10-Year Anniversary: 10 Best Maryland Terrapins Since the National Championship

Juan Dixon, Steve Blake, Lonny Baxter, Chris Wilcox, Byron Mouton.

Five names etched in the brains of Maryland fans for eternity.

Those five players were starters on the 2002 Maryland National Championship team, the first and only championship in program history.

It's been one decade since the Terps cut down the nets in Atlanta. While Maryland basketball has not quite returned to that level of success, several great players have called College Park home since 2002.

As the 10-year anniversary passes, we rank the top 10 Maryland players since the National Championship.

Note: Seniors on the 2002-03 team, such as Steve Blake and Drew Nicholas, are not included.

10. Ekene Ibekwe, 2003-07

Ekene Ibekwe was the starting power forward on the 2006-07 team that garnered a 4-seed in the 2007 NCAA tournament.

During that season, he averaged 10.4 points per game and 7.8 rebounds per game. Ibekwe was a prolific rebounder and long presence in the low post.

Over his career, he averaged over 10 points per game twice and over six rebounds per game for three seasons.

Ibekwe is one of five players in Maryland history to total 1,000 points, 500 rebounds and 200 blocks.

9. Landon Milbourne, 2006-10

Landon Milbourne was a do-it-all role player who was the starting small forward on the 2009-10 team that won the ACC regular season title.

Milbourne was often a shadow to Greivis Vasquez's spotlight, but he made his supreme athletic ability known with monster jams like these.

During that spectacular 2009-10 season, he averaged 12.7 points per game and 4.9 rebounds per game.

Milbourne scored over 1,100 points during his career, including two seasons averaging over 10 points per game. His 99 blocks rank 13th all-time in Maryland history.

8. Mike Jones, 2004-07

Mike Jones may have been the highest rated high school recruit in Maryland's history and is one of only 13 McDonald's All-Americans to ever come to College Park.

Despite not living up to the huge expectations placed upon him coming out of high school, Jones was an effective contributor for two NCAA tournament teams.

During his senior season, Jones averaged 13.8 points per game, including 2.4 made three-pointers per contest. He shot 44 percent from beyond the arc that season.

Over his career, Jones sunk 203 three-pointers, which is the third-most three-pointers made by a Maryland player in history.

7. Nik Caner-Medley, 2002-06

Nik Caner-Medley just doesn't get enough love from Maryland fans. Despite not being on any really successful teams, NCM is one of the most dynamic scorers in Maryland history.

Caner-Medley, a rare four-year starter, was a 6'8'' combo forward who wasn't afraid to shoot from anywhere on the floor.

He led his team in scoring during both his junior and season seasons, totaling over 15 points per game in both.

Caner-Medley is the 14th-leading scorer in Maryland history with 1,573 points.

6. Eric Hayes, 2006-10

Eric Hayes never put up huge numbers, but his imperative contributions to winning teams can not be overstated. He was a starter on two teams that received 4-seeds in the NCAA tournament.

Coming from the same recruiting class, Hayes and Greivis Vasquez were starting backcourt mates from their sophomore season on. Hayes assumed more of a facilitator role and was a key piece to all of Vasquez's accomplishments.

Hayes averaged in between three and five assists for four consecutive years. He also averaged at least 9.9 points per game during all of his final three seasons in College Park. Hayes was a consistent three-point shooter and proficient on-ball defender as well.

Hayes finished his Maryland career with over 1,200 points and 500 assists, one of only two players (Vasquez) to do so.

5. Jordan Williams, 2009-11

Jordan Williams may have only played two seasons in College Park, but he surely made the most of them. He was a major contributor to the ACC regular season run in 2009-10, especially during their signature, league-clinching win against Duke.

While only playing two seasons in College Park, Williams virtually told off his high school evaluators and proved all of his doubters incorrect with his dominant interior play at Maryland. He was an absolute double-double machine.

He started as freshman in 2009-10, and cemented his place as a full-time starter by the beginning of conference play. As a sophomore, he broke Len Elmore's Maryland record for consecutive double-doubles en route to a 17-point, 12-rebound season average.

Williams left for the NBA after two years, but he was on pace to shatter the Maryland career rebound record of 1,053, also held by Elmore.

4. James Gist, 2004-08

James Gist was a freakishly athletic power forward who was made to bully opponents in the low post.

Gist teamed with Bambale Osby to form a ferocious front line on the 2006-07 NCAA tournament squad that received a 4-seed. He played above the rim and was one of the better rebounders in Maryland's history.

While he did have meaningful freshman and sophomore seasons, Gist broke out as a junior, averaging 12.6 points and 7.2 rebounds per game. He improved on that success, putting up 15.9 points and 7.9 rebounds per game during his senior season.

Gist ranks 18th on Maryland's career scoring list and 10th on the Maryland career rebound list with almost 1,800 boards.

3. John Gilchrist, 2002-05

John Gilchrist, along with Nik Caner-Medley, Travis Garrison, and Chris McCray, was part of highly touted recruiting class with giant shoes to fill, following the 2002 National Championship. He did not play many minutes his freshman year because many of the starters on the championship team were returning for their senior season.

Gilchrist started the next year and had a very impressive sophomore season scoring 15.4 points per game, but it was not until the 2004 ACC tournament did he become a star. Maryland, a 6-seed, rallied behind Gilchrist's point guard leadership to knock off teams led by Chris Paul and Shelden Williams to receive the automatic berth.

While Gilchrist never returned to the level of play he exemplified during that ACC tournament, he put together a solid junior season. Gilchrist averaged 13.9 points and 5.5 assists per game, despite not making the NCAA tournament.

Gilchrist left College Park for the NBA after his junior season, but still ranks 14th all-time in Maryland assists with 364.

2. DJ Strawberry, 2003-07

DJ Strawberry was the leader of the 2006-07 NCAA tournament team that received a 4-seed, but his stellar overall career is what warrants his inclusion on this list.

Strawberry was an elite combo guard in the ACC, averaging 15 points and 3.5 assists per game during his senior season. He was elusive and crafty off the dribble and certainly developed into a leadership role.

Statistics won't justify his contributions to Maryland basketball. Strawberry was exciting, dynamic and athletic.

He ranks 39th on Maryland's all-time scoring list with 1,126 career points. More impressively, Strawberry has the fifth-most steals ever in a Maryland uniform.

1. Greivis Vasquez, 2006-10

Once known as "that kid giving Kevin Durant all the alley-oops," Greivis Vasquez went from Montrose Christian Academy sidekick to ACC Player of the Year.

After a promising freshman season, Vasquez assumed a full-time starting role as a sophomore. The results were far from disappointing. He averaged 17 points, 5.7 rebounds and 6.8 assists per contest.

Vasquez emerged in the national spotlight during his junior season in an overtime comeback victory over No. 1 North Carolina. Vasquez registered a triple-double, including 35 points, most of which came late in that game.

After returning to College Park for one last run at a championship, Vasquez performed well enough as senior to win the 2010 Bob Cousy Award for the nation's top point guard. In a signature game against Duke to clinch the ACC regular season, he nailed unlikely heaves late in the game to seal the victory.

Vasquez finished his senior season averaging 19.6 points and 6.3 assists per game. Maryland received a 4-seed in the NCAA tournament and lost to Michigan State on a Korie Lucious buzzer-beater.

Vasquez leaves an enormous legacy in College Park.

He is the only player ever to lead Maryland in points, rebounds and assists. He did that twice.

He is one of two Maryland players to accumulate 2,000 points. Vasquez is the only ACC player ever to total 2,000 points, 700 assists, and 600 rebounds over his career.

Vasquez is second all-time in Maryland career points with 2,171 and assists with 772.