http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/columns/stor...&id=3184443 <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>Lew Alcindor, UCLA, 1966-67 -- This was as dominant a season as you'll find. In a win over Washington State, Alcindor scored 61 points and made 26 baskets. He scored 870 points (29 per game) and made 346 field goals and 274 free throws that season, helping the Bruins to a 30-0 record. Larry Bird, Indiana State, 1978-79 -- He led the Sycamores to an unprecedented 33-1 record and an epic title game against Michigan State that ultimately changed the sport. Bird was the national college player of the year and essentially carried ISU to the title game. He had plenty of magical moments, like scoring 49 points in a win over Wichita State. Bill Bradley, Princeton, 1964-65 -- It's hard to single out just one season in a stellar career. But Bradley was superb in 1964-65. He scored 58 points in a win over Wichita State and 51 in a league win over Harvard. Bradley averaged 35.4 points in five NCAA Tournament games and led the Tigers to the Final Four. Kevin Durant, Texas, 2006-07 -- Durant was absolutely sensational in 2006-07, averaging 25.8 points and 11.1 rebounds, and at times carrying the Longhorns by himself to the NCAA Tournament and on the verge of a Big 12 title. Durant was a stellar big-game performer. Just go back and watch the tape of his game at Oklahoma State and you'll see how special he was. Durant swept every player of the year award -- as a freshman. Clyde Lovellette, Kansas, 1951-52 -- Lovellette, who was from Terre Haute, Ind., was one of the top big men to play. Lovellette helped lead KU to the title, and he led the nation in scoring with 28.3 points per game. He was the only player to lead the nation in scoring and win a title in the same season. Lovellette averaged 35.3 points in four NCAA Tournament games, scoring 33 points and grabbing 17 boards in the title win over St. John's. Pete Maravich, LSU, 1969-70 -- Watch the fluidity of his ballhandling, the way he glided on the court and his ability to score, and you can begin to appreciate his mastery of the basketball. Maravich was a savant at LSU that season, scoring 44.5 points per game. That bested his averages as a junior (44.2 points) and sophomore (43.8). No player has approached any of those marks since. Shaquille O'Neal, LSU, 1990-91 -- Shaq looked like a man among boys when he played at LSU. Shaq led the nation in rebounding with 14.7 a game. He was the AP Player of the Year as a sophomore. He blocked 140 shots. He scored 27.6 points a game and shot 62.8 percent from the field. He set a Maravich Center record at the time with 53 points and 17-of-21 free-throw shooting against Arkansas State. Oscar Robertson, Cincinnati, 1957-58 -- In his first season playing college basketball, the Big O averaged 35.1 points and 15.2 rebounds. And if you talk to those who saw him play, they will tell you he may have been one of the most complete players ever. David Robinson Navy, 1986-87 -- It's safe to say there may never be a player like Robinson, at Navy or any of the other service academies. Robinson was the national player of the year in 1986-87, scoring 28.2 points per game for the Midshipmen. Bill Russell, San Francisco, 1955-56 -- The stats are shaky from this season, but the results aren't -- Russell led the Dons to their second consecutive title. Try and find a more dominating defensive presence in the post.</div> I see some names missing from the list. I'm curious who you would take out, who you would replace them with and why.
Replace Durant with Carmelo, and it's perfect IMO the best was by Maravich...damn, he was a good player.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (peg182 @ Jan 13 2008, 01:58 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Replace Durant with Carmelo, and it's perfect IMO the best was by Maravich...damn, he was a good player.</div> As if everyone on the site wasn't expecting you to come into this thread and say Melo
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (cpawfan @ Jan 13 2008, 02:00 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (peg182 @ Jan 13 2008, 01:58 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Replace Durant with Carmelo, and it's perfect IMO the best was by Maravich...damn, he was a good player.</div> As if everyone on the site wasn't expecting you to come into this thread and say Melo </div> Haha, yeah. Honestly tho, after thinking about it, Durant on that list seems like a cruel joke. I mean, he's good...but to put him up along with all those Hall-of-Famers? No. Rather put Bill Walton up there than him.
How about when Dr. J averaged 27 and 20, or the year before when he averaged 25.5 and 21? First name that popped in my mind, however was David Thompson. Led NC State to the '74 championship, averaged 26 ppg, 8 rpg, 54% from the field.
Just a couple I remember that jumped to mind. Danny Manning - Kansas - 1988. He had 31/18 with 5 steals in the championship game and swept every postseason award. Until Carmelo, he was the last real great player to carry his team to a title. Bo Kimble - Loyola Marymount - 1990. He averaged 35 PPG for the season and got the Lions all the way to the elite eight before losing to what was basically a professional team in UNLV. Famous for leading his team to heroic performances after close friend and teammate Hank Gathers died on the court a week before the NCAA tournament.
