BasketVols 20 year All-Century Team

#1
zjcvols

zjcvols

"On a Tennessee saturday night."
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#1
I'm bored, it's been 20 good years of Tennessee basketball, let's do a 15 man team. Think of this as like an All-Conference team. This isn't exactly perfect to each position but I did include at least two guards and two forwards with the fifth spot going either way.

1st Team

Guard- C.J. Watson
Guard- Chris Lofton
Forward- Grant Williams
Forward- Jarnell Stokes
Forward- Wayne Chism

2nd Team

Guard- Josh Richardson
Guard- JaJuan Smith
Guard- Scotty Hopson
Forward- Ron Slay
Forward- Admiral Schofield

3rd Team
Guard- Jordan Bone
Guard- Kevin Punter
Guard- Jordan McRae
Forward- Vincent Yarbrough
Forward- Tobais Harris
 
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#2
#2
zjcvols said:
I'm bored, it's been 20 good years of Tennessee basketball, let's do a 15 man team. Think of this as like an All-Conference team. This isn't exactly perfect to each position but I did include at least two guards and two forwards with the fifth spot going either way.

1st Team

Guard- C.J. Watson
Guard- Chris Lofton
Forward- Grant Williams
Forward- Jarnell Stokes
Forward- Wayne Chism

2nd Team

Guard- Josh Richardson
Guard- JaJuan Smith
Guard- Scotty Hopson
Forward- Ron Slay
Forward- Admiral Schofield

3rd Team
Guard- Jordan Bone
Guard- Kevin Punter
Guard- Jordan McRae
Forward- Vincent Yarbrough
Forward- Tobais Harris
Click to expand...
To me have to have CJ Black and Isiah Vctor, really loved weezy but not top 5 imo Great list though
 
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#4
#4
zjcvols said:
I'm bored, it's been 20 good years of Tennessee basketball, let's do a 15 man team. Think of this as like an All-Conference team. This isn't exactly perfect to each position but I did include at least two guards and two forwards with the fifth spot going either way.

1st Team

Guard- C.J. Watson
Guard- Chris Lofton
Forward- Grant Williams
Forward- Jarnell Stokes
Forward- Wayne Chism

2nd Team

Guard- Josh Richardson
Guard- JaJuan Smith
Guard- Scotty Hopson
Forward- Ron Slay
Forward- Admiral Schofield

3rd Team
Guard- Jordan Bone
Guard- Kevin Punter
Guard- Jordan McRae
Forward- Vincent Yarbrough
Forward- Tobais Harris
Click to expand...
Are the qualifications just what they accomplished during their Tennessee careers, overall talent, or college and NBA impact?
 
#6
#6
cncchris33 said:
Are the qualifications just what they accomplished during their Tennessee careers, overall talent, or college and NBA impact?
Click to expand...

Tennessee careers and talent. NBA impact had little impact. I know Tobias was only here one year but he was still super talented
 
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#7
#7
chazman said:
To me have to have CJ Black and Isiah Vctor, really loved weezy but not top 5 imo Great list though
Click to expand...

CJ Black played half a season this century and Isiah Victor was a fine player but not on the levels of any of these guys
 
#8
#8
zjcvols said:
I'm bored, it's been 20 good years of Tennessee basketball, let's do a 15 man team. Think of this as like an All-Conference team. This isn't exactly perfect to each position but I did include at least two guards and two forwards with the fifth spot going either way.

1st Team

Guard- C.J. Watson
Guard- Chris Lofton
Forward- Grant Williams
Forward- Jarnell Stokes
Forward- Wayne Chism

2nd Team

Guard- Josh Richardson
Guard- JaJuan Smith
Guard- Scotty Hopson
Forward- Ron Slay
Forward- Admiral Schofield

3rd Team
Guard- Jordan Bone
Guard- Kevin Punter
Guard- Jordan McRae
Forward- Vincent Yarbrough
Forward- Tobais Harris
Click to expand...
I'd take Tyler Smith in there somewhere.
 
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#9
#9
zjcvols said:
I'm bored, it's been 20 good years of Tennessee basketball, let's do a 15 man team. Think of this as like an All-Conference team. This isn't exactly perfect to each position but I did include at least two guards and two forwards with the fifth spot going either way.

1st Team

Guard- C.J. Watson
Guard- Chris Lofton
Forward- Grant Williams
Forward- Jarnell Stokes
Forward- Wayne Chism

2nd Team

Guard- Josh Richardson
Guard- JaJuan Smith
Guard- Scotty Hopson
Forward- Ron Slay
Forward- Admiral Schofield

3rd Team
Guard- Jordan Bone
Guard- Kevin Punter
Guard- Jordan McRae
Forward- Vincent Yarbrough
Forward- Tobais Harris
Click to expand...
Great list. Loved watching all of them play.
 
#10
#10
zjcvols said:
Tennessee careers and talent. NBA impact had little impact. I know Tobias was only here one year but he was still super talented
Click to expand...
Well, he is exactly why I asked. Based purely on talent, I don't know how he isn't 1st Team, I guess. Being that he was a one-and-done, people forget how good he was in that one year while still playing second fiddle to Scotty Hopson on most nights. I'm not sure any of us envisioned the kind of NBA career he has created.

CJ Watson and Chism are the only two guys on your 1st Team that I think are debatable. Lofton, Williams, and Stokes are pretty rock solid. I think a case for JRich or J. Smith over Watson could be made unless you are viewing that as a strict PG position.

At the other forward spot, I would make an argument for Ron Slay (2003 SEC POY, and 2x All-SEC) or Tobias over Chism, who was a good player, but wouldn't be my choice for 1st Team.
 
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#12
#12
I would rather go to war with Schofield and Slay over Stokes and Chism. I also think that Bone and VY have to be second team over Scotty and Jajuan. Heck, I'd even be tempted to have peak Bone over CJ Watson, although in terms of career value that Watson is far more valuable. Bone was the straw that stirred the drink last year IMO. VY is like Andruw Jones, both chronically underrated because of the sky high expectations.

Don't get me started on how the greatest outfielder of all time with over 400 career homers in not in the Hall.
 
#13
#13
Unconditional Surrender said:
I would rather go to war with Schofield and Slay over Stokes and Chism. I also think that Bone and VY have to be second team over Scotty and Jajuan. Heck, I'd even be tempted to have peak Bone over CJ Watson, although in terms of career value that Watson is far more valuable. Bone was the straw that stirred the drink last year IMO. VY is like Andruw Jones, both chronically underrated because of the sky high expectations.

Don't get me started on how the greatest outfielder of all time with over 400 career homers in not in the Hall.
Click to expand...
I'd put VY over Hopson, as well, but your "chronically underrated relative to high expetations" quote applies to him, as well, perhaps to a very slightly lesser degree. VY had the benefit of 4 years that Hopson didn't take advantage of, but their careers would likely have mirrored each others even more closely had he stayed for his SR season. I'd give VY the edge based on all-around game.
 
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#14
#14
cncchris33 said:
I'd put VY over Hopson, as well, but your "chronically underrated relative to high expetations" quote applies to him, as well, perhaps to a very slightly lesser degree. VY had the benefit of 4 years that Hopson didn't take advantage of, but their careers would likely have mirrored each others even more closely had he stayed for his SR season. I'd give VY the edge based on all-around game.
Click to expand...
All around game as well as how he lit up Kentucky on a regular basis.
 
#15
#15
cncchris33 said:
I'd put VY over Hopson, as well, but your "chronically underrated relative to high expetations" quote applies to him, as well, perhaps to a very slightly lesser degree. VY had the benefit of 4 years that Hopson didn't take advantage of, but their careers would likely have mirrored each others even more closely had he stayed for his SR season. I'd give VY the edge based on all-around game.
Click to expand...

So defending my "Hopson over VY" choice. The first three years the numbers are similar except Hopson had a better junior year and i would argue during an incredibly rough time in the program with Pearl. Scotty was more efficient and did not have the benefit of a senior year and left bc Pearl was fired. I also tried to stay true to positions and Scotty did make an E8 as one of the three best players on that team.

But looking at it now and seeing the defensive and rebounding numbers YV put up and the efficiency is pretty close...I think I might have been wrong on this one.
 
#16
#16
zjcvols said:
So defending my "Hopson over VY" choice. The first three years the numbers are similar except Hopson had a better junior year and i would argue during an incredibly rough time in the program with Pearl. Scotty was more efficient and did not have the benefit of a senior year and left bc Pearl was fired. I also tried to stay true to positions and Scotty did make an E8 as one of the three best players on that team.

But looking at it now and seeing the defensive and rebounding numbers YV put up and the efficiency is pretty close...I think I might have been wrong on this one.
Click to expand...
Yeah, I think your last paragraph is why I'd put VY above Hop. Efficiency is almost dead even. VY was a better rebounder, defender, and passer. Both became pretty good shooters and were always great scorers. It's kind of hard to remember VY being such a good rebounder because he was primarily a slasher and perimeter player, offensively, but he averaged almost 7 rpg across his entire 4 year career, which is pretty impressive. More than Wayne Chism, CJ Black, and Ron Slay, which I would've lost some serious money if you asked me to rank those three and VY in terms of career rebounds/game.
 
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#17
#17
cncchris33 said:
Yeah, I think your last paragraph is why I'd put VY above Hop. Efficiency is almost dead even. VY was a better rebounder, defender, and passer. Both became pretty good shooters and were always great scorers. It's kind of hard to remember VY being such a good rebounder because he was primarily a slasher and perimeter player, offensively, but he averaged almost 7 rpg across his entire 4 year career, which is pretty impressive. More than Wayne Chism, CJ Black, and Ron Slay, which I would've lost some serious money if you asked me to rank those three and VY in terms of career rebounds/game.
Click to expand...
Tyler Smith was better than both VY and Hopson.
 
#18
#18
PulaskiVolFan said:
Tyler Smith was better than both VY and Hopson.
Click to expand...
They were perhaps equals as scorers, and Smith was probably a better passer than VY, but that's about where it stops. VY was a better rebounder, defender, and shooter. So, no, Tyler Smith was not better than him.
 
#19
#19
cncchris33 said:
They were perhaps equals as scorers, and Smith was probably a better passer than VY, but that's about where it stops. VY was a better rebounder, defender, and shooter. So, no, Tyler Smith was not better than him.
Click to expand...
Man, I know nothing about pre-Pearl players. Wish I could have watched when I was younger. I used to not even care about basketball haha
 
#20
#20
Chris4Vols22 said:
Man, I know nothing about pre-Pearl players. Wish I could have watched when I was younger. I used to not even care about basketball haha
Click to expand...
Well, even during the bad years, I was a bigger Tennessee basketball fan than Tennessee football fan. I love both, but basketball has always been my favorite. Even during those bad years, we had some good players who were fun to watch.
 
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