Regardless of the location & regardless of the sport, a beloved pastime shared by all fans is the activity of sitting around and naming oft-forgotten players. Experiencing the nostalgia that comes with grabbing that one name out of thin air truly makes for such a fun time.
With March Madness in full swing, let’s remember some of those exact players that you probably forgot about or, even better, that you throw out in a similar conversation with other sports fanatics.
You’re not going to see Adam Morrison or Jimmer Fredette on here because, come on, anyone can pull those. We have to go deeper. We have to get weird. Let’s cover ten great college basketball players you probably forgot all about.
Acie Law IV, Texas A&M University, 2003-2007
Law’s Aggies were the first Big-12 South team to beat Kansas at Allen Fieldhouse since the league’s inception in 1994. A&M’s prodigious leader scored 10 of A&M’s final 13 points to seal that victory. Between that game and his other exploits in the Big 12 that season, Law entrenched himself in the Player of the Year conversation with Kevin Durant and Greg Oden. Remember him? Law was known for his poise in front of angry opposing fans and, from a skills perspective, his jab-step move that constantly caused problems for perimeter defenders. There are plenty of great highlights of his game on YouTube to take you further down the rabbit hole…like his huge buzzer-beating shot to down #7 Texas in 2006
Thomas Robinson, University of Kansas, 2009-2012
The 2011-2012 season saw Robinson lead a solid, if not unspectacular Kansas team to a regular season Big 12 title and the National Championship game before falling to a Kentucky team that boasted four NBA first round draft picks. He averaged a double-double for the entire season and collected Big 12 Player of the Year, First Team All-Big 12, and First Team All-American honors. Throughout that incredible season, Robinson dealt with intense adversity after having lost both of his grandparents & mother in a three-week span. I have to believe he made them proud.
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Chris Douglas-Roberts, University of Memphis, 2005-2008
The shooting guard from Detroit was the ultimate supporting character to Derrick Rose’s unbelievable lone season for Memphis in 2008. He earned two first-team All-Conference-USA nods, Conference-USA Player of the Year, and first-team All-American status at Memphis. After coming up short in the national championship in his junior year, Douglas-Roberts took his talents to the NBA where he never really got it going. His seven-year run in professional basketball saw him play for five NBA teams and one season playing in Bologna, Italy.
God Shammgod, Providence College, 1995-1997
Okay, back to basketball. Despite his short stint at Providence, Shammgod is a legend in Rhode Island. Known for his ball-handling, Shammgod was selected to the Big East All-Rookie team in his Freshman year and set the then Big East freshman assist record. His most famous moments came during the 1997 NCAA Tournament. God tallied 12 points and 9 assists to help 10-seed Providence shock second-seeded Duke on the road to the Elite Eight and a date with the eventual NCAA Champion Arizona Wildcats. Shammgod balled out with 23 points, 5 assists, and 3 steals, pushing Arizona to the limit before eventually falling short.
Derrick Williams, University of Arizona, 2009-2011
Williams won the Pac-10 Player of the Year award in his second season while averaging 19.5 points and 8.3 rebounds per game. After leading his Wildcats to a regular season Pac-10 title, Williams went for 22 points & 10 rebounds in a tough opening-round game against Memphis in the NCAA Tournament. Against one-seeded Duke in the Sweet 16, Williams exploded for 32 points and 13 rebounds in a lopsided win for Arizona. The Wildcats would lose to eventual champions, UConn, in the Elite Eight but Williams was a massive factor in Arizona getting that far.
Greivis Vasquez, University of Maryland, 2006-2010
Building off a solid freshman year, Vasquez became a full-time starter and recorded impressive per game averages of 17 points, 6.8 assists, and nearly 6 rebounds in his second season. In his junior year, Vasquez became the first player to lead the Terrapins in points, rebounds, and assists in a single season, and recorded Maryland’s third triple double in history in an 88-85 overtime victory against UNC. By his senior year, Vazquez secured ACC Player of the Year and First Team All-ACC honors. He also won the Bob Cousy award over a stacked field that featured John Wall and Evan Turner. He didn’t impact the Big Dance much, but with so much star power in the ACC & around college basketball in the mid-2000s, Greivis Vasquez made Maryland a team to fear.
Luke Harangody, University of Notre Dame, 2006-2010
After being named to the Big East All-Rookie First Team as a freshman, Harangody averaged a double-double in his sophomore season, scoring 20.4 points and grabbing 10.6 rebounds per game. Harangody’s best statistical season came in 2008-2009, averaging 23.3 points & nearly 12 rebounds per game for the year while scoring 20 or more points in 25 of 34 games. Harangody didn’t see much of the Big Dance but ended his time in South Bend as a three-time Second Team All-American and Big East First Team All-American, and a 2008 Big East Player of the Year award. Remember kids, consistency is key.
Nick Fazekas, University of Nevada, 2003-2007
Averaging 18.8 points and nearly 10 rebounds per game, the power forward/center from Colorado led the Wolfpack to four straight NCAA Tournament appearances during his collegiate career. He helped Nevada reach the Sweet 16 in his freshman year and defeated the likes of Texas, Gonzaga, and Michigan State during his trips to the Big Dance. He’s still Nevada’s all-time leading scorer with over 2,400 points and was thrice-named named WAC Player of the Year and First Team All-WAC.
Alando Tucker, University of Wisconsin, 2003-2007
Tucker’s Wisconsin career got off to a flying start, with the freshman starting nearly all of their games during the season while nabbing a Big Ten title & an Elite Eight appearance in the NCAA Tournament. Although he didn’t have as much March Madness success in the years after, Tucker averaged over 19 points and 5.5 rebounds throughout his last two seasons in Madison. Badger teams at that time played patient, fundamentally sound basketball but needed Tucker to be their offensive spark plug as often as possible. Tucker was named Big Ten Player of the Year, First Team All-Big Ten, and First Team All-American in 2007.
T.J Ford, University of Texas, 2001-2003
Ford was the first freshman in NCAA history to lead the nation in assists, at 8.27 per game, and registered 15 double-digit assist games. He led Texas to their first Final Four since 1947 in his sophomore season and led the team in points, assists, and steals. Ford proceeded to win pretty much every award that year, including Naismith Player of the Year honors. His #11 jersey now hangs in the rafters of the Moody Center.
