Tonight I witnessed the best played game of a college player that I've seen in person. Kentucky's guard Jodie Meeks scored 54 and shot lights out.

Prior to this game, I saw Chris Jackson of LSU put up 49 vs. the Vols (Allen Houston scored 43). For those of you who may not be familiar with Chris Jackson, he was better than Iverson at a time when the NBA wanted big guards. Hands down, he's best college player that I've seen in person including Shaq who was on the same LSU team.

Best game that I've witnessed on TV, Bill Walton vs. Memphis in Championship game in 73. 21-22 from field with 43 pts and a terror on the boards and in the paint.

Last tidbit, greatest ACC player is David Thompson, not Michael Jordan.

Just misc ramblings from lifelong basketball fan.

 

Huh?? Are you trying to say that Chris Jackson in college was better than Allen Iverson in college?? Their college careers didn't overlap.

Jackson was nowhere near as tough as Iverson is. Jackson also didn't have the handles that AI did, which is why he couldn't be an upper tier PG in the NBA, and he certainly didn't have the quicks/anticipation that AI had on defense.

Remember too that AI played @ GTown under John Thompson, who was notorious for running a conservative offense. Put AI in some sort of uptempo pro-style offense, and he would've easily put up numbers comparable to CJ.

I do agree that Thompson was a greater college player than MJ, but again the systems had something to do with it (Norm Sloan allowed a much more dynamic offensive style than Dean Smith ever would).

Keep posting, this feels like sitting on the stools at the sports bar, having a good debate......

 

Chris Jackson absolutely was a better college player than Iverson (and I think Iverson is the best player in NBA history under 6'0").

Ask any ACC historian about the Thomspon, Jordan and Bias discussion. It's interesting but I firmly believe that Thompson was better regardless of system. Check his ABA/early NBA career prior to drug issues.

Agree, fun debates.

 

Oh, I'm not debating that CJ had a better college career than AI. I was just curious about the point you made that I highlighted, the "he was better than Iverson at a time when the NBA wanted big guards." Not sure if you were trying to say that CJ didn't experience success in the NBA the way AI has b/c he came along 6 years too soon?

As for the Thompson v. Jordan debate, I view it this way: could DT have been as successful as MJ in Dean Smith's system with James Worthy & Sam Perkins as teammates?? We all know that MJ could've put up Pistol Pete-like numbers if he'd played in Norm Sloan's system.

And Len Bias......what a damn shame. He would've been one of the greats if he had been healthy.

 

NBA was in a cycle of "Magic Johnson-sized" PG's when Chris came out of school. He had moderate success and when he converted to Muslim, he tried to play at 145 lbs (that doesn't work for anyone). The cycle started to change and Iverson accelerated back to "small" PG's were ok and even desirable. In today's NBA game, CJ would have been a great player (playing at a normal wieght).

Keep in mind, Worthy was gone after MJ's Freshman Year and Perkins was a really good role player but not a "go to" guy. DT played with Tommy Burleson who was the 2nd best center at the time (UCLA had this guy named Walton) and he camped his 7'3" body in the low post. Tim Stoddard started at Power Forward and later pitched for the O's in the bigs.

Bias, Reggie Lewis and the Duncan ping pong ball hurt the Celtics for years.

 

Best college player I've seen in person in one game, was probably when I was a student at Vanderbilt, and Barkley came to town. He didn't play the whole game, didn't need to, but the Round Mound of Rebound was a man among boys in that game. Scoring, rebounding, passing, he was laughing all night, and could just do whatever he wanted to. I have no idea how impressive the stats were that night, but he clearly was such a dominant force at that point in his career.

 

CJ was a beast at LSU, best little man I saw play in college. Wayman Tisdale at OK scored 61 as a freshman in one of the best individual games in college history back in the early 80's when college hoops had some depth and talent.

I was lucky enough the see the 1990 UNLV team in person. Larry Johnson was a man among boys during the last golden era of college basketball. He is the best I have seen in person.

 

BrotherHinkle's girlfriend is Sonny Smith's grandaughter. I am hoping to get Barkley to the wedding receiption.........somewhat sober...

 

Both great college players.

To bad Johnson's back issues flared up. I thought he and Mourning would've won a couple of titles for Charlotte.

Tisdale was a great college player. Did you see the story on ESPN or Real Sports about his leg being amputated? Quite a guy!

 

Best college player ever: David Robinson.