SI's top 10 NCAA Tournament players

1. Lew Alcindor
2. Bill Walton
3. Bill Russell
4. Oscar Robertson
5. Larry Bird
6. Wilt Chamberlain
7. Bill Bradley
8. Magic Johnson
9. Christian Laettner
10. Jerry West

No problem at the top, but my beef is always with the low placement of Laettner. Duke played 23 of a possible 24 NCAA tournament games in his time, which for its time is as remarkable as UCLA's championship run, and he had two buzzer-beaters and was the most important player in that group. 10-10, 10-10, 31 against Kentucky. I'd put him fifth on the list.

Also I don't know what Bird is doing that high, they were only in the tournament once.

 

Why is Oscar Robertson so high, along with Larry Bird? You should have to win at least one championship to make the top five. Christian Laettner should be in the top five when you consider his memorable moments, total games played and two championships.

This list too greatly resembles one of the greatest college basketball players ever, minus Pete Maravich.

 

Jerry West's WVU lost in the first round his sophomore year and in the second round his senior year. While he was MOP on a team which lost in the final his junior year, how is this top 10 all time? Bill Bradley's Princeton lost in the first round, the second round and then the semi-finals.

Larry Bird played in 1 NCAA tournament out of 3 seasons. It was a great run, but that is silly to say he's the 5th best player in the history of the tournament. Wilt played in only 1 NCAA Tourney as well.

Silly list.

 

Just to throw out some other names in no order than warrant consideration:

Ernie D
David Thompson
Rick Mount
Goose Givens
Kevin Grevey

 

Those two stood out as omissions.

 

Yea - specially DT. Would also add Darryl Griffith.

 

Bo Kimble!

 

One other name to add as the deep recesses of my memory wake up:

Elvin Hayes.

 

Aaron Affalo played in more Final Fours than Bird.

I despised Duke but Laettner was fantastic; he's got to be at least in top 5 if not 3 (Alcindor is the greatest IMHO.)

 

No Will Thomas or Folarin Campbell, huh?

That list is garbage!!!

 

I think limiting the list to 10 was a terrible idea. It was for the 75th Anniversary, why not go to 75? Or do top 10 for a few different categories, so you might be able to include people who were one and done, a la Carmelo Anthony etc... Or do top 10 for before the field expanded and a top 10 for after the field expanded (1985).

So, only one person since 1980 deserves to make their top 10? I mean, nobody is going to argue Alcindor and Walton, but I agree that the inclusion of Magic and Bird is a reach.

Ewing was the most glaring omission.

 

James Worthy