First off, Kenny, I think you’ve over-estimated your frontline prowess. Issel, I grant you, is a trump card of sorts. But having Rick Robey as your starting center with as many great big men to choose from as Kentucky annals offers is… a mistake. No offense to Rick, but we’re talking about all-time UK players so we can choose to be a little picky. Seth’s front-line of Sam Bowie (7′1″), Kenny Walker (6′9″), and Jamal Mashburn (6′8″) will just be too athletic and powerful for yours to handle.
Seth, I might have to hand Kenny the edge in the backcourt. Ralph Beard was a great one, but the game has gotten more athletic and he was not that. Rajon Rondo would eat him up. It hurts me to say that but we all know it to be true. Bogans vs. Delk would probably be won by Mr. Delk, but it would be interesting nonetheless.
From the bench, I give Kenny points for picking up Chuck Hayes, Derek Anderson, Travis Ford, and Cotton Nash (a THREE-time All-American). Seth, you get bench points for Jack Givens, Louis Dampier, Kevin Grevey, and Ron Mercer. I also have to give Seth an edge in picking up Cliff Hawkins – one of my favorite players and one of the most underrated talents ever. He’s a poor man’s Rajon Rondo with a little better on-ball defense.
When game time comes around, I think Kenny has more guys that can fit roles on a team of supermen. Chuck Hayes, Tayshaun Prince, and Travis Ford made careers of not being the go-to offensive superstar (though Tayshaun was at UK for a couple years). I think Seth’s team would win more often if the game was played in a series, but in one event where it’s all on the line I like Kenny’s squad. Fellas, take that how you like. I picked my winner, sort of.
Now it’s my turn. I’ll give you all the players you’ve selected and pick a team that could maybe still knock yours off. Though I may be stretching the bounds a bit with some of my picks in naming them former Cats. Try this name-dropping session on for size:
Guards:
Rex Chapman, Dirk Minniefield, Kyle Macy, Wayne Turner, Kelenna Azubuike, and RASHAAD CARRUTH.
Forwards/Centers:
SHAWN KEMP, Pat Riley, Jason Parker, Tom Payne, Antoine Walker, Jamaal Magloire, ERIC MANUEL, Chris Mills, Leron Ellis, and Chuck Aleksinas.
That could almost be the UK all-time “what could have been” team. It was more of a shot at sparking Cat fans memories far and wide, but I think my group of 16 (3 walk-ons in CAPS) could knock off either of your two teams on a real good day. And yes, I know Kemp never played a game before he alledgedly gipped Daddy’s boy’s little necklace, but he was enrolled and given a jersey. So let me have him. Thanks.
