Year Awards in 1984, he left Carolina early to enter the 1984 NBA Draft, and was selected by the Chicago Bulls in the first round as the third pick overall, after Houston Rockets center Hakeem Olajuwon and Sam Bowie of the Portland Trail Blazers. Jordan returned to North Carolina to complete his degree in 1986.

Source:Wikipedia

X Ralph Sampson

Ralph Lee Sampson (born July 7, 1960 in Harrisonburg, Virginia) is a former college and professional basketball player. He was arguably the most heavily recruited (for both college and the NBA) basketball prospect of his generation. Playing for the University of Virginia, he was one of only two male players in the history of college basketball to receive the Naismith Award as the National Player of the Year three times (Bill Walton of UCLA was the other male, Cheryl Miller of USC won three times, as well). He was the only player to win the Wooden award twice. Professionally, Sampson was a #1 overall draft pick in the 1983 NBA Draft, three-time NBA All-Star, and Rookie of the Year for the Houston Rockets. He was on the cover of Sports Illustrated an unprecedented six times in a span of less than four years (issues of December 17, 1979; December 1, 1980; March 30, 1981; November 29, 1982; December 20, 1982; and October 31, 1983).

Source:Wikipedia

X Mark Aguirre

Mark Aguirre (born December 10, 1959 in Chicago, Illinois) is a retired American NBA player. A college standout at DePaul, he averaged 24.5 points over three seasons with the Blue Demons, and in 1981 was The Sporting News College Player of the Year. He also was the USBWA College Player of the Year and James Naismith Award winner in 1980 also the and a 2 time member of The Sporting News' All-America first team. As a freshman in 1978-1979, he led the Demons to the Final Four, where they lost to Indiana State, led by future NBA Hall of Famer Larry Bird.

Source:Wikipedia

X Larry Bird

Larry Joe Bird (born December 7, 1956) is an American former NBA basketball player, widely considered one of the greatest players to ever play, and one of the best clutch performers in the history of sports. Bird received a basketball scholarship to Indiana University in 1974. At the time, Indiana was one of the premier college basketball programs in the country, led by esteemed head coach Bobby Knight. However, Bird — homesick and overwhelmed by the size and population of the university — left the school after one month and returned to French Lick. After briefly attending Northwood Institute in West Baden and working numerous odd jobs around the town (including a job with the French Lick Street Department—which did much more than just pick up garbage), Bird enrolled at Indiana State University, where he was coached by Bob King.

Source:Wikipedia

X Phil Ford

Phil Jackson Ford (born February 9, 1956 in Rocky Mount, North Carolina) is a former professional player in the National Basketball Association. He graduated from Rocky Mount Senior High School in 1974. Ford played four years of basketball at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. After his sophomore season, Ford started for the U.S. Olympic team that won the gold medal in 1976. While a senior, he averaged 20.8 points a game during that 1977-78 season. He is Carolina' all-time leading scorer with 2,290 points. A consensus All-American in 1976, 1977, and 1978, he was named college player of the year by the U.S. Basketball Writers Association in 1978, when he also won the Eastman, USBWA College Player of the Year and John R. Wooden Awards.

Source:Wikipedia

X Marques Johnson

Marques Kevin Johnson (born February 6, 1956 in Nachitoches, Louisiana) is a former professional basketball player in the National Basketball Association, playing for the Milwaukee Bucks (1977-84), Los Angeles Clippers (1984-87), and Golden State Warriors (1989-90). Johnson was raised in south Los Angeles, where he attended and graduated from Crenshaw High School, a school well-known for its athletics, especially in basketball. He later attended UCLA, and became a star player on its basketball teams, under the guidance of legendary coach John Wooden. In his sophomore year in college (1974-75), Johnson helped to lead the Bruins to what was Coach Wooden's 10th and final NCAA Men's Division I basketball championship. Wooden retired from coaching the following season, and Gene Bartow became the UCLA men's basketball head coach, and Johnson continued to excel, including averaging 21.1 points and 11.1 rebounds per game in his senior season (1976-77), and went on to win the first John R. Wooden Award and USBWA College Player of the Year as the nation's collegiate basketball player of the year.

Source:Wikipedia

X Adrian Dantley

Adrian Delano Dantley (born February 28, 1956 in Washington, D.C.) is a former basketball small forward who played 15 seasons in the NBA, many of which were played as a member of the Utah Jazz where he amassed the bulk of his legendary numbers. Dantley attended basketball powerhouse DeMatha Catholic High School in Hyattsville, MD where he played under legendary basketball coach Morgan Wootten.

Dantley was a forward at Notre Dame from 1973-76. He was a consensus first team All-American in ‘74-75 and '75-76 and was named 1976 National Player of the Year. He ranks second on the Notre Dame career scoring list with 2,223 points and holds the school record for free throws made (615) and free throws attempted (769).

Dantley had a stellar collegiate career for the Fighting Irish. As a freshman, he played an important role in one of the biggest games in college basketball history, Notre Dame's stunning 1973 upset to end UCLA's incredible eighty-eight game win streak. That UCLA team, coached by the legendary John Wooden, featured Bill Walton, Jamaal (then Keith) Wilkes, and Dave Meyer.

Dantley led Notre Dame in scoring in '74-75 (30.4 ppg) and '75-76 (28.6 ppg), while also leading the team in rebounding those two seasons with marks of 10.2 and 10.1 rpg, respectively. He was also the leading scorer on the 1976 US Olympic team that captured the gold medal in Montreal and was drafted sixth overall, by Buffalo, in the 1976 NBA draft. He became the third Buffalo Brave in five years to receive the NBA Rookie of the Year Award when he won it after the 1976-77 season.

Source:Wikipedia

X David Thompson

After leading N.C. State to an undefeated season (27-0) in 1973 (in which they were not eligible for the post-season), he led North Carolina State University to an NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship in 1974, including vanquishing the reigning national champions, the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA). His nickname was "Skywalker" because of his incredible purported 48-inch vertical leap.[citation needed] The alley-oop pass, now a staple of today's high-flying, above-the-rim game was "invented" by Thompson and his NC State teammate Monte Towe, and first used as an integral part of the offense by NC State coach Norm Sloan to take advantage of Thompson's leaping ability.

NC State's game against the nationally 4th-ranked University of Maryland in the 1974 ACC Tournament finale, in an era in which only conference champions were invited to the NCAA Tournament, is considered one of the best, if not the greatest, college basketball games of all time. Thompson led the #1-ranked Wolfpack to a 103-100 overtime win. Thompson and the Wolfpack would go on to win the National Championship that year while Maryland sat at home. Maryland's exclusion from the NCAA Tournament due to the loss despite their high national ranking would lead to the expansion of the NCAA Tournament the very next season to include teams other than the league champions.

In a league that included such talents as Michael Jordan, Ralph Sampson, Tim Duncan, Christian Laettner, and Len Bias, Thompson is widely considered the greatest player in the history of the Atlantic Coast Conference.

Source:Wikipedia

X Bill Walton

Walton was born in La Mesa, California to Gloria Anne Hickey and William Theodore “Ted” Walton.[2] He played college basketball for John Wooden at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) from 1971 to 1974, winning the national title in 1972 over Florida State and again in 1973 with an 87-66 win over Memphis State in which the big redhead from San Diego made an impressive 21 of 22 field goal attempts and scored 44 points. Some regard this as the greatest ever offensive performance in American college basketball. The Walton-led 1971-1972 UCLA basketball team had a record of 30-0, in the process winning its games by an average margin of more than 30 points,one of the greatest college basketball teams of all time. He was the backbone of two consecutive 30-0 seasons and was also part of UCLA's NCAA record 88 game winning streak. (Ironically, discounting its losses to Notre Dame to begin and end the streak, UCLA won 133 consecutive games, as the Bruins won 45 in a row before a previous UCLA team led by Sidney Wicks lost to Notre Dame and Austin Carr. Walton still admits the loss to Notre Dame's Coach Digger Phelps to end the 88-game streak bothers him more than any other loss in his career.)

Bill Walton was the 1973 recipient of the James E. Sullivan Award as the top amateur athlete in the United States. Walton also received the USBWA College Player of the Year and Naismith College Player of the Year as the top college basketball player in the country three years in a row while attending UCLA, at the same time earning Academic All-American honors three times. Some college basketball historians rate Walton as the greatest who ever played the game at the college level.

Source:Wikipedia

X Sidney Wicks

He played professionally in the NBA from 1971 to 1981. He attended Alexander Hamilton High School in Los Angeles, California, but because of poor grades in high school, he had to go to Santa Monica Junior College for a year until he could go to his favorite College, UCLA. (Ironically, Wicks was later to earn Academic All-America honors at UCLA in 1971.) A 6'8" power forward/center, Wicks was a star at UCLA, leading the Bruins to three straight NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championships from 1969 to 1971, and being named the Most Outstanding Player of the Final Four in 1970. The Portland Trail Blazers then selected Wicks with the second pick of the 1971 NBA Draft, and after averaging 24.5 points and 11.5 rebounds, Wicks was named NBA Rookie of the Year. Wicks played for nine more seasons as a member of the Trail Blazers, Boston Celtics, and San Diego Clippers, and though he was never able to match the same level of production he achieved as a rookie, he had a solid career, appearing in four NBA All-Star Games. After retiring in 1981, he served as an assistant coach at UCLA.

Source:Wikipedia

X Pete Maravich

When he took the court for his first freshman game at LSU, a large crowd turned out to see what all the fuss was about.

In those days, freshman players didn't play with the varsity squad. So, after Maravich put up 50 points, 11 assists, and 11 rebounds on Southeastern Louisiana College, the crowd got up and went home, ignoring the varsity game. And so it would go the rest of the season, as LSU's freshman squad lost only one game, while the varsity team won only three.

Noted for his mop of brown hair and droopy socks , Maravich scored more points in college than any other player in history. In only three years playing for his father Press Maravich at LSU, Maravich scored 3,667 points — 1,138 points in 1968, 1,148 points in 1969 and 1,381 points in 1970 while averaging 43.8, 44.2 and 44.5 points per game. In the process, "Pistol Pete" set 11 NCAA and 34 Southeastern Conference records, as well as every LSU record in points scored, scoring average, field goals attempted and made, and free throws attempted and made, and assists. In his collegiate career, the 6' 5" (1.96 m) guard averaged an incredible 44.2 points per game in 83 contests and led the NCAA in scoring three times. He also set an NCAA record by scoring more than 50 points 28 times. He was named a three-time All-American and still holds many of these records, more than 35 years later. Notably, his 3,667 points don't factor in the 741 he scored his freshman year, or the fact that they played without a three-point line.

Maravich was a three time first team All-American and was named The Sporting News' player of the year in 1970, and received the USBWA College Player of the Year and Naismith Award as well. He scored a personal record of 69 points versus Alabama during a game that year, and garnered numerous other awards and college records.

Maravich shone on the court and LSU slowly turned around a lackluster program. The year before he arrived, the varsity posted a 3-20 record. In Pete's senior season, LSU was 20-8 and participated in the NIT, where they were defeated by Marquette 101-79 in the semi-finals. Pete Maravich is the best player in the history of college basketball who never played in the NCAA tournament.

Source:Wikipedia

X Lew Alcindor

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (born Ferdinand Lewis Alcindor, Jr. on April 16, 1947 in New York City, New York, United States) typically referred to as Lew Alcindor in his younger days, he changed his name when he converted to Islam.

Heavily sought by collegiate basketball programs, he played for the UCLA Bruins from 1966 to 1969 under coach John Wooden, contributing to the team's three-year record of 88 wins and only two losses (at the time freshmen were not eligible for varsity athletics). During his college career he was twice named Player of the Year (1967, 1969), was a three-time First Team All-American (1967-69), played on three NCAA Basketball champion teams (1967, 1968, 1969), was honored as the Most Outstanding Player in the NCAA Tournament (1967, 1968, 1969), and became the first-ever Naismith College Player of the Year in 1969. In 1967, 1968 he also won USBWA College Player of the Year which later became Oscar Robertson Trophy.

The dunk was disallowed from college basketball after the 1967 season, primarily because of Lew's dominance of the sport.

While playing for UCLA, he suffered a scratched left cornea on January 12, 1968 at the Cal game. He would miss the next two games against Stanford and Portland. This happened right before the momentous game against Houston. His cornea later would be scratched again during his pro career and he would then wear goggles for protection.

Source:Wikipedia

X Cazzie Russell

Russell played college basketball at the University of Michigan, where he led the Wolverines to three consecutive Big Ten Conference titles (1964-66) and to Final Four appearances in 1964 and 1965. In 1966, Russell averaged 30.8 points per game and was named the College Basketball Player of the Year. Crisler Arena, which opened in 1967, has been dubbed The House that Cazzie Built. Russell's number 33 jersey has been retired by the Wolverines.

Russell spent twelve seasons in the NBA (1966-1978), and is best remembered for his five seasons with the New York Knicks (1966-71). Russell was the NBA's first draft pick in 1966, and was named to the 1967 All-Rookie Team. He was later part of the famous 1970 Knicks team that won the NBA championship over the Los Angeles Lakers. Russell played in the 1972 NBA All-Star Game while with the Golden State Warriors.

In 1981, he returned to pro basketball as a coach in the Continental Basketball Association for the Lancaster (Pa.) Lightning. He guided his team to that league championship that season. During the playoffs, with his team depleted by injuries, Russell came out of retirement and played for the Lightning in the final game of the league championship series, played in Lancaster, PA.

As of the 2005-2006 basketball season, Cazzie Russell coaches basketball at the Savannah College of Art and Design.

Source:Wikipedia

X Bill Bradley

Bradley was born in Crystal City, Missouri to Warren Bradley, a banker, and Susie Crowe.[1] Bradley began playing basketball in fourth grade. He was a basketball star at Crystal City High School, scoring 3,068 points in his scholastic career and twice being named an All-American. With stellar academic credentials as well, he received 75 scholarship offers.

The 6' 5" (1.96 m) Bradley chose Princeton University, even though Ivy League colleges could not offer athletic scholarships. At Princeton, Bradley was a three-time All-American and the 1965 National Player of the Year. With Bradley in tow, the Tigers captured the Ivy League championship in each of his three varsity seasons. During his sophomore campaign, Bradley averaged 27.3 points and 12.2 rebounds a game while hitting 89.3 percent of his free throws. Among his greatest games was a 41-point effort in an 80-78 loss to heavily favored Michigan in the 1964 Holiday Festival (Bradley fouled out with his team leading 75-63), and a 58-point outburst against Wichita State in the 1965 NCAA tournament, which was a single game record. In total, Bradley scored 2,503 points at Princeton, averaging 30.2 points per game. In 1965, Bradley became the first basketball player chosen as winner of the prestigious James E. Sullivan Award, presented to the United States' top amateur athlete in the country.

Source:Wikipedia

X Walt Hazzard

After attending Overbrook High School in Philadelphia, Hazzard went to UCLA, where he became an important player on the varsity basketball team. In Hazzard's first season on the varsity squad, the UCLA Bruins made their first Final Four appearance in the 1962 post-season, losing to the University of Cincinnati team in the semi-finals. UCLA's undefeated season, 1963-64, was in no small part due to Hazzard, his backcourt partner Gail Goodrich, and the team's coach John Wooden. The team also won the NCAA Championship, and Hazzard was selected by the Associated Press as the tournament's Most Valuable Player. Hazzard was chosen as an All-American and also selected as College Player of the Year by the United States Basketball Writers Association (USBWA).

Hazzard earned a spot on the 1964 Olympic basketball team for the U.S., which won the gold medal.

Source:Wikipedia

X Art Heyman

A 6'5" guard/forward, Heyman starred for Duke University in the early 1960s, where he scored 1,984 career points and averaged 25.1 points per game. As a senior in 1963, he earned the AP National Player of the Year award, the ACC Player of the Year award, the Oscar Robertson Trophy, and the NCAA Tournament Most Outstanding Player award (even though Loyola University Chicago actually won the tournament).

Heyman's success in college led to his being selected first in the 1963 NBA Draft by the New York Knicks. During his first season with the team, he averaged 15.4 points per game and made the league All-Rookie Team. His playing time with the Knicks decreased during his second year, however, causing his scoring average to drop to just 5.7 points per game. Heyman parted ways with New York in 1965, and after brief stints with the Cincinnati Royals and Philadelphia 76ers, he left the NBA for the American Basketball Association in 1967. He played in the ABA for the next three seasons, winning a league championship with the Pittsburgh Pipers in 1968. Heyman retired from basketball in 1970 with 4,030 combined NBA/ABA points.

Heyman is now a member of the Duke Sports Hall of Fame and the Jewish Sports Hall of Fame. His Duke jersey number #25 was retired in 1990.

Source:Wikipedia

X Jerry Lucas

Offered more than 150 athletic scholarships, it appeared Lucas might choose Adolph Rupp's legendary Kentucky program, but he instead chose more-local Ohio State - which was not well-known for basketball at the time. Lucas insisted on an academic scholarship also, as he was nearly a straight-A student and already known for his intelligence and memory. Ohio State had also recruited three-sport star John Havlicek and Columbus-area star Mel Nowell that year, and promoted Fred Taylor to varsity coach. When the three star recruits became sophomores in 1959 (freshman were then ineligible for varsity college sports), they teamed with junior Larry Siegfried to form a basketball juggernaut that would go 78-6 over three NCAA seasons. Lucas was the team's clear star, leading the nation in shooting accuracy all three years, and in rebounding twice . He led Ohio State to three straight NCAA Finals. (Future coaching legend Bobby Knight was a reserve player.) They were national champions in 1960, and had just one loss in 1961. The 6-9, 240-pound (2.06 m, 109 kg) Lucas was All-American all three years, Big Ten Player of the Year all three years, and was named ahead of all college and pro athletes to be Sports Illustrated "Sportsman of the Year" in 1961. He was considered the greatest college player ever upon graduation, and remains the only player ever to record 30 points and 30 rebounds in the same NCAA Tournament game. Off-court, Lucas struggled with his remarkable fame. After his sophomore year and the Olympics, he married and moved off-campus to avoid the considerable media attention. The Buckeyes went undefeated all three years on their home floor, St. John Arena, 1960-62, during the varsity years of Lucas, Havlicek and Nowell. All five starters from the 1960 champions ( Lucas, Havlicek, Nowell, Siegfried and Joe Roberts ) were drafted to play in the NBA, then with just nine teams and eleven players per team. Lucas, Havlicek, Taylor and Knight have all been inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame. Lucas's #11 became the first uniform number to be retired by Ohio State University, ahead of the school's many football legends.

Source:Wikipedia

X Oscar Robertson

Oscar Palmer Robertson (born November 24, 1938 in Charlotte, Tennessee), nicknamed "Big-O," is a retired American NBA player who played with the Cincinnati Royals and the Milwaukee Bucks. The 6-foot-5, 210-pound Robertson played the guard position, and is a twelve-time All-Star, eleven-time member of the All-NBA Team and one-time winner of the MVP award. He is the only player in NBA history to average a triple-double for an entire season, is regarded as one of the best and most versatile NBA players of all time,[2] and was also a key player on the team which brought the Bucks their only NBA championship in the 1970-71 NBA season.

Soruce:Wikipedia