Best Gator players
Thought this would be a fun list to chew on during the summer. Who would you consider to be the greatest Florida basketball player of all time? I composed my own list, based on the criteria of individual ability and what the player did to impact winning. Not surprisingly, many players from the past decade are on the list.
1. Al Horford
2. Mike Miller
3. Neal Walk
4. Vernon Maxwell
5. Jason Williams
6. Joakim Noah
7. Corey Brewer
8. Udonis Haslem
9. Matt Bonner
10. Ronnie Williams
Honorable mention: David Lee, Taurean Green, Lee Humphrey, Anthony Roberson, Nick Calathes, Andrew Moten, Andrew DeClercq, Dan Cross, Tony Miller, Andy Owens, Matt Walsh, Chris Richard, Eugene McDowell, Gene Shy, Clifford Lett, Chip Williams, Stacey Poole.
Disagree? Share your thoughts.
U. Haslem is one of my favorite players–stayed a full 4 years–quality person–worked extremely hard to improve his game and physique–was a beast of a player when playing for the gators
by pete
Shame on you for not having Double D (Dwayne Davis) in the top 10. If it wasn’t for him, the team would have lost half the games they did win. Unfortunate D.S. and C.L. didn’t live up to the promise of one of the best front courts in the nation.
Also forgot Ronnie Brown and DaMetrius Hill. I love the 2 Time National Championship team, but the 94 final four team will always be extra special to me.
by Jay
I see that he is an honorable mention but, Lee Humphrey should be in the top ten. All time 3-point shooter in NCAA Tournament History. Come on.
SSG Thomas R. Witt
by Russell
Dwayne Schintzius is a must. Without his 86 inches we don’t go to the Sweet Sixteen his freshman year and don’t forget we were ahead of that talented Syracuse team with about five minutes left.
by Barry
Craig Brown should definitely get an Honorable Mention. I would have Taurean on the list and Matt Bonner off.
by Jeff
Dwayne Schintzius, Craig Brown, Dametri Hill?
by Chad Estep
Whoaaaa Kevin…Noah is way too low. How are you going to put Jason Williams ahead of him? That’s outright criminal…the guy barely played for us. Half of your criteria was what he did to “impact” winning…if that’s the case Noah should be #1. Nobody galvanized the team and crashed the NCAA scene like he did. Especialy in the first title run where he was MOP and played out of his mind in the tournament. Statistically he and Horford are almost identical, but because of the intangibles I just discussed I would have to give Noah the edge.
by ccb223
[...] Gamecock fans.)11. Mississippi State12. VanderbiltThis writer puts Al Horford at the top of his “best all-time Gator basketball players” list.SEC Commissioner Mike Slive sits atop The Orlando Sentinel’s countdown of the [...]
by One-Liners For 7/10/09 | MrSEC.com
His “unfortunate” (self inflicted) personal circumstances aside, nobody who laced them up for the Gators was better than Vernon Maxwell. An incredible scorer as a freshman, he made himself into a formidible, elite defender by his junior and senior years. He + Drew Moten were a 2 man, full court press. Other than the true “big men” on this list, Mad Max would be able to shut down any of these others. And he’d get his against everybody else.
by Mark Hoffman
Jason Williams ahead of Noah, Brewer, and Haslem? Huh? David Lee and Dan Cross not in the top 10? Huh? Craig Brown and Kenyan Weaks not even Honorable Mention? Huh? The criteria obviously had nothing to do with impact on winning. It was more like individual ability and NBA career. Jason Williams is so far from the “Greatest Florida Basketball Player of All-Time” that even if the medicine he takes for his glaucoma works he wouldn’t be able to see it.
by Blake
what about Teddy Dupay and Brett Nelson??? Both great players and helped lead our team to its first National Title Game. Both players did not end their careers how they would have wanted, but they both started with a bang!
by jimi
Pretty good list but I would move up Green & Humphrey as they were integral parts of the b2b NC!
by BMOC
Garcia in the first SEC championship season, moreso than Schintzius. Dwayne Davis has to fit in somewhere. Maxwell is a thug– he could score, but the team wouldn’t have been nearly as successful without Moten.
by John P
These guys may not be “the greatest ever”, but if you want an impact on winning, the Gator Record Book points to: Eddie Shannon (assists, steals), Joe Lawrence (3pt %, team leader), Justin Hamilton (shut-down defense), Livingston Chatman (minutes, free throws, use of the booty), Matt Bonner, Dametri Hill, Joe Hobbs/Bob Emrick(from the 50’s). And I still like Renaldo Garcia at LSU to clinch the regualr season. Most Honorable Mention– Coach Norm Sloan, who gave so much to this program at a time when it got no respect.
by John P
How about Demetri Hill ??!! The center on the first Final Four/Find A Way team? Great nickname, “Da Meat Hook”. 10+ years as a European professional. This has got to rank at least honorable mention.
by JJ
Teddy Dupay affected winning. He was a gritty gamer. He had game winning shots. I recall one against LSU. And probably just as good a 3 point shooter as Lee Humphrey.
by denirogator
If the list was strictly based on ability, I would have Maxwell No. 1, followed by Jason Williams.
by brockway
i have a hard time breaking up the back to back team as individuals. on the “man of the year” SI a couple years ago, SI also had them as one person (well, the 04’s at least). i’ll take the starting 5 on that team as #1.
we’ve had many other good quality players but no one compares the the 04’s plus Hump.
by Burrito
Vernon Delancey was a pretty darn good player that helped move Florida up the food chain in the early 80s.
by Bill H
Neal Walk hands down. Seems these blogs generally come from the younger set and have very little history to call upon when talking about ”UF’s Greatest” Neal’s generation of players brought winning basketball to Florida. In the period of no dunks, no three point scoring he still leads most UF records.
Brooks Henderson should also be in the top ten for his overall basketball ability and tough defensive skills, long forgotten in todays game.
by Kurt Feazel
ok ummm DEMERTI HIILLLLLL can i say dauhhhhh that my dad he is one of the best and still doesnt even get honrable mention. thats a bigg slapp in the face after all he did for that team!
by jazmine hill