Top 10 Players of the Decade

[JimboBBN]

https://www.usatoday.com/story/spor...llege-basketball-players-10-years/4374631002/

No way should anyone but Anthony Davis be number one. Zion is amazing but he doesn't have the accomplishments AD does, and I'm not even sure he's more talented to be honest.

 

[MGC_07]

Denzel Valentine was the first player to average 19/7/7 but getting upset in the first round by MTSU hurt his legacy.

 

[WeAreDePaul]

If were gonna put one year wonders in there who didn't win the title, then Trae deserves a spot just as much as Zion. First player in history to lead D1 in PPG and APG and did it while playing with a bunch of certified bums.

 

[ExitFlagger]

If were gonna put one year wonders in there who didn't win the title, then Trae deserves a spot just as much as Zion. First player in history to lead D1 in PPG and APG and did it while playing with a bunch of certified bums.

If your team had to face either Zion or Young, with equal talent surrounding them, which would you choose?

Zion is the right choice for #1. Most dominant player in a long time.

 

[toonces11]

https://www.usatoday.com/story/spor...llege-basketball-players-10-years/4374631002/

No way should anyone but Anthony Davis be number one. Zion is amazing but he doesn't have the accomplishments AD does, and I'm not even sure he's more talented to be honest.

I wouldn't argue if he were #1, but he wasn't a 1/10th of the offensive player he blossomed into after college.

 

[hailtoyourvictor]

Some really good honorable mentions:

Jared Sullinger, Denzel Valentine, Trey Burke, Ja Morant

 

[JimboBBN]

I wouldn't argue if he were #1, but he wasn't a 1/10th of the offensive player he blossomed into after college.

Fair, but I could argue he could have been if he had to be. He was surrounded by 5 other draft picks, and all of them could score well. The fact that he won MOP in the title game while scoring two points tells you how he affected the game other than scoring. Again, I love Zion, but he couldn't even lead his team to the final four, and Duke was pretty loaded as well.

 

[toonces11]

Fair, but I could argue he could have been if he had to be. He was surrounded by 5 other draft picks, and all of them could score well. The fact that he won MOP in the title game while scoring two points tells you how he affected the game other than scoring. Again, I love Zion, but he couldn't even lead his team to the final four, and Duke was pretty loaded as well.

You are probably right. He really didn't need to and there really weren't enough shots to go around based on the surrounding talent. Most dominant defense Ive seen in my lifetime

 

[WeAreDePaul]

If your team had to face either Zion or Young, with equal talent surrounding them, which would you choose?

Zion is the right choice for #1. Most dominant player in a long time.

I don't know about that. Trae never played with any players who would've even made the Duke roster so it's hard to say that Zion would've done as well as he did if he had no teammates to take some of the work load.

we already know that Trae could dominate with no teammates. I believe that if you gave him great players like Zion had Trae would've done even better than he did at OU.

And unlike Zion, Trae didn't sit out half the year.

 

[Quavarius]

I have no objections with this list!

 

[DiehardDukeFan4Life]

I don't know about that. Trae never played with any players who would've even made the Duke roster so it's hard to say that Zion would've done as well as he did if he had no teammates to take some of the work load.

we already know that Trae could dominate with no teammates. I believe that if you gave him great players like Zion had Trae would've done even better than he did at OU.

And unlike Zion, Trae didn't sit out half the year.

What are you talking about sit out half the year? Zion only missed like 6 games while he was at Duke.

 

[forsh_21]

Descent list. Zion too high. Mason too low. Im tempted to say kemba 1 for how he drug a team that was nit bound through the 2 toughest tournaments possible with unparalleled hero ball. That run was epic.

 

[MileHighSpartan]

Denzel Valentine was the first player to average 19/7/7 but getting upset in the first round by MTSU hurt his legacy.

Draymond could have gotten a mention as well.

 

[schoonerwest]

Davis has to be over Zion considering that Davis won a title and swept every major award in college basketball. He had arguably the most accomplished season of anybody in history.

 

[jhmossy]

Anyone can win a championship with a top 10 player of the decade. Congrats to those coaches who won a natty without one of these elite players.

 

[WestTexasRaider]

No on Zion at 1 for sure. I'm going Kemba, and not just because he won me 10k that year. Oh yeah!

 

[ExitFlagger]

I don't know about that. Trae never played with any players who would've even made the Duke roster so it's hard to say that Zion would've done as well as he did if he had no teammates to take some of the work load.

we already know that Trae could dominate with no teammates. I believe that if you gave him great players like Zion had Trae would've done even better than he did at OU.

And unlike Zion, Trae didn't sit out half the year.

I think the narrative that Young had no talent around him is overblown.

Aside from Young, they lost one of their best scorers and their best rebounder, added basically nothing, yet were a better team last season.

 

[bignish]

Davis has to be over Zion considering that Davis won a title and swept every major award in college basketball. He had arguably the most accomplished season of anybody in history.

They both swept all the individual awards out there but its clear who the better college player was. It's not Zion's fault he was surrounded by an inexperienced PG, a good but inefficient 2nd option and a bunch of nobodies on his team.

Look at the upperclassmen talent on AD's team: Lamb, T Jones, Darius Miller

Zion was the better offensive player and both were incredible defensively.

 

[JimboBBN]

They both swept all the individual awards out there but its clear who the better college player was. It's not Zion's fault he was surrounded by an inexperienced PG, a good but inefficient 2nd option and a bunch of nobodies on his team.

Look at the upperclassmen talent on AD's team: Lamb, T Jones, Darius Miller

Zion was the better offensive player and both were incredible defensively.

Sounds like excuses for Zion. He didn’t even make the final four on a LOADED Duke team. A team you hyped as one of the best ever last season. It’s Davis and you know it.

 

[WeAreDePaul]

Sounds like excuses for Zion. He didn’t even make the final four on a LOADED Duke team. A team you hyped as one of the best ever last season. It’s Davis and you know it.

should've lost to UCF in round 1.

But, can't really hold it against Zion that he played for a terrible game coach.

 

[Mac9192]

Agree with Zion, then AD. The media sold Duke. Any rational fan knows it was a very flawed team. Zion was even better than most thought he would be. The problem is the others weren’t. Reddish and Tre more than RJ. But he wasn’t remotely close to Zion.
Blame Coach K maybe, but not Zion.

 

[ExitFlagger]

Sounds like excuses for Zion. He didn’t even make the final four on a LOADED Duke team. A team you hyped as one of the best ever last season. It’s Davis and you know it.

Was it really loaded? As a Kentucky fan, you should know better than anyone not to base expectations purely on high school hype. Based on production, it was a pretty average roster after Barrett. With zero depth.

Duke finished the regular season 26-2 with Zion in the lineup. When he was injured, they went 3-3 and got destroyed at home by UNC.

 

[Crums Bald Spot]

Anthony Davis ish on Zion. Better college player and will be a better pro. Total non-conversation unless you're a duke homer.

 

[JimboBBN]

Was it really loaded? As a Kentucky fan, you should know better than anyone not to base expectations purely on high school hype. Based on production, it was a pretty average roster after Barrett. With zero depth.

Duke finished the regular season 26-2 with Zion in the lineup. When he was injured, they went 3-3 and got destroyed at home by UNC.

I’m quoting him, I didn’t think they were as elite as he did. He was picking them above 2015 Kentucky I believe.

 

[schoonerwest]

I’m quoting him, I didn’t think they were as elite as he did. He was picking them above 2015 Kentucky I believe.

Last years Duke team? More like top 12-15 this decade.

 

[RR30]

Zion was probably the single most exciting player but in terms of accomplishments he wasn't even top 5.

 

[Quavarius]

I have no objections with this list!

BUMP

 

[ExitFlagger]

I don’t even like Zion (something about him that annoys me), but he was as close to unstoppable as they come. At least since Durant. If he weren’t also a really good defender, I’d lean toward Davis.

 

[Quavarius]

Per the author:

Here is a look at the top players who defined the last decade in college basketball.

Zion Williamson was the most interesting player of this decade. From his dunks, social media following and unbelievable athleticism for a guy his size, he defined this decade the most.

From celebrities, pro players and even a President, ALL of Duke’s away games were sell outs except for Wake Forest IIRC. Viewership increased when he was on TV. And he missed 6 games.

 

[Monorojo]

Shame ja morant didn’t play at a better school against better competition.

Would’ve been fun to watch

 

[BasketBallJunkie-UK]

Per the author:

Here is a look at the top players who defined the last decade in college basketball.

Zion Williamson was the most interesting player of this decade. From his dunks, social media following and unbelievable athleticism for a guy his size, he defined this decade the most.

From celebrities, pro players and even a President, ALL of Duke’s away games were sell outs except for Wake Forest IIRC. Viewership increased when he was on TV. And he missed 6 games.

I agree with the above, but the best was Davis.

 

[UL_1986]

Kemba Walker was pretty incredible. Dude would just take over each game, plus he was clutch af.

 

[dukedevilz]

You guys could just refer to the dukedevilz rankings that I posted back in the summer time. My numbers at least focus on raw numbers, which are easy to follow on a comparative basis. I have delineated my lists between the overall top 5 most impactful players of the decade, as well as the top 10 players that played 3 years, 2 years, and 1 year.

My formula is postseason accolades + win shares. 10 points for NPOY, 8 points for 1st Team, 6 points for 2nd Team, and 4 points for 3rd team. Doug McDermott was a 3x 1st Team All-American and the 2014 NPOY. Hard to top that.

 

[dukedevilz]

I do think it's impressive that Sullinger managed to land #3 on my list after just two seasons. Being 1st Team All-American twice certainly helps.

 

[Quavarius]

Anybody have Zion’s and AD’s individual stats?

 

[TheDude1]

Zion: 23 points, 9 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals, 2 blocks per game on 68% shooting, 41 PER (1st all time)

Davis: 14 points, 11 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal, 5 blocks per game on 62% shooting, 35 PER (9th all time)

 

[UL_1986]

Zion: 23 points, 9 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals, 2 blocks per game on 68% shooting, 41 PER (1st all time)

Davis: 14 points, 11 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal, 5 blocks per game on 62% shooting, 35 PER (9th all time)

Damn, Zion was efficient.

 

[JimboBBN]

Zion: 23 points, 9 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals, 2 blocks per game on 68% shooting, 41 PER (1st all time)

Davis: 14 points, 11 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal, 5 blocks per game on 62% shooting, 35 PER (9th all time)

Anthony Davis: Final Four MOP
Zion: ...

 

[WeAreDePaul]

You guys could just refer to the dukedevilz rankings that I posted back in the summer time. My numbers at least focus on raw numbers, which are easy to follow on a comparative basis. I have delineated my lists between the overall top 5 most impactful players of the decade, as well as the top 10 players that played 3 years, 2 years, and 1 year.

My formula is postseason accolades + win shares. 10 points for NPOY, 8 points for 1st Team, 6 points for 2nd Team, and 4 points for 3rd team. Doug McDermott was a 3x 1st Team All-American and the 2014 NPOY. Hard to top that.

Any formula that results in Trae Young not being considered one of the 10 best freshman of the decade is a formula that should've been flushed down the toilet rather than posted.

 

[Quavarius]

Zion: 23 points, 9 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals, 2 blocks per game on 68% shooting, 41 PER (1st all time)

Davis: 14 points, 11 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal, 5 blocks per game on 62% shooting, 35 PER (9th all time)

Thanks for the stats. The author was correct