Top 50 best Longhorns in basketball as of 2012

Billy Dale — Thu, 22 Jul 2021 10:04:00 +0000

Texas Basketball: The Top 50 Players in School HistoryTHAD NOVAKMAY 1, 2012Texas basketball is in a golden age as a program, having extended its school-record run to 13 straight NCAA Tournament appearances. That streak has been led by many of the most memorable players in the history of a program whose track record for producing top-level talent stretches back more than 60 years.Austin has developed into one of the leading stopover destinations for early entry-bound future pros.

50 greatest stars in Texas hoops history.

Texas Basketball: The Top 50 Players in School History

THAD NOVAK MAY 1, 2012 Bleacher Report

https://bleacherreport.com/articles/1167696-texas-basketball-the-top-50-players-in-school-history

#5 Maurice Evans

50. Maurice Evans (2000-01)1 Shooting guard is lone season in Austin (after transferring from Wichita State) was certainly a successful one. Evans averaged 15.6 points, 5.3 rebounds and 1.3 steals a night as a Longhorn before jumping to the next level.

49. Guillermo Myers (1989-91)2 added some physicality to the high-speed, high-scoring Texas teams of the late 1980s. Myers blocked 101 shots in his career, tying for 10th in school history in just two seasons on campus. photo pending

48. Royal Ivey (2000-04)A ferocious defender as a 6’3” combo guard, Royal Ivey led the Longhorns in both steals and assists as a senior. He averaged nearly a steal per game for all four years he played in Austin, anchoring the defense for Texas’ 2003 Final Four squad.

47. Karl Willock (1982-86)4 was an outstanding defender who won Defensive Player of the Year as a senior, but he didn’t force enough turnovers to make a dent in the Longhorns’ all-time steals charts.Where Willock did shine was as a distributor, dishing out 361 assists to place 10th in school history for his career.

46. Kenton Paulino (2002-06)5 hit arguably the single greatest shot in Longhorns history, a 25-foot buzzer-beater to stun West Virginia and put Texas in the 2006 Elite Eight.For his career, Paulino is one of just five players all-time at UT to shoot better than .400 from three-point range.

Kenton Paulino

45. Joe Fisher (1961-64), a prototypical back-to-the-basket center, Joe Fisher muscled his way to a .613 field goal percentage as a senior (fifth-best in program history) while leading the Longhorns in scoring. Fisher’s brawn served him just as well on the glass, where he averaged 10.7 rebounds per game that year, the eighth-leading figure all-time at Texas.

Jordan Hamilton

44. Jordan Hamilton (2009-11), during his one year as a starter in Austin, made quite an impression on NBA teams. The 6’7” swingman earned himself a spot in the first round of the draft by averaging 18.6 points and 7.7 rebounds per game to lead a deep Longhorns squad in scoring.

43. Al Almanza (1958-61)8 was a key factor in helping the Longhorns earn their first NCAA Tournament berth in 13 years. Almanza would finish his career with an average of eight rebounds per game—the 10th-best figure in Longhorns history.\

J’Covan Brown

42. J’Covan Brown (2009-12) A valuable complementary scorer for two seasons, J’Covan Brown blossomed into a full-fledged star last year. Brown averaged 20.1 points (16th in the country) and 3.8 assists a game while providing desperately-needed leadership for an extremely young Longhorns roster.

Carlton Cooper

41. Carlton Cooper (1981-85) A fine scorer who averaged as many as 17.2 points a game in a Longhorns uniform, Carlton Cooper was even better on the boards. His 692 career rebounds are the 10th-best total in Texas history.

Tristan Thompson

40. Tristan Thompson (2010-11)Tristan Thompson established himself as a terrific college player. The 6’8” Thompson averaged 13.1 points, and 7.8 rebounds per game for 2010-11’s 28-8 squad, and his 86 blocks were the third-highest total in program history. Tristan played for the NBA champion Cleveland cavaliers

39. Jason Klotz (2000-05) Jason Klotz was never much of a scorer, posting just 11.2 points per game his senior year. On defense, though, the 6’9” center was a reliable force, blocking at least 21 shots in each of his four full seasons (despite limited playing time overall) to finish with 103 rejections, ninth in Longhorns history.

Gabe Muoneke

38. Gabe Muoneke (1996-00) four-year starter as a combo forward, Gabe Muoneke was a respectable rebounder, but his real stock-in-trade was scoring. Muoneke finished his career in 15th place on the Longhorns’ scoring charts with a total of 1,456 points.

37. Daniel Gibson (2004-06) 6’2” combo guard, Daniel Gibson was a competent passer (3.5 assists a night) and a lethal outside shot.His 101 three-pointers made as a sophomore are the highest season total for a Longhorn not named A.J. Abrams, and his 175 treys for his career are tied for seventh-best in program history.

Brandy Perryman

36. Brandy Perryman (1994-98) There have been plenty of scorers with gaudier totals than Brandy Perryman, but few better pure shooters have ever worn a Longhorns uniform. Perryman hit 210 career three-pointers (fifth-best for a Texas player), and his career free-throw percentage of .897 is a school record.

35. P.J. Tucker (2003-06) Undersized but physical at 6’5”, 225 lbs, P.J. Tucker did his best work in the paint. He scored as many as 16.1 points a game, and his three-year total of 714 rebounds is the ninth-best figure in school history. P.J. played for the 2021 NBA champion Milwaukee Bucks.

Dexter Pittman

34. Dexter Pittman (2006-10)17 Physically imposing at 6’11”, 290 lbs, Dexter Pittman didn’t always live up to his potential in a Longhorn’s uniform. Even so, the hulking center finished his career with 124 rejections to rank eighth in school history, and for all the holes in his offensive game, his .623 career shooting percentage is a Texas record. Dexter played for the NBA champion Miami Heat.

Justin Mason

33. Justin Mason (2006-10) A

surprisingly effective rebounder for a 6’2” point guard, Justin Mason grabbed 3.5 boards a game for his Texas career. He was even better as a distributor, dishing out 378 assists to tie for seventh in Longhorn history.

32. Chris Owens (1999-02)19 Chris Owens didn’t have the most impressive length at 6’7”, but the Tulane transfer proved to be one of Texas’ most successful post players.He averaged as many as 15.8 points and 7.4 rebounds a night for the Longhorns, and his 159 blocks in three seasons (including a school-record 92 as a junior) place him sixth in program history.

Roderick Anderson

31. Roderick Anderson (1993-95) The most successful juco transfer in Texas history, Roderick Anderson led the nation in steals (3.4 per game) as a senior. For his two-year career as a Longhorn, Anderson finished ninth in program history in assists (362) and tied for eighth in steals (165)

30. Brandon Mouton (2000-04)A 6’4” guard with a terrific three-point touch, Brandon Mouton could score outside or inside. His 1,582 career points are 10th-most in Texas history, and his 198 three-pointers rank sixth on that list.

29. Dan Krueger (1972-76) Like many of Texas’ top point guards, Dan Krueger took full advantage of playing alongside an elite pure scorer. Krueger, who spent two years of his career in Austin setting up Larry Robinson, finished with 378 assists to tie for seventh in Longhorn history.

Dan Krueger

28. Lynn Howden (1969-72) Despite standing just 6’7”, Lynn Howden proved to be a dominant rebounder in his career in Austin. Howden grabbed 8.7 boards a game over three seasons, the sixth-best mark in Texas history.

27. Jim Krivacs (1976-79) success was hard to come by in Austin in the 1970s, but when the Longhorns won the 1978 NIT, tournament co-MVP Jim Krivacs had a lot to do with it. The sweet-shooting Auburn transfer poured in 1,673 career points, a school record at the time, and still good for eighth in program history.

Jim Krivacs

25. D.J. Augustin (2006-08) just two seasons in Austin, D.J. Augustin proved that he belonged among the greatest point guards ever to wear a Texas uniform. Augustin dished out 452 assists, fifth-best in program history, while scoring 16.9 points a night and shooting .402 from long range.

24. LaMarcus Aldridge (2004-06) As good a finesse player as Texas has ever had in the post, LaMarcus Aldridge used his daunting 6’11” height to make up for a lack of physicality. Aldridge’s sophomore year showed just how NBA-ready he was, as he grabbed 339 rebounds (the 10th-best total in school history) while scoring 15 points a night.

LaMarcus Aldridge

Lance Blanks

23. Lance Blanks (1988-90) After barely seeing the floor in two years with the Virginia Cavaliers, Lance Blanks transferred to Texas and caught fire to become the “B” in Texas’ “BMW Ultimate Scoring Machine” offense. The 6’4” SG averaged 20 points per game for his two-year career, the fourth-best mark in Longhorns history. Blanks, who was also a fearsome defender (averaging three steals a game in a Texas uniform)

22. Alex Broadway (1984-88)29 outstanding passer whose 457 assists place fourth in Texas history, Alex Broadway was just as impressive for his efficiency. Broadway’s assist-to-turnover ratio of 1.8 is the fifth-best for a Longhorn career, and he holds the single-season school record in that category at 2.96. (no photo)

21. Connor Atchley (2005-09) his deficiencies as a scorer limited him to just one season as a starter, Connor Atchley was a serious weapon defending the paint.He averaged better than two rejections a night as a junior, finishing his career with the third-most blocks (189) in Longhorns history.

20. Larry Robinson (1969-72) The star of the only Texas team to post an NCAA Tournament win in the 1970s, Larry Robinson racked up 23 points and 14 boards in beating Houston in 1972.The punishing Robinson averaged 9.7 rebounds a night for his career, the third-best figure all-time for a Longhorn.

Larry Robinson

19. Reggie Freeman (1993-97) 6’6” shooting guard who flourished behind the arc, Reggie Freeman drained 243 career three-pointers to place third in Texas history. Fueled by all those jumpers, Freeman racked up 1,958 points, the fourth-most for a Longhorn all-time.

18. Brad Buckman (2002-06) A blue-collar 6’8” center, Brad Buckman didn’t need to score in bunches to help the Longhorns win. His 808 rebounds are the seventh-most in school history, and he ranks fourth among Texas players with 168 career blocks.

17. Ron Baxter (1976-80) Despite being a 6’4” wing player, Ron Baxter graduated with the Texas record for rebounds (916) as well as points (1.897). Those totals are still good for fifth and sixth in program history, respectively.

Slater Martin

16. Slater Martin (1943-49) It’s entirely possible that Slater Martin would have set the school assist record in his war-interrupted Texas career…but we’ll never know because Texas didn’t even keep the statistic until 1972-73.What Martin did accomplish was leading the Longhorns to their first Final Four during his sophomore year, not to mention scoring a then-school record 984 career points.Martin’s postseason experience would immediately come in handy in the NBA, where he helped George Mikan’s Lakers win their second straight championship as a rookie. Overall, Martin would win five titles (one with the Hawks) and make seven All-Star teams, averaging 9.8 points and 4.2 assists per game in an 11-year Hall of Fame career.

15. Albert Burditt (1990-94) Albert Burditt was a 6’8” power forward who was a force on both ends of the floor. He averaged as many as 15.7 points per game for the Longhorns, grabbed 897 rebounds (sixth-best in school history), and blocked 236 shots (second only to Chris Mihm).

14. Joey Wright (1988-91) The final letter in Texas’ ballyhooed BMW Scoring Machine lineups, Joey Wright, was the top three-point marksman for those offense-happy Longhorns. The 6’3” sharpshooter hit a school record 41.5 percent of his career treys, piling up 1,819 points in all to place seventh in school history.

Joey Wright

13. B.J. Tyler (1991-94), another transfer who thrived in Austin, B.J. Tyler left DePaul after his freshman year and filled up the stat sheets as a Longhorn. The 6’1” point guard ranks 12th in school history in points (1,502) and third in assists (480).

B.J. Tyler

Kris Clack

12. Kris Clack (1995-99)39 the most complete players Texas has ever seen, Kris Clack was a 6’5” swingman who played even bigger.Clack ranks among Texas’ all-time top 10 in points (1,592), rebounds (771), blocks (101) and steals (239, second-best behind Terrence Rencher).

11. Raymond Downs (1954-57) One of the first true stars for Longhorn basketball, Raymond Downs was absolutely overpowering as a pure scorer.His junior-year average of 26.4 points per game is still a school record, and only Kevin Durant has topped Downs’ career mark of 22.3 points a night.

10. James Thomas (2000-04) Never a top-tier scoring threat, 6’8” James Thomas earned his keep with his outstanding rebounding ability. Thomas amassed a then-record 1,077 career boards as a Longhorn, and that total is still good for second place in program history.

A.J. Abrams

9. A.J. Abrams (2005-09) Standing a mere 5’11”, A.J. Abrams was nevertheless a pure shooting guard. Undersized as he was, Abrams was the best three-point shooter in Texas history, with 389 treys (a school record by nearly 150) and 1,969 career points (third-best among Longhorns).

8. T.J. Ford (2001-03) Despite being an infamously bad jump shooter, T.J. Ford won the Naismith and Wooden Awards by leading the Longhorns to their only Final Four since 1947. Ford had already become the first freshman ever to lead the nation in assists, and by dishing out 527 of them in just two seasons, he finished second in Longhorns history for his career.

7. Travis Mays (1986-90) The leader of the scintillating BMW Scoring Machine offense, Travis Mays was an undersized (6’2”) shooting guard who could put points on the board in a heartbeat. Mays’ 246 career three-pointers and 2,279 points are both second-best in Longhorn history. The former total stood as a school record for nearly two decades.

6. Chris Mihm (1997-00) The Longhorns haven’t had the benefit of many true seven-footers in their history, but Chris Mihm was a welcome exception.An immediate hit upon his arrival in Austin, Mihm averaged 14.6 points a game for his career, grabbed 945 rebounds (fourth-best in program history) and set a school record with 264 blocks, recording three of the top five single-season rejection totals for any Longhorn all-time.

5. LaSalle Thompson (1979-82) best true center by a wide margin, 6’10” LaSalle Thompson averaged 16.8 points per game in Austin—and his scoring was his weakest attribute.Thompson’s 145 blocks stood as a school record for 10 years (they’re now seventh all-time), and his 1,027 rebounds (now third on the Longhorns’ charts) kept him in first place for two decades.

4. Johnny Moore (1975-79) Although he was only the third-best scorer on his own team, Johnny Moore’s 1,482 career points were more than any Longhorn had managed in the 20 years before his arrival. Moore’s real gift, though, was setting up high-scoring teammates Ron Baxter and Jim Krivacs, which he did in spades, nearly doubling Dan Krueger’s career assist record to 714 (still the highest total in school history by more than 100). Moore went on to a terrific NBA career spent largely in feeding George Gervin in the Spurs’ high-powered offense. Although he never made an All-Star team, Moore averaged at least nine assists per game for five straight seasons, leading the league in that category in 1981-82.

Johnny Moore

Damion James #34

3. Damion James (2006-10)48 just 6’7” didn’t keep Damion James from becoming one of Texas’ most devastating post players. James’ 1,917 points are fifth-most in program history, and he shattered James Thomas’ school record with 1,318 career rebounds..

2. Terrence Rencher (1991-95) One of the best two-way guards you’ll find at any college program, Terrence Rencher could take over a game with or without the ball in his hands. Rencher dished out 440 assists (sixth-best in school history) and holds the program records with 255 steals and an eye-opening 2,306 points.

1. Kevin Durant (2006-07) Just below Carmelo Anthony and Anthony Davis on the list of history’s greatest one-and-done freshmen, Kevin Durant turned in the best individual season for any Longhorns player ever. The first freshman to win either the Naismith or the Wooden Awards, Durant swept both by averaging 25.8 points per game (second-best in school history) and 11.1 rebounds a night (third-most for the program all-time). Kevin was on the NBA champion Golden State Warriors in 2017 and 2018.

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