ALL-TIME TOP 50
Throughout the history of the Big East basketball conference, fans have had the pleasure to watch hundreds of great basketball players compete at the highest level of the NCAA. Narrowing the list of great players to 50 is a difficult job and then trying to rank them only adds to the task.
Chris Dokish tackled both tasks this past summer and fall, talking with nationally renown sports columnists, media members as well as former players and coaches as he put together the list of all-time Big East players.
As the players are unveiled, you can find them right here or on the main page at the NBE Basketball Report.
50) Gerry McNamara
49) Jeff Green
48) Mark Bryant
47) Caron Butler
46) Clyde Vaughan
45) John Duren
44) Brandin Knight
43) Randy Foye
42) Hakim Warrick
41) Craig Smith
40) Mike Sweetney
39) John Pinone
38) Bill Curley
37) Khalid El-Amin
36) Pat Garrity
35) Chris Smith
34) Ben Gordon
33) Lawrence Moten
32) Jerome Lane
31) Ryan Gomes
30) Eric Murdock
29) Dana Barros
28) John Bagley
27) Dan Callandrillo
26) Brian Shorter
25) John Wallace
24) Mark Jackson
23) Malik Sealy
22) Donyell Marshall
21) Billy Owens
20) Troy Bell
19) Terry Dehere
18) Emeka Okafor
17) Reggie Williams
16) Charles Smith
15) Troy Murphy
14) Alonzo Mourning
13) Ed Pinckney
12) Carmelo Anthony
11) Sherman Douglas
8: Ray Allen
5) Walter Berry
2) Chris Mullin
Note: The only criteria that was used to compile the list was how well a player performed in college, specifically in the conference, physically as well as the degree of impact he made for his program or the league. NOT taken into consideration was the general popularity of the player, how high he was drafted into the NBA, or even his pro career. Also, no current players are eligible.
Top 50 by School:
Syracuse 9
UConn 8
Georgetown 8
Pittsburgh 5
Boston College 5
St. John?s 4
Villanova 4
Seton Hall 3
Providence 2
Notre Dame 2
Top 10 by School:
Georgetown 3
Syracuse 2
UConn 2
St. John’s 2
Top 25 by School:
Syracuse 6
Georgetown 5
UConn 4
St. John’s 4
Villanova 2
Top 50 by Decade:
1980s- 22
1990s- 15
2000s- 13
Top 50 by Coach:
Jim Boeheim 9 (29 Big East years)
Jim Calhoun 8 (22 years)
John Thompson 6 (20 years)
Louie Carnesecca 4 (13 years)
Paul Evans 3 (8 years)
Jim O’Brien 2 (11 years)
Al Skinner 2 (8 years)
P.J. Carlesimo 2 (12 years)
Rollie Massimino 2 (12 years)
John MacLeod 2 (4 years)
Top 50 by State:
New York 9
New Jersey 7
Pennsylvania 6
Connecticut 5
Maryland 4
Massachusetts 3
Washington, DC 3
Virginia 2
Minnesota 2
Others who just missed Top 50 and why:
Charles Smith, Georgetown - Great senior year when he averaged 18.1 ppg and 5.1 apg, and was a consensus 2nd Team All-American that season, as well as Big East Player of the Year. However, he totaled 1,398 points in his career (11.1 ppg), which, for four year players, is only better than Mark Jackson on the list. And Jackson was one of the all-time assists leaders in NCAA history as well as a Big East Defensive Player of the Year winner. Close, but like Providence’s Billy Donovan, he was not a significant player until the end of his college career.
Dikembe Mutombo, Georgetown - Good college player that projected better as a pro, once his offensive game came around. Totaled 945 points in his three year career, with career averages of 9.9 ppg, 8.6 rpg, and 3.7 bpg.
Otis Thorpe, Providence - Can’t say too much bad about him. A good player who is probably worthy of being in the Top 50, but there was no room for him. He totaled 1,625 points over his four year career which isn’t a lot compared to others on the list, but his 14.4 ppg, 8.0 rpg, and 57.5% FG shows he was one of the better players in the early days of the league.
Michael Adams, Boston College - Another player whose college career may have seemed better than it was because of a successful pro career. But he was definitely a good play and totaled 1,650 points and averaged 13.9 ppg and 2.3 spg in his career.
Danya Abrams, Boston College - Had a lot of accolades and put up huge numbers with 2,053 points and 1,029 rebounds. Tough to keep somebody out with those numbers, but he did play when the league was weak.
Rony Seikaly, Syracuse - A very good player and a case can easily be made for him to be on the list. His four year points numbers hurt him as he accumulated 1,716 points (12.6 ppg), but he also had 1,094 rebounds (8.0 rpg) and 2.3 bpg. The only other frontcourt player on the list with less than 2,000 points in a four year career was Mark Bryant, and he had over 1,900, so you can see from an offensive standpoint that Seikaly may have fallen just short of the top 50.
Allan Ray, Villanova - With 2,025 points, he actually scored more than teammate Randy Foye, who made the list, but Foye also had significantly more rebounds, assists, and steals.
Tim James, Miami - Won Player of the Year in the conference, but his career numbers fall short with 1,714 points (14.9 ppg) over his four year career. Also played in the time when the league was at its weakest.
Note: The only criteria that was used to compile the list was how well a player performed in college, specifically in the conference, physically as well as the degree of impact he made for his program or the league. NOT taken into consideration was the general popularity of the player, how high he was drafted into the NBA, or even his pro career. Also, no current players are eligible.
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