Great Question- Big East Hall of Fame

[Jasper67]

Why don’t we do separate categories for players and coaches/administrators?

The category of non-players obviously begins with Dave Gavitt. But it’s the players category that is the more interesting one.

[GumbyDamnit!]

Coaches BE Mt Rushmore
- Calhoun
- Wright
- Thompson
- Boeheim
- Louie (really wanted to put Rollie here b/c of the NC but Louie had greater longevity)

Player Mt Rushmore:
- Ewing
- Brunson
- McDermott (all 3 Nat. POYs while in the BE)
- Mullin
- Rip H (2x AA and a ring); though iconically Pearl prob belongs here

All NBA BE Alums:
- Ewing
- Mullin
- Iverson
- Ray Allen
- Carmelo A

[GumbyDamnit!]

If we're mixing players and coaches...

Ewing
Mullin
Thompson
Calhoun
Wright

I think those 5 are pretty indisputable.

I would dispute one. Chris Mullin is and was incredible. BUT... did not win a NC and was never Nat POY. Now he did play in an era with Ewing, Jordan, Olajuwon, etc. where players stayed 4 years and great teams stayed together. Now there is another BE alum who has 2 rings and was NPOY as well. Actually turning out to be a pretty...pretty...pretty good pro as well. Hmmm...

[GumbyDamnit!]

Now I'm hijacking the thread...LOL. If you were to hand pick an All-time traditional starting 5 who would it be.

For me:
- Ewing - C
- Derrick Coleman - PF
- Mullin - SF
- Ray Allen - SG
- Jalen Brunson - PG

Didn't put Iverson in there b/c there is only 1 ball (and this coming from a huge AI/Sixers fan).

[kayako]

If we're mixing players and coaches...

Ewing
Mullin
Thompson
Calhoun
Wright

I think those 5 are pretty indisputable.

I would dispute one. Chris Mullin is and was incredible. BUT... did not win a NC and was never Nat POY. Now he did play in an era with Ewing, Jordan, Olajuwon, etc. where players stayed 4 years and great teams stayed together. Now there is another BE alum who has 2 rings and was NPOY as well. Actually turning out to be a pretty...pretty...pretty good pro as well. Hmmm...

Brunson would headline my "had he played 1 more season" top 5!

Brunson
Berry
Pearl
Rip
McDermott (joined BE 1 year earlier in this case)

[Husky_U]

[GumbyDamnit!]

Would def put Hurley on an All-time BE list along with:

- Eric Devendorf
- Bobby Gonzales
- Mike Rice
- JP Macura
- Hurley

I’ll let you decide what they all have in common.

[Jasper67]

How are people leaving Emeka Okafor off their lists? I don’t get that.

Nostalgia has us all remembering the Ewing-Mullin rivalry fondly. It was an iconic rivalry and established the league as must-watch TV. But Chris was simply not as great as people here are making him out to be. I hate to say that because I love the guy. He was from my old neighborhood in Brooklyn. He was beautiful to watch. Poetry in motion. But the fact is that he was not a great defender and not much of a rebounder. Despite having a strong supporting cast, he was not able to lead his team to the promised land. Similar players like Richard Hamilton and Carmelo Anthony were in fact able to win NCs and did so with supporting casts that weren’t any better than what Mullin had. Hamilton proved his ability by going on to win an NBA title.