Favorite Player Poll - G. Hill vs. Dunleavy

[JasonEvans]

This is the last of our round of 32 polls and it features two guys with championship rings on their fingers. Grant's thunder-slam was the moment Duke announced that it would not fold in a championship game again while Dun's trio of treys paved the way for Duke to get its most recent national title. Both guys were amazing ballhandlers and had stunning court vision for forwards. When you think of the concept of the point-forward, Grant and Dun are the prototypes.

Oh, one more similarity-- they both came from pretty solid breeding stock ;)

Our #3 seed, Grant Hill, against the #30 seed, Mike Dunleavy.

--Jason "vote early, vote often" Evans

[Lord Ash]

I only wonder if this will stay at 100 percent for Grant, or if a 16 year old female fan might break the trend?

:)

[BobbyFan]

I would stop well short of labeling Dunleavy as an amazing ballhandler or of having stunning court vision, even for a forward (given his size, I think Josh approaches these compliments much more than Dunleavy does).

His function as a Blue Devil was quite different from Grant's; he was a scorer who could stretch the defense and had a great feel for the game. However, he never really had the responsibility of being a point forward as Grant did.

[Cameron]

There's about as much a chance for Mike to win this as there is for Sean Marshall to be given a Fannie May scholarship for wonderful citizenship, but I have my reasons for choosing him.

Of course, as somebody who lived and died with the three ball as a player (there was just nothing like hitting a smooth 25-footer, giving rise to the crowd:) Nothing), I loved Dunleavy's amazing ability as a 6'9" guy to step out and calmy sink those deep triples. I don't think anyone in Duke history shot the three ball more effortlessly from so far out. He was a pleasure to watch each game.

And in honor of Mike's great shooting ability, my friends and I named the 25-footer after him back in 2001. I can't remember which game it was, but I remember we were watching Dunleavy play and he drilled like two or three 25-footers one game, just pulling up from the parking lot. It was a thing of beauty. From then on, anything hoisted past the volleyball line was officially a "Dun." Still to this day, when we go out and play at the local rec center and hit a deep three, we'll trot back down the court yelling "Dun."

And those three triples in 45 seconds were beautiful. I'm looking at the panoramic photo framed out of SI of his last triple in that sequence right now, and it gives me goosebumps still.

[JasonEvans]

The only question left in this poll is if Grant can get to the 94.48% mark that Shane set as the high-water mark for first round victory.

--Jason "92%+ as I write this" Evans

[SilkyJ]

I would stop well short of labeling Dunleavy as an amazing ballhandler or of having stunning court vision, even for a forward (given his size, I think Josh approaches these compliments much more than Dunleavy does).

His function as a Blue Devil was quite different from Grant's; he was a scorer who could stretch the defense and had a great feel for the game. However, he never really had the responsibility of being a point forward as Grant did.

I would agree, but would say it it would be fair to label their skill sets as similar...with grant's obviously being well beyond Mike's, which I don't think is an exaggeration despite Mike being a #3 pick, especially when you consider Grant's athleticism.

Personally was always a big fan of Mike. Thought he was actually underrated, especially athletically (I remember an up and under against UNC that was pretty spectacular, and another one that probably no one remembers @GaTech where he started out on the wing outside the 3pt line, drove and put a sick spin move on the center and hit a reverse layup with the left.) But its Grant so.....

personally I think its gonna come down to Battier or Grant, with Christian also posing a threat. Not sure which side of the bracket everyone is on...

[JasonEvans]

personally I think its gonna come down to Battier or Grant, with Christian also posing a threat. Not sure which side of the bracket everyone is on...

If you go to the stickied thread at the top of the board, you can see the spreadsheet with the brackets.

One side of the bracket is loaded with Battier (#2 overall seed), Grant (#6 overall seed) and Christian (#6 seed). The other side is much easier, IMO. JWill is the #1 but I think the guy who goes to the finals will be either Dawkins (#4) or Hurley (#5).

--Jason "I could see any of the top 6 winning it all... just so hard to predict" Evans

[SilkyJ]

If you go to the stickied thread at the top of the board, you can see the spreadsheet with the brackets.

One side of the bracket is loaded with Battier (#2 overall seed), Grant (#6 overall seed) and Christian (#6 seed). The other side is much easier, IMO. JWill is the #1 but I think the guy who goes to the finals will be either Dawkins (#4) or Hurley (#5).

--Jason "I could see any of the top 6 winning it all... just so hard to predict" Evans

good lord. i dont know who to pick on either side...

thanks.

[hurleyfor3]

Dun is getting metaphorically dunked on.

[JasonEvans]

This poll is now closed. Grant moves on (as if there was ever any doubt).

[greybeard]

Got both their autographs (true) for my kid (sometimes, having one comes in handy). Grant's is on a 49ers' hat; Mike's, a panther's hat. The niner's hat comes with Randy "macho man" Savage's autograph, as well (quite a flight). Any takers. ;)

Amazing that a guy like Dunlevy don't have a chance; no shame in it either!