Decade's best teams and programs

[rotogod00]

ESPN ranked the top programs and the single greatest teams of the past 10 years (1999-2000 through 2008-09):

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/news/story?id=4783700


sneak peak: Duke finished as the 5th best program (behind UNC, Kansas, Florida, and Michigan St.) and the 2000-01 unit was ranked as the 2nd best team (behind 2006-07 Florida)

[RoyalBlue08]

Not that this would be a very glorious award to win or anything, but the 01-02 team was absolutely the best not to win a title. If J. Will doesn't get hurt, that team could make the playoffs in the NBA!

[calltheobvious]

ESPN ranked the top programs and the single greatest teams of the past 10 years (1999-2000 through 2008-09):

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/news/story?id=4783700


sneak peak: Duke finished as the 5th best program (behind UNC, Kansas, Florida, and Michigan St.) and the 2000-01 unit was ranked as the 2nd best team (behind 2006-07 Florida)

Lots of great stuff for debate here, but I'll start with Bilas's claim that 2004 UConn was better than 2001 Duke because of Okafor. In 2004, we had Shelden, Shav, and Horvath trying to guard Okafor, Boone, and Villanueva; and that Duke trio came within a hair of finishing. The 2001 Duke team would have Boozer, Battier, Dunleavy, James, and Sanders working on UConn's bigs. Even if Okafor stays out of foul trouble, Battier's the best post defender Duke's ever had, and I say that's enough to get the job done, especially with the deep supporting cast.

[turnandburn55]

<insert snarky comment about Jay Bilas picking '04 UConn as team of the decade here>

:rolleyes:

I'd take Duke '01 against damned near anyone. Probably forgotten because it was early in the decade. Let's also not forget that 'Zona '01 would've been remember as one of the best teams of the decade as well if things had gone differently in Minneapolis

Arenas and Jefferson both turned out to be excellent players in the NBA.
Walton is a highly regarded sub on a championship team.
Woods and Wright, while they did not see success in the pros, were both all-Americans and considered NPOY candidates.
And as I recall Jason Gardner was also one of the best PGs in college...

Not exactly chumps we took down in the National Championship game.

[DukeBlueNikeShox]

I don't understand how a school who missed the NCAA tourney TWICE can get program of the decade. Throw in the fact that one of those seasons posted an 8-20 record.

Same for Florida. They missed the NCAA Tourney in 02, 04, 08, 09. Outside of the Back-To-Back title runs, they only made 1 Final Four, 1 Sweet 16 (both of which came in 2000), 3 SEC Tourney titles (two of which came in 06,07), and 3 SEC Regular Season titles (two of which came in 2000 and 2007). So Basically, they are ranked because of what they did in 3 years (2000, 2006, and 2007). 3 years out of 10? Gimme a break...

I don't like that they dismissed that Duke:
a) made the tourney EVERY YEAR,
b) earned NDPOY honors 4 times (Battier -2 , Williams - 2),
c) NPOY 5 times (Williams -2, Redick - 2, Battier - 1),
d) ACC POY 4 times (Carawell - 1, Battier - 1, Redick - 2),
e) earned 6 NCAA Tourney #1 seeds,
f) earned 2 NCAA Tourney #2 seeds
g) How many times did Duke lead the ACC in Academic Honor Roll selections?! I'm willing to bet that UNC led ZERO times...

[DevilHorns]

I don't understand how a school who missed the NCAA tourney TWICE can get program of the decade. Throw in the fact that one of those seasons posted an 8-20 record.

Same for Florida. They missed the NCAA Tourney in 02, 04, 08, 09. Outside of the Back-To-Back title runs, they only made 1 Final Four, 1 Sweet 16 (both of which came in 2000), 3 SEC Tourney titles (two of which came in 06,07), and 3 SEC Regular Season titles (two of which came in 2000 and 2007). So Basically, they are ranked because of what they did in 3 years (2000, 2006, and 2007). 3 years out of 10? Gimme a break...

I don't like that they dismissed that Duke:
a) made the tourney EVERY YEAR,
b) earned NDPOY honors 4 times (Battier -2 , Williams - 2),
c) NPOY 5 times (Williams -2, Redick - 2, Battier - 1),
d) ACC POY 4 times (Carawell - 1, Battier - 1, Redick - 2),
e) earned 6 NCAA Tourney #1 seeds,
f) earned 2 NCAA Tourney #2 seeds
g) How many times did Duke lead the ACC in Academic Honor Roll selections?! I'm willing to bet that UNC led ZERO times...

In the end, all that matters is # championships.

[turnandburn55]

In the end, all that matters is # championships.

Agreed. While there wasn't a clear-cut team of the decade, you certainly can't pick a team that was consistently well above average, but only sealed the deal once. That's like arguing that North Carolina was team of the decade in the 90s.