College basketball is one of the most exciting sports in the United States. It has produced some of the most memorable moments in sports history and has been the breeding ground for some of the world's greatest basketball players. In this article, we'll look at the top 25 college basketball players of all time.
1. Michael Jordan
Michael Jordan is widely regarded as the greatest basketball player of all time, and his college career was no different. Jordan played for the North Carolina Tar Heels from 1981-1984 and led them to a National Championship in 1982. He averaged 17.7 points per game over his three-year career and was named the ACC Player of the Year as a sophomore.
2. Bill Walton
Bill Walton played for UCLA from 1971-1974 and led them to two National Championships in 1972 and 1973. He was a three-time National Player of the Year and averaged 20.3 points and 15.7 rebounds per game over his career.
3. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, then known as Lew Alcindor, played for UCLA from 1966-1969 and led them to three National Championships. He was a three-time National Player of the Year and averaged 26.4 points and 15.5 rebounds per game over his career.
4. Christian Laettner
Christian Laettner played for Duke from 1988-1992 and led them to back-to-back National Championships in 1991 and 1992. He was a two-time National Player of the Year and had a career average of 16.6 points per game.
5. Magic Johnson
Magic Johnson played for Michigan State from 1977-1979 and led them to a National Championship in 1979. He was a two-time All-American and averaged 17.1 points, 7.6 rebounds, and 7.9 assists per game over his career.
6. Jerry Lucas
Jerry Lucas played for Ohio State from 1959-1962 and led them to a National Championship in 1960. He was a three-time National Player of the Year and had a career average of 24.3 points and 17.2 rebounds per game.
7. Pete Maravich
Pete Maravich played for LSU from 1967-1970 and is the all-time leading scorer in Division I history with 3,667 points. He was a three-time All-American and had a career average of 44.2 points per game.
8. Patrick Ewing
Patrick Ewing played for Georgetown from 1981-1985 and led them to a National Championship in 1984. He was a three-time National Player of the Year and had a career average of 15.3 points, 9.2 rebounds, and 3.4 blocks per game.
9. Elvin Hayes
Elvin Hayes played for Houston from 1965-1968 and is the all-time leading rebounder in Division I history with 1,605 rebounds. He was a two-time All-American and had a career average of 31.0 points and 17.2 rebounds per game.
10. Tim Duncan
Tim Duncan played for Wake Forest from 1993-1997 and was a two-time ACC Player of the Year. He had a career average of 20.8 points, 14.7 rebounds, and 3.3 blocks per game.
11. Larry Bird
Larry Bird played for Indiana State from 1976-1979 and led them to the National Championship game in 1979. He was a three-time All-American and had a career average of 30.3 points and 13.3 rebounds per game.
12. Wilt Chamberlain
Wilt Chamberlain played for Kansas from 1956-1958 and had a career average of 29.9 points and 18.3 rebounds per game. He was named an All-American in each of his two seasons with the Jayhawks.
13. Hakeem Olajuwon
Hakeem Olajuwon played for Houston from 1981-1984 and led them to the NCAA Final Four in 1982 and 1983. He had a career average of 13.8 points, 11.1 rebounds, and 4.6 blocks per game.
14. Austin Carr
Austin Carr played for Notre Dame from 1968-1971 and is the only player in NCAA Tournament history to score 60 points in a single game. He was a two-time All-American and had a career average of 34.6 points per game.
15. Steve Nash
Steve Nash played for Santa Clara from 1992-1996 and led them to an upset victory over Arizona in the NCAA Tournament as a sophomore. He had a career average of 14.8 points and 5.8 assists per game.
16. Oscar Robertson
Oscar Robertson played for Cincinnati from 1957-1960 and had a career average of 33.8 points and 15.2 rebounds per game. He was a three-time first-team All-American and led the Bearcats to two Final Fours.
17. Danny Manning
Danny Manning played for Kansas from 1984-1988 and led them to a National Championship in 1988. He was a two-time Big Eight Player of the Year and had a career average of 20.1 points and 8.1 rebounds per game.
18. Bill Bradley
Bill Bradley played for Princeton from 1961-1965 and had a career average of 30.2 points and 10.9 rebounds per game. He was a two-time first-team All-American and led the Tigers to the NCAA Final Four in 1965.
19. Shaquille O'Neal
Shaquille O'Neal played for LSU from 1989-1992 and led them to the NCAA Tournament Sweet Sixteen in 1991 and 1992. He had a career average of 21.6 points, 13.5 rebounds, and 4.6 blocks per game.
20. Glen Rice
Glen Rice played for Michigan from 1985-1989 and led them to a National Championship in 1989. He was the NCAA Tournament Most Outstanding Player and had a career average of 17.4 points per game.
21. Stephen Curry
Stephen Curry played for Davidson from 2006-2009 and led them to the NCAA Tournament Elite Eight in 2008. He had a career average of 25.3 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 3.7 assists per game.
22. Kevin Durant
Kevin Durant played for Texas from 2006-2007 and had a career average of 25.8 points and 11.1 rebounds per game. He was the National Player of the Year as a freshman and led the Longhorns to the NCAA Tournament Second Round.
23. David Robinson
David Robinson played for Navy from 1983-1987 and had a career average of 21.1 points, 10.4 rebounds, and 4.5 blocks per game. He was the National Player of the Year as a senior and led the Midshipmen to the NCAA Tournament Elite Eight.
24. John Wooden
John Wooden played for Purdue from 1929-1932 and led them to the National Championship game in 1932. He was a three-time All-Big Ten selection and averaged 6.9 points per game over his career.
25. Allen Iverson
Allen Iverson played for Georgetown from 1994-1996 and led them to the NCAA Tournament Sweet Sixteen in 1995. He had a career average of 22.9 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 4.6 assists per game.
There have been countless great college basketball players throughout history, and these 25 players are just a few of the best. Each of them contributed to the history of college basketball in their own way and will forever be remembered as legends of the game.
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