Beginning this journey, I thought it was going to be pretty easy to select the top Virginia Cavaliers on the hardwood.
I think people can agree on most of the names, but actually deciding who starts and at what positions proved to be a harder challenge.
After all, a power forward from 1970 looks a bit different than a power forward today. Therefore, I tried to use various factors in constructing my team.
1. Raw talent: How good are they? How did they overcome or take advantage of the strengths and weaknesses of the team they were on?
2. Chemistry: I wanted my starting lineup to be as complete as possible. I wanted them to be able to play defense, share the ball, shoot from all over the court, and really look like a team.
3. Legacy: In many of my tiebreakers I went with the name that had meant more to Virginia. Did the player leave UVA a hero or wrapped in controversy?
Well, here we go. I present to you the entire 13-man roster. Let the debate begin.
C—Ralph Sampson
There's nothing that really needs to be said here. Sampson personifies Virginia basketball. Students painted the top of University Hall to get him here, and in "Ralph's House," the Cavaliers went to their first Final Four, achieved a number one ranking, and played the classic duel against Georgetown's Patrick Ewing.
Sampson was a three-time National Player of the Year, a feat that will NEVER be broken unless NBA Commish David Stern goes crazy with the age rule. He is the team's all-time leader in rebounds and blocks. In fact, he has 320 more blocks than the man in second place!
PF—Travis Watson
Okay, I know this is probably when you will stop reading, but hear me out. Watson played four years out of his natural position of power forward against men way bigger and taller than him, and he still set some impressive marks.
Watson finished third all-time in blocks at Virginia and second in school history with 54 career double-doubles. He brought down over 1,000 rebounds, second only to Sampson and nearly 200 more than Junior Burrough.
I put Watson on as a starter because his tenacity on the boards and in the low blocks gave Virginia a very strong defensive force. He has the ability to finish strong at the basket and clean up any shots Sampson were to miss. His tenacious attitude is what would complement Sampson's greatness the best.
SF—Bryant Stith
Another no-brainer. Stith is Virginia's all-time leading scorer with an incredible 2,516 points in his career. That is fifth best in the history of the ACC, beating other greats like Len Bias and Sam Perkins, and over 400 more points than Tim Duncan.
Stith helped lead Virginia to an Elite Eight and three 20-win seasons. He also brought home an NIT title, and even though that may not sound like much, it is one of only two postseason championship banners hanging in the rafters of the John Paul Jones Arena. Stith is also seventh all-time in steals with 177, showing a speed and quickness that is necessary to win against elite teams.
SG—Jeff Lamp
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