University of Arizona Basketball: What Is Your All-Time Starting Five?

As a current University of Arizona student, I find myself asking my buddies this question often. If you could assemble a five-man starting rotation of UA ballers, who would make the cut?

Admittedly, the University of Arizona is better known for their plethora of star point guards rather than their big men, so the hardest decisions will be made at the guard spots.

After asking my UA friends with basketball knowledge this question, Elliot, Brett, Mike, Asher, Gehrig and yours truly will put together our all-time starting fives of UA basketball stars.

I'll save my list of five for last, deferring first to Elliot, a long-time Arizona basketball fan whose older brother and older sister both attended the University he too is about to graduate from.

Elliot:

"Here's my top five. I didn't include a true center because we are Point Guard/Swag U."

1. Jason Gardner (PG):

"Small, scrappy and a tenacious defender with the will to win, Gardner was an excellent passer, slasher and had a high basketball IQ."

2. Steve Kerr (SG):

"A sniper from the three-point line, Kerr had more heart and hustle than most on the court.

3. Sean Elliott (SF):

"A prolific scorer with a deadly mid-range game. He could straight stroke."

4. Richard Jefferson (PF):

"A freak athlete with the ability to jump out of the gym or light it up from outside."

5. Derrick Williams (C):

"An all-around talent, I was fortunate enough to watch D-Will develop into the future No. 2 overall pick during his run at UA. Not only could he posterize almost anyone, he could rain from mid-range to the three-point line."

Brett:

1. Mike Bibby (PG)

2. Damon Stoudamire (SG)

3. Sean Elliott (SF)

4. Derrick Williams (PF)

5. Jordan Hill (C)

"Obviously I have a generational bias toward players that have played during my time at Arizona and that shows in my choice of Jordan Hill.

Hill is somebody because of his athleticism and shot-blocking ability, that I would want to anchor my team. At 6'10'' he is more than adequate to play center in college and as the 2011-2012 season's team can attest, someone with that size and mobility is a luxury. Put Hill with everybody's favorite in Derrick Williams and you'd have an uber-athletic frontcourt for the ages.

Pair them with the all-time leading scorer in Arizona history, Sean Elliott, and you have a frontcourt that could rival any other University's all-time team.

With the amount of great guards that have come through Arizona it was hard to choose two. In fact, I probably should have gone with a three guard lineup, but I'm a sucker for size.

That being said, the point guard that did everything well and nothing wrong, it's hard to go against Mike Bibby. 

At shooting guard you could go any number of ways, and I am inclined to pick another point guard who prefers to score. Nobody did that better than Damon Stoudamire. Scoring an absurd 23 points per game with seven assists per game his senior season. I've got to go with Damon and Bibby above all other guards."

Mike:

1. Gilbert Arenas (PG)

"A solid scorer and decent passer, in his prime he could put it in from anywhere on the court. Watching him play in his prime was nasty, he had a pure shot and was quick.

Over his career he averaged 21 points and 5.5 assists per game, pretty decent."

2. Jason Terry (SG)

"Jason Terry proved last year that even coming off the bench, he was a game changer. He dismantled the Miami Heat and proved to be the hardest player to guard other than Dirk.

This year, behind James Harden, Terry is the most potent scorer off the bench. That’s why I would have him on my team, because if your team needs a go-to shooter, I'm picking Terry."

3. Andre Iguodala (SF)

"The best part of Iguodala is that he is a defender and a scorer. Just recently, he called out his own teammate, Lou Williams, on being a great scorer, but said that he needs to be a more aggressive defender.

He is a solid leader and is the glue that holds the 76ers together. Without someone to hold others accountable and push them to get better, the 76ers would never be in the position they are in. Iguodala would be a must on an all-UA team because his leadership and poise would keep the egos in check and bond the team. He would also light the fire under the guys to play solid defense."

4. Derrick Williams (PF)

"Although his career is still young and he has a lot more to prove in the NBA, I would pick Williams as my power forward on an all-UA team just because of what I saw while he was at the UA.

Williams provides powerful dunks, an uncanny ability to finish at the rim with contact and has a pretty pure jumper for a big man. Even though he is backing up, in my opinion, the best power forward in the league in Minnesota, he still has put up decent numbers this season."

5. Channing Frye (C)

"This decision was a tough one mainly because UA hasn't produced that many talented big men in its program. I chose Frye because he can play solid defense at times. Although he is completely undersized, he still can play tenacious D if he is up to it. On multiple occasions I have seen him be a solid shot blocker and a solid defender in the post.

However, the biggest down-side of Frye is his streaky shooting, but on this team so loaded with scorers, he would be the fifth option for scoring. His main job would be to grab boards and alter shots. If he could do that consistently, he would fill his role."

Asher:

1. Mike Bibby (PG)

"An obvious choice. He helped Arizona to their only national championship in 1997, and is a homegrown Arizona product. Having had a very successful NBA career, he is one of the best players to come out of the UA. He would be the team’s primary ball-handler and is a very capable outside shooter."

2. Gilbert Arenas (SG)

"During the mid-to-late 2000s, he could take over a game by himself at the NBA level. He would serve as the team’s isolation one-on-one scorer, capable of penetrating and dishing outside to three-point shooters. When hot, Arenas was virtually un-guardable."

3. Richard Jefferson (SF)

"A legendary icon at the U of A, Jefferson has averaged 16 points, five rebounds and three assists per game at the NBA level. A very solid all-around player who does a bit of everything."

4. Andre Iguodala (PF)

"An athletic, unselfish and versatile forward who can run the point if needed. Most importantly, he is arguably the best perimeter defender at the NBA level. This team needs a stopper, and Iguodala plays this role while also being a very capable offensive player."

5. Channing Frye (C)

"Not quite the power paint player a center should be, but he at least has height and experience at the five-spot. Frye averaged nearly seven rebounds and a block per game last year, and would also serve as an offensive mismatch by spotting up at the three-point line and forcing the opposing center to abandon the paint."

Gehrig:

1. Jason Gardner (PG)

"The best college basketball teams are led by stellar point guards. Gardner can operate at an extremely high level on both ends of the court. Giving this 'Dream Team' defensive tenacity and a leader."

2. Salim Stoudamire (SG)

"Takes and makes daggers. Salim will spread the floor as a prototypical off-ball guard that can light it up from anywhere."

3. Luke Walton (SF)

"A personal favorite of mine. Walton is a do-it-all point-forward helping the team with solid contributions in points, assists and rebounds."

4. Derrick Williams (PF)

"Tied for the highest draft pick in UA history, Derrick is the epitome of efficiency and a must-add to any Arizona 'Dream Team.'"

5. Channing Frye (C)

"A career 56.2 percent shooter from the field and a plus-rated shot blocker helping patrol the paint, Frye is a coach's dream. Also, admittedly a bit of a homer pick being from the Phoenix area."

"This starting five will dominate games with a high level of offensive efficiency, ball movement and phenomenal defense. Lobs to D-Will from Gardner and Walton won’t hurt the Wildcat faithful either."

Ben:

1. Salim Stoudamire (PG)

Steve Kerr, Mike Bibby, Gilbert Arenas, Jerryd Bayless… Needless to say the University of Arizona is nicknamed "Point Guard U" for a reason. But as far as my UA team is concerned, give me Salim Stoudamire.

There’s obviously some bias with this pick, considering I was at the peak of my love for Arizona basketball while Stoudamire, Hassan Adams and Channing Frye made their Final Four run (until Derrick Williams happened).

Nevertheless, Stoudamire could shoot the lights out.

When he was on, he simply did not miss. The left-handed shooter with the flat top hairstyle and the over-sized T-shirt underneath his jersey is ingrained in my memory. Although his collegiate talents didn’t exactly translate to success in the NBA, Stoudamire was a fantastic player in his prime.

I wouldn’t argue with you if you felt that any of the above mentioned point guards are better choices, but for me, Stoudamire is the choice.

2. Jason Terry (SG)

You can’t go wrong with Jason “JET” Terry at the shooting guard spot.

In 1997, Terry helped win the University of Arizona’s only NCAA Championship alongside Mike Bibby, Michael Dickerson, Miles Simon and others. 

As a professional for the Dallas Mavericks, Terry added to his resume, winning an NBA Championship.

One of the greatest UA basketball players ever, Terry makes my team for his proficient three-point shooting and his ability to enhance team chemistry with his great personality.

3. Sean Elliott (SF)

Born and raised in Tucson, Sean Elliott is a true Arizona Wildcat.

During his collegiate career, Elliott averaged 19.2 points, 6.1 rebounds and 3.4 assists per game.

In 1989, he won the John Wooden Award as college basketball’s best player. Two-time Pac-10 Player of the Year, two-time All-Star and NBA champion, I’d be remiss if I didn’t make him a member of my squad.

4. Andre Iguodala (PF)

Swagger, defense, dunking ability and scoring, Iggy is a threat in all respects. Not to mention he’s probably the most exciting player to watch on my list.

Early in his NBA career, Iguodala was known for being a human highlight reel. Recently though, Iguodala is blossoming into a leader for a very fundamentally sound Philadelphia 76ers team under head coach Doug Collins, showing that he’s more than just a dunking machine. Instead, he’s proven to be a respected basketball star.

At 6’6” it’s a stretch to put Iggy at the power forward spot, but Arizona doesn’t have a history of talented big men. With Iguodala’s defense, I don’t think it would be an issue.

5. Kyryl Natyazhko (C)

Just kidding.

5. Derrick Williams (C)

By putting Derrick Williams at the five spot, my five is going to be playing small ball. Nonetheless, the talent on this team would be able to overcome that shortcoming.

Williams will go down as one of the best players in UA history, leading the team to an Elite Eight appearance in his final season, beating the widely loathed Duke University on the way.

Thunderous dunks, game-saving blocked shots, even three-pointers were a part of Williams’ impressive repertoire. He’s truly a special athlete who worked very hard from his days coming out of high school as a 3-star recruit to become the Minnesota Timberwolves’ first-round draft pick.

Williams provided me, and everyone who contributed to this article, a plethora of fantastic basketball memories from our college years. For that I’ll be forever grateful, even if he should have stayed for one more year to avoid the lockout. I’ll try not to be too bitter though, congrats on being drafted No. 2 overall, Derrick!

So what do you, the fans, think of our selections? Who got it right and whose list was off the mark?

Leave your five-man University of Arizona team as well as your thoughts in the comments below!