Kentucky all-time starting 5?

Jan 29, 2003
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Am I the only one would take Fox over Wall, especially after the year he's just had?


Fox
MKG
Mashburn
Davis
Cousins
Fox is one of my favorites - ever. But I probably can’t put him at the 1 above Wall. And honestly, probably can’t put him above Ulis either (another personal favorite, although I think I like Fox more). Wall and Ulis we’re both first team all Americas, while Fox wasn’t on any of the 3 teams. And Ulis was the SEC Defensive Player of the Year, which, at 5’8, is simply an incredible thing.
 
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StormCruzzer

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Dec 3, 2016
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I took Fox also. Wall wouldn't be in my top 3 at the 1.

Fox is one of my favorites - ever. But I probably can’t put him at the 1 above Wall. And honestly, probably can’t put him above Ulis either (another personal favorite, although I think I like Fox more). Wall and Ulis we’re both first team all Americas, while Fox wasn’t on any of the 3 teams. And Ulis was the SEC Defensive Player of the Year, which, at 5’8, is simply an incredible thing.

Fox has a killer mentality that I just don’t see in Wall, especially on defense. He’s got wall type speed but he also has some of the best agility and movement and control in the air of anyone in the league. Ulis has that killer mentality but His height could lead to him bein the weak point on the team.

I’m also choosing off of their continued performance in the NBA, not just at Kentucky, so if you base it off just their time at Kentucky I’d probably put Wall first and Ulis/Fox tied for second
 

fs-ripcord65

All-Conference
Apr 29, 2009
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The problem with putting Issel on the first five is that nobody else would get to shoot the ball ! And he didn't win a national championship !

You gotta start with AD, the indispensible piece of the 2012 National Championship. Gotta add Delk as the indispensible piece of the 1996 National Championship. Gotta put in Goose and his 44 from the 1978 NCAA Championship. Can you see where I'm going, here ?

How can you not include Ralph Beard and Alex Groza from back-to-back champs in 1948 and 1949?

And then you can go back and pick up Jeff Shepherd ... the dominant force on the 1998 Champs. And they you can go back and pick up Vernon Hatton, but more particularly Johnny Cox, for the 1958 Champs. And, hey ... they never convicted Bill Spivey of doing anything wrong for the 1951 Champs. And don't forget Hagan and Ramsey, who went 25-0 in 1954. Etc., etc.

Bottom line ... IMHO Issel is the most overrated U.K. player in the history of 'Cats basketball. If you take all of the shots, you score the most points.

Just MHO, of course.

I'm still going to say "Go 'Cats" ... but since we now have Calipari for life ... maybe not for long !





You
 

420grover

All-American
Mar 26, 2006
7,703
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I'll try this one.

Michael Jordan
Vince Carter
James Worthy
Rasheed Wallace
Bob McAdoo

Maybe

Kyrie Irving
Grant Hill
Zion Williamson
Christian Laettner
JJ Redick


Maybe

Kareem Abdul Jabbar
Russell Westbrook
Bill Walton
Reggie Miller
Kevin Love

Maybe
Mario Chalmers
Paul Pierce
Danny Manning
Joel Embiid
Wilt Chamberlain


I'm not sure you'd win those games.
Also,

Chris Jackson
Pistol Pete
Ben Simmons
Bob Pettit
Shaq
 
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Son_Of_Saul

Heisman
Dec 7, 2007
45,471
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I'll take this group and score 92-95/game with them.

PG Wall
SG Murray
SF Knox
PF Mashburn
C Davis
 

rmattox

All-Conference
Nov 26, 2014
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After the first post without Issel, I stopped reading. He was the best player that ever wore the jersey. Not the best pro, thought he had a stellar career.
 
Jan 3, 2003
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Wall, Givens, Mashburn, Issel, Davis
I know I have 3 guys sort of out of position, but I think they each could guard the 2-3-4 respectively.

Could go big: Wall, Issel, Bowie, Davis, Cousins (I just dare you to try to score inside 18'; and I think Bowie (pre-injury) & Davis would do ok on the 3-pt shooters too)

If I have to stick to their primary position at UK, then I guess it will be: Wall, Delk, Givens, Mashburn, Davis. (maybe only because I never saw Issel play)
 

wildcatdon

Heisman
Oct 17, 2012
10,494
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Ripcord your comment about Issel is the dumbest thing I have read here. You need to put the bottle down and step back off the ledge. Just wow.
 

Myotis

Senior
Jan 1, 2003
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No one could beat this team

Ulis
Delk
Mash
Towns
Davis
I'll give you one. There are many. UK has just far too many great players over the decades to choose just five. I'll even step into the waybac machine for a couple, and have no doubts about the outcome

Frank Ramsey
Rajon Rondo
Derek Anderson
Dan Issel
Bill Spivey
(note: This team could kill many other all-star UK teams just on the strength of the rebounding)


Here's another. I'd like their chances...

Rex Chapman
John Wall
Tayshaun Prince
Antoine Walker
Sam Bowie
 
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NavyCat88

All-Conference
Nov 22, 2011
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Wall - PG (….to the rim)
Shidler - SG (70's era Blond Bomber.....would have liked to see him with the 3 point line)
Goose - SF (Golden)
Issel - PF (points)
Davis - C (block-a-holic)
 

AGEE11

All-American
Jan 10, 2014
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Wave 1
Fox
Goose
Mash
Issel
Davis

Wave 2
Wall
Rex
Nash
Towns
Bowie

Can't believe I left out:
Shepherd
Macy
Beard
Spivey
Meeks
Bogans
Cousins
MKG
and so many more.

Wow UK has a great legacy
 

Myotis

Senior
Jan 1, 2003
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Wall
Issel
Davis
Mashburn

Those 4 are relatively easy. The 2 is a little challenging. Grevey? Rex? Delk? I’d have to think about that for a bit.

And that’s just the 5 “best” - if you’re actually putting together a team, that might lead to a different answer. In that case, for example, be hard to keep MKG off the floor.

Edit: I forgot about Kenny Walker, who was truly dominant in a way I’m not sure any individual UK player has been since. And Jody Meeks, his last year was as good as any of the 2 guards under discussion..
Don't forget Frank Ramsey. 1344 points in 3 years, and a mind-bending 1038 rebounds. He, Bogans and Fitch are the only guards on UK's all-time rebounding list, but while Bogans is #38 and Fitch is #46, Ramsey is #2 behind only Issel (though in reality, he's probably #3. Spivey is #36 with 567, but that's only one of his two years. If both years had been recorded, Spivey would very likely have been #1)
 

PowerK

All-American
Sep 4, 2015
2,543
5,604
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Wall, Delk, Davis, Issel are locks. Not sure how anyone could disagree. The other spot is a tossup between a bunch of guys but I lean to Mashburn.

Not sure you can create a better lineup than that.

I’d put that 5 against any 5 you can come up with from any other school.
I'll try this one.

Michael Jordan
Vince Carter
James Worthy
Rasheed Wallace
Bob McAdoo

Maybe

Kyrie Irving
Grant Hill
Zion Williamson
Christian Laettner
JJ Redick


Maybe

Kareem Abdul Jabbar
Russell Westbrook
Bill Walton
Reggie Miller
Kevin Love

Maybe
Mario Chalmers
Paul Pierce
Danny Manning
Joel Embiid
Wilt Chamberlain


I'm not sure you'd win those games.

This is based solely off college production, not including nba careers. Which makes the playing a field more even. It will be a few years yet before we can make a top NBA all-time Kentucky Team. Those teams would look much different.
 

JesusCal91

All-Conference
Mar 26, 2019
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Let me tell you a couple of three things. Forget Davis ? Forget John wall? Forget Antoine walker
 

KopiKat

All-Conference
Nov 2, 2006
14,018
4,757
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Because winners . . .

Ralph Beard (easiest choice)
Tony Delk
Jack Givens
Mashburn
Bill Spivey (most difficult choice - over AD )
 

cal=8

All-Conference
Nov 3, 2009
2,049
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Kyle Macy
Derek Anderson
Jamal Mashburn
Karl Anthony Towns
Anthony Davis
 

Myotis

Senior
Jan 1, 2003
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Because winners . . .

Ralph Beard (easiest choice)
Tony Delk
Jack Givens
Mashburn
Bill Spivey (most difficult choice - over AD )
Givens-Mashburn-Spivey strikes me as a particularly strong front court. Not that there aren't many other possibilities.

I never saw either play, but having seen films/videos of each, it would be interesting to pair Dwight Anderson with Spivey. Anderson was lightening fast while Spivey was a rebounding monster who could throw the ball the length of the court as if it were a baseball. Would make a deadly fast break combo.
 
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KopiKat

All-Conference
Nov 2, 2006
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Givens-Mashburn-Spivey strikes me as a particularly strong front court. Not that there aren't many other possibilities.

I never saw either play, but having seen films/videos of each, it would be interesting to pair Dwight Anderson with Spivey. Anderson was lightening fast while Spivey was a rebounding monster who could throw the ball the lenght of the court as it were a baseball. Would make a deadly fast break combo.

good points. Spivey. Relative arm length on that monster. Crazy. He would win a championship.
 

Myotis

Senior
Jan 1, 2003
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I'll tell you what. Give me THIS front court and virtually any two decent guards and I'll take my chances. NO points in the paint on this crew. Just close your eyes and imagine this.

SF Anthony Davis
PF Jamal Magloire
C Shagari Alleyne