Orangeyes
R.I.P Dan
- Joined
- Aug 15, 2011
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I'll start it with Jim Boeheim the player.
First thought's as a player, "Who is that skinny kid with the glasses?" As his career progressed I grew to love his steady game, he was the perfect sidekick to Dave Bing. He was a very good passer, good free throw shooter and could knock down the outside shot to keep the defenses honest. Did you know that JB averaged 14 ppg his senior season on 56% shooting?
Meanwhile Bing was averaging 28 ppg on 54% shooting while pulling down 10 rebounds a game. If they had rating services for backcourts back then I wonder where they would have been ranked?
First thought's as an assistant coach, "I wonder if he could be our version of John Wooden? He looks like the studious type."
Later he became known as the professor by those in the media. Funny you don't hear that too often anymore.
I remember back in the 70's Maryland was the model we were trying to copy. Their best player back then was a Rhodes scholar, Tom McMillen (71-74), a southpaw center who for his career averaged 20 Pts & nearly 10 rebounds a game. He was a three time All American.
John Lucas (72-76) was in that era, a three time AA as well and a #1 pick in the draft.
Mo Howard was his backcourt mate, he led Maryland in FG% twice.
Len Elmore (71-74) was a 1st team AA at power forward. Did you know that Lenny is the Terp's all-time leading rebounder & averaged 14 boards per contest?
The 71-74 team had a 73-17 record. It's no wonder that they averaged 90 ppg in 1975 with talent like that.
I bet if you asked JB he'd say Maryland was the program he tried to emulate when he took over as head coach.