Greatest Mason Basketball Player of All Time

[Five Two]

Tom,

I concur with the first 9 of your Top 10. But, as much as I liked Lamar Butler who had an immediate impact on the program, I don't believe that he was good enough defensively to warrant Top 10. IMO, Cam Long was a better all-around guard than Lamar.

Cam may have been a better defensive guard than Lamar. As I told Tom last night, what Lamar did in 2006 tips the scales in his favor when comparing him vs Cam or even Sherrod Wright, IMO.

 

[gmutom]

Tom,

I concur with the first 9 of your Top 10. But, as much as I liked Lamar Butler who had an immediate impact on the program, I don't believe that he was good enough defensively to warrant Top 10. IMO, Cam Long was a better all-around guard than Lamar.

Yeah, I struggled with that 10th player and admittedly went with Lamar since he was the poster child for our Final 4 run. Cam was a fantastic player on both ends of the court, and I will always appreciate him most fondly for posterizing Larry Sanders.

 

[Patriotsince81]

Yeah, I struggled with that 10th player and admittedly went with Lamar since he was the poster child for our Final 4 run. Cam was a fantastic player on both ends of the court, and I will always appreciate him most fondly for posterizing Larry Sanders.

That would be my #1 for best dunks in Mason history. #9 on Mason's greatest plays.

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fGpEez0xq24&t=16s

 

[Walter]

Two of my favorite players of all time were Bryon Allen and Marquise Moore. But neither will probably make my top 10.

 

[Patriotsince81]

Two of my favorite players of all time were Bryon Allen and Marquise Moore. But neither will probably make my top 10.

I thought long and hard about Allen as well. Tough call.

 

[FreeGunston12]

A lot of discussion on Allen on this. He shouldn't even be considered.

He may be one of the top-10 most improved Mason players from start to end of his career. How he did that under Hewitt, I'll never understand. He also probably came closest to the NBA of all recent mason players. But he doesn't belong in top 10 all time discussion in my opinion. He didn't have the big moments or compilation of stats to put him top 10.

 

[mkaufman1]

In my era (2005 and beyond) it's Will Thomas. Best combination of counting stats, team accomplishments, and pure unstoppability in clutch moments. I'm sitting on my couch reading this thread and getting irrationally angry Kaufman has him #5. This thread will probably get locked.

It's cool hearing the olds talk about the guys I never saw but I've never really dug in enough to have much of an opinion, beyond that Yates and Evans were obviously monsters.

Cam, Sherrod, Otis, Lamar, Folarin, Jai, Pearson, and Mike Mo are the next eight. Would have to think harder about who gets the 10 spot between Allen, Marquise, Tony, and maybe a couple others.

Ha, I definitely just brain dumped and didn't put so much thought into the list. IT would probably change by the day for me. His accolades probably should put him closer to the top 3.

Thats why I suck at these lists, I'd never make up my mind.

 

[GMUgemini]

Top 3 of all-time have to be Kenny Sanders, George Evans, Will Thomas right?

 

[Walter]

Top 3 of all-time have to be Kenny Sanders, George Evans, Will Thomas right?

Will, Evans and Carlos are likely #1 seeds. I don't think Sanders is.

 

[Dawgs99]

Will Thomas
George Evans
Ryan Pearson
Mike Mo
Ike Tate
Otis Livingston II
AJ Wilson

Ike Tate is no where near an all-time great list at Mason....please.

 

[Dawgs99]

Jesse Young > Mike Mo

 

[Dawgs99]

George Evans
Will Thomas
Kenny Sanders

Best back court players more challenging. I really loved Cam Long and Tony Skinn.

 

[Patriotsince81]

Ike Tate is no where near and all-time great list at Mason....please.

To his credit he was a great teammate for 3 years and as a senior finally delivered many clutch moments. Agreed he's not top 10 but I have all the respect in the world for how he handled himself.

 

[GMUgemini]

That would be my #1 for best dunks in Mason history. #9 on Mason's greatest plays.

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fGpEez0xq24&t=16s

Sanders didn't even get called for a foul on that play...

 

[Leesburg Chankenstank III]

Evans:

Freshman: ROY
Sophomore: POY and First Team All Defense
Junior: POY and First Team All Defense
Senior: POY and First Team All Defense

How could anyone not have Evans as #1 by an overwhelming margin? The above accolades will never be replicated by any Mason player ever. In fact no player will ever even come close.

 

[gmutom]

Will, Evans and Carlos are likely #1 seeds. I don't think Sanders is.

Evans and Yates are both at the top of the list, and then I think you could argue either way that Thomas and Sanders are next. Kenny ranks #2 at Mason in both points (2,177) and rebounds (1,026). He was only 6-foot-5, but he had this Charles Barkley-type ability to box out and go after ball. He didn't care how big or tall you were.

I would argue that one of the most underrated players in Mason history is Robert Dykes (1987-91). Like George Evans, Dykes served five years in the military before coming to Mason. He averaged 10 points and 7.5 boards as a sophomore before taking his game to another level his junior year (17 points/8.4 boards) and senior year (19.4 points/9 rebounds).

Dykes ranks 5th all time at Mason in both scoring (1,642) and rebounds (925), and he was 1st team All-Conference as a junior and senior. Dude was a beast.

 

[Patriotsince81]

Evans and Yates are both at the top of the list, and then I think you could argue either way that Thomas and Sanders are next. Kenny ranks #2 at Mason in both points (2,177) and rebounds (1,026). He was only 6-foot-5, but he had this Charles Barkley-type ability to box out and go after ball. He didn't care how big or tall you were.

I would argue that one of the most underrated players in Mason history is Robert Dykes (1987-91). Like George Evans, Dykes served five years in the military before coming to Mason. He averaged 10 points and 7.5 boards as a sophomore before taking his game to another level his junior year (17 points/8.4 boards) and senior year (19.4 points/9 rebounds).

Dykes ranks 5th all time at Mason in both scoring (1,642) and rebounds (925), and he was 1st team All-Conference as a junior and senior. Dude was a beast.

Thank you! A glaring omission on my part. Dykes was a beast. I loved watching him play.

 

[sleeperpick]

Ike Tate is no where near and all-time great list at Mason....please.

So mean and negative. A wise Dawgs99 once told me if you are negative you are a meany. take Dawgs99's advice

 

[KAOriginal]

Evans:

Freshman: ROY
Sophomore: POY and First Team All Defense
Junior: POY and First Team All Defense
Senior: POY and First Team All Defense

How could anyone not have Evans as #1 by an overwhelming margin? The above accolades will never be replicated by any Mason player ever. In fact no player will ever even come close.

Glad someone typed it before I had too.

It was brought up when talking about how you decide to retire a jersey. You have to start with
individual achievements primarily...then get into the intangibles......like "I liked they way they said hi after a game."

Evans proved it on the court....

 

[Herndon]

Evans:

Freshman: ROY
Sophomore: POY and First Team All Defense
Junior: POY and First Team All Defense
Senior: POY and First Team All Defense

How could anyone not have Evans as #1 by an overwhelming margin? The above accolades will never be replicated by any Mason player ever. In fact no player will ever even come close.

This is obviously the correct answer.

Anybody who saw him play knows it without having to look at achievements.