John Wall
Anthony Davis
Tyler Ulis
Oscar Tshiebwe
Per the Lexington Herald (Mark Story)
Anthony Davis
Tyler Ulis
Oscar Tshiebwe
Per the Lexington Herald (Mark Story)
4 Cal-era players whose jersey should be retired (LH)
- Thread starter JST390-2
- Start date
I like it.
Wall - Started the era that got Kentucky back on the map. His success proved Cal's plan to be successful, and it paved the way.
Davis - Enough said.
Ulis - May not have had all the accolades, but he was such an efficient and dependable PG. This one might be a hard sell for some though.
Oscar - Just what he did from a rebounding perspective. Kind of same as Ulis, not a lot of march success, but that was alsoa limitation of the team around them.
I'd like to add one.. I think you can make an argument for Aaron Harrison and his 3 game winners in the tournament. We don't have an Elite8, a Final4, or a title appearance, if not for his heroics. I'd also like to add that his 3-game winners is maybe one of the biggest individual stories for march madness over the last decade.
Wall - Started the era that got Kentucky back on the map. His success proved Cal's plan to be successful, and it paved the way.
Davis - Enough said.
Ulis - May not have had all the accolades, but he was such an efficient and dependable PG. This one might be a hard sell for some though.
Oscar - Just what he did from a rebounding perspective. Kind of same as Ulis, not a lot of march success, but that was alsoa limitation of the team around them.
I'd like to add one.. I think you can make an argument for Aaron Harrison and his 3 game winners in the tournament. We don't have an Elite8, a Final4, or a title appearance, if not for his heroics. I'd also like to add that his 3-game winners is maybe one of the biggest individual stories for march madness over the last decade.
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I'm not sold on Ulis. People love him because he's been one of the few who stuck around to flourish as a sophomore, but I'd definitely put Wall, OT, and Davis up there. Patterson, too. Dude came here and took a chance when UK was becoming Indiana-level. He then gave up a paycheck to come back and try to win one with Wall and company.
3. TYLER ULIS (2014-16) A “two and through” player at Kentucky rather than a “one-and-done,” Ulis as a freshman was a valuable “game closer” on Kentucky’s 38-1 Final Four team in 2014-15.
The 5-9, 160-pound Ulis came back as a sophomore in 2015-16 and produced, arguably, the best season by a point guard in modern UK basketball history. As a soph, Ulis set a single-season UK record with 246 assists and scored 606 points (24th-best season in Kentucky men’s hoops history) and had 51 steals (36th-best season mark at UK). Ulis joined Davis as Kentucky players to be named both SEC Player of the Year and SEC Defensive Player of the Year. The point guard was also selected SEC Tournament MVP after leading the Wildcats to the 2016 championship.
From Story
The 5-9, 160-pound Ulis came back as a sophomore in 2015-16 and produced, arguably, the best season by a point guard in modern UK basketball history. As a soph, Ulis set a single-season UK record with 246 assists and scored 606 points (24th-best season in Kentucky men’s hoops history) and had 51 steals (36th-best season mark at UK). Ulis joined Davis as Kentucky players to be named both SEC Player of the Year and SEC Defensive Player of the Year. The point guard was also selected SEC Tournament MVP after leading the Wildcats to the 2016 championship.
From Story
That's why I love Ulis. In some ways he had one of the most productive seasons of any player under Cal, simply for the assists and turnover ratio, and also his leadership and poise from day1 that year. I do think there's a case to be made he was our best PG on the Cal era. He just didn't have the team around him.
But I also get that he doesn't quite have the hardware or success either, with the 38-0 season being more about the twins. So I get why people might not retire his jersey
Oscar and AD are the only worthy ones and it’s hard to put in a guy that played 1 year. But, AD would be the one.
Ulis's sophomore year is probably the 3rd best season under Cal behind Davis and Oscar. Crazy to think that, but it's true.
AD and Tshiebwe. Both NPOY winners. I believe the only two in school history, maybe?
I think that should qualify you for the Rafters.
I think that should qualify you for the Rafters.
And Cal still couldn’t beat a Tom Crean coached Indiana team with him and Jamal Murray!
Oscar and Davis go up for sure.
Both NPOYs (Kentucky's ONLY NPOYs I might add).
The fact Davis isn't up yet and it's been over 10 years is just wrong. Yes, he was a one and done. But an NPOY, an AA, and part of a title team. How does he NOT go up?
I'd love to put Ulis up, but it's gonna be a while for sure. Same for Wall.
Both NPOYs (Kentucky's ONLY NPOYs I might add).
The fact Davis isn't up yet and it's been over 10 years is just wrong. Yes, he was a one and done. But an NPOY, an AA, and part of a title team. How does he NOT go up?
I'd love to put Ulis up, but it's gonna be a while for sure. Same for Wall.
They are indeed the only two ever at UK.
And only Oscar was unanimous. (Although Davis should've been....thanks to some numpty of a sports writer).
| Name | Season | Honor |
|---|---|---|
| Forest Sale | 1932-33 | Helms |
| Leroy Edwards | 1934-35 | Helms |
| Alex Groza | 1948-49 | Helms* |
| Bill Spivey | 1950-51 | Helms* |
| Jack Givens | 1977-78 | Helms |
| John Wall | 2009-10 | Rupp |
| Anthony Davis | 2011-12 | Sporting News, USBWA (Oscar Robertson), Rupp, Associated Press, Basketball Times, Wooden, Naismith |
| Oscar Tshiebwe | 2021-22 | AP, NABC, USBWA, Sporting News, Naismith, Wooden, CBS, USA Today, The Athletic |
Replied before looking at others' lists:
AD (maybe the only unanamous selection)
Wall (instant credibility for the cal regime)
Patterson (excellent player, provided experience for the super frosh, loyalty points)
Darius Miller (very underrated, glue guy for the various 5 stars, no 2012 title w/out him, loyalty points)
AD (maybe the only unanamous selection)
Wall (instant credibility for the cal regime)
Patterson (excellent player, provided experience for the super frosh, loyalty points)
Darius Miller (very underrated, glue guy for the various 5 stars, no 2012 title w/out him, loyalty points)
The Naismith is considered THE award that's the true NPOY. It's the equivalent of the Heisman. And it started in 1969.
I guess we could count the Helm's ones.....but that means KU's Helms trophies count. I'm not willing to do that. lol
And as your chart says, only Davis and Oscar have the Naismith.
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