The most beloved basketball player of all-time at each B1G school

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nitramnaed

nitramnaed

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Per Alex Hickey
As an old timer I agree.

Minnesota: Mychal Thompson​

Thompson, a native of the Bahamas, came to a Minnesota program mired in NCAA probation and promptly became the best player in program history. As in, had his number retired immediately after playing his final game in 1978.

Thompson averaged 20.8 points and 10 rebounds per game playing alongside fellow Gopher legend and future NBA rival Kevin McHale. Some Minnesota fans may be fonder of McHale, a Hibbing native. But Thompson was the first and only Gopher ever drafted No. 1 overall in the NBA Draft, so we’re giving him the nod. Though in this case it’s perfectly acceptable to have love for more than one.

Thompson is currently the radio color commentator for the Lakers, and he and son Klay represent 1 of 5 father-son duos to ever win an NBA title.

Hickey: The most beloved basketball player of all time at each B1G school

Certain players hold a special place in fans' hearts. Saturday Tradition names the most beloved basketball player at each Big Ten school.
saturdaytradition.com saturdaytradition.com
 




McHale was "one of us" as a HS and college player, and came back to MN to work for the T-Wolves.
now, if "beloved" means best-liked regardless of playing status, I would suggest that Flip might have been one of the most beloved Gophers of all-time. If it has to be someone who was also a great player, then I go with McHale. (and I was not a Celtic fan - give me the Showtime Lakers....)
 





Bobby, Willie and Sam for me with Hosea Crittenden as Honorable Mention.
 




There does seem to be recency bias going on for several teams. For Michigan, I would pick Cazzie Russell, but most fans aren't old enough to remember him.
 

Without looking at the article, for most beloved (not necessarily greatest) I’d go with:

Illinois: Eddie Johnson
Indiana: Steve Alford
Iowa: Chris Street
Michigan: Cazzie Russell
Michigan State: Magic
Minnesota: Bobby Jackson
Northwestern: Billy McKinney
Ohio State: Jerry Lucas
Purdue: Rick Mount
Wisconsin: Frank Kaminsky
 

SelectionSunday said:
Without looking at the article, for most beloved (not necessarily greatest) I’d go with:

Illinois: Eddie Johnson
Indiana: Steve Alford
Iowa: Chris Street
Michigan: Cazzie Russell
Michigan State: Magic
Minnesota: Bobby Jackson
Northwestern: Billy McKinney
Ohio State: Jerry Lucas
Purdue: Rick Mount
Wisconsin: Frank Kaminsky
Click to expand...
This is good except no question Thompson is Minnesota
 



Illinois: Dee Brown
Indiana: Steve Alford
Iowa: Chris Street
Maryland: Juan Dixon
Michigan: Glen Rice
Michigan State: Magic Johnson
Minnesota: Bobby Jackson
Nebraska: Tyronn Lue
Northwestern: Evan Eschmeyer
Ohio State: Aaron Craft
Penn State: Joe Crispin
Purdue: Robbie Hummel
Rutgers: Eddie Jordan
Wisconsin: Frank Kaminsky

Ohio State and Michigan's were hardest for me. I feel like at the time they were in college it was probably Chris Webber for Michigan, but everything that transpired after he left, suggests it's probably not him.

As for the Gophers, mine is Bobby Jackson.
 

I have known some of the greats so with that bias I put Kevin and Flip on top. Nothing wrong with Mychal.
 

Pretty close to impossible to narrow it down to one guy. Career scoring and Single Season ScoringScreenshot 2023-07-03 at 11.55.44 AM.png
Screenshot 2023-07-03 at 11.55.33 AM.png
 



Based on stats and games won during their career Mychal Thompson is pretty tough to compete with.
As I re-read the headline: It says, Most Beloved:
That's personal for each person, right? I think I'm probably point guard biased... I liked Flip, I liked Ray Williams, I liked Bobby Jackson, and I liked Melvin Newbern. Nate Mason most of the time. And I like the guys who battle Mark Landsberger, Jordan Murphy, Richard Coffey, Dusty Rychart and I like Ola Joseph's toughness in that same grouping but he's gotta rebound better to get both feet in the grouping.
Ollie Shannon, Sam Jacobson, Marcus Carr, Willie Burton and Voshon Lenard could all get hot.

SIDE NOTE, I just noticed: Marcus Carr is No. 8 on the Career Assist List BUT he only played two years. All the others had 4 years but Newbern had 3.
 
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SelectionSunday said:
Without looking at the article, for most beloved (not necessarily greatest) I’d go with:

Illinois: Eddie Johnson
Indiana: Steve Alford
Iowa: Chris Street
Michigan: Cazzie Russell
Michigan State: Magic
Minnesota: Bobby Jackson
Northwestern: Billy McKinney
Ohio State: Jerry Lucas
Purdue: Rick Mount
Wisconsin: Frank Kaminsky
Click to expand...
All but Kaminsky resonated with me. He turned into a real piece of crap when he left college. Trolling high school basketball players on social media is terrible form. I’ll take Michael Finley instead. Just a good player all around and I think had a nice NBA run as well.
 

LesBolstad said:
This is good except no question Thompson is Minnesota
Click to expand...
Legitimate counterpoint is that Bobby took us to the Final Four. Mychal got hosed by the NCAA bureaucrats and was prevented from doing the same. Beloveds if you will, I think are part of memorable teams.
 




When you say beloved, how can you not mention Richard Coffey?

His story is awesome and his son also played for the Gophers.
 



fan of Ray Williams said:
First year together they averaged 17 and the following year 18.3
In comparison the year Oturu and Murphy spent together, they averaged 18
Click to expand...
Ya, I didn't look it up but Oturu and Murphy immediately popped in my mind as another great rebounding tandem. :drink:
 

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