Lazar MU Hall of Fame

[Herman Cain]

Just wanted to point out this honor that Lazar earned, as there have been a lot of distractions this year. Lazar is one of  MU's all time greats and sometimes doesn't get enough recognition for his accomplishments. Hoping he can find his way to playing in the TBT at some point in the future.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lgzfYG4dokM

[Galway Eagle]

Well deserved outside of stepping on the line against Mizzou. He invented Crowder before Crowder was Crowder. I still think if he was coached right he would've been more successful in the NBA. Still wear the old Converse 32 jersey to games And correct everyone who think it's a crowder jersey that it's a Lazar Jersey.

[Lennys Tap]

Well deserved outside of stepping on the line against Mizzou. He invented Crowder before Crowder was Crowder. I still think if he was coached right he would've been more successful in the NBA. Still wear the old Converse 32 jersey to games And correct everyone who think it's a crowder jersey that it's a Lazar Jersey.

Love Lazar, congrats to him on a very well deserved honor. But he didn't "invent" Crowder. They played the same position, true. Both were great, also true. But Jae was a good deal better.

[Galway Eagle]

Love Lazar, congrats to him on a very well deserved honor. But he didn't "invent" Crowder. They played the same position, true. Both were great, also true. But Jae was a good deal better.

I respectfully disagree. Maybe efficiency stats can prove me wrong but as I recall I looked it up once and their numbers were scary similar.

[mumi27]

I respectfully disagree. Maybe efficiency stats can prove me wrong but as I recall I looked it up once and their numbers were scary similar.

Yeah Jae being a "good deal better" than Lazar simply isn't true and I don't know why he thinks it is. Jae might have been better but he was also better than everyone else his senior year too, as evidenced by his big East poty. Lazar is underrated just about everywhere and it seems like that includes some users here too

[PGsHeroes32]

Just wanted to point out this honor that Lazar earned, as there have been a lot of distractions this year. Lazar is one of  MU's all time greats and sometimes doesn't get enough recognition for his accomplishments. Hoping he can find his way to playing in the TBT at some point in the future.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lgzfYG4dokM

Now obviously weve had older on the team. But Lazar will be 34.5 by the next TBT and not really sure what hes even doing basketball wise these days.

Ain't happening.

[MU82]

Congrats to Lazar! I didn't think he had a ghost of a chance at this!!

[wadesworld]

He was awesome. And from what I've heard of him, an awesome guy too. Not the defender Jae was, but every bit the offensive player.

[pbiflyer]

Now obviously weve had older on the team. But Lazar will be 34.5 by the next TBT and not really sure what hes even doing basketball wise these days.

Ain't happening.

He has his own clothing line. Also doing some things with a couple other former NBA players. Not actively pursuing basketball opportunities.

[MUfan12]

He was awesome. And from what I've heard of him, an awesome guy too. Not the defender Jae was, but every bit the offensive player.

Co-sign. And both had an incredible gift for the subtle foul the refs didn't see.

[pbiflyer]

He was awesome. And from what I've heard of him, an awesome guy too. Not the defender Jae was, but every bit the offensive player.

I can attest to that. He is a great person.

[brewcity77]

I respectfully disagree. Maybe efficiency stats can prove me wrong but as I recall I looked it up once and their numbers were scary similar.

Jae filled in for Lazar in a surprisingly similar way. The ability to defend multiple positions up to the five, the trailer three, the slightly undersized four, there were a lot of similarities.

Granted, senior Jae was like an extra developmental year for Lazar with a bit more emotion, but in general he was a surprisingly effective plug-in for a Marquette great.

[McLintock]

Co-sign. And both had an incredible gift for the subtle foul the refs didn't see.

Hayward was the best I've ever seen at MU in this regard. Tremendous gift for it.

[The Sultan]

Jae was better. Better defender. More efficient offensively.

He was not "a good deal better."

[Frenns Liquor Depot]

Jae was big East player of the year and second team all American.  You can debate what a 'good deal' means but he was clearly more successful

Lazar was A leader.  I always felt like he was the one who passed down the way to work to some of buzz's guys (like jimmy)

[Knight Commission]

Loved the trailing 3 at the top of the key.

[4everwarriors]

Dude still conversatin' wit da departed, hey?

[tower912]

Lazar was in touch with the spirit of the Warrior.   A deserved honor.   In the NBA, he lacked the lateral quickness and ball handling to make the transition to 2 guard, a la Jae and Jimmy.   Which does nothing to detract from his MU accomplishments.

[leever]

Congrats to Lazar! I didn't think he had a ghost of a chance at this!!

Well done!

[asdfasdf]

One of my all time favorites. Congrats to Lazar.

I always thought it was amazing that he led the team to the tournament his senior year after they lost James, McNeal, and Matthews. But apparently that team had 4 guys who spent some time in the NBA so maybe it wasn't so amazing.

[brewcity77]

One of my all time favorites. Congrats to Lazar.

I always thought it was amazing that he led the team to the tournament his senior year after they lost James, McNeal, and Matthews. But apparently that team had 4 guys who spent some time in the NBA so maybe it wasn't so amazing.

That to me was Buzz's best coaching job, though as you rightly point out, there was a lot more talent on that team than most of us realized at the time. That said, DJO and Jimmy were mostly unknown quantities, Buycks was nowhere near the player he became after college, and Acker and Cooby was one of the most unlikely successful guard combos imaginable. What Buzz did by slowing down the offense to a snail's pace and reorienting the team around three-point shooting was brilliant.

The most amazing bit may have been 6'4" Lazar's ability to defend bigs. Such a unique and interesting team, and Lazar's work on both ends was a big part of why they reached the heights they did. It's too bad they gave up that lead in the Tournament, they had a clear path to the Sweet 16 and would've had a decent shot in a rematch with that WVU team they werethisclose to beating on the road back in January.

[#UnleashSean]

Love Lazar, congrats to him on a very well deserved honor. But he didn't "invent" Crowder. They played the same position, true. Both were great, also true. But Jae was a good deal better.

Crowder had a much better team....

[Lennys Tap]

Yeah Jae being a "good deal better" than Lazar simply isn't true and I don't know why he thinks it is.

I guess it depends on what a "good deal better" means to people. Two guys play the same position, player A is a 2nd team All Big East player and an honorable mention All American and player B is a Big East player of the year, 1st team All Big East and 2nd team All American.

To me, player B's resume' is a good deal better than player A's.

[MU82]

I guess it depends on what a "good deal better" means to people. Two guys play the same position, player A is a 2nd team All Big East player and an honorable mention All American and player B is a Big East player of the year, 1st team All Big East and 2nd team All American.

To me, player B's resume' is a good deal better than player A's.

Agree.

Lazar was a very fine player for us. Jae was an effen stud as a senior.

It doesn't diminish Lazar to say that any more than it diminishes Jae to say he wasn't as good as D-Wade. That's just sports.

Glad to see Lazar was honored by MU. Very much deserves it.

[Goatherder]

That to me was Buzz's best coaching job, though as you rightly point out, there was a lot more talent on that team than most of us realized at the time. That said, DJO and Jimmy were mostly unknown quantities, Buycks was nowhere near the player he became after college, and Acker and Cooby was one of the most unlikely successful guard combos imaginable. What Buzz did by slowing down the offense to a snail's pace and reorienting the team around three-point shooting was brilliant.

The most amazing bit may have been 6'4" Lazar's ability to defend bigs. Such a unique and interesting team, and Lazar's work on both ends was a big part of why they reached the heights they did. It's too bad they gave up that lead in the Tournament, they had a clear path to the Sweet 16 and would've had a decent shot in a rematch with that WVU team they werethisclose to beating on the road back in January.

I remember talking to a longtime and knowledgeable fan at Midnight Madness.  We agreed that with the team starting two guards who got walk-on playing time the previous year, it was going to be a long season and lots of people were going to shout that Buzz did not know how to coach.  Buzz pulled a rabbit out of his hat that year.  And while Jimmy and DJO turned out to be better than expected, Buzz was one of the few coaches who recognized Jimmy's talent early and he definitely made him the player he became.  Buzz was also the only coach to figure out that DJO was eligible after one year at juco and reached out and grabbed him before other people figured it out.