Since Lute Olsen took over as coach of the Arizona Wildcats in the eighties, the program has transformed from mediocrity to one of the elite in men’s basketball.

It took the Wildcats until their third Final Four appearance before they finally brought home the national title in 1997. In a Wildcat vs. Wildcat matchup, Arizona defeated the defending champ Kentucky. It is interesting to note that as the fourth seed Arizona was the only team in the final four that was not the number one seed from their conference. Prior to playing Kentucky, Arizona had to go through North Carolina, who they beat 66-58, effectively sending Dean Smith, the winningest coach in college basketball history, into retirement earlier than he had hoped.

As of the 2007 NCAA tournament, Arizona had appeared in 26 NCAA Tournaments, and four Final Fours, and earned the one NCAA championship. While the overall stats may not rank as impressive as other legendary men’s college teams, as of the completion of the 2007 tournament, the Wildcats has two impressive streaks going – 20 consecutive 20-win seasons and NCAA tournament appearances in 23 straight years, the latter being the longest active streak, only a few years short of North Carolina’s record of 27 years.

Some Wildcats that would go on to becoming NBA stars include Damon Stoudamire, Andre Iguodala and Richard Jefferson – all of whom played under Lute Olsen.

Scripted by Derek Allen

]]> http://watchmojo.com/index.php?id=6124 Sat, 08 Mar 2008 14:52:53 -0500 http://blip.tv/file/get/WatchMojo-DukeBlueDevilsGreatestCollegePrograms785.flv ]]> Greatest NCAA College Basketball Programs of All Time: Duke Blue Devils

With 3 NCAA Championships, and 14 Final Four appearances in its storied history, its hard to deny the Duke Blue Devils a spot amongst the best men’s college basketball programs.

It took until the 1990s for Duke to earn its first championship, however coach Vic Bubas led the team to three Final Fours and four ACC championships in the sixties. After another unsuccessful Final Four appearance with Bill Foster at the helm, legendary coach Mike Krzyzewski took over in 1981. Since the eighties, Coach K has built up a Duke program that has become arguably the most dominant team in the NCAA tournament. Since 81 and as of the 2007 tournament, Duke had made it to an unbelievable 10 Final Fours, winning three championships.

In the 1992 tournament elite eight, Coack K’s crew took part in what many fans consider the greatest college game ever. The team led by Christian Laettner and Grant Hill saw themselves down by 1 point with 2.1 seconds left against the Kentucky Wildcats. After a timeout, Hill chucked it to a heavily defended Laettner who drained a shot just as time ran out to earn a berth in the Final Four where they eventually would eventually repeat as champions.

The championships and the big plays may say enough, but the Blue Devils have more to back up their spot up near the top. As of the completion of the 2007 tournament, Duke was the program with the fourth most wins in college basketball, over 70 Blue Devils have been drafted in the NBA, and nine players have been named National Player of the Year. JJ Redick and Jason Williams each received the honour twice.

Scripted by Derek Allen

]]> http://watchmojo.com/index.php?id=6122 Sat, 08 Mar 2008 14:40:19 -0500 http://blip.tv/file/get/WatchMojo-UniversityOfKansasJayhawksGreatestCollegePrograms733.flv ]]> Greatest NCAA College Basketball Programs of All Time: University of Kansas Jayhaws

After being coached by the inventor of the game, James Naismith, it comes as no surprise that the University of Kansas men’s Jayhawk squad is ranked among the elite in college basketball. Naismith was the first coach of the Jayhawks beginning way back in 1898, but as of 2007 remains KU’s only coach to post a losing record and that means no coach has experienced a losing record in over a century.

Despite only winning two national championships – one in 1952 and one in 1988, Kansas has remained one of the most dominant programs in college history. As of the 2007 tournament, some of Kansas’ accomplishments include – a record seven conference titles since the Big 12 came to be in 1996, fourth place in NCAA tournament appearances with 36 and the best win-loss record in the 1990s at 286-60. During the 90s from 1994 to 1998, the Jayhawks went on a 62 game home winning streak. In fact, in those years, three players went a perfect 58 and 0 at home during their careers at Kansas University.

The inventor of the game is not the only big name to take the reigns of the Jayhawk team. In 1907, Phog Allen accepted the job, and would continue coaching college basketball for nearly 40 years. Despite it still being early in the history of the NCAA, Allen is regarded by many as the “Father of Basketball Coaching,” having passed on his knowledge to future coaching greats Adolph Rupp, and Dean Smith among others. Allen was still at the helm of the program in 1952 when Kansas won their first NCAA title. It should be noted however that prior to there being an NCAA title, Kansas was awarded the Helm’s Foundation National Championship in both 1922 and 1923 as the best team in the country; an award not recognized by the NCAA.

Some of the biggest past and present names to go through the Jayhawk program include Wilt Chamberlain, Paul Pierce, and Drew Gooden.

Scripted by Derek Allen

]]> http://watchmojo.com/index.php?id=6113 Fri, 07 Mar 2008 23:33:20 -0500 http://blip.tv/file/get/WatchMojo-BillWaltonUCLABruinsGreatestBasketballPlayers659.flv ]]> Greatest NCAA College Basketball Careers of All Time: Bill Walton

Bill Walton was born November 5, 1952 in La Mesa, California. He would stay close to home upon entering college playing under John Wooden at UCLA from 1971 to 1974. In his first season as a Bruin, Walton led the team to a 30-0 record, while beating each team by an average of 30 points. They followed that season with another perfect 30 and 0 year in 1972-73 taking home the national championship both years. As a team, Walton and UCLA went on a record-setting 88 game winning streak during that same span.

Walton was the backbone of the early 1970’s Bruin dynasty. A dynasty that is considered one of the most dominating, if not the most, to ever play college basketball. As the team’s leader, he would take home the award for top amateur athlete in the United States, the USBWA College Player of the Year and Naismith College Player of the year honors. In the National championship game in 1973, the big man shot 22 for 23 from the field and racked up 44 of the Bruins’ 87 points in their win over Memphis State. A performance that many hail as the greatest offensive performance in American college basketball history.

Before graduation Walton would add two more championships leaving his record with a perfect 4 for 4 and extending UCLA’s run to 9. UCLA’s domination of the NCAA halted at ten consecutive championships. Bill Walton is considered a key figure in UCLA’s unprecedented run.

Walton would enter the NBA viewed as the savior and number one draft pick for the Portland Trail Blazers. After two injury-ravaged seasons, Walton would pluck the Blazers from the bottom of the barrel all the way to the NBA championship.

Scripted by Derek Allen

]]> http://watchmojo.com/index.php?id=6109 Fri, 07 Mar 2008 23:11:11 -0500 http://blip.tv/file/get/WatchMojo-LarryBirdIndianaStateSycamoresGreatestBasketballPlayers890.flv ]]> Greatest NCAA College Basketball Careers of All Time: Larry Bird

Larry Bird was born on December 7, 1956, and grew up in Indiana. In a small town called French Lick, Bird’s picture still hangs at the high school where he left as the all-time leading scorer, on a street that is now called Larry Bird Boulevard.

In 1974, Bird received a scholarship at Indiana University, one of the premier college basketball programs in the country. Under coach Bobby Knight, Bird was at first overwhelmed by the University scene and quickly dropped out to head back home. Shortly after he would enroll at Indiana State. An important rivalry began in college for Bird. In his senior year, Bird would lead his Indiana State Sycamores all the way to the NCAA tournament finals, however it was here where he would meet and lose to Magic Johnson and the Michigan Spartans. However, in 1984 Bird would get his revenge. He helped lead the Boston Celtics to an NBA championship over Johnson and the Los Angeles Lakers.

At Indiana State in 1979, Bird would lead the Sycamores to a 33 and 1 record, at the same time individually winning the USBWA College Player of the Year, the Naismith and the Wooden awards. When he left Indiana State for what would be a Hall of Fame NBA career, Bird was the fifth highest scorer in NCAA history. He averaged 30.3 points over the three-year span of his collegiate career.

Scripted by Derek Allen

]]> http://watchmojo.com/index.php?id=6108 Fri, 07 Mar 2008 18:01:14 -0500 http://blip.tv/file/get/WatchMojo-LewAlcindorKareemAbdulJabbarUCLABruinsGreatestBasketba777.flv ]]> Greatest NCAA College Basketball Careers of All Time: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

Ferdinand Lewis Alcindor was born in Harlem, New York in 1947. From an early-age Alcindor (who would later change his name to Kareem Abdul Jabbar) excelled at basketball, even leading his high school team to a 72-game winning streak and an overall record of 96 and 6.

Abdul-Jabbar went on to play for UCLA for college. Upon leaving the Bruins, Abdul-Jabbar held a remarkable number of individual records, most of which still stand to this day. Impressive, not only because UCLA has one of the most legendary basketball programs, but also because in his period freshmen were not even allowed to play. The Bruins only lost one game in each season Abdul-Jabbar played from 1967 to 1969, which led him to an overall record of 88 and 3 during his collegiate career.

In his three years playing as a Bruin he led the team to three consecutive championships, while setting records in a number of categories. On February 25, 1967, Abdul-Jabbar lit up for 61 points versus Washington State setting the record for most points in a game, as well as most field goals in a single game at 26. In that same 67 season, Abdul-Jabbar set season records in points, at 870, in scoring average, at 29, and in field goals and free throw attempts. Upon leaving the NCAA, Abdul-Jabbar also held the record for highest career scoring average at 26.4 points per game.

Not only was Abdul-Jabbar dominating, he also took part in some legendary games throughout his career. On January 20, 1968, the Bruins took on the Houston Cougars in the first-ever nationally televised regular season college basketball game. The Cougars snapped UCLA’s 47 game winning streak in what is still named by many as the game of the century. However, in the semi-finals of the NCAA tournament that same year, Abdul-Jabbar would lead his Bruins in a rematch with Houston, beating them convincingly 101-69.

Despite being offered one million dollars from the Harlem Globetrotters, Abdul-Jabbar entered the 1969 NBA draft where he was picked first-overall by the Milwaukee Bucks. In his first-year, Abdul-Jabbar took home Rookie of the Year honors after ranking second in scoring and third in rebounding.

Scripted by Derek Allen

]]> http://watchmojo.com/index.php?id=6098 Fri, 07 Mar 2008 16:08:42 -0500 http://blip.tv/file/get/WatchMojo-MichaelJordanUniversityOfNorthCarolinaTarheelsGreatest591.flv ]]> Basketball College Careers of Greatest NBA Players of All Time: Michael Jordan

Born in Brooklyn, New York, but raised in North Carolina, Michael Jordan played baseball, football and basketball throughout high school. During his sophomore year, Jordan was in fact cut from the varsity team for being too short, however in his senior year he was an All-American, all the while averaging a triple double.

Jordan earned a scholarship to the University of North Carolina, where he quickly proved his potential becoming the Atlantic Coast Conference’s Freshman of the Year. In that first season as a Tar Heel, Jordan helped James Worthy lead the team into the NCAA Finals against Patrick Ewing and the Georgetown Hoyas. Jordan would hit the shot in the final seconds to give North Carolina the 63 to 62 victory and North Carolina its 2nd championship. Jordan went on to describe this game-winning shot as the major turning point in his basketball career.

In his junior season, Jordan would win just about every trophy they could give away, receiving honors such as USBWA College Player of the Year, Naismith College Player of the Year and the Adolph Rupp Trophy. However, without Worthy Jordan would n ever win another NCAA title, finishing in the elite eight and sweet sixteen in the 2 following years.

In 1984, Jordan would begin his legendary pro-career with the Chicago Bulls, where he would go on to win 6 NBA championships.

Scripted by Derek Allen

]]> http://watchmojo.com/index.php?id=6095 Fri, 07 Mar 2008 15:46:09 -0500 http://blip.tv/file/get/WatchMojo-TimDuncanWakeForestUniversityDemonDeaconsGreatestBaske675.flv ]]> Basketball College Careers of Greatest NBA Players of All Time: Tim Duncan

Born in the U.S. Virgin Islands in 1976, believe it or not, Tim Duncan first strived to be an Olympic swimmer. It was not until grade nine when Duncan began playing basketball. After initial awkwardness because of his above average size, Duncan began to use his size and power to dominate, garnering attention from many universities.

Duncan eventually chose Wake Forest and struggled at first, even being held scoreless in his first college game. However, in that same year his simple, effective play began to prove useful for the Demon Deacons, who finished the 93/94 season with a 20 and 11 record.

By his sophomore year, Duncan was being heralded as one of the most promising NBA prospects along with other college players Rasheed Wallace and Jerry Stackhouse. He would, in fact, meet up with Rasheed Wallace’s Tar Heels in his sophomore year for the ACC Championship title. By neutralizing Wallace, Duncan was able to lead Wake Forest over North Carolina in overtime.

Despite only making it to the Sweet Sixteen, Duncan was named Defensive Player of the Year, while averaging stats per game of 16.8 pts, 12.5 rebounds and an incredible 3.98 blocks.

In the 1995-96 season, Duncan was the undisputed leader of Wake Forest leading his young team to an impressive record, only losing 4 times in the entire ACC season. However, after coming down with the flu in the Sweet Sixteen, Duncan was not able to lead his team any closer to the final four.

Adhering to his late mother’s wishes, Duncan remained in college for a fourth year and earned his degree despite being rumored to enter the NBA Draft early. It would be another frustrating campaign for Duncan and Wake Forest in 96-97, however individually Duncan had another impressive campaign, wining Defensive Player of the Year for an unprecedented third year in a row, as well as taking home honors USBWA and Naismith College Player of the Year honors. He averaged 20.8 points, 14.7 rebounds and 3.2 assists in his senior season.

In his 4 years at Wake Forest, Duncan proved his well-rounded skills and NBA potential by becoming one of only ten players to leave NCAA basketball with more than 2,000 points, 1000 rebounds, 400 blocked shots, and 200 assists.

In the 1997 NBA Draft, the San Antonio Spurs would draft Duncan first overall. Here, along with continuing individual success, Duncan would finally capture a championship by defeating the New York Knicks in the 1999 NBA Finals.

Scripted by Derek Allen

]]> http://watchmojo.com/index.php?id=6090 Thu, 06 Mar 2008 22:17:22 -0500 http://blip.tv/file/get/WatchMojo-GreatestCoachesUniversityOfNorthCarolinaTarheelsCoachDea793.flv ]]> Vote for the Top Coach here.

Greatest NCAA College Basketball Coaches of All Time: Dean Smith

Basketball legend Dean Smith was born in Kansas in 1931. During his college years at Kansas University, Smith played basketball, baseball and football, and was a part of the Jayhawks 1952 NCAA basketball championship team, under the father of basketball coaching, Phog Allen.

After being recruited by Frank McGuire to be his assistant coach at North Carolina in 1958, Smith would take over the team in 1961. After several rough years, Smith would eventually develop North Carolina into one of the strongest programs in men’s college basketball.

Dean Smith’s Tar Heels appeared in 11 Final Fours and won two championships, in 1982 and 1993 respectively. From 1961 to 1997, Smith would earn National Coach of the Year honors four times, while helping develop future greats such as Michael Jordan and 24 other first round NBA draft picks. Other than coaching the 1976 Men’s Olympic Gold Medal team in 1976, Smith would also be recognized for developing some terrific coaching talent, including former players Larry Brown and Roy Williams.

Some accomplishments that Smith retired with include most Division I 20-win seasons with 30, second most final four appearances - sitting only behind John Wooden, and most coaching wins of all-time at 879, a record which stood until Bob Knight surpassed it in 2007. Interesting to note that up until 2007, Smith and Knight were also the only two NCAA championship coaches who were also NCAA champions as players.

Scripted by Derek Allen

]]> http://watchmojo.com/index.php?id=6088 Thu, 06 Mar 2008 21:43:31 -0500 http://blip.tv/file/get/WatchMojo-GreatestCoachesMikeKrzyzewskiOfTheDukeBlueDevils841.flv ]]> Vote for the Top Coach here.

Greatest NCAA College Basketball Coaches of All Time: Mike Krzyzewski

Head coach of the Duke Blue Devils since 1980, Mike Krzyzewski or simply Coach K, was born in 1947 in Chicago, Illinois. While attending the United States Military Academy, Krzyzewski captained the Army basketball team in his senior season.

After resigning from the Army in 1974, Krzyzewski would accept an assistant position under Bob Knight with the Indiana Hoosiers. Following a successful season there, Krzyzewski would accept the head coaching job at the Military Academy, his alma mater while still in his twenties. In 1980, his tenure at Duke University would begin, one of the most successful in college basketball history.

While Duke had had some success in the past – including four Final Four appearances, they had never won a NCAA Championship. It was under Coach K, that the program would thrive and become a serious threat in men’s college basketball.

As of 2007, Krzyzewski had led the Duke Blue Devils to 10 Final Four Appearances, as well as a stint of five straight between 1988 and 1992. Duke has won three NCAA titles under Coach K – in 1991, 1992 and 2001 respectively.

Some of the most impressive accomplishments in Krzyzewski’s era include three Naismith College Coach of the Year Awards, an induction in to the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2001 (even while still coaching), and being labeled America’s Best Coach by Time Magazine and CNN in 2001 – an award that was not limited to basketball.

Krzyzewski all-time coaching record, as of the conclusion of the 2006-07 season, stood at 775 and 261, or a 0.744 winning average. After his major success at Duke and helping develop talent like Christian Laettner, Shane Battier and Grant Hill, Krzyzewski has been offered NBA coaching positions in Boston, Portland and for the Los Angeles Lakers, however each time has turned down the offer.

Krzyzewski successful tenure and popularity at Duke has earned him an open contract at Duke to coach as long as he wants to. As of 2007, seven of Krzyzewski’s former players or assistant coaches had went on to head coaching jobs, and former players Billy King and Danny Ferry became general managers in the NBA.

Scripted by Derek Allen

]]> http://watchmojo.com/index.php?id=6123 Sat, 08 Mar 2008 14:48:14 -0500 http://blip.tv/file/get/WatchMojo-IndianaHoosiersGreatestCollegePrograms919.flv ]]> Greatest NCAA College Basketball Programs of All Time: Indiana University Hoosiers

Since Assembly Hall opened in 1971, the Indiana Hoosiers has ranked near the top for college basketball attendance. Much of the popularity surrounding the Hoosier squad began in that same year when Bobby Knight began his tenure as head coach.

Playing in the Big Ten Conference, where it has intense rivalries dating way back with both Purdue and Kentucky, Indiana as of 2007 had won their Conference Regular Season Championship 20 times, and made 32 NCAA tournament appearances – the fourth most of any team.

In those 32 appearances, the Hoosiers have made it to the Final Four eight times and won the NCAA title five times. Branch McCracken would coach the IU squad to their first two titles – in 1940 and 1953 respectively winning National Coach of the Year in both years as well. It would take over 20 years before Indiana saw another championship. The successful, yet controversial Knight would lead the Hoosier squad to three titles during his tenure. Just like McCracken, Knight would receive National Coach of the Year honors for each year his team won – 1976, 1981, and 1987.

After Knight’s extreme temper lead to his firing in 2000 after nearly 30 years as head coach, players protested to transfer unless Mike Davis, Knight’s former assistant, was named head coach. The players got what they wanted and Davis would coach the team to their 6th championship game in 2002, however it would be the first final the Hoosiers would make it to and lose.

One interesting note is that despite the success of the Indiana Hoosiers squad over the years, they managed to achieve most of it without future NBA stars – with Isiah Thomas being the major exception.

Scripted by Derek Allen

]]> http://watchmojo.com/index.php?id=6118 Sat, 08 Mar 2008 14:19:12 -0500 http://blip.tv/file/get/WatchMojo-MichiganStateSpartansGreatestCollegePrograms259.flv ]]> Greatest NCAA College Basketball Programs of All Time: Michigan State Spartans

With ten regular season Big-Ten Championships, six Final Four appearances and two national championships, including three straight from 99 to 2001, the Michigan State Spartans have been a strong force in college basketball dating way back.

With big names like Magic Johnson and Mateen Cleaves, who each respectively carried their team to the NCAA title, the Spartans have appeared in 23 NCAA tournaments, which places them ninth in college basketball as of 2007.

Arguably the most famous game the Spartan squad has appeared in was the 1979 NCAA Final versus the Indiana State Sycamores, or simply called “Magic vs. Bird.” The fresh rivalry between Magic Johnson and Larry Bird began that night where Magic and his Spartans prevailed over the undefeated Sycamores 75 to 64.

In 2000, under Tom Izzo, the Spartan squad won their second championship, this time against the Florida Gators. Mateen Cleaves followed Magic Johnson’s lead being named the Most Outstanding Player for the tournament.

As of 2007, five former players have had their jerseys retired along with Cleaves and Johnson. From 2000-2007, Michigan State was, in fact, tied with North Carolina having the most first round NBA draft selections coming from their program at six.

Scripted by Derek Allen

]]> http://watchmojo.com/index.php?id=6101 Fri, 07 Mar 2008 16:26:32 -0500 http://blip.tv/file/get/WatchMojo-HakeemOlajuwonUniversityOfHoustonCougarsGreatestBasketb527.flv ]]> Basketball College Careers of Greatest NBA Players of All Time: Hakeem Olajuwon

Born in Nigeria in 1963, it was not until 1980 that Hakeem Olajuwon would move to the United States. Obviously playing in Nigeria, there was not heavy U.S. college recruiting being done, however, after Guy Lewis, coach of University of Houston heard about Olajuwon’s power and skill, he was recruited to be a Cougar.

In his freshman year, Olajuwon practiced with the team, however did not receive much playing time. After an off-season spent playing and training with NBA legend Moses Malone, Olajuwon would become a different player and a leader at University of Houston.

Beside Clyde Drexler, Olajuwon and the Cougars would be dubbed Phi Slamma Jamma, for their explosive, above the rim play. Olajuwon would help lead the Cougars to the NCAA championship game in 1983, where they would lose to North Carolina. However, despite the loss Olajuwon would be named NCAA Tournament Player of the Year. After the 83 season, Drexler left the University of Houston for the NBA, leaving Olajuwon as the main go-to guy for the Cougars.

Behind Olajuwon, the Cougars would reach the NCAA Championship Game again the following year, in 1984. However, they would come up short, this time against Patrick Ewing’s Georgetown Hoyas.

In 1984, Olajuwon would leave the University of Houston for the NBA, where he would become the number one draft pick for the Houston Rockets. Olajuwon would later be named one of the 50 greatest NBA players of all-time.

Scripted by Derek Allen

]]> http://watchmojo.com/index.php?id=6094 Fri, 07 Mar 2008 15:34:15 -0500 http://blip.tv/file/get/WatchMojo-WiltChamberlainKansasJayhawksGreatestBasketballPlayers658.flv ]]> Basketball College Careers of Greatest NBA Players of All Time: Wilt Chamberlain

Wilt Chamberlain was born in Philadelphia to a family of nine. After becoming a young star track and field athlete, Chamberlain shifted focus to basketball upon entering high school. At nearly 7 feet, Chamberlain established himself as one of the most dominant high school players ever.

Over 200 universities pursued the center, however Chamberlain chose University of Kansas and began his college career on the freshman Jayhawk team in 1955. Even though freshmen were not allowed to play varsity during Chamberlain’s era, he lead his young squad with 52 points and 29 rebounds to start the season in an exhibition versus the Kansas varsity team, who were, in fact, favored to win their conference.

In 1956-57 playing varsity, Chamberlain led his Jayhawk varsity squad to the NCAA finals versus North Carolina. In an attempt to control Chamberlain’s dominance, North Carolina would triple team him throughout the night and go on to win the championship in triple overtime. Despite losing, Chamberlain’s skills were evident enough to earn him the Final Four MVP.

The double and triple teams continued the following year for Chamberlain and frustrations built up. In his junior year Kansas did not even reach the NCAA tournament. Even though he averaged strong numbers of 29.9 points and 18.3 rebounds in his two years as a Jayhawk, Chamberlain decided he would rather be paid to be double and triple teamed every night. He left before finishing his senior year and because the NBA would not accept players who had not finished their studies, Chamberlain became a Harlem Gobetrotter for the huge sum of $50,000. Chamberlain made his NBA debut in 1959 for the Philadelphia Warriors winning the NBA Rookie of the Year and NBA MVP in that first year.

Scripted by Derek Allen

]]> http://watchmojo.com/index.php?id=6092 Thu, 06 Mar 2008 22:35:54 -0500 http://blip.tv/file/get/WatchMojo-GreatestCoachesAdolphRupp609.flv ]]> Vote for the Top Coach here.

Greatest NCAA College Basketball Coaches of All Time: University of Kentucky Wildcats Coach Adolph Rupp Video Biography

Born just after the turn of the century, Adolph Rupp would attend the University of Kansas, where he would play under legendary coach Phog Allen. After coaching high school wrestling and basketball, Rupp would eventually accept the head coaching job at the University of Kentucky in 1930.

By building his teams of local well-developed talent, Rupp’s Wildcat squad would become a powerful force in college basketball appearing in the NCAA tournament 20 of the years he coached from 1930 to 1972. During that span he built up a record of 876 wins and 190 losses or an 82% winning percentage, which, as of 2007, ranked him second all-time. During a ten-year span beginning in 1948, Rupp would win four NCAA titles. While he would not win anymore official championships in his career, the four titles place him second all-time, only behind John Wooden.

Rupp’s legacy and winning tradition at Kentucky saw 29 players earn All-American honours, 30 went on to play professionally, and 5 have been named to the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame.

After being forced into mandatory retirement in 1972 because of Kentucky law, Rupp would have short stints in the front office of two American Basketball Association teams.

A Hall of Fame inductee himself, and a four time National Coach of the Year, Rupp would be honoured shortly before his death in 1976 when the University of Kentucky opened the 24,000 seat Rupp Arena.

Scripted by Derek Allen

]]> http://watchmojo.com/index.php?id=6091 Thu, 06 Mar 2008 22:25:29 -0500 http://blip.tv/file/get/WatchMojo-GreatestCoachesBobKnight973.flv ]]> Vote for the Top Coach here.

Greatest NCAA College Basketball Coaches of All Time: Bob Knight

With his coaching success sometimes overshadowed by his hot temper, Bob Knight was born in 1940 in Ohio. A reserve on the 1960 NCAA National Champion Ohio state Buckeyes, Knight would graduate in 1962, and shortly after at the young age of 24 accept the head coaching position at the United States Military Academy.

In his six years at Army, Knight would coach future NCAA hall of fame coach Mike Krzyzewski and lead the team to a 102 win and 50 loss record.

After being noticed as a rising star in the coaching ranks, Knight would begin his storied Indiana University career in 1971. Throughout the next 30 years, Knight’s Hoosier squad would thrive as one of the top programs in the country. Indiana would win three national titles – in 1976, 1981, and 1987 respectively. The 1976 squad went undefeated for the season, and are, in fact, the last Division I team to achieve this, as of 2007.

As successful as coach Knight’s tenure was at Indiana, his explosive temper led to his dismissal during the 2000 season, after allegations of player abuse surfaced. However, Knight would not be unemployed for long. In 2001, Texas Tech hired Knight as their head coach. Knight quickly improved the Texas squad, leading them in his first year to their first NCAA tournament since 1996.

It was during his tenure at Texas Tech that Bob Knight would achieve one of his biggest individual accomplishments. On January 1, 2007, Knight won his 880th career game, surpassing Dean Smith’s record for the most wins by an NCAA coach. Knight would retire from coaching in 2008 with a career record of 902 wins and 371 losses.

While never accepting a professional gig in his career, Knight did coach the 1984 men’s Olympic team to gold in Los Angeles – a team that featured a young Michael Jordan fresh out of the University of North Carolina.

Scripted by Derek Allen

]]> http://watchmojo.com/index.php?id=6089 Thu, 06 Mar 2008 22:05:39 -0500 http://blip.tv/file/get/WatchMojo-GreatestNCAACollegeBasketballCoachesOfAllTimeJohnWooden700.flv ]]> Vote for the Top Coach here.

Greatest NCAA College Basketball Coaches of All Time: UCLA's John Wooden

Unarguably one of the most storied and successful college basketball coaches of all-time, John Wooden was born in Indiana in 1910. Throughout his high school and college basketball playing careers, Wooden was an All-American.

After WWII Wooden began coaching college basketball first for Indiana State in 1946. That first year, Wooden’s Sycamores would receive an invitation to the National Association of Intercollegiate Basketball’s national tournament after winning the conference title. However, because of the NAIB’s ban of African American players, Wooden would not accept the team’s invitation to the championship. Following this incident, the policy would be changed and the following year, Wooden would lead his group all the way to the finals, however here they would fall to Louisville.

Heading West from Indiana, Wooden would begin his legendary campaign at UCLA. Often called, the Wizard of Westwood, Wooden would coach the Bruin squad from 1948 to 1975. Here, he extended his coaching record to over 80% and an overall collegiate record of 671 wins and 161 losses. After 15 straight winning seasons under Wooden, UCLA would finally win their first NCAA national title. That would be far from the last. The team would repeat in 1965, before going on a seven-year streak beginning in 1967. By the end of Wooden’s career as UCLA coach, he would lead the team to an unheard of 10 national championships. No other men’s college coach has won more than four national championships, and no other program has won more than 7, as of 2007.

If that wasn’t enough, Wooden was at the helm for four perfect 30 and 0 seasons, and a run of 38 straight victories in the NCAA tournament. This span of UCLA success was marked by the presence of Lew Alcindor (Kareem Abdul Jabbar), and then Bill Walton, two of the greatest college players of all-time.

Scripted by Derek Allen

]]> http://watchmojo.com/index.php?id=6121 Sat, 08 Mar 2008 14:28:32 -0500 http://blip.tv/file/get/WatchMojo-UniversityOfKentuckyWildcatsGreatestCollegePrograms451.flv ]]> Greatest NCAA College Basketball Programs of All Time: University of Kentucky Wildcats

Originally the Cadets, the University of Kentucky officially were renamed the Wildcats in 1909. After a football game against the University of Illinois, a faculty member claimed the team fought like wildcats and the name stuck.

The men’s basketball program is considered to be one of the elite in the NCAA having won a total of seven NCAA championships as of 2007. This, in fact, ranks them second only to UCLA who has won 11 championships. Certainly most successful was the span when Adolph Rupp was at the helm of the Wildcat organization. During his 41 years in Kentucky, the Wildcats won four championships – in 1948, 1949, 1951, and 1958. In 1966, Rupp’s Wildcats would make it all the way to the Finals once again, however they would lose to a Texas Western team coached by Don Haskins. The improbable win over Kentucky by Texas Western is one of the most famous games in college basketball history and the subject of the book and Disney movie, Glory Road.

Through the completion of the 2007 tournament, Kentucky had a total of 1,948 all-time wins making it the most winningest men’s college program in the United States. The Wildcats are also the leaders in all-time winning percentage at an incredible .762.

Since 1976, the Kentucky Wildcats have played their home games at Rupp Arena. Despite the official capacity of the arena being 23,000, in 2007 and most seasons since the early 90s Kentucky has led the nation in home court attendance with 23,324 spectators.

The Kentucky program has developed some of the best basketball talent from the United States. Former Wildcat players Tayshaun Prince and Jamaal Magloire went on to successful NBA careers, future NBA player and coach Pat Riley played under Rupp in the 1960’s and the 1996 Championship Kentucky team contained nine players who would eventually play in the NBA. Incredibly two years later, now with Tubby Smith as the head coach, Kentucky would be national champions again. It would be the fist time in over 20 years that a team would win without having a First team All American or a future NBA Lottery Pick on the team.

Scripted by Derek Allen

]]> http://watchmojo.com/index.php?id=6120 Sat, 08 Mar 2008 14:23:43 -0500 http://blip.tv/file/get/WatchMojo-LouisvilleCardinalsGreatestCollegePrograms129.flv ]]> Greatest NCAA College Basketball Programs of All Time: University of Louisville Cardinals

Arguably the college basketball program of the 1980s, the University of Louisville had the best NCAA tournament record during that decade. During which the Cardinals made it to four Final Fours, winning two of them – in 1980 and 1986.

However, despite winning their two only national championships as of 2007 in that span, their superior play has not been limited to the 80s. Through their history, U of L has a tradition of continued success, winning 15 conference tournament championships and earning 33 NCAA tournament berths, which sits them 6th overall, following the completion of the 2007 tournament.

The Louisville Cardinals has had over 50 players in their history score more than 1,000 points during their college careers ranking them up at the top with North Carolina.

In over 50 seasons playing at Freedom Hall, the Cardinals have incredibly kept up a winning percentage of over 80%. With seating for over 18,000, Louisiana has been top five in college basketball for home attendance for 22 years straight years.

Consistently one of the most profitable NCAA programs in the nation, Louisville regularly earns a net annual revenue of over $15 million.

As of 2007, Louisville had produced eighteen All-Americans however few went on to play a significant role in professional basketball.

Scripted by Derek Allen

]]> http://watchmojo.com/index.php?id=6117 Sat, 08 Mar 2008 14:15:27 -0500 http://blip.tv/file/get/WatchMojo-UniversityOfNorthCarolinaTarheelsGreatestCollegePrograms778.flv ]]> Greatest NCAA College Basketball Programs of All Time: University of North Carolina Tarheels

With four championships and 24 Conference Tournament titles as of 2007, the North Carolina Tar Heels are rarely unnamed in lists of top men’s college basketball programs. UNC is perhaps best known for producing Michael Jordan, however other future stars that have donned the baby blue uniform include James Worthy, Vince Carter and Rick Fox.

Despite being awarded Helms National Championship after an undefeated season, the Tar Heels won their first official NCAA title in 1957. However, it was Dean Smith who would solidify North Carolina as a college basketball powerhouse. In his 30 years at the head of University of North Carolina, Smith coached the team to the most wins of any NCAA coach in history, a record that stood until 2007. Smith was at the helm for North Carolina’s second and third NCAA titles. However, it was no easy ride. It took Smith seven Final Four Appearances before winning his first NCAA title in 1982, a game where Michael Jordan hit the game-winning shot against Patrick Ewing’s Georgetown squad. 11 years later Smith reached the promise land once again, this time defeating Michigan in the final, a game famous for Chris Webber’s notorious phantom time-out call which resulted in a technical foul and UNC’s third national title.

As of 2007, North Carolina had added one more NCAA title to its all-time count, this time coming in 2005 under head coach Roy Williams.

Some of the most impressive college basketball streaks are owned by the North Carolina Tar Heels. After the 2007 NCAA tournament, UNC held onto the record for the most consecutive NCAA tournament appearances at 27, a streak which ended in 2001. The program also can boast the second longest streak of winning seasons at 37, which sits only behind UCLA’s 54.

The University of North Carolina is the biggest rival of the Duke Blue Devils. A rivalry that is emphasized by the two universities being located only eight miles apart from each other. Many consider it to be the most intense rivalry in all of sports.

Scripted by Derek Allen

]]> http://watchmojo.com/index.php?id=6116 Sat, 08 Mar 2008 14:10:01 -0500 http://blip.tv/file/get/WatchMojo-UCLABruinsGreatestCollegePrograms228.flv ]]> Greatest NCAA College Basketball Programs of All Time: UCLA Bruins

Since 1965 Pauley Pavillion has been home to the legendary UCLA Bruins men’s basketball program. With 11 NCAA Championships, UCLA is the most successful program in the history of NCAA basketball, with Kentucky trailing them with 7 championships.

During John Wooden’s time as the head coach of the Bruins, the school enjoyed an amazing 10 national titles, including 7 in a row from 1967 to 1973. No basketball program, let alone coach has won close to as many championships as Wooden. However, it was more than national championships that piled up for Wooden and UCLA during that era, the records did as well. After the completion of the 2007 NCAA tournament, UCLA still held onto many of them.

From 1971 to 1974, the Bruins went undefeated for 88 straight regular season games. From 1967 to 1976, the Bruins made it to 10 consecutive Final Fours, and during their legacy years, UCLA torched the competition for an incredible 38 game winning streak in NCAA Tournament play. During the glory years, Wooden was privileged to have future hall of famers Kareem Abdul Jabbar (then Lew Alcindor), and Bill Walton lead his team on the court.

Despite the improbable streak of success in the 60s and early 70s, the Bruins would have to wait 20 years to earn another NCAA Championship after the departure of John Wooden in 1975. In 1995, with Jim Harrick as head coach, UCLA would defeat the University of Arkansas and take home their 11th NCAA title. In recent years under Ben Howland, UCLA has returned to their dominant ways, however as of 2007 they have not been able to add a 12th NCAA title to their school’s list of accomplishments.

Scripted by Derek Allen

]]> http://watchmojo.com/index.php?id=6115 Sat, 08 Mar 2008 14:05:52 -0500 http://blip.tv/file/get/WatchMojo-UniversityOfConnecticutHuskiesGreatestCollegePrograms807.flv ]]> Greatest NCAA College Basketball Programs of All Time: University of Connecticut Huskies

While the University of Connecticut may have only appeared in two Final Fours, what is impressive is the fact that in both those years – 1999 and 2004, they won the national championship.

The 1990 season pushed the UConn Huskies to national attention, and as a serious threat in college basketball. What became known as the “Dream Season,” The Huskies were unranked during the preseason, however would end up winning the Big East Regular Season and Tournament Championships. After a buzzer-beater in the sweet sixteen stage over Clemson, the Huskies would eventually lose in overtime to Duke with a berth in the Final Four on the line.

The nineties proved successful to coach Jim Calhoun and the Connecticut Huskies as they won three more Big East Tournament Championships, however it wasn’t until 1999 that they made it to the Final Four. Nearly a decade after Duke denied them a spot in the final four, UConn got their revenge defeating the Blue Devils 77 to 74.

The rivalry with Duke did not end there. During UConn’s 2004 championship run, they had to go through a strong Duke squad in the National semi-final, barely squeezing by them 79 to 78 despite being down by nine with under five minutes to go. That victory would set up a match with Georgia Tech in the Final who they handled easily 82 to 73.

Through the years, 33 Huskies have been drafted to the NBA upon completion of the 2007 NCAA season. As of 2008, the University of Connecticut had 14 active players in the NBA, which ranks them first amongst all colleges. These NBA players are not just benchwarmers either; Emeka Okafor, Ray Allen and Richard Hamilton are just a few of the names in that company.

Scripted by Derek Allen

]]> http://watchmojo.com/index.php?id=6114 Fri, 07 Mar 2008 23:38:34 -0500 http://blip.tv/file/get/WatchMojo-BillRussellUOfSFDonsGreatestBasketballPlayers532.flv ]]> Greatest NCAA College Basketball Careers of All Time: Bill Russell

Born February 12, 1934 in Louisiana, Bill Russell was a late bloomer when it came to basketball. Cut from his junior high team, it wasn’t until his later high school years where he began to show potential as a quality basketball player.

The University of San Francisco was the only school to offer Russell a sports scholarship. In 1954, USF coach Phil Woolpert became the first coach to place three African Americans on the starting lineup, which would forever leave Russell’s imprint on college basketball history. However, that was not the only reason. During a string of 55 consecutive victories, Russell led USF to championships in both 1955 and 1956. He was a defender, a shot blocker, and not to mention a track and field star. He was once ranked as the seventh best high jumper in the world.

It was his numbers on the basketball court that everyone would remember though. During his college years he averaged 20.7 points per game and 20.3 rebounds per game. He was responsible for the “Russell Rules,” which were changes that widened the lane from six to twelve feet, forcing centers to play further from the basket. UCLA’s legendary coach John Wooden even went so far as to claim Russell as quote “the greatest defensive man I’ve ever seen.”

After an unsuccessful attempt to lure Russell by the Harlem Globetrotters, he would join the Boston Celtics as what coach Red Auerbach called, his team’s missing link. In that first year with the added defensive dominance of Russell, the Celtics would earn their first NBA championship.

Scripted by Derek Allen

]]> http://watchmojo.com/index.php?id=6112 Fri, 07 Mar 2008 23:25:13 -0500 http://blip.tv/file/get/WatchMojo-ChristianLaettnerDukeBlueDevilsGreatestBasketballPlayer909.flv ]]> Greatest NCAA College Basketball Careers of All Time: Christian Laettner

Born in 1969 in New York, Christian Laettner is probably best known for his game-winning shot in the 1992 NCAA Tournament, however there is a lot more behind his college years as a Duke Blue Devil.

Laettner is the only player to start in four consecutive final fours, which led him to the record for most tournament games played. The only way that record would ever be topped was if an individual made it to four straight NCAA finals. As a Blue Devil, Laettner helped lead his team to four final four appearances, thee finals and two NCAA championships.

In the NCAA tournament Laettner holds four records (as of 2007) including most points scored at 407, as well as most free throws attempted and made. However, what made Laettner’s career the most memorable was the dramatic 104-103 win over Kentucky in the 1992 Tournament. In what is hailed by many as the greatest college basketball game ever played, Laettner hit the buzzer-winner thus completing a perfect game. He went 10 for 10 for field goals and 10 for 10 from the free throw line. The praises rolled in. For that year, he earned (from ESPN) the ESPY award for outstanding performance under pressure, College Basketball Play of the Year, Laettner himself was named ESPY Outstanding College Basketball Performer of the Year. As recently as 2007, the play was named the most memorable basketball shot of all-time by the Best Damn Sports Show Period.

In 1992, Duke retired Laettner’s number 32. Through out his years as a Blue Devil he averaged 16.6 points and 7.7 rebounds while leading Duke with a staggering 48.5 percent behind the three point line.

Off the Duke court, Laettner was the only college player on the original U.S.A. dream team at the 1992 Olympics where he suited up next to the likes of Larry Bird, Magic Johnson and Michael Jordan.

In the NBA, Laettner was drafted by Minnesota third overall only behind future superstars Shaquille O’Neal and Alonzo Mourning. Laettner never developed into the star that many expected him to after his impressive college career, however he was a solid addition to many teams during his 13 year NBA career.

Scripted by Derek Allen

]]> http://watchmojo.com/index.php?id=6111 Fri, 07 Mar 2008 23:20:11 -0500 http://blip.tv/file/get/WatchMojo-DavidThompsonNorthCarolinaStateWolfpackGreatestBasketba842.flv ]]> Greatest NCAA College Basketball Careers of All Time: David Thompson

Born in North Carolina in 1954, David Thompson became known as Skywalker early in his basketball career for his amazing 48 inch vertical leap. Playing for North Carolina State, Thompson lead his team to a perfect 27 and 0 season in 1973, however were not eligible for the NCAA tournament. In the following season, NC State and Thompson rolled on to a NCAA Championship, even taking down the legendary UCLA program in the final.

Thompson was best known for his high-flying above the rim game. The alley-oop was a major part of NC State’s offense, and many still consider Thompson and teammate Monte Towe as the inventors of the exciting play. Perhaps more interesting was that Thompson played during a time when the slam dunk was in fact outlawed due to the “Lew Alcindor” rule. Despite his enormous leap, Thompson only had one dunk in his collegiate career, a play that he was quickly assessed a technical foul for and removed from the court by coach Norm Sloan.

Thompson played his collegiate career in the Atlantic Coast Conference, the same ACC that was home to players like Michael Jordan, Tim Duncan and Christian Laettner, however Thompson is still regarded by most experts as the best to ever grace the conference.

Other accolades for Thompson include USBWA Player of the Year for 1974, AP National Player of the year for 1974 and 1975, as well as MVP for the NCAA tournament in 1974 after NC State took down Marquette in the finals.

Perhaps most telling of the impact Thompson had on college basketball is that Michael Jordan claims Thompson as the player he looked up to as a role model during his younger years.

Upon graduating from NC State, Thompson became the number one draft pick in both the ABA and NBA. Claiming the Atlanta Hawks seemed “uninterested,” he chose to team up with the Denver Nuggets of the ABA.

Scripted by Derek Allen

]]> http://watchmojo.com/index.php?id=6110 Fri, 07 Mar 2008 23:15:08 -0500 http://blip.tv/file/get/WatchMojo-JerryLucasOhioStateBuckeyesGreatestBasketballPlayers164.flv ]]> Greatest NCAA College Basketball Careers of All Time: Jerry Lucas

Born in Ohio in 1940, Jerry Lucas dominated basketball from an early age. He broke nearly every Ohio state high school record while leading his team to two undefeated seasons and two state championships. He became arguable the first high school player to be known coast to coast, even though television was still young in just the mid-fifties.

Scouts traveled thousands of miles to see Lucas play throughout high school and this led to him being offered a ridiculous 150 athletic scholarships. Choosing close-to-home Ohio State over Adolf Rupp and Kentucky, Lucas was a major factor in putting Ohio State on the map when it came to American collegiate basketball.

After Lucas finished his freshman season and was eligible for varsity, he went on to lead the team and nation in shooting accuracy for all three years he played. Teamed up next to John Havlicek, Ohio State would form a team that thrashed opponents and went on a 78 and 6 tear from 1960 to 1962. Lucas and the Buckeyes were national champions in 1960, and made it to the finals in his other two years. Consistently over his college career Lucas was named Big Ten Player of the Year and until 2008 was the only player to earn that honor three times. Also over his three college years Lucas was named an All-American, but perhaps most impressively in 1961 he outranked all college and pro-athletes as Sports Illustrated’s Sportsman of the Year.

Up until 2008, the 6-9, 240 pound center was the only player in NCAA tournament history to score 30 points while bringing down 30 rebounds in the same game.

Along with Havlicek and the other three starters, Lucas was drafted to the NBA. What makes this stat impressive is the fact that at the time there were only nine NBA teams with 11 players on each roster. Most experts still rank Lucas as the greatest player to play in the Big ten conference. However for Lucas the draft had come in 1957 while he was still in high school. The Cincinnati Royals had claimed Lucas as a territorial pick, however he did not decide to join the team until 1963 because of commitments with his post-graduate degree as well as a contract with George Steinbrenner and the Cleveland Pipers of the American Basketball League.

Scripted by Derek Allen

]]> http://watchmojo.com/index.php?id=6107 Fri, 07 Mar 2008 17:52:49 -0500 http://blip.tv/file/get/WatchMojo-EarvinMagicJohnsonMichiganStateSpartansGreatestBasketba517.flv ]]> Greatest NCAA College Basketball Careers of All Time: Earvin “Magic” Johnson

Earvin Johnson was born in 1959 in Lansing, Michigan. It was as early as 15, when Johnson would receive his nickname “Magic” after scoring a triple double as a sophomore on his high school team. Even though his highly religious mother considered the name blasphemous, it stuck.

Johnson decided to attend nearby Michigan State University, where he would play basketball under coach Jud Heathcote. Despite playing, Johnson had no desire to become a professional basketball player. He instead wanted to focus on communication studies and eventually become a TV commentator. Nevertheless, as a freshmen Johnson and the Spartans made it to the NCAA tournament after achieving a 25 and 5 record. While they would lose to Kentucky, the eventual champions, the following season they came back even stronger. As a sophomore, Johnson would switch between point guard and forward. This would prove to be a future tactic used in the NBA, as the oversized 6 foot 9 inch guard could not only handle the ball but dominate on the boards.

In his second NCAA season, Johnson and the Spartans would make it all the way to the Finals against Larry Bird and the Indiana State Sycamores. After leading his Spartans to a 75-64 victory, Johnson was named Most Outstanding Player of the Final Four. After only two years playing in the NCAA, Johnson would leave for the NBA with 1059 points and 471 rebounds over his career at Michigan State claiming he had achieved everything he wanted to in collegiate basketball.

Magic Johnson was the first overall pick in 1979 draft by the New Orleans Jazz, however, after trading the pick, he would end up as a Los Angeles Laker where he played every year of his pro-career.

Scripted by Derek Allen

]]> http://watchmojo.com/index.php?id=6106 Fri, 07 Mar 2008 17:46:02 -0500 http://blip.tv/file/get/WatchMojo-OscarRobertsonCincinnatiBearcatsGreatestBasketballPlayer914.flv ]]> Greatest NCAA College Basketball Careers of All Time: Oscar Robertson

Born in 1938, Oscar Robertson grew up in a segregated housing project of Indianapolis. Drawn to basketball instead of baseball, Robertson claimed he liked it because it was a poor man’s sport. Named as Indiana’s Mr. Basketball in 1955, Robertson averaged 24 points per game in his senior year of high school before enrolling at the University of Cincinnati.

That was just the beginning of a dominance of the game that just spiraled upwards. In all three years Robertson played college basketball, he won the NCAA scoring title, he was named an All-American and he was chosen College Player of the Year, all the while averaging an unconscious 33.8 points per game. Robertson set 14 NCAA records and 19 Cincinnati Bearcat records. He left college basketball as the NCAA’s leading scorer and held that crown until Pete Maravich blitzed through the NCAA over a decade later. The one thing missing from Robertson’s college career was a championship. He led Cincinnati to two Final Fours but never was able to hoist the trophy as a Bearcat. Decades later in 1998, the United States Basketball Writers Association would rename the Top Division I player award as the Oscar Robertson Trophy, seemingly appropriate considering he won the award the first two times it was ever presented.

Robertson was drafted by the Cincinnati Royals in 1960, where he was just 0.3 assists away from averaging a triple-double in his rookie season, however he did take home Rookie of the Year Honors.

Scripted by Derek Allen

]]> http://watchmojo.com/index.php?id=6105 Fri, 07 Mar 2008 17:37:43 -0500 http://blip.tv/file/get/WatchMojo-PeteMaravichLSUTigersGreatestBasketballPlayers940.flv ]]> Greatest NCAA College Basketball Careers of All Time: Pete Maravich

Born in 1947, Pete Maravich impressed his family and friends from an early age with his basketball skills. His father was a former pro turned coach who taught Pete all the fundamentals, often spending long days obsessively perfecting his skills in the driveway.

The practice paid off. They hype over Maravich was evident as large crowds filled the Louisiana State University’s gym starting in his first game for the freshmen squad. Freshmen were not allowed to play varsity in that era, so after Maravich lit up for 50 points, 14 boards and 11 assists, the crowd filed out and ignored the varsity game.

Like in the driveway, Maravich’s skills were perfected by Press Maravich, his father and coach of LSU. During the three years he played varsity, he became the leading scorer in college basketball history, averaging 43.8, 44.2 and 44.5 points respectively in each season. He graduated having scored 3,667 points which discount the 741 he scored his freshman year and the fact that in that era college basketball still did not include a three-point line. Another scoring record that Maravich obliterated was the most games scoring over 50 points. Maravich achieved this 28 times.

As a three time All-American Maravich holds onto many of the records that he set in the late 60’s. In fact, the player nicknamed Pistol Pete set 11 NCAA records, 34 Southeastern Conference records, as well as every single record at LSU pertaining to points scored, scoring average, field goals attempted and made, free throws attempted and made, and assists.

The 6’5” guard turned LSU from a 3 and 20 team the year before he played varsity to a 20-8 record in his senior year only three years later.

After being drafted by the Atlanta Hawks, Maravich would go on to an NBA career that still ranks as one of the top in the league history.

Scripted by Derek Allen

]]> http://watchmojo.com/index.php?id=6104 Fri, 07 Mar 2008 17:08:22 -0500 http://blip.tv/file/get/WatchMojo-BillBradleyPrincetonTigersGreatestBasketballPlayers773.flv ]]> Basketball College Careers of Greatest NBA Players of All Time: Bill Bradley

Born in Missouri in 1943, Bill Bradley began playing basketball in grade 4 and by high school he was a two-time All-American. Along with strong academic credentials, Bradley was offered 75 college scholarships.

Bradley chose Princeton despite the fact that as an Ivy League school they could not offer him an athletic scholarship. Not surprisingly with Bradley joining the squad, the Princeton Tigers would capture the Ivy League Championship every year Bradley played.

Bradley would average a double-double in his sophomore year, with 27.3 points and 12.2 rebounds and at the same time shoot nearly 90% from the free-throw line.

As a junior, Bradley would explode for 51 points versus Harvard, which was more than the entire opposing team scored for the game. In that season, Bradley set an Ivy League record by averaging 33.1 points per game.

In the 1964-65 NCAA season, the honours continued piling up for the senior. After leading Princeton to a third place ranking in the NCAA Tournament, Bradley shot for 58 points versus Wichita State in the third place consolation game. The Tigers had made it to their first Final Four in school history, where they lost to Michigan.

Bradley was a three-time All-American and the 1965 National Player of the Year. Perhaps the most impressive award for Bradley was becoming the recipient of the 1965 James E. Sullivan Award as the top amateur athlete in the United States.

Over his years at Princeton, Bradley scored 2,503 points and averaged just over 30 points per game.

Unlike most other college stars, Bradley did not immediately join the NBA. After finishing his studies at the prestigious Oxford University in England, Bradley played briefly in Italy before finally entering the NBA and joining the New York Knicks.

Scripted by Derek Allen

]]> http://watchmojo.com/index.php?id=6103 Fri, 07 Mar 2008 16:48:10 -0500 http://blip.tv/file/get/WatchMojo-DavidRobinsonNavyMidshipmenGreatestBasketballPlayers220.flv ]]> Basketball College Careers of Greatest NBA Players of All Time: David Robinson

David Robinson was born in Florida in 1965. In junior high school, Robinson would excel in everything except for basketball, because of his small size, however that would not be the case for long. By his senior year in high school, Robinson was 6 feet 7 and dominating on the basketball court.

Despite receiving little interest from universities, Robinson decided to attend the United States Naval Academy. At 6 foot 7, Robinson was not done growing. He would shoot up to 7 foot 1 inch by the time he left the Naval Academy. Interestingly, service academies generally prohibit enrollment to anyone over 6’8”, however because this growth occurred while at the Naval Academy, Robinson was not dropped.

In 1986, Robinson led the Navy squad all the way to the elite eight in the Division I NCAA tournament, and with a berth in the final four on the line, Duke beat Navy 71 to 50. In 1987, Navy would receive a berth in the NCAA Tournament once again, however this time they would not make it out of the first round, losing to Michigan this time around.

In his final two years at Navy, Robinson was a consensus All-American, and in 1987 won the Naismith Award, the Wooden Award and the USBWA College Player of the Year.

In 1987, Robinson was drafted first overall by the San Antonio Spurs. He would join the Spurs in 1989 after his Navy commitment, and help lead the team to a 35 game improvement over the previous season, all the while taking home Rookie of the Year honors.

Scripted by Derek Allen

]]> http://watchmojo.com/index.php?id=6102 Fri, 07 Mar 2008 16:41:02 -0500 http://blip.tv/file/get/WatchMojo-ElginBaylorSeattleUniversityRedhawksGreatestBasketballP273.flv ]]> Basketball College Careers of Greatest NBA Players of All Time: Elgin Baylor

Elgin Baylor was born in 1934 in Washington D.C. Throughout his younger years Baylor was a sports star, however academically he underachieved. This limited his possibilities for playing basketball in college. Baylor played for the College of Idaho for one season until they restricted scholarships. And finally in 1955, Baylor would become a Seattle University Chieftain.

At Seattle University, Baylor would instantly attract attention and put Seattle University on the map. In his sophomore season, his first at Seattle, Baylor averaged 29.7 points and 20.3 rebounds. The following season as an All-American, Baylor led his team to the NCAA Finals. Despite losing to Kentucky, Baylor was named the 1958 NCAA tournament Most Outstanding Player after leading the competition with 135 total points.

In Baylor’s two years at Seattle and one at the College of Idaho, he would average 31.3 points per game and become the most sought after player in the 1958 NBA Draft. Baylor was chosen first overall by the Minneapolis Lakers, who shortly after became the Los Angeles Lakers. Baylor was seen as the savior to the Laker franchise, after they had finished the previous season with a 19 and 53 record.

Scripted by Derek Allen

]]> http://watchmojo.com/index.php?id=6100 Fri, 07 Mar 2008 16:18:04 -0500 http://blip.tv/file/get/WatchMojo-IsiahThomasIndianaHoosiersGreatestBasketballPlayers594.flv ]]> Basketball College Careers of Greatest NBA Players of All Time: Isiah Thomas

Born in Chicago in 1961, Isiah Thomas’ skills were apparent from a very young age. In his biography, it states that as a three-year old Thomas would entertain crowds during halftime of his brother’s basketball games by slipping on a jersey and dribbling around the court.

Thomas began his collegiate career playing at Indiana University in 1979 under legendary coach Bob Knight. Over his two years as a Hoosier, Thomas would average 15.4 points and 5.7 assists. The numbers for Thomas’ NCAA career may have been far from remarkable; however his success and leadership differentiated him from the rest.

In his freshman year, as the second seed in the Mideast, Indiana advanced to the Sweet Sixteen before narrowly losing to Purdue 76 to 69.

As a sophomore, Thomas led his Hoosiers to a 47 and 17 record and a berth in the Final Four. In the 1981 NCAA Championship game, Thomas and the Hoosiers downed North Carolina by 13 points, 63 to 50. For the tournament, Thomas was named the Most Outstanding Player.

After winning the championship, Thomas decided to end his college career early for a chance in the NBA. Picked second overall by the Detroit Pistons, Thomas would go on to a Hall of Fame NBA career, even winning the NBA Finals MVP in 1990.

Scripted by Derek Allen

]]> http://watchmojo.com/index.php?id=6099 Fri, 07 Mar 2008 16:12:49 -0500 http://blip.tv/file/get/WatchMojo-JerryWestWestVirginiaUniversityMountaineersGreatestBask813.flv ]]> Basketball College Careers of Greatest NBA Players of All Time: Jerry West

Jerry West was born in West Virginia in 1938. In his high school years, he would dominate his opponents as he would throughout his career. In his senior year of high school he was named an All-American after becoming the first high school player in West Virginia to ever score 900 points in a single season.

Staying close to home, West would become a West Virginia University Mountaineer. As a sophomore, West would start all 28 games, shoot near 50% for the season from the field, and average a double-double.

As impressive as his sophomore campaign was, as a junior, things only got better. He would improve to 26.6 points per game, 12.3 rebounds per game, and 51.8% shooting percentage. West would obtain two impressive college highs during this season, blazing for 44 points versus Tennessee and 31 rebounds versus George Washington University.

In his final collegiate season, amazingly the improvements continued. West averaged 29.3 points and 16.5 rebounds per game. He was an all-American selection and Southern Conference tournament in every season he played for West Virginia. He managed a trip to the NCAA tournament finals once, where the Mountaineers lost.

West’s individual efforts throughout college would lead him to becoming the second overall pick in the 1960 NBA entry draft. As a Los Angeles Laker, West’s seemingly unlimited potential would turn him into a legend around the league and a staple of the franchise for decades to come.

Scripted by Derek Allen

]]> http://watchmojo.com/index.php?id=6096 Fri, 07 Mar 2008 15:50:49 -0500 http://blip.tv/file/get/WatchMojo-PatrickEwingGeorgetownHoyasGreatestBasketballPlayers551.flv ]]> Basketball College Careers of Greatest NBA Players of All Time: Patrick Ewing

Born and raised in Kingston, Jamaica, Patrick Ewing came to the United States where he and his family would settle in Massachusetts. After excelling at cricket and soccer back in Jamaica, Ewing would learn to play basketball at his American high-school.

In 1981, Ewing would begin playing under John Thompson at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. Starring on the varsity squad as a freshman, Ewing and the Hoyas would make it all the way to the NCAA Finals where they would meet up against James Worthy, a young Michael Jordan and a North Carolina team that would slip by them by a score of 63 to 62.

In Ewing’s junior year, he would lead his Hoyas to the Finals once again, this time against Hakeem Olajuwon’s University of Houston. The Hoyas would down Houston 84-75, and Ewing would take home Most Outstanding Player honors for the tournament. In his senior year, Ewing would reach the finals once again, this time as the number one ranked team in the nation. However, the unranked Villanova Wildcats team would shoot an unheard of 78.6 perfect from the field upsetting Georgetown 66-64.

Ewing would graduate in 1985 after being named first team All-American in three straight years. Despite only winning the one NCAA championship game in his junior year, Ewing goes down in history as one of the elite college players after leading his team to three NCAA Finals in his four years playing at Georgetown.

Because of the potential Ewing, and players like Karl Malone, would bring for an NBA team, the Draft Lottery was introduced in 1985 to prevent teams from deliberately losing games at seasons end. The New York Knicks won the draft lottery and went on to draft Patrick Ewing first overall.

Scripted by Derek Allen

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