Interesting take on greatest recruit class ever

[Lawrinson14]

http://zagsblog.com/articles/koncha...uldnt-mean-no-1-recruiting-class-of-all-time/

Author claims that UCLA's class of 1965 was the best ever. Solely because of landing Lew Alcindor. And ya know what, I kinda agree with this. He led UCLA to an 88-2 record, with 3 championships in his varsity career.

Makes the current kentucky classes, phi slamma jamma, and the Fab 5 look bush league in comparison.

 

[RandygoCuse]

http://zagsblog.com/articles/koncha...uldnt-mean-no-1-recruiting-class-of-all-time/

Author claims that UCLA's class of 1965 was the best ever. Solely because of landing Lew Alcindor. And ya know what, I kinda agree with this. He led UCLA to an 88-2 record, with 3 championships in his varsity career.

Makes the current kentucky classes, phi slamma jamma, and the Fab 5 look bush league in comparison.

I'll give everyone's favorite wishy-washy answer and say it depends how you measure it. On pure talent, it may go to Alcindor. But if you judge it on how the class fairs if you take away the top guy (ie depth), I think Kentucky is the winner.

 

[PoppyHart]

So the Florida recruiting class with Noah, Green, Horford, and Brewer wouldn't qualify? What if they stayed together for their senior year? What if Davis, Kidd-Gilchrist, etc... stayed together for 4 years? Couldn't they have matched or exceeded UCLA? Heck, Melo and GMAC may have been the best recruiting class ever if 1960s era rules were in place.

Sounds like a silly argument.

 

[RandygoCuse]

So the Florida recruiting class with Noah, Green, Horford, and Brewer wouldn't qualify? What if they stayed together for their senior year? What if Davis, Kidd-Gilchrist, etc... stayed together for 4 years? Couldn't they have matched or exceeded UCLA? Heck, Melo and GMAC may have been the best recruiting class ever if 1960s era rules were in place.

Sounds like a silly argument.

I think the idea was to base it on accomplishments coming into college, not what they did there. Alcindor dominated in high school and Kentucky has 6 (maybe 7) All Americans.

 

[rstone7727]

If I was Calipari, I'd trade all 6/7 of this years class for one Kareem Abdul Jabbar in a heartbeat.

 

[CuseFaninVT]

If I was Calipari, I'd trade all 6/7 of this years class for one Kareem Abdul Jabbar in a heartbeat.

Do you think Alcindor could win a championship by himself these days? He'd still be a one and done guy like most of Cal's classes lately. Maybe, but I think I would roll the dice with the formula that has already proven successful for Cal in the last decade.

 

[sufandu]

If I was Calipari, I'd trade all 6/7 of this years class for one Kareem Abdul Jabbar in a heartbeat.

I don't know about that. He's 66 years old and already used up all of his eligibility.

 

[Knicks411]

Do you think Alcindor could win a championship by himself these days? He'd still be a one and done guy like most of Cal's classes lately. Maybe, but I think I would roll the dice with the formula that has already proven successful for Cal in the last decade.

I dunno, maybe not totally by himself, but surround hm with any kind of talent...

 

[CuseFaninVT]

I dunno, maybe not totally by himself, but surround hm with any kind of talent...

Isn't that what they said about Nerlens????

 

[Lawrinson14]

Lew Alcindor was a legit 7-2 with a complete post game and unblockable sky hook. No player/team in the country would come close to stopping him. There are very few 7-0 footers in today's college game, let alone 7 fts that are any good.

 

[realorange]

I dunno, maybe not totally by himself, but surround hm with any kind of talent...

Any decent players that could get him the ball and make a shot once in awhile. I don't remember anyone ever stopping him.

 

[realorange]

Isn't that what they said about Nerlens????

Not even in the same basketball universe.

 

[Knicks411]

Are we comping Nerlens Noel with Kareem?

 

[CuseFaninVT]

Are we comping Nerlens Noel with Kareem?

not really. just trying to make a counterpoint.

 

[Knicks411]

I get what you're saying, I think, but Kareem was one of the what, 3 greatest college players ever?

 

[CuseFaninVT]

I get what you're saying, I think, but Kareem was one of the what, 3 greatest college players ever?

Agreed. I just wonder if in this day and age a coach would take a gamble on a kid when they could get 6 or 7 kids rated just as highly. We have the ability of hindsight to know that Alcindor was one of the all-time greats, but you don't know that in advance.

 

[MikeSU02]

Agreed. I just wonder if in this day and age a coach would take a gamble on a kid when they could get 6 or 7 kids rated just as highly. We have the ability of hindsight to know that Alcindor was one of the all-time greats, but you don't know that in advance.

If Kareem had come through now, he would be the most coveted recruit of all time, easily. Even more than LeBron.

Any coach would take him over any other group. He was dominant in HS.

This is him at 15 being introduced as an All American:


Can you imagine a real seven footer with offensive moves at that age now? Calipari would be offering him the Kentucky Governorship to get him to Lexington.

 

[MCC]

Worth noting: the UCLA frosh team with Alcindor beat the UCLA varsity and defending national champs 75-60 in their preseason scrimmage.

 

[stuckinbig11]

http://zagsblog.com/articles/koncha...uldnt-mean-no-1-recruiting-class-of-all-time/

Author claims that UCLA's class of 1965 was the best ever. Solely because of landing Lew Alcindor. And ya know what, I kinda agree with this. He led UCLA to an 88-2 record, with 3 championships in his varsity career.

Makes the current kentucky classes, phi slamma jamma, and the Fab 5 look bush league in comparison.

but the Fab 5 made more money while in school at Michigan than the far superior class of 1965 received from boosters while at UCLA

 

[hoopsupstate]

Looking at the centers in the NBA today, I think Kareem could still score double figures today. Just get him on the block and shoot the hook. Today's centers are just plain bad.

 

[Col. Bleep]

Looking at the centers in the NBA today, I think Kareem could still score double figures today. Just get him on the block and shoot the hook. Today's centers are just plain bad.

Yup.
Very few of today's big men could play with him.
And that's really remarkable given the general improvement in athletes over the years.
Back then he had competition: Chamberlain, Reed, Lanier are 3 who quickly come to mind.
And, of course, Danny Schayes who gave up Jabbar's 20,000th point.

 

[The Governor]

I guess the Fab 5 isn't top 20 since they never won anything.

 

[CusefanATL]

So the Florida recruiting class with Noah, Green, Horford, and Brewer wouldn't qualify? What if they stayed together for their senior year? What if Davis, Kidd-Gilchrist, etc... stayed together for 4 years? Couldn't they have matched or exceeded UCLA? Heck, Melo and GMAC may have been the best recruiting class ever if 1960s era rules were in place.

Sounds like a silly argument.

Or wherever Lebron went