Great MU Collegiate careers, but lacking pro success

[dgies9156]

Maurice Lucas, Dwyane Wade, Wes Matthews.

Wes Matthews -- The jury is out

DWade -- yeah right

Maurice Lucas -- Probably one of the best MU players ever. All-Star, beloved in Portland and a great guy. Rest in Peace, Mo. You are outta your mind!

[brewcity77]

Wes Matthews -- The jury is out

DWade -- yeah right

Maurice Lucas -- Probably one of the best MU players ever. All-Star, beloved in Portland and a great guy. Rest in Peace, Mo. You are outta your mind!

Teal, bro...teal.

[bakjoi]

George Thompson and Dean Meminger

[4everwarriors]

I'd flip that.  Doc Rivers had a better NBA career than MU career in my opinion.

Absolutely, and that was essentially due to the fact that the talent surrounding Doc here was so bad that he had to do virtually everything, including jump center. BTW, DWade's NBA career is infinitely better than what he showed at MU also. That's easily attributed to the poor head coaching he got while here.

[mosarsour]

Wes Matthews -- The jury is out

DWade -- yeah right

Maurice Lucas -- Probably one of the best MU players ever. All-Star, beloved in Portland and a great guy. Rest in Peace, Mo. You are outta your mind!

Yeah...what was he thinking. 

[brewcity77]

Absolutely, and that was essentially due to the fact that the talent surrounding Doc here was so bad that he had to do virtually everything, including jump center. BTW, DWade's NBA career is infinitely better than what he showed at MU also.

Isn't that amazing? I mean, Wade was a consensus All-American (though only 2nd team according to the NABC) but didn't win player of the year. If you look at the other guys on the first team, none are even close to him. Collison, the player of the year, hasn't been awful but is little more than a role-player. TJ Ford, David West, and Josh Howard have all been pretty good pros, but none are the superstar that Wade is. The only other guy close to him in terms of college players from 2003 is Carmelo, who is also a superstar, but I would still say a definite step below Wade in terms of accomplishments.

The guy played two years here and is widely regarded as one of if not the best player in school history and his pro career has been vastly better. I'd have to think that if they made another all-time top 50 list for the NBA, Wade would be on it. How far he's come is truly remarkable.

[WarriorHal]

Another on the positive side--Jerome Whitehead. He had a good three years at MU on tremendous teams and then had a long and productive career in the NBA.

[ChicosBailBonds]

Absolutely, and that was essentially due to the fact that the talent surrounding Doc here was so bad that he had to do virtually everything, including jump center. BTW, DWade's NBA career is infinitely better than what he showed at MU also. That's easily attributed to the poor head coaching he got while here.

Teal is your friend.  You should use it.  Or you should tell him so he stops giving that head coach so many props and wearing the shorts of the school he now coaches.   

[ChicosBailBonds]

Isn't that amazing? I mean, Wade was a consensus All-American (though only 2nd team according to the NABC) but didn't win player of the year. If you look at the other guys on the first team, none are even close to him. Collison, the player of the year, hasn't been awful but is little more than a role-player. TJ Ford, David West, and Josh Howard have all been pretty good pros, but none are the superstar that Wade is. The only other guy close to him in terms of college players from 2003 is Carmelo, who is also a superstar, but I would still say a definite step below Wade in terms of accomplishments.

The guy played two years here and is widely regarded as one of if not the best player in school history and his pro career has been vastly better. I'd have to think that if they made another all-time top 50 list for the NBA, Wade would be on it. How far he's come is truly remarkable.

I think that's 100% attributable to where he played.  That award usually goes to someone from a major conference program or a program that has been doing well for a long time consistently. 

I'd also ask how much better could Wade get at MU, seriously.  He was already all-world and had three other future NBA guys on the team.  He was not a selfish player, he got them all involved.  The pro game also allows him to do things he couldn't in college.  Against uw-madison he had 2 fouls when he took his first breath...in the NBA with the star treatment, he needs to mug someone to get two fouls. Wider lanes, more spacing, etc, etc...the NBA game is ideal for someone like Wade because of the way that game is played...which is a different type of basketball game than college.

[bamamarquettefan]

This is a great post - thanks!  I finally tried to systematically answer it on crackedsidewalks, but please always keep in mind:

4500 D1 college players every year plus many in Europe
About 50 new spots a year for NBA?
Just making it is incredible.
Averaging double figures is for the truly elite (7 in MU history)
Among those who don't average double figures, don't disregard what an accomplishment it is to be good enough to play 400 games, even if as a defensive specialist like McIlvaine and Tony Smith

That being said, I believe Jerel had the greatest college career of any MU player not to play in an NBA game yet.

[Lennys Tap]

I think that's 100% attributable to where he played.  That award usually goes to someone from a major conference program or a program that has been doing well for a long time consistently. 

I'd also ask how much better could Wade get at MU, seriously.  He was already all-world and had three other future NBA guys on the team.  He was not a selfish player, he got them all involved.  The pro game also allows him to do things he couldn't in college.  Against uw-madison he had 2 fouls when he took his first breath...in the NBA with the star treatment, he needs to mug someone to get two fouls. Wider lanes, more spacing, etc, etc...the NBA game is ideal for someone like Wade because of the way that game is played...which is a different type of basketball game than college.

100% attributable to where he played? LOL. Usually the POY is from a "Big Six" conference because, well, that's where most of the good players go. Since Wade, Jameer Nelson (St Joes), Andrew Bogut (Utah) and Jimmer Fredette (BYU) have been named POY. If these guys can be POYs from mid majors, why not a top 5 NBA star?

[Marqevans]

I'd flip that.  Doc Rivers had a better NBA career than MU career in my opinion.

Have to agree Jim Chones, although a good NBA player, would be in my top 10 to ever put on a Marquette uniform.  His jump to the pros during the tournament was the most devasting thing to hit campus!

[4everwarriors]

Jimmy actually left MU in February 1972 following the Warriors' victory at home vs. Jacksonville.