College Basketball Power Rankings: The 50 Greatest Mid-Major Players of All Time

Few players in college basketball history have enjoyed the kind of popularity that Jimmer Fredette garnered last season. Fredette, however, is far from the first player to make a big splash without playing in a big-time conference.

Indeed, the history of the so-called mid-major conferences (including the Mountain West, where Fredette plied his trade) is remarkably rich with some of the biggest names in college and pro basketball history. For all the great players who have made the UCLA's and North Carolinas of the world perennial champions, there have been more than enough left over for the little guys to have their day in the sun.

Read on for a look at the 50 greatest players to come out of the mid-major ranks.

50. Gordon Hayward, Butler

No, he didn’t stay around for the second of Butler’s improbable NCAA Finals appearances, but Gordon Hayward was the best individual player on the team-oriented Bulldogs. Not only that, but it was his jumpshot that came within inches of securing the greatest upset in college hoops history against Duke in the 2010 NCAA championship game.

Hayward’s NBA career is off to an inauspicious start, as he averaged just 5.4 ppg as a Jazz reserve last season.

49. Keith Van Horn, Utah

Keith Van Horn, with his 6’10” frame and sweet jump shot, looked like the right man to lead Utah basketball to its first Final Four appearance since 1966. Unfortunately for Van Horn and the Utes, they ran (as so often in school history) into the Kentucky Wildcats, who knocked them out of the 1997 NCAA tournament in an Elite Eight rout.

Van Horn went No. 2 overall in the 1997 draft, and an immediate trade sent him to the Nets, where he would have his best pro seasons. Unfortunately for Nets fans, those best seasons were all too few, as he scored over 20 ppg just once in his nine-year NBA career.

48. Adam Morrison, Gonzaga

In his junior year at Gonzaga, Adam Morrison won one of history’s most entertaining races for the Division I scoring title, beating Duke’s J.J. Redick with 28.1 ppg. Morrison won or shared multiple Player of the Year awards for his efforts.

The season didn’t end as Morrison would’ve hoped, though, as his Bulldogs fell to UCLA in the Sweet 16. One of the enduring images of Morrison’s career (for better or worse) will be him collapsing on the court in tears as time ran out on what would prove to be his last collegiate season.

Unfortunately for Morrison, his lack of raw athleticism has combined with a 2007 knee injury to prevent him from finding consistent playing time at the NBA level. He last played as a Laker in the 2009-10 season.

47. Wally Szczerbiak, Miami (OH)

Miami of Ohio’s second-leading all-time scorer, Wally Szcerbiak has rarely met a shot he didn’t like. Wally World led the Redhawks to the first Sweet 16 appearance in school history in 1999, scoring 43, 24 and 23 points in their three tournament games.

Sczcerbiak’s NBA career appears to be over, as he hasn’t played since the end of the 2008-09 season. In his 10 years in the league (mostly with Minnesota), he made one All-Star appearance and scored as many as 19 points per game.

46. Andre Miller, Utah

Though Andre Miller holds Utah’s career record for steals, it’s his offensive game that Miller will be remembered for. The consummate distributor, Miller led the Utes to their first NCAA title game in 1998.

On the way to that game, Miller carried Utah past defending champion Arizona by posting the sixth triple-double in tournament history (18 points, 14 boards, 13 assists).

Miller’s impressive passing ability has served him well as a pro. He led the NBA with 10.9 assists per game as a Cavalier in 2001-02.

45. Jimmer Fredette, BYU

Jimmer Fredette’s Naismith Award-winning senior campaign at BYU gave him the school’s career scoring record, but didn’t exactly end as Fredette would’ve liked. The Cougars fell in the Sweet 16 to Florida, adding to the school’s dubious record for tournament appearances without a Final Four.

Fredette’s 28.9 ppg as a senior earned him a No. 10 selection in the NBA draft, but it remains to be seen whether he’ll struggle like Adam Morrison did or earn a place higher on this list by the time his pro career is finished.

44. Dan Majerle, Central Michigan

Two decades after his graduation, Central Michigan is still waiting for a player who can come close to Dan Majerle’s talent level. The 6’6” swingman is in the school’s career top three in scoring, steals and blocks, and has three of its top seven scoring seasons.

As a pro, Majerle’s aggressive defense and three-point touch took him to four straight All-Star appearances with the Suns. He also played a valuable bench scoring role for Miami later in his career.

43. Doug Collins, Illinois State

The pride of Illinois State basketball, Doug Collins was the first Redbird ever to play in the NBA. A 1973 consensus All-American, he averaged 29.1 points per game and graduated with the school records for career and single-season scoring.

His most memorable moment came at the 1972 Olympics, where his free throws put the U.S. up by one point with seconds remaining in the gold medal game. When clumsy (or corrupt, depending on who tells the story) refereeing gave the Soviets three chances to hit the winning basket, the Americans were left to settle for silver medals that they never accepted.

Collins’ pro career lasted just eight seasons (all in Philadelphia, where he now coaches), but he made four All-Star appearances in that time.

42. Stephen Curry, Davidson

The college three-point line is notorious for making good shooters look like great ones, but few shooters have taken better advantage of it than Stephen Curry. Curry is fifth all-time in three pointers made, and set a Division I record with 162 treys in 2007-08, the year he carried Davidson to the Elite Eight.

In his two seasons with Golden State, Curry’s shot hasn’t exactly deserted him—he’s second among active players with a .439 three-point percentage in his young career. 

41. Bill Cartwright, San Francisco

Fans of the San Francisco Dons could be forgiven for ignoring a player doomed to be their other great center named Bill, but Bill Cartwright made his own mark in his four seasons in San Francisco. Twice an All-American, the 7’1” Cartwright led the Dons to the Sweet 16 as a junior and a senior (averaging 24.5 points and 15.7 boards in the latter season).

As a pro, Cartwright’s greatest individual seasons came with the Knicks for whom he was an All-Star as a rookie. For team success, he had to wait until the Bulls acquired him (in a trade for Charles Oakley), after which he served as the starting center on Michael Jordan’s first three title teams.

40. David West, Xavier

Xavier has been a cradle of power forwards, and it’s rarely produced one with the all-around game of David West. The 6’9” West is the school’s leading shot-blocker and second-leading scorer and rebounder, and led the 2002-03 squad to a No. 3 seed (still the highest in school history) in the NCAA Tournament.

Now entering his ninth NBA season (all as a Hornet), West has proven to be a capable running mate for Chris Paul. He's made two All-Star teams, scoring over 20 ppg in both seasons.

39. Wayne Embry, Miami (OH)

Overshadowed in the era of Bill Russell and Wilt Chamberlain, Wayne Embry was a very good post presence in his own right. A 6’8” center whose defense (and build) earned him the nickname “The Wall,” Embry averaged 25 points and 18 rebounds as a senior for Miami (OH).

In the NBA, Embry would make five straight All-Star teams as a Cincinnati Royal (forerunners to the Kings). After retiring, he spent over 30 years as an executive for the Bucks, Cavaliers and Raptors, and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in that capacity in 1999.

38. Eddie Jones, Temple

The best in a long line of great perimeter defenders recruited by legendary coach John Chaney, Eddie Jones was the best all-around player Temple has ever produced. A dangerous three-point shooter on top of his shutdown defense, Jones won A-10 Player of the Year honors in 1994.

Jones was drafted by the Lakers, for whom he made two of his three career All-Star appearances. Some Lakers’ fans still haven’t forgiven team management for trading Jones as the centerpiece of the deal that brought Glen Rice to L.A. 

37. Chet Walker, Bradley

The first great star of the Bradley Braves, Chet Walker was a 6’6” small forward whose speed earned him the nickname “Chet the Jet.” After leading Bradley to the 1960 NIT title, he graduated with the school’s career records in both scoring (since broken) and rebounding.

As a pro, Walker was a perennial All-Star for both the 76ers (where he won a title with Wilt Chamberlain in 1967) and the Bulls.

36. Andrew Bogut, Utah

Although Andrew Bogut didn’t have the team around him that some other notable Utah players have enjoyed, he could scarcely be blamed for the Utes’ troubles. Bogut swept the 2005 Wooden and Naismith Awards with 20.1 points and 12.2 rebounds per game, but his club managed just a sixth seed in that spring’s tournament, falling in the Sweet 16 to recurring nemesis Kentucky.

Bogut finally appears to be growing into the impressive potential on both ends of the floor that made him so effective at Utah. Bogut led the NBA in blocks last season, an impressive return from his gruesome 2010 arm injury.

35. Jameer Nelson, St. Joseph's

As a senior, Jameer Nelson led St. Joe’s to an undefeated regular season, winning the Wooden Award in the process. After a tightly-contested Elite Eight duel between Nelson and Oklahoma State’s John Lucas III, Nelson and the Hawks came up just short of a Final Four berth.

Nelson, normally a postseason standout in the pros as well, had his weakest playoffs as a starter in Orlando’s loss to the Hawks this past season. 

34. Danny Ainge, BYU

Jimmer Fredette wasn’t the first national star to come out of BYU. Danny Ainge, one of the great multi-sport athletes ever seen on a basketball court, made his name in Provo three decades before Jimmer.

In 1980-81, Ainge led the Cougars to the Elite Eight on the way to winning the Wooden Award. His coast-to-coast, last-second drive to beat Notre Dame in the Sweet 16 that season is still a fixture in March Madness highlight packages.

Ainge had played three seasons with baseball’s Toronto Blue Jays while still a student at BYU, but opted for basketball as his long-term career. The hard-nosed point guard won two NBA titles as a Celtic, the franchise for which he now serves as president of basketball operations.

33. K.C. Jones, San Francisco

One of history’s best defensive guards, K.C. Jones was a key contributor on Bill Russell’s San Francisco teams that won back-to-back titles in 1955 and ’56. At 6’1”, 200 lbs, he was able to outmuscle most contemporary point guards.

In the ultimate testament to Jones’ defensive ability, he was inducted into the Hall of Fame despite a nine-year career in which he never averaged more than 9.2 ppg. It didn’t hurt that he spent his career with college teammate Russell, winning eight championships with the Celtics.

32. Bonzi Wells, Ball State

Inarguably the best basketball player Ball State has ever produced, swingman Bonzi Wells was a force on both ends of the floor for the Cardinals. He graduated as the Mid-American Conference’s all-time leader in scoring, and amassed the seventh-highest steals total in Division I history.

The Trail Blazers acquired Wells’ rights in a draft-night trade, and he became a valuable player in Portland despite off-court issues that contributed to the team’s "Jail Blazers" reputation. He would play a total of 10 seasons in the NBA, though never as effectively once he left Portland.

31. Tim Hardaway, UTEP

Without even meaning to, Tim Hardaway did more to immortalize UTEP basketball than anyone since Don Haskins in the school’s days as Texas Western. When announcers dubbed Hardaway’s crossover the “UTEP two-step,” it kept a largely unremarkable program in the national spotlight long after its latest star PG had left.

As a pro, Hardaway thrived both in Don Nelson’s run-and-gun Golden State offense and with Pat Riley’s more sedate Heat clubs, making five All-Star teams between the two stops. He's 13th on the NBA's all-time list for both three-pointers made and assists.

30. Spencer Haywood, Detroit

The college game only benefited from one season’s worth of Spencer Haywood, but what a season it was. The high-flying 6’8” PF (already an Olympic gold medalist at the time) racked up 32.1 points and 22.1 rebounds per game in his lone campaign for the Detroit Titans.

Haywood sued the NBA for the right to play before his college class graduated (then prohibited), and was ultimately allowed to play for the Sonics after one MVP season with Denver of the ABA. He set Seattle franchise records with 29.2 points (since broken by Kevin Durant) and 13.4 rebounds per game in 1972-73, and made a total of four NBA All-Star teams in his career.

29. Marcus Camby, UMass

Marcus Camby has the rare honor of having accomplished something even Julius Erving could not: Camby carried UMass to its only Final Four appearance, in 1996 (later vacated). A prodigious leaper in his youth, Camby blocked 336 shots in just three seasons in Amherst, winning the Wooden Award as a junior.

Though Camby is no longer the athlete he once was, his defensive instincts haven’t deserted him. Even at age 36 and battling a creaky back, he averaged 10.3 rebounds and 1.6 blocks per game for Portland last season.

28. Larry Johnson, UNLV

Though it was teammate Anderson Hunt who won the Final Four Most Outstanding Player award, Larry Johnson was the defining player of UNLV’s 1990 NCAA championship squad. Johnson led the Runnin’ Rebels to the 1991 Final Four as well, though in the ensuing rematch with Duke, the Blue Devils got revenge for the 30-point thrashing they’d suffered the previous season.

Johnson was an athletic power forward whose speed was ideally suited to UNLV’s up-tempo style. As a senior in 1990-91 he took home both the Naismith and Wooden Awards after averaging 22.7 points and 10.9 rebounds per game.

LJ went No. 1 in the 1991 draft, earning Rookie of the Year honors for the Hornets. He would make a pair of All-Star teams in Charlotte and also serve as a solid role player for the Knicks in a 10 year NBA career.

27. Dennis Johnson, Pepperdine

One of the few players on this last who started his career at a junior college, Dennis Johnson was a top-flight defensive stopper at point guard. He led Pepperdine to its third-ever NCAA tournament berth (and first opening-round win) in 1976.

At the NBA level, DJ won the Finals MVP award in 1979 in leading the Sonics to their only championship. He later landed in Boston, winning two more titles with the Celtics on his way to a spot in the Hall of Fame.

26. Hersey Hawkins, Bradley

Hersey Hawkins, an undersized two-guard at 6’3”, may have been one-dimensional, but it was some dimension. Hawkins is one of just seven players in Division I history to score over 3,000 points in his career, highlighted by a 1987-88 season in which he led the nation with 36.3 ppg.

As a pro, Hawkins never dominated as he had at Bradley, but he still became a valuable shooting guard (earning an All-Star nod with Philly in 1990-91) on several playoff clubs, including the Sonics’ conference champs in 1995-96.

25. Hal Greer, Marshall

The first African-American to earn a sports scholarship to Marshall, Hal Greer was one of the great pure shooters in basketball history. As a 6’2” guard, he set a school record for career field goal percentage (54.6).

Greer played his entire NBA career with the 76ers franchise (starting when they were still the Syracuse Nationals). He gave them seven straight years of 20 ppg scoring on his way to the Hall of Fame.

24. Kermit Washington, American

The only player from American University ever to appear in the NBA, Kermit Washington was a devastating force at the college level. The 6’8” power forward won two national rebounding titles and is one of five players ever to average 20 points and 20 rebounds for his career.

As a pro, Washington had a solid 10-year career as a defense-first power forward, mostly with the Lakers. Unfortunately, what most fans remember him for is his part in one of the worst fights in sports history, in which his punch nearly killed the Rockets’ Rudy Tomjanovich.

23. Paul Silas, Creighton

Paul Silas, the defensive-minded coach of the Charlotte Bobcats, at least had the good grace to practice what he preaches. He was one of the great defensive power forwards in basketball history, starting with his career at Creighton.

The 6’7” Silas finished his Blue Jays career as one of five players in NCAA history to average 20 points and 20 rebounds.

As a pro (most memorably with the Celtics, where he won two titles), Silas wasn’t much of a scorer but was named to five All-Defensive teams. He ranks 20th all-time in career rebounds.

22. Kurt Thomas, TCU

Currently the oldest player in the NBA (unless he joins Shaq in retirement), Kurt Thomas is the definition of a journeyman. He’s worn eight uniforms in a 15-year career (the longest stint being with the Knicks), a far cry from the potential star he appeared to be when he finished his TCU career.

As a senior in 1994-95, Thomas led the nation in both scoring (28.9 ppg) and rebounding (14.6 per game), making him one of just three players to accomplish that feat. His performance earned him a No. 10 overall selection in that spring’s draft, but neither the Heat nor any of his subsequent teams ever got more than a borderline starter out of acquiring him.

21. Nate Thurmond, Bowling Green

Being nicknamed “The Pride of Bowling Green State University” might seem like being damned with faint praise, but there was nothing faint about Nate Thurmond. The 6’11” Thurmond was a 1963 All-American and earned a reputation as one of the all-time great defensive centers.

Thurmond went on to a Hall of Fame NBA career, mostly with the Warriors. He also recorded the first quadruple-double in NBA history in 1974 (22 points, 14 boards, 13 assists, 12 blocks).

20. Tiny Archibald, UTEP

Nate “Tiny” Archibald (6’1” but a mere 150 lbs) arrived at UTEP just as the school changed its name from Texas Western, and just two years after its legendary national title run under coach Don Haskins. Though Archibald’s clubs never matched that level of success, he showed flashes of the scoring ability (and incomparable quickness) that would help him dominate as a pro.

In the NBA, Archibald became one of the great scoring point guards in league history in his Hall of Fame career, split primarily between the Kings and Celtics. He won the 1981 title with the latter club, but his best seasons came with the Kings, for whom he averaged as many as 34 points and 11.4 assists per game (in the same season, yet).

19. Xavier McDaniel, Wichita State

As a freshman, Xavier McDaniel was part of the most stacked frontcourt in Wichita State history, teaming with future pros Antoine Carr and Cliff Levingston. McDaniel, though, would become the biggest star of them all.

As a senior, the X-Man became the first player ever to lead the country in scoring (27.2 ppg) and rebounding (14.8 per game) in the same season.

Primarily a small forward in the NBA, McDaniel spent his best years with the Sonics, where he notched four straight 20 ppg seasons and made the 1988 All-Star team.

18. Steve Nash, Santa Clara

Steve Nash has the unusual distinction of being simultaneously the best player his school (Snata Clara) and his country (Canada) have ever produced. Nash led the Broncos to one of the NCAA Tournament’s most famous upsets, stunning No. 2-seeded Arizona as a 15 seed in the first round in 1993.

Although Nash has struggled to find playoff success, it’s hard to argue with his individual performance as a pro. He’s currently sixth on the NBA’s all-time assists list.

17. Dave DeBusschere, Detroit

One of the all-time great defenders at SF, Dave DeBusschere still ranks 21st in career rebounds for Division I despite standing just 6’6”.

The Detroit Pistons used their territorial draft rights to grab DeBusschere, who would become the youngest player-coach in NBA history at age 24. Later traded to the Knicks, he would help that franchise to two NBA titles in his Hall of Fame career.

16. Lionel Simmons, LaSalle

A Wooden and Naismith award winner as a senior at LaSalle, Lionel Simmons was one of the greatest scorers in college basketball history. "The L-Train" is third on the career points list for Division I, and scored in double figures for a record 115 consecutive games.

Simmons never approached his college performances as a pro. A King for all of his seven seasons, his best year came as a rookie, when he scored 18 points and grabbed 8.8 rebounds per game.

15. John Stockton, Gonzaga

In 1984, Gonzaga was far from the national basketball power it is now, but the school has never had a better player. Then-senior John Stockton graduated with the school records for assists and steals (in a season and a career) and led the West Coast Conference in scoring to boot.

Of course, Stockton’s collegiate heroics were just the warmup to his turn as perhaps the greatest point guard in NBA history. He set the NBA’s career marks for both assists and steals in his Hall of Fame tenure with the Jazz.

14. Bob Cousy, Holy Cross

Decades before Magic Johnson, Bob Cousy was the original showtime point guard. His penchant for then-unique moves like behind-the-back dribbles and no-look passes irked straitlaced Holy Cross coach Alvin Julian, but eventually Julian relented and gave Cousy the playing time his talent warranted.

Julian would not be disappointed, as the Crusaders won 26 straight games at one stretch during Cousy’s three All-America seasons.

Like Julian, Celtics’ coach Red Auerbach didn’t think much at first of Cousy (acquired in a dispersal draft from the defunct Chicago Stags). He, too, learned his lesson as Cousy led the NBA in assists eight years in a row and won six titles in Boston on his way to the Hall of Fame.

13. Karl Malone, Louisana Tech

Coming out of Louisiana Tech, Karl Malone didn’t necessarily look like a player on his way to historic greatness. At the same time, the NBA’s seventh-leading rebounder and second-leading scorer of all time was no slouch as a collegian.

Malone led the Bulldogs to the first NCAA tournament appearance in school history, capping a 29-3 regular season. He posted 1,716 points in his three seasons at Louisiana Tech.

12. Hank Gathers, Loyola Marymount

It’s inevitable that Hank Gathers will be remembered primarily for his tragic on-court death as a Loyola Marymount senior. That legacy, however, doesn’t do justice to Gathers’ extraordinary talents as a player.

As a junior, Gathers became the second of just three players ever to lead Division I in both scoring and rebounding. Coach Paul Westhead’s high-octane offense helped Gathers put up a staggering 32.7 points per game, and despite his 6’7” frame, he pulled in 13.7 rebounds a night as well.

Gathers died as a result of the heart disorder hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (relatively unknown in 1990), collapsing on the court during the West Coast Conference tournament.

11. George Gervin, Eastern Michigan

George Gervin only played one full season in Ypsilanti, but he made it one of the best in Eastern Michigan history. "The Iceman" showed the scoring ability that would make him an NBA Hall of Famer by averaging 29.5 points (not to mention 15.3 boards) as a junior.

Gervin started his pro career with the ABA’s Virginia Squires just months after leaving Eastern Michigan, but shortly found himself on the Spurs, where he would become one of the greatest stars in franchise history. He captured four scoring titles and made 11 straight All-Star appearances for San Antonio.

10. Tom Heinsohn, Holy Cross

Known by many fans for his color commentary on Celtics’ broadcasts, Tom Heinsohn is a Massachusetts lifer. After starring at Holy Cross, Heinsohn was a territorial pick of the Celtics, where he spent his Hall of Fame playing career and then coached for a decade longer.

On the court, "Ack-Ack" (thus nicknamed for his tendency to fire up shots like an anti-aircraft gun) was one of the all-time greats at both the college and pro levels. He’s Holy Cross’ all-time leading scorer, and his 51 points in a game still stands as the school record.

9. Bob Lanier, St. Bonaventure

St. Bonaventure is hardly a basketball power, but with three-time All-American Bob Lanier in the lineup, the Bonnies were a force to be reckoned with. The 6’11” Lanier led the school to its only Final Four appearance in 1970, averaging 29 points and 16 boards a game.

In the NBA, Lanier was a consistent 20-point, 10-rebound center in his Hall of Fame career with the Pistons and Bucks.

8. Walt Frazier, Southern Illinois

Long before Southern Illinois became one of the Missouri Valley’s perennial bracket busters, they made a splash on the national scene thanks to Walt Frazier. In 1967, Frazier led the Salukis (still a Division II team at the time) to an NIT championship over Marquette.

Frazier would go on to a Hall of Fame career as a Knick, winning two championship rings. In the famous Game 7 of the 1970 Finals (in which Willis Reed heroically returned from a torn thigh muscle), Frazier played the game of his life, contributing 36 points and 19 assists to the Knicks’ win.

7. Bill Bradley, Princeton

Bill Bradley was one of the great individual scorers in NCAA history, averaging 30.1 ppg for his career. He singlehandedly carried Princeton to a 1965 Final Four berth, setting a Final Four record with 58 points in the third-place game against Wichita State.

In the NBA, Bradley focused more on defense and passing, proving to be an outstanding fit for the team-oriented Knicks. He played a key role on the franchise's two NBA championship squads on his way to the Hall of Fame.

6. Artis Gilmore, Jacksonville

For two years, newly-minted Hall of Famer Artis Gilmore put Jacksonville University on the basketball map. The 7’2” center set a Division I record by averaging 22.7 rebounds per game for his career (which began at then-DII Gardner-Webb).

Gilmore’s crowning moment at Jacksonville came when he led the Dolphins to the championship game of the 1970 NCAA tournament, Unfortunately for the "A-Train," Gilmore’s squad ran into John Wooden’s UCLA Bruins in the midst of their run of seven consecutive titles, and even 19 points and 16 rebounds from Gilmore weren’t enough to prevent a Jacksonville loss.

As a pro, Gilmore dominated in the ABA with the Kentucky Colonels, and continued his brilliance as a Bull (after being picked No. 1 in the dispersal draft) and Spur in the NBA. He combined for 11 All-Star selections between the two leagues.

5. David Robinson, Navy

David Robinson’s draft position is all the evidence needed to show how impressive he was in college. San Antonio spent the No.1 overall pick on him in 1987, despite the fact that he wouldn’t be able to join the team for another two years due to his naval service commitment.

Robinson had earned that lofty status with accomplishments like the Division I single-season blocks record (207) while leading Navy to the Elite Eight in 1985-86. In the NBA, of course, he would go on to a Hall of Fame career that featured San Antonio’s first two NBA titles.

4. Tom Gola, La Salle

One of the Hall of Fame’s most unjustly-forgotten members, Tom Gola was one of college basketball’s first unstoppable forces. At 6’6”, Gola holds the NCAA record for career rebounds (2,201), making him one of just two players to amass 2,000 points and 2,000 rebounds in his career (along with the even more forgotten Joe Holup of George Washington).

Gola also led the La Salle Explorers to their lone NCAA championship in 1954, then brought them back to the title game the following year before falling to Bill Russell and San Francisco.

As a pro, Gola (whose versatility earned him the nickname Mr. All-Around) had his best seasons with the then-Philadelphia Warriors.

3. Julius Erving, UMass

Before his flair (and his hair) defined the ABA era, Julius Erving put UMass basketball on the map. One of the most dominant individual players in collegiate history, Erving finished with career averages of 26.3 points and 20.2 rebounds per game.

As a pro, Dr. J finally found the team success that had eluded him with the Minutemen, leading Philadelphia on a celebrated championship run in 1983 as the crowning moment of his Hall of Fame career.

2. Larry Bird, Indiana State

Larry Bird’s senior year at Indiana State was one of the great moments in the history of mid-major basketball. With 28.6 ppg (a career low) and 14.9 rebounds per game, Bird won the Wooden and Naismith awards while leading the unbeaten Sycamores to a No. 1 seed and an unforgettable national title game showdown (ultimately a loss) with Magic Johnson and Michigan State.

The ensuing Bird-Magic rivalry would revitalize the NBA, and Bird would earn three championships in a career as one of the best small forwards in basketball history.

1. Bill Russell, San Francisco

Many players on this list have put up amazing stats in college, and many have led their teams to historic success. None have done both so well as Bill Russell.

Russell, one of five Division I players to average 20 points and 20 rebounds per game for his career, led San Francisco to the 1955 and 1956 titles as a dress rehearsal for his incomparable NBA career, featuring 11 championships with the Celtics.