Everyone is enamoured by the NCAA tournament because of its exhilaration and intense emotions. Outstanding players who have the potential to become household names in the NBA also begin their careers there. One element that draws in the audience is the presence of young players. A player will have a better starting point later if his college career was successful.
This ranking is based on a variety of things. We examine each player’s accomplishments throughout the history of college basketball. Other important factors include wins like the NCAA/ACC Player of the Year, the Big Ten championship, or the National Championship. The top college basketball players ever are listed below.
10. Elvin Hayes – Houston (1966-1968)
In 1966, Elvin Hayes became the first African-American basketball player for Houston. Over the following two seasons, he led the team to the Final Four. His statistics are remarkable. He has eight games with 25 points and five games with 20 rebounds in the NCAA tournament. These figures are comparable to the illustrious Bill Russell and Jerry West.
9. Magic Johnson – Michigan State (1978-1979)
After only two NCAA seasons with the Michigan State squad, Earvin “Magic” Johnson rose to fame and began playing professionally. This quick development served as an example for later college basketball cultures. With the Spartans, point guard Johnson had two excellent seasons, particularly the second one. In 1979, he guided a middling college basketball team to a victory over the Sycamores in the national championship game.
8. Larry Bird – Indiana State (1977-1979)
In addition to being referred to with the intriguing moniker “Hick from French Lick,” Larry Bird has been a genuine superstar since his junior year. Through his involvement, Sycamores felt that they had accomplished the ultimate goal of competing in the NCAA championship game. Sadly, the former Hoosiers’ brand of play runs counter to Bobby Knight’s instructions. Bird can find what she’s seeking for at Indiana State.
7. Wilt Chamberlain – Kansas (1956-1958)
Wilt Chamberlain dominated the NCAA tournament right from the start, posting stats that no one could have predicted for a rookie. He had a total of 52 points and 31 rebounds in his first game against Kansas. To reach the national championship game, Chamberlain overcame racism and talent-related skepticism. He is always “taken care of” with extreme caution by their rival state of North Carolina.
6. Jerry West – West Virginia (1957-1960)
Jerry West, who leads the team in scoring, comes from West Virginia. In addition to having the NBA tournament’s famous outline, he also has a commendable playing stat. While playing for the Mountaineers in the NCAA tournament, West averaged 25 points and 13 rebounds. In a 1959 game against Berkeley, he came dangerously close to winning the national championship. They led by six points at the half, but in the waning seconds, they lost 71-70.
5. Oscar Robertson – Cincinnati (1957-1960)
The Big O has constantly produced exceptional results, living up to his nickname. In his time at the collegiate level, Oscar Robertson averaged 15 rebounds and 7 assists. Robertson averaged 34 points each game as well. Big O won three Consensus National Player of the Year awards while competing against Cincinnati over the course of three seasons. We already know about his exceptional playing ability from just that.
4. Bill Walton – UCLA (1971-1974)
Few college basketball teams can surpass UCLA’s accomplishments in the NCAA tournament, making it an actual great empire. This NCAA tournament team is led creatively by a renowned head coach and has a strong roster of players. Bill Walton was one of the iconic figures of the Bruins at the time. One of the best passing centres in NCAA history, he is.
3. Bill Russell – San Francisco (1953-1956)
Bill Russell deserves to be at third place on the list because of his accomplishments. This dependable centre has established himself as a bulwark for any team since his rookie year. One season ago, there were many exceptional players, but then there was a drop in performance. What distinguishes Russell is his ability to maintain strength throughout the NCAA tournament.
2. Pete Maravich – LSU (1968-1970)
“Pistol” Pete Maravich is ranked second among all-time great collegiate basketball players. Maravich scored 44.2 points per game on average throughout his time playing collegiate basketball. His throws are incredibly accurate and swift, living up to his name. You should also be aware that the three-point line is not visible at this time.
1. Lew Alcindor – UCLA (1967-1969)
Lew Alcindor is the UCLA team’s hero and has left an illustrious legacy for this NCAA squad. He is completely capable of becoming the greatest collegiate basketball player in history.