March 31, 201016 yr NBA talent wise, no doubt. But considering they were all Freshman, I do not know if "best team" describes the '09-'10 Wildcats.
March 31, 201016 yr It's up there with the '97 and '03 teams that I've seen in my life. The 97 team was loaded with individual talent, as was this team. The '03 team just played some great basketball but ran into the buzzsaw that was Dwyane Wade.
March 31, 201016 yr Just my perspective: 1954 They were undefeated (25-0), defeated LaSalle (Tom Gola) by 13 (They won the NCAA), beat Bob Pettit's LSU team. Led by Cliff Hagan and Frank Ramsey (both are in the Basketball Hall of Fame). Set NCAA record of largest margin of victory average for season (27 pts per) before 1972 UCLA shattered it with about 33 pts per. They are the only ones I see as more talented than this year's UK team. The others have all been mentioned but I don't think they were as talented as this squad. The may have had more impressive runs but this team might have had more promise than any of them.
March 31, 201016 yr It's up there with the '97 and '03 teams that I've seen in my life. The 97 team was loaded with individual talent, as was this team. The '03 team just played some great basketball but ran into the buzzsaw that was Dwyane Wade. See, I never saw the '97 team as "that loaded." They were never ranked #1 if memory serves. They had great guard and wing play but the Center position was a platoon between a Freshman Magloire, an undeveloped Nazr Mohammad and Jared Prickett. Padgett joined them half way through the year and it gave them a good power forward to help out up front. Epps was a heady point guard and Turner was a solid Sophomore but Mills was a bonus in the tourney and Mercer carried them when things got tough. The '03 team was very tough defensively and played great as a unit I thought. They got on a roll but relied so much on that rhythm that Bogan's injury disrupted it when it needed to be at it's best.
March 31, 201016 yr 1975 wasn't too shabby. Youngsters Jack Givens; Mike Phillips; and Rick Robey. Bruiser Bob Guyette. Role player Mike Flynn. Veteran playmaker Jimmy Dan Conner. Sharpshooter Kevin Grevey and defensive ace Larry Johnson. Beat nearly unbeatable Indiana in the Mideast Regional Final. Lost to UCLA in Finals when John Wooden announced his retirement prior to the game. I loved that team but they didn't play great defense, even for the era. But they were very, very deep. :thumb:
March 31, 201016 yr Brown was a solid scorer, especially in the Michigan game when Ford was swarmed the whole time. Obviously, Mash's fouling out killed us, but I thought Brown going down with injury focused us way too much on Mashburn. People forget that a very young Tony Delk led us in scoring during the overtime period of that game. He & Mash were the only two to score in the extra period. We had gone to a 4 corners offense in OT w/ Mash running the point. Michigan had no answer for it, and we had a 4-point lead. Then Mash fouled out and that was that. Michigan had a look of defeat at that moment and the second Mash fouled out each team's demeanor went 180 degrees in opposite directions. I think it would have been a great matchup between that UK team and the UNC team that Monday night.
March 31, 201016 yr 1993 team was the best in the country. Dale Brown gets hurt, Mashburn fouls out, and we lose in OT. They have to be at the top. 1984 was loaded too, with Bowie, Turpin, & Sky Walker. They were loaded but Master couldn't guard anyone and Beal/Harden were often bothered by more athletic defenders and inconsistant outside shooting.
March 31, 201016 yr That 1970 team won 26 lost 2 (17-1 SEC)No. 1 AP & UPI;SEC Champs. Co-Captains:Dan Issel and Mike Pratt. Loss to Jacksonville 106-100 in Regional final. Started Lineup: Dan Issel (6-8 Sr. C) 33.9 pts Mike Pratt (6-4 Sr.F) 19.3 pts Tom Parker (6-4 So.F) 10.4 pts Larry Steele (6-5 Jr. F) 9.8 pts Terry Mills (6-2 Sr.G) 9.1pts IMP I think the best team without a Title. With Mike Casey they would be one of the all time greats. But without a great point guard and little depth, they relied so heavily on Issel and Pratt that it showed vs. Jacksonville.
March 31, 201016 yr See, I never saw the '97 team as "that loaded." They were never ranked #1 if memory serves. They had great guard and wing play but the Center position was a platoon between a Freshman Magloire, an undeveloped Nazr Mohammad and Jared Prickett. Padgett joined them half way through the year and it gave them a good power forward to help out up front. Epps was a heady point guard and Turner was a solid Sophomore but Mills was a bonus in the tourney and Mercer carried them when things got tough. The '03 team was very tough defensively and played great as a unit I thought. They got on a roll but relied so much on that rhythm that Bogan's injury disrupted it when it needed to be at it's best. Maybe I just remember the '97 team being better than they were... Either way, I definitely remember them as more talented than Arizona.
March 31, 201016 yr Saw this on KSR and wondered what BGP Nation thought? Was the 2009-2010 UK team the best without a National Championship? Yes. The talent gap between this team and any other in contention is too great to ignore.
March 31, 201016 yr Maybe I just remember the '97 team being better than they were... Either way, I definitely remember them as more talented than Arizona. I don't think the '97 team was as good as this one, but I do think they'd have won the championship if they hadn't had to play Minnesota in the semis. I think that game took a lot out of UK. It was a tough, physical game.
March 31, 201016 yr I don't think the '97 team was as good as this one, but I do think they'd have won the championship if they hadn't had to play Minnesota in the semis. I think that game took a lot out of UK. It was a tough, physical game. Yes it was. Do not forget that UK had to steamroll through the SEC tournament to even secure a #1 seed. Many believed Utah deserved the #1 seed and UK the #2. Contrary to how they do it today, they were paired with one another. Kansas was far and away the best team in the country that year but lost in the Sweet 16 to the eventual champ.
March 31, 201016 yr Yes it was. Do not forget that UK had to steamroll through the SEC tournament to even secure a #1 seed. Many believed Utah deserved the #1 seed and UK the #2. Contrary to how they do it today, they were paired with one another. Kansas was far and away the best team in the country that year but lost in the Sweet 16 to the eventual champ. That was the team with Jacques Vaughn at the PG, right? Looking back, they were similar to this year's Kansas team, only better, IMO.
March 31, 201016 yr That was the team with Jacques Vaughn at the PG, right? Looking back, they were similar to this year's Kansas team, only better, IMO. And also Scott Pollard, Jarrad Haase, Raef Lafrentz, Paul Pierce, and TJ Pugh. They would have dirt rolled this year's Kansas team. They had only lost 1 game prior to the loss against Arizona.
March 31, 201016 yr That was the team with Jacques Vaughn at the PG, right? Looking back, they were similar to this year's Kansas team, only better, IMO. Indeed... That squad had Raef LaFrentz Paul Pierce, and Scott Pollard as well.
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