Carmelo was the most dominant college player I have ever seen

[Cuse_NYC]

Granted I am only in my 20s... I guess I can say the next closest would be Durant. But although he put up big numbers in college, he wasn't a Carmelo. In Carmelo, it just looked like a pro basketball player was playing with kids. You could always find flaws in college kids' games, but Melo didn't have any. The media can try to find a new Melo type all they want, but we may never see another college player on his level.

 

[IthacaMatt]

Granted I am only in my 20s... I guess I can say the next closest would be Durant. But although he put up big numbers in college, he wasn't a Carmelo. In Carmelo, it just looked like a pro basketball player was playing with kids. You could always find flaws in college kids' games, but Melo didn't have any. The media can try to find a new Melo type all they want, but we may never see another college player on his level.

You should have seen Patrick Ewing. Now that was dominating.

 

[jec1521]

In the last 15 years he's definitely one of, along with Durant, Beasley, and Griffin. Oden was great as well.

 

[85SUAlum]

You should have seen Patrick Ewing. Now that was dominating.

I was at SU during the Ewing era and never realized how dominating he was until I watched ESPN's Requiem for the Big East.
Probably because I had my "Hate Georgetown/Ewing" goggles on at the time preventing me from seeing it.
Until I watched that special, I had forgotten how intense the SU/GTown rivalry was back in those days.

 

[Knicks411]

Anthony Davis was incredible. Of course it's blasphemous to say but I think he was better than Melo in college. And is looking like he'll be a better pro as well

 

[ROCuse]

Anthony Davis was incredible. Of course it's blasphemous to say but I think he was better than Melo in college. And is looking like he'll be a better pro as well

I think it's a little tough to compare their college careers. Davis was surrounded by the #2, #18, #29, #42, and #46 picks in the 2012 draft. Ridiculous amounts of talent on that team to take some of the pressure off. Not that the 2003 team didn't have good players to surround Melo, but still.

 

[Knicks411]

I think it's a little tough to compare their college careers. Davis was surrounded by the #2, #18, #29, #42, and #46 picks in the 2012 draft. Ridiculous amounts of talent on that team to take some of the pressure off. Not that the 2003 team didn't have good players to surround Melo, but still.

I get he had great players around him. His numbers were also insane. Granted the guy didn't shoot nearly as much as Melo, but he was third in the country in offensive rating, which is usually reserved for guys who just shoot 3's. The most dominant defensive player in the country. Etc. No question better talent around him.

But my main point was he's one of the most dominant college players of the last (pick your number of years). If you want to say Melo was better, I'm pretty sure I 'd disagree, but he's in the argument.

 

[joct]

You should have seen Patrick Ewing. Now that was dominating.

And think of the centers he went up against...Wennington, Seikaly, Pennington. Back then center was still a real position. If he was coming of age today, the domination would be even more.

 

[jvbj01]

Here is a pretty good list of the best college freshmen.

http://athlonsports.com/college-basketball/10-greatest-college-basketball-freshmen-all-time

It brings back many memories. I was a huge Wayman Tisdale fan. He could bring it. The season Chris Jackson had a a freshman was amazing also.

 

[SoBeCuse]

Not a bad list. Durant, Melo, Davis are all right where they should be, imo. I have no problem with those 3 being inverted in any manner. Ewing probably belongs but his soph season was a huge bump up from his frosh one.

 

[manleyzoo]

Granted I am only in my 20s... I guess I can say the next closest would be Durant. But although he put up big numbers in college, he wasn't a Carmelo. In Carmelo, it just looked like a pro basketball player was playing with kids. You could always find flaws in college kids' games, but Melo didn't have any. The media can try to find a new Melo type all they want, but we may never see another college player on his level.

Not even close to Alcindor/Jabbar, Walton, Oscar, Jerry Lucas and maybe even West. Not close.

 

[IthacaMatt]

I was at SU during the Ewing era and never realized how dominating he was until I watched ESPN's Requiem for the Big East.
Probably because I had my "Hate Georgetown/Ewing" goggles on at the time preventing me from seeing it.
Until I watched that special, I had forgotten how intense the SU/GTown rivalry was back in those days.

In the NCAA finals his freshman year against North Carolina, he committed goal tending on their first FIVE shots from the field. John Thompson wanted Ewing to get into their heads, and they damn near won the game, but for the turnover by Freddy Brown at the end.

 

[MCC]

Not even close to Alcindor/Jabbar, Walton, Oscar, Jerry Lucas and maybe even West. Not close.

Alcindor/Jabbar is untouchable in the context of this thread IMO.

 

[dasher]

Not even close to Alcindor/Jabbar, Walton, Oscar, Jerry Lucas and maybe even West. Not close.

Alcindor and walton didn't play as frosh

 

[Col. Bleep]

I was at SU during the Ewing era and never realized how dominating he was until I watched ESPN's Requiem for the Big East.
Probably because I had my "Hate Georgetown/Ewing" goggles on at the time preventing me from seeing it.
Until I watched that special, I had forgotten how intense the SU/GTown rivalry was back in those days.

I was there, too.
No one was afraid of him.
Not saying he didn't substantially affect the game.
Just that no one played scared.

But if the issue is dominance...he's not close to the likes of Jabbar (Alcindor), Walton and Chamberlain back in their eras when there were few who could do anything to stop them.
Pete Maravich couldn't be stopped either...although his teams didn't necessarily win.

I didn't see Carmelo Anthony as a dominant college player.
Great player...but not dominant.

 

[DeGrozz]

Anthony Davis was incredible. Of course it's blasphemous to say but I think he was better than Melo in college. And is looking like he'll be a better pro as well

Anthony Davis was unreal in college. He dominates the game in a completely different way than Melo though, so I think the comparisons over who is better are a little tough.

It always irks me a little bit how loosely the comparisons of the very good freshmen to the absolutely elite freshmen get thrown around in the media.

Right after Melo left it was Luol Deng who was the next Melo, then Marvin Williams, all the way up through Jabari and Wiggins this year.

If you are going to look at the truly elite freshman in the past 15 years or so, it's Anthony, Durant, Davis (in no particular order), then everybody else.

 

[HakAttack]

Lew Alcindor wins...hands down. No one made a "no dunk" rule to stop Carmelo.

 

[manleyzoo]

Alcindor and walton didn't play as frosh

The original post didn't limit the criteria to freshman, it was about the "most dominant college player." Love Carmelo but not close.

 

[AZOrange]

The original post didn't limit the criteria to freshman, it was about the "most dominant college player." Love Carmelo but not close.

It was limited though to players the OP had seen. Guessing he isn't gray haired like most on here. All offense intended.

 

[Marroniac]

Pistol Pete averaged 44 points a game for his entire career at LSU.

 

[br801]

Pistol Pete averaged 44 points a game for his entire career at LSU.

That's almost as much as some teams score these days.

 

[manleyzoo]

The Big E was a terrific college player too, went head-to-head with Alcindor/Jabbar.

 

[MikeSU02]

In terms of recent best freshman, I think it is Melo, Durant and then Davis.

Davis and Durant had more (and in the case of Davis, much more) talent around them then Melo did. With that said, Durant is obviously the best player now and Davis is on his way to becoming great if he can make it through a season without getting hurt.

I think out of all three, Melo was the fiercest competitor in college and that title run was pretty impressive considering the teams we beat.

With that said, I think an argument can be made for any of the three.

Obviously if you push the timeline back and include the non-frosh first years of someone like Alcindor, well then you are talking a different stratosphere.

 

[IthacaMatt]

Alcindor and walton didn't play as frosh

Or Oscar Robertson, Jerry Lucas, etc.

 

[strumpfasaurus]

I think if Durant played for a different coach than Barnes he could have led any decent program to a final four.