Challenge: ACC's biggest winners...

[SupaDave]

Since some of you have issues with other lists on the site I thought I'd see just where some of your loyalties lie.

So I decided to put together my own list of the ACC's biggest winners. Just five b/c I don't have all day.

There's just one catch - can't be a Duke player.

Here's my top 5:

1. Tim Duncan - impeccable career and reputation
2. Rasheed Wallace - misunderstood, 15 year career, hate him now
3. Juan Dixon - got a NC and everything else against all odds
4. Charlie Ward - one of the best in my opinion, excelled at 3 sports
5. Mark Price - a "slow" kid with a deadly shot who changed a franchise

Ok - show me what you got...

[blueprofessor]

1.Vic Bubas: one of three greatest college coaches of the 1960s and one who should be in the HOF as a coach, not as a contributor.He was the best organizer and strategist as a team CEO of his era.
2.Everett Case, the father of ACC basketball.
3. Bones McKinney, Wake's showman and a pretty good coach.
4. Wake's 1961 2 sport players:Norm Snead and Bill Hull, both of whom played pro football.
5.Skip Wise---the first frosh to make all-ACC 1st team.

Best--Blueprofessor

[JBDuke]

Since some of you have issues with other lists on the site I thought I'd see just where some of your loyalties lie.

So I decided to put together my own list of the ACC's biggest winners. Just five b/c I don't have all day.

There's just one catch - can't be a Duke player.

Here's my top 5:

1. Tim Duncan - impeccable career and reputation
2. Rasheed Wallace - misunderstood, 15 year career, hate him now
3. Juan Dixon - got a NC and everything else against all odds
4. Charlie Ward - one of the best in my opinion, excelled at 3 sports
5. Mark Price - a "slow" kid with a deadly shot who changed a franchise

Ok - show me what you got...

I want to quibble with your choices - well, one in particular - Wallace.

If we're going to take into account NBA performance, then Jordan has to be on the list. If we're only taking into account their ACC work, then Wallace doesn't deserve to be on the list.

My top 5 non-Duke winners (limited to guys I actually saw play):

1. Juan Dixon. Love his story - horrible family background, too skinny, not a good enough handle to be a PG, but was the MVP of the 2002 national champs, and Maryland's all-time leading scorer. At 6'3" and 160 pounds, he still collected an NBA paycheck this year. Amazing. Maybe Maryland's version of Shane Battier?

2. Tyler Hansbrough. Okay, it's still painful, but this guy was an absolute winner. Came into a Heels program reeling from talent loss and immediately established himself as the Heels' go-to guy. Played all four years, went out on top - national champs and all-time ACC scorer. Ugh.

3. Bryant Stith. Valedictorian of his HS class, four-year starter at UVA, leaving as their all-time leading scorer. Played in the NBA for about a decade, becoming a leader and fan favorite in Denver and Boston. Founded and chairs the SCORE (Setting Children On the Road to Empowerment) foundation that aids the youth and families of Southside VA. Returned to coach at his HS alma mater, and in two years, has lead them to back-to-back championship games. Class.

4. Tim Duncan. Two-time ACC POY. Three-time NDPOY. Lead the 96 Deacs in scoring, rebounding, blocks, and FG%. Plus, he was a good student and graduated in four years (despite being a lottery lock after his sophomore season). Snakebitten in the NCAAs, unfortunately, but really put Wake in the national spotlight.

5. Dennis Scott. Okay, this one is a "guilty favorite". He was a key member of Lethal Weapon 3 - the Tech team that went to the 1990 Final Four, averaging 27.7 ppg. Remember JJ's senior year? Scott did that as a junior. If only he'd come back for one more year...

[sagegrouse]

Tree Rollins, for blurting out the truth that he was paid big bucks while playing basketball at Clemson?

(I am having trouble getting into the full spirit of the thread, but I'll try harder.)

Pete Gillen was a prince of a guy. And there is nobody who doesn't like Bobby Cremins, except maybe his alma mater.

As to players down 15-501, I have heard nothing but good things about Antawn Jamison. It is almost enough to make me forget Jeff McInnes. (Stop it, Grouse! -- Positive! Positive!).

sagegrouse

[DukieInKansas]

You all know players much better than I - but definitely Tim Duncan - stayed in school because he promised his mother.

Rodney Rogers - after retiring from NBA he went to work driving a truck. Has maintained an amazingly positive attitude after a devastating ATV injury.

If it doesn't have to be basketball - Myron Rolle, All American from FSU. He is skipping a year of NFL for Fullbright Scholarship year. Wants to be both an NFL player and study to be a doctor.

I'll have to do some looking/thinking for others but these come to mind quickly.

I look forward to reading people's lists.

[riksmits]

If you're going off ACC career alone, as much as it sucks, Hansbrough should be in anyone's top 5.

I agree with JB's 1-2. Dixon and Hansbrough should be unanimous.

[gw67]

I'm a long time ACC fan (going on 47 years) and the following is a listing of ACC players who were top players who I enjoyed watching play. I did not include the scores of Duke and Maryland players who I consider to be winners:

Virginia - Stith, Walker and Crotty

Georgia Tech - Price, Harpring and Dalrymple

Florida State - Sura and Ward

Wake - Bogues

NC State - Gugliotta and Monroe

UNC - Ford, Lynch, Jones, Kupchak and Daugherty

Clemson - Hammonds

All were winners in my book.

gw67

[jv001]

David (DT) Thompson, NC State & best ever in ACC
Tom Burleson, NC St
Michael Jordan unc
Juan Dixon, MD
Tim Duncan

All but Duncan won atleast one NCAA Championship but he won national honors. Go Duke!

[SupaDave]

David (DT) Thompson, NC State & best ever in ACC
Tom Burleson, NC St
Michael Jordan unc
Juan Dixon, MD
Tim Duncan

All but Duncan won atleast one NCAA Championship but he won national honors. Go Duke!

Burleson eh? Made me do some research. Found this pretty sweet article...

http://www.gopack.com/ViewArticle.db...ATCLID=3632579

[BD80]

How about Jason Capel, his brother is a big time coach right now!

[Jeffrey]

So I decided to put together my own list of the ACC's biggest winners. Just five b/c I don't have all day.

There's just one catch - can't be a Duke player.

There's many ways to define "ACC's biggest winners". IMO, excluding Duke:

Best to play in the ACC: David "Skywalker" Thompson... he changed the game.
Best to coach: Dean Smith based upon number of wins, clean program, high graduation rate, and desegregation initiative.

Best UVA player: Ralph Sampson
Best MD player: Len Bias
Best UNC player: Phil Ford
Best Clemson player: Tree Rollins
Best G. Tech player: Which PG?
Best Wake player: Tim Duncan

I suspect my Dean Smith opinion will be well received around here.

[superdave]

Duncan peaked at the Elite 8 one year. Not sure two ACC tourney titles and worse-than-expected NCAA performances makes you a clear-cut "winner."

Hansborough blew the Elite 8 game against Gtown in 2007 and got annihilated against Kansas (twice) in the Final Four. He erased that by winning a title this year, but he's in the same group as Montross. I'd say George Lynch was more of a "winner" because the more talnted 1994 team flopped without his leadership.

What about Valvano? Or was a he more of a guy who caught lightning in a bottle?

Cremins made a Final Four and won a couple of ACC tourneys without having the big reputation.

[Devil in the Blue Dress]

There's many ways to define "ACC's biggest winners". IMO, excluding Duke:

Best to play in the ACC: David "Skywalker" Thompson... he changed the game.
Best to coach: Dean Smith based upon number of wins, clean program, high graduation rate, and desegregation initiative.

Best UVA player: Ralph Sampson
Best MD player: Len Bias
Best UNC player: Phil Ford
Best Clemson player: Tree Rollins
Best G. Tech player: Which PG?
Best Wake player: Tim Duncan

I suspect my Dean Smith opinion will be well received around here.

Don't forget the innovations Dean Smith created, changing much about college basketball along the way. His time at Carolina overlapped with that of Vic Bubas who also brought significant innovations to coaching and the game of basketball itself. Both coaches brought great distinction to the ACC.

[brevity]

Best to coach: Dean Smith based upon number of wins, clean program, high graduation rate, and desegregation initiative.

I suspect my Dean Smith opinion will be well received around here.

No argument from me. By your criteria, I think the answer is probably the same even if you include Coach K in the equation.

Coach K's tenure is almost as long as Dean Smith's was, so in a few years people can no longer hold the latter on a pedestal based on longevity.

But compare the eras where only one was coaching...

ACC with Smith, before K (1961-1980)
ACC with K, after Smith (1997-present)

There were significant developments in college basketball in the past 12 years, particularly as it relates to the business side of sports. And the ACC has become a much different entity. But the earlier era has a great deal more historical value, especially as it relates to the corresponding changes in society.

Good luck trying to contend otherwise.