What's your all-time Marquette team?

[Dr. Blackheart]

Is this simply meant as commentary, or as a vote? I need to know which 5 players make up your first team (and 2nd/3rd teams if you like) to count them in the results.

George over Mo.  Butch over Dean.

[Galway Eagle]

Rob Frozena enough said. 

[GGGG]

Seems to be a mix.  I picked mine based on their careers at MU (but admittedly limited by my personal time frame, which started with Meminger and Chones).

I think people who make picks like Wade over Butch or Dean are picking based on total careers.  Which is fine, but IMHO if that's the standard, Chris Crawford should be getting a lot more votes.

I'm basing my pick of Wade solely on his career at Marquette. 

[Herman Cain]

Chones
Lucas
Ellis
Wade
Lee

Kojis
Worthen
Thompson
Tatum
Meminger

Whitehead
Walton
Doc
Crowder
McNeil

*Terry Rand

I saw all of these guys play live, although Kojis was in the NBA. Not  really much difference between any of these teams. if we made a 4th and 5th team they would be very strong as well. I never saw Terry Rand play so can't put him on any list. According to Bill Russell he was fantastic and the best player he played against in college which is an indication of his strength as a player.

[GooooMarquette]

I'm on the same page in basing votes on a player's time at Marquette alone.

I chose Dwyane over Butch and Dean not because of his NBA success, but because of his all-around play. I think Wade was the better rebounder and distributor, a legitimate triple-double threat on just about any given night. Throw in the steals and blocks on defense, and Wade was a terror on both ends of the court. Just imagine what he would have done as a senior.

Now, both Wade and Lee were two-time All Americans — so I can see how you could pick Lee. But I don't think it's fair to assume recency bias in favor of Dwyane. His performance speaks for itself.

I have no problem with that - and agree what Wade was a fantastic college player.  The problem I have is with people who claim it was "wrong" to leave Wade off the first team, as though Wade was soooo much better that Lee wasn't even a worthy choice.  The only way I see that argument is if the poster was looking at the whole (pro) career, or if he never saw Lee play.

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

I decided to do a team of just players who were at Marquette in my lifetime. I don't feel qualified to accurately pick out guys from the pre-KO era.

First Team:
PG: Travis Diener
SG: Dwayne Wade
SF: Jae Crowder
PF: Steve Novak
C: Robert Jackson

Second Team:
PG: Tony Miller
SG: Jerel McNeal
SF: Lazar Hayward
PF: Damon Key
C: Jim McIlvaine

Third Team:
PG: Dominic James
SG: Darius Johnson-Odom
SF: Jimmy Butler
PF: Henry Ellenson
C: Amal McCaskill

Fourth Team:
PG: Aaron Hutchins
SG: Vander Blue
SF: Wesley Matthews
PF: Ron Curry
C: Chris Crawford

Honorable Mentions:
Brian Wardle
Luke Fischer

[GGGG]

I would swap Jackson and McIlvaine.  Mac was a hell of a center.

[dgies9156]

Having seen most of these guys since Al's day (and all but one of the retired uniform numbers), here is what I would do:

Guards:
DWade
Butch

These are the two best guards in Marquette history, period. Some would argue theya re the two best players in Marquette history. Both led us to final fours and Butch was the national player of the year. When the team struggled, he put us on his back. Dwade's game against Kentucky in the Minneapolis regional back in 2003 was Al McGuire's first miracle on the way to sainthood.

Forwards:
Maurice Lucas
Bo Ellis

Marquette made the national championship game twice. These guys were the reason why. Maurice Lucas was a 14-year NBA veteran and the core of our 1974 team. Look at 1975 when he left for the ABA. The impact of Bo on our team can never be underestimated. Look at the difference between the 1977 team and the 1978 team, when Bo had been graduated. That said, there have been so many good players at this position, including George Thompson, Bob Lackey, Larry McNeill, Earl Tatum, Scott Merritt, David Boone, Steve Novak, Jeral McNeal, Henry, Don Kojis, Bernard Toone, Wes Matthews and the list goes on that I could easily make an all-time team out of any one of these guys.

Center:
Jim Chones

The mere mention of this man's name evokes a sense of what might have been. No doubt he is among the five best players ever for Marquette and as much as the impact was from losing Bo and Mo, it was nothing compared to what happened when we lost Jim Chones to the ABA. He was something and towers above every other center we ever had. Ever.

Dgies Second team all-time Warriors

Guards
Glenn Rivers
Dean Meminger

Forwards
Earl Tatum
George Thompson

Center
Jerome Whitehead

Honorable Mention All-time Warriors

Guards
Lloyd Walton Phd
Tony Miller
Travis Diener
Jim Boylan
Sam Worthan
Dominic James

Forwards
Larry McNeill
Lazar Hayward
Ulice Payne
Jimmy Butler
David Boone
Scott Merritt
Steve Novak
Wes Matthews
Henry Ellenson
Bob Lackey (I loved watching this guy play. he was the meaning of Marquette)
Jae Crowder

Centers:
Robert Jackson
Davante "Au-to-ma-tic" Gardner
Tommy Copa
Jim MacIllvaine

[keefe]

Doc Rivers wasn't half the college player that Dean Meminger and Butch Lee were. Steve Novak wasn't in the same league as George Thompson, Mo Lucas, Earl Tatum and Don Kojis.

Doc wasn't a quarter the player of The Dream. In fact, I would put Lucky Lloyd and Worthen ahead of Rivers.

If it were between Dean and Butch I am not sure I could choose.

[keefe]

First 5: The Dream, Butch, Luke, The Destroyer, Chones.

Next 5: Lucky Lloyd, Wade, Bo, McNeill, Whitehead

The lack of respect here for McNeill is shocking.

[brandx]

The lack of respect here for McNeill is shocking.

I agree - probably due to the fact he only played two years. And while very good - not the equal of other two year players like Luke and Wade.

[dgies9156]

I agree - probably due to the fact he only played two years. And while very good - not the equal of other two year players like Luke and Wade.

Larry McNeill left in a cloud of smoke around whether he should have left or not. On top of that, when Chones left in 1972, the team became Larry's team to pick up and see what he could do with it. The results speak for themselves. We were good in those years, but we did not excel the way we did with Lucas, Ellis, Tatum, Toone, etc.

I loved Larry McNeill as a player. But he left too soon and he didn't leave a legacy here.

[Marcus92]

First 5: The Dream, Butch, Luke, The Destroyer, Chones.

Next 5: Lucky Lloyd, Wade, Bo, McNeill, Whitehead

The lack of respect here for McNeill is shocking.

Who is The Destroyer? I've followed Marquette basketball for more than 25 years and have never heard that nickname in reference to any player.

Found some basic stats on Larry McNeil and posted them on the first page of this thread.

Of the great Marquette players before my era, the 1977 team is the easiest to relate to. Because they won it all, they're more talked about and celebrated. Their national championship is a point of reference and pride for all MU basketball fans. I've watched their Final Four and title games multiple times. Bo has maintained strong connections with the program, including serving as an assistant coach.

For me, all-time greats like Meminger, Chones, Lucas, Thompson and Kojis are more pure legends. I know their names, team records and postseason accomplishments. But aside from maybe a few seconds of highlight video, I've never seen them play in a Marquette uniform. None of them probably get the attention or appreciation they deserve — and players at the next level like Larry McNeil only more so.

That's not a lack of respect on my part. I have great respect for the history of the program. But it's difficult to appreciate players you know little or nothing about.

[PGsHeroes32]

You could go with the best player at every position or build a team that would win the national championship. For example the best center would be Jim Chones, but if I think a team needs shot blocking I would go with Jim MacIlvanie. The best power forward in my opinion is Bo Ellis, but if I wanted a physical power forward I would go with Maurice Lucas. What complicates things for me is that the great players often played different positions in the pros. Wade 2g in college and point guard in pros. Butler forward in college 2g in pros. Lucas center in college power forward in pros. A national championsip needs defense, rebounding, shooting and ball handling. The best ball handler is Meminger the best passer is Worthen. Would a backcourt of Butch Lee and Wade work well together? Do you go with McGuire's theory that a center should be a rebounder and defender instead of a scorer or do you want the offense to focus on taking the ball inside.
Here is my starting team to win the national championship.
I have to take Ellis and Wade, so the other players have to fit in with them. I need outside shooters that could fit in athletically with these two. Okay this is my team to competer for NCAA title
C. Chones
PF Ellis
SF Tatum
SG Wade
PG Diener

Diener was not as good of a ball handler as Meminger, a passer as Worthen or defender as James, but he was a much better outside shooter and I know he teamed well with Wade.

Uhh Wade has always been a 2G lol

[4everwarriors]

#14
#3
#22
#20
#31



Ai na?

[Class71]

See this is only one time where the older folks have an advantage since they actually saw the players in action. Moreover, some players were just orders of magnitude better than there respective teams. Guys who defined carrying a team and who built the MU program with Al.

To find the best look in the rafters, many of the best had their jerseys retired for good reason.

[reinko]

Ners
Ners Jr.
Ners III
Ners IV
Ners V

[Newsdreams]

Ners
Ners Jr.
Ners III
Ners IV
Ners V

And they all dunk, hey?

[Lennys Tap]

#14
#3
#22
#20
#31



Ai na?

With #15, #24 and #43 first off the bench.

[bilsu]

Uhh Wade has always been a 2G lol

I only watched Miami in playoff games and Wade often had the ball in his hands. Whether he was listed as point guard or not he was initiating the offense. Especially when he led Miami to their first title and won the playoff MVP award.

[Herman Cain]

I only watched Miami in playoff games and Wade often had the ball in his hands. Whether he was listed as point guard or not he was initiating the offense. Especially when he led Miami to their first title and won the playoff MVP award.

I noticed the same thing. Some of the pocket passes he makes are incredible.

[🏀]

There's an interesting blend here, old guys putting their guys up and old guys that think Dwade played PG in the NBA.

Pretty much just shows the disconnect for me.

[Folks,,,]

I only watched Miami in playoff games and Wade often had the ball in his hands. Whether he was listed as point guard or not he was initiating the offense. Especially when he led Miami to their first title and won the playoff MVP award.

Just like the great point guard, Michael Jordan, who also often had the ball in his hands and initiated a lot of offense.

[Dawson Rental]

Ners
Ners Jr.
Ners III
Ners IV
Ners V

Ever seem 'em on the floor together?  They don't play, they all just keep trying to get the others to do what they want.

[muwarrior69]

Doc wasn't a quarter the player of The Dream. In fact, I would put Lucky Lloyd and Worthen ahead of Rivers.

If it were between Dean and Butch I am not sure I could choose.

No doubt Butch Lee was the best. That game in the '76 Olympics where he nearly single handedly beat Team USA clinches it for me. One of the best individual performances by a MU player. And I went to school with Dean.