Would this Duke team be the least talented team to win a Championship since 1990?

[LRCW]

Now this certainly isn't a knock on this year's team. They are obviously a great basketball team, but just comparing them to some of the great teams to win championships over the past 20 years. This team reminds me a lot of the 1998 Kentucky Wildcat team in that both teams were either a #1 or #2 seed, and had very good talent, but not the talent level that past teams had, and nobody really expected either team to win a championship going into the tournament.

[Walter]

This Duke team is more talented than you're giving them credit for. Scheyer, Singler, and Smith would play at any program in the country.

[LRCW]

This Duke team is more talented than you're giving them credit for. Scheyer, Singler, and Smith would play at any program in the country.

 

 

And the Kentucky team had talent in Shepherd, Padgett, Turner, Mohamed and Magloire, but it wasn't close to the talent it had in 1996, and let's be honest, very few people expected that Kentucky team to win it all, or this Duke team to win it all this year.

[Walter]

And the Kentucky team had talent in Shepherd, Padgett, Turner, Mohamed and Magloire, but it wasn't close to the talent it had in 1996, and let's be honest, very few people expected that Kentucky team to win it all, or this Duke team to win it all this year.

 

Very true...I guess it all depends on what you're using to evaluate the talent. Are we simply talking about NBA prospects? There have been some VERY GOOD college players over the years that didn't necessarily have the game that translates to the NBA level but talent wise were some of the best at the collegiate level.

[GRC4LIFE]

And the Kentucky team had talent in Shepherd, Padgett, Turner, Mohamed and Magloire, but it wasn't close to the talent it had in 1996, and let's be honest, very few people expected that Kentucky team to win it all, or this Duke team to win it all this year.

 

I'd say that this team is a lot more "underrated" then most teams. Even their our fans (myself included) under estimated this Duke team.

[LRCW]

Very true...I guess it all depends on what you're using to evaluate the talent. Are we simply talking about NBA prospects? There have been some VERY GOOD college players over the years that didn't necessarily have the game that translates to the NBA level but talent wise were some of the best at the collegiate level.

 

Yeah I guess I was talking about having talent that would go on and play in the NBA.

[Walter]

Yeah I guess I was talking about having talent that would go on and play in the NBA.

 

I guess it depends then. I don't see Scheyer, Singler, or Smith being stars in the NBA but all three will play.

[FormerCawoodTrojan]

I guess it depends then. I don't see Scheyer, Singler, or Smith being stars in the NBA but all three will play.

 

I'd be suprised to see Scheyer play in the league.

[AverageJoesGym]

I'd have to think that the 1997 Arizona team would be less heralded and less talented. They really came out of nowhere to win the title.

[AverageJoesGym]

If it wasn't Arizona, that did have Mike Bibby, Michael Dickerson and Jason Terry then I'd have to say UCLA in 1995 would be the least talented. They really had no one that became an NBA star. They were highly ranked and played well together much like this year's Duke team but they didn't have a roster of NBA players. But then again, they did go 32-1.

[PurplePride92]

I think this Duke team would be best labeled as surprisingly talented. The Big 3 is arguably the best 3 scorers on one team in college basketball and I heard someone say today that Cousins and Zoubek were the two best offensive rebounders in the nation. All year long I said we(Duke) were a Sweet 16 team so I am pleasantly surprised at the current events so I could see them being the least talented team, but I would think that upon further research(which I haven't done) that we could find a team or two with less talent that won it all.

 

Either way it goes, this is easily the best coaching job Coach K has ever done with a Duke team. He has had more talented teams not make it past the Sweet 16. This team is arguably his least talented team since 1994.

[Hatz]

Least talented NCAA Champs since 1990: (IMO)

 

If talent is defined by NBA potential then:

 

* 1994 Arkansas. None of them had any NBA career worth mentioning.

 

* 1995 UCLA. See above. The O'bannon's were NBA busts as was Tyus Edney.

 

* 1998 Kentucky. Not a one of these players had anything approaching a very good NBA career and were more journeymen. (Magloire had some nice years but who else?)

 

* 2000 Michigan State. Other than Mateen, who else did they have and how were there NBA years?

 

 

However some have noted that some collegiate players did not translate into the pros too well. See the above teams, all of which meshed well in college for a National Title. It's not always about NBA talent.

 

Some try to diss the '97 Arizona squad but I would add that they got a roll in '97 to win it but backed it up with a national #1 ranking and #1 seed in '98. Bibby was even better that season and Miles Simon was a solid college guard backed by Terry, Dickerson and others. They got upset you might recall in the '98 Regional Final by Utah. To be honest UK wanted no part of them that season since the Desert Cats had pretty much handled them in Maui earlier in the year.

 

I think this is a very good Collegiate team that has come together and is on a roll at the right time. In some ways they remind me of Arizona then. Arriving a year early and will that mean they flame out next year when it's supposed to be "the year?"

 

Funny thing is, we can talk about "worst champion" but they are still "champion" without the asterisk of worst. :thumb:

[PurplePride92]

Least talented NCAA Champs since 1990: (IMO)

 

If talent is defined by NBA potential then:

 

* 1994 Arkansas. None of them had any NBA career worth mentioning.

 

* 1995 UCLA. See above. The O'bannon's were NBA busts as was Tyus Edney.

 

* 1998 Kentucky. Not a one of these players had anything approaching a very good NBA career and were more journeymen. (Magloire had some nice years but who else?)

 

* 2000 Michigan State. Other than Mateen, who else did they have and how were there NBA years?

 

 

However some have noted that some collegiate players did not translate into the pros too well. See the above teams, all of which meshed well in college for a National Title. It's not always about NBA talent.

 

Some try to diss the '97 Arizona squad but I would add that they got a roll in '97 to win it but backed it up with a national #1 ranking and #1 seed in '98. Bibby was even better that season and Miles Simon was a solid college guard backed by Terry, Dickerson and others. They got upset you might recall in the '98 Regional Final by Utah. To be honest UK wanted no part of them that season since the Desert Cats had pretty much handled them in Maui earlier in the year.

 

I think this is a very good Collegiate team that has come together and is on a roll at the right time. In some ways they remind me of Arizona then. Arriving a year early and will that mean they flame out next year when it's supposed to be "the year?"

 

Funny thing is, we can talk about "worst champion" but they are still "champion" without the asterisk of worst. :thumb:

 

I think Morris Peterson was on the team with Mateen, but I could be wrong about that. I think those two and someone else called themselves The Flintstones since they were all from Flint, Michigan.

 

As for Duke flaming out next year......that's a good question. They will lose Zoubek, Thomas, Scheyer and likely Singler off of this team. The talk on Duke message boards is that Smith will be back so you'll be looking at a Duke team that will have 4 new starters but the expectations are very very high as it is likely that next year's version could be more talented than this year's version, but this year's version could be a better 'team'.

[PurplePride92]

:lol:

 

This was a response on a Duke message board in response to would Duke be the least talented champion ever......"could be, but then again Butler would be the least talented champion as well.":lol:

[sportsfan41]

I'd say this years team is the best shooting team Duke has had in a while, but certainly not one of the more talented teams since 1990.