Top 5 MU Players of All Time

[GoldenDieners32]

Tell me your guys' top 5 hoops players from MU. Don't base it on what they have done professionally strictly in college

[dgies9156]

Wade
Lee
Ellis
Lucas
Chones

[Earl Tatum]

Jim Chones
Butch Lee
Dwayne Wade
Bo Ellis
Lazar Hayward

[We R Final Four]

1. Terry Reason.


2-5. Enter name here.

[GoldenWarrior11]

Bane
Boylan
Frozena
Grimm
Jimmy Mac

[willie warrior]

1. George Thompson
2. Wade
3. Ellis
4. Kojis
5. Tie: Meminger, Bu. Lee, Chones, L. McNeil, Tatum

This is very difficult considering the many great players.

[muwarrior69]

How anyone can leave George Thompson off that list is beyond me.

Edit: not you Willie as you clicked just before me.

[Galway Eagle]

I thought Rand was supposedly the best of our two 1950s stars. I know kojis was great at rebounding but rand did both

[SaveOD238]

I've only been a fan since the mid 2000s, so this list comes with a recency caveat.  That said:

Wade
Butler
Matthews
Hayward
Novak

[wadesworld]

I've only been a fan since the mid 2000s, so this list comes with a recency caveat.  That said:

Wade
Butler
Matthews
Hayward
Novak

Diener should probably be above everyone else on this list except for Wade.  And I'd say DJO and Jae were better college players than Butler.  Maybe even better than Matthews, thanks to Coach Tom Crean holding that dude back.

[Lennys Tap]

Diener should probably be above everyone else on this list except for Wade.  And I'd say DJO and Jae were better college players than Butler.  Maybe even better than Matthews, thanks to Coach Tom Crean holding that dude back.

Butler was an incredibly clutch offensive player and MU's and a lockdown defender (he and DJ were our two best in the last 35 years. Wesley (thanks to Crean) and DJO were well behind him as college players. Travis and Jae were right there with him.

[fjm]

Wasn't no really payihg attention to MU until 2000 as well when I started looking at colleges:

Wade
Diener
Novak
Butler
Howard (dude is straight cash homie)

[JamilJaeJamailJrJuan]

Butler
Crowder
Wade
Hayward
DJO

Anything prior to 2008 I don't care too much about.  But Wade in there because, well, he probably deserves to be in there.

[Galway Eagle]

Started watching 08-09 so

McNeal
Hayward
Crowder
DJO
Butler

I think it's interesting that despite being pretty successful in the 90s almost nobody has put any of those guys on their list.

[DUNKS45]

Wade
Thompson
Lucas
Meminger
Lee and Bo

Very difficult because I'm older and have seen many great MU players, tough to leave Kojis out.

[Silkk the Shaka]

Strictly on peak performance, for those I have seen play:

Wade '03
Crowder '12
Novak '06
McNeal '09
Matthews '09

[NYWarrior]

Wade
Lee
Ellis
Kojis
Thompson

[LloydsLegs]

Started watching 08-09 so

McNeal
Hayward
Crowder
DJO
Butler

I think it's interesting that despite being pretty successful in the 90s almost nobody has put any of those guys on their list.

Interesting observation, BPB.  A few very goods (Mac, TMiller, Key, Hutch, Wardle, Anglivar), but no all-timey guys.  Not by a long shot.

Wojo era:  too soon
Buzz and Crean era: Wade (top 3); Diener, Novack, 3 Amigos and the JC group as arguable top 20 players.
90's: 0
80's: Doc (but not top 10 imo)
50's to 70's see above

[Tugg Speedman]

McNeal based on Stats at MU has to be on the list.

Those that pick Butler, Matthews, Doc, DJO, etc. are doing so because of what did they after MU, not at MU.

[wadesworld]

McNeal based on Stats at MU has to be on the list.

Those that pick Butler, Matthews, Doc, DJO, etc. are doing so because of what did they after MU, not at MU.

You know why other people are picking the players they list...how?

[Windyplayer]

Strictly on peak performance, for those I have seen play:

Wade '03
Crowder '12
Novak '06
McNeal '09
Matthews '09

Balgona dropped on 1/4/06. Fun read...

http://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/recap?gameId=260030269

[dgies9156]

How anyone can leave George Thompson off that list is beyond me.

I like George a lot, but compared to Lucas and Ellis, George is not quite in the same league. Bo and Mo led us to NCAA title games with the Butch and Bo show winning the 1977 NCAA Championship. Chones and Wade were the two best Warriors ever and Butch led us to an NCAA Championship was MVP of the 1977 NCAA Championship, plus a first team all-American.

Another point to keep in mind is the impact of these guys going pro. It was huge on our team each time.

Lucas -- 1974 to 1975, NCAA Championship in 1974, first round loss in 1975.
Chones -- 1972 undefeated season. Turned pro and a second round loss in the NCAAs.
Ellis -- 1977 National Champions. 1978, first round knock-out.
Lee -- 1978 Nationally Ranked in the Top 5, 1979, a big step down.
Wade -- 2002 Final Four; trying to get back ever since.

[Marqevans]

Have to agree with:

Lucas
Chones
Ellis
Lee
Wade

But if you said combined college and NBA careers take out Ellis and Lee and add Butler and Novak.

[Tugg Speedman]

Why no Vander Blue love?  It is because he has not broken through to the NBA?

(Wades ... it seems that most of these choices listed so far are more a result of "recency bias" and "bandwagon effect" than one's actual performance at MU.)

[Tugg Speedman]

Have to agree with:

Lucas
Chones
Ellis
Lee
Wade

But if you said combined college and NBA careers take out Ellis and Lee and add Butler and Novak.

More recency bias in suggesting Butler and Novak ....

Take out Ellis and Lee and add (take your pick) Doc, Kojis, Whitehead, Matthews, Meminger, and Tony Smith (who is better statistically in every category than Novak but is not "recent" so he is forgotten).