21st Century Teams

[jeff93]

This is kind of fun.

My best attempt (minimum of 2 years with team, penalty for less than 4 years):

1st Team

PG: Jermaine Beal
SG: John Jenkins
SF: Shan Foster
PF: Matt Frieje
C: AJ Ogilvy


2nd Team

PG: Scottie Pippin Jr
SG: Derrick Byars
SF: Jeff Taylor
PF: Damian Jones
C: Festus Ezeli


3rd Team

PG: Brad Tinsley
Wing: Riley LaChance
Wing: Saben Lee
SF: Jeff Roberson
C: Will Kornet


Honorable Mention: Dylan Disu, Wade Baldwin, James Siakam

Most difficult choice: Siakam or Roberson for the last spot. Both great 4-year players

Disqualified for lack of time with team: Nesmith, Robbins, Garland - All three would be way up there with 2 or more productive years.

[UltimateVUFan]

Nice list, though I think you mean LUKE Kornet.

You also left Dan Cage off your lists. He 100% deserves a spot somewhere, if only for his performance in the Georgetown Sweet Sixteen win (yes, win) alone.

Also, I personally have a hard time including Dylan Disu on this list, and I’m kind of glad he has not had remotely close to the success at Texas he had his sophomore year at VU. 15 points and 9 rebounds on 49%/37% (at 3.8 3PT attempts) are incredible sophomore stats (though, admittedly, his season was cut short at 17 games due to injury. Seems unlikely he maintains that pace over a full SEC slate.).
Speaking of games played with the team: in fairness, Disu only played 49 games. Nesmith played 46 and Robbins played in 41. I’d consider giving them a pass under the circumstances of their time with the team relative to Disu’s.

[geeznotagain]

Corey Smith?

And Dan Langhi played in 2000. 21st century?

Also, if we deduct for fewer years we need to reward for more years. So Josh Henderson, with a 9 year career, has to be our center.

[mathguy]

Demote Jenkins and Ogilvy ... promote Festus and either Byars or Taylor. Probably Taylor if we're giving bonus points for 4 years.

If we're looking for places for Siakam, Dan Cage, or Corey Smith, I'm very okay with kicking off Damian Jones who was more talented, but had a wildly inconsistent motor. Also, with no offense intended to Roberson, I thin I'd take any of those three above Roberson.

[buffy]

If I'm building my best team assuming peak player, no penalties.

Guards: Darius Garland/Wade Baldwin/Saben Lee/Scottie Pippen Jr./Derrick Byars/John Jenkin
Forwards: Shan Foster/Aaron Nesmith/Demarre Carroll/Dylan Disu
C: Festus Ezeli/Liam Robbins/Luke Kornet

[Jason94]

Demote Jenkins and Ogilvy ... promote Festus and either Byars or Taylor. Probably Taylor if we're giving bonus points for 4 years.

If we're looking for places for Siakam, Dan Cage, or Corey Smith, I'm very okay with kicking off Damian Jones who was more talented, but had a wildly inconsistent motor. Also, with no offense intended to Roberson, I thin I'd take any of those three above Roberson.

Agree with most of this - from a program impact standpoint, Byars had one of the best seasons I've seen at Vanderbilt. He might not have scored the most points, but he probably made the most plays in the biggest games of any player we've seen in the 21st century. The plays he made against a fantastic WSU team to get us to the sweet 16 was him willing the team to victory, and he was unstoppable in our win against #1 UF - broke their will in the 2nd half by answering seemingly every one of their scores with a tough shot of his own. Or the rebound putback against UK to beat them by one. Plus he won all four matchups against UK in his two years with the program.

Ogilvy had a great freshman season, really sophomore season and good junior season. He was as polished a player as I've seen as a freshman, but didn't really have any room to grow. Festus was the opposite - RS year, completely lost as a freshman, foul machine as a sophomore, then light goes on and dominates as a junior. Injured as a senior but we were obviously a much more complete team with him on the court, and his performance in the SEC-T against Davis and UK was key to us winning that game, scoring 17 while holding Davis to 12.

Roberson is the most underrated players in Vanderbilt history, along side with LaChance probably. He is 21st on the all time scoring list (LaChance is 16th). He was a very good rebounder, leading the team two seasons in a row at over 7 boards per game at 6'-6". He was also an excellent shooter, hitting almost 40% of this three point attempts for his career, and hitting over 80% of his FTA for his career. He was not a perimeter player, however, taking more shots from inside the arc and hitting about 51% of those shots for his career. He had one of the great senior seasons that nobody remembers since CBD took the team to a 13th place SEC finish.

LaChance is similar - 16th on the scoring list, hit over 41% of his threes for his career, 83% from the line, 6th all time in assists, and was essentially a starter from the time he stepped onto campus. Also had a great senior season that nobody remembers (thanks again CBD), the same season as Roberson's great senior season. How we could have two seniors having great seasons and finish 13th is amazing.

[Gtwjr]

This is kind of fun.

My best attempt (minimum of 2 years with team, penalty for less than 4 years):

1st Team

PG: Jermaine Beal
SG: John Jenkins
SF: Shan Foster
PF: Matt Frieje
C: AJ Ogilvy


2nd Team

PG: Scottie Pippin Jr
SG: Derrick Byars
SF: Jeff Taylor
PF: Damian Jones
C: Festus Ezeli


3rd Team

PG: Brad Tinsley
Wing: Riley LaChance
Wing: Saben Lee
SF: Jeff Roberson
C: Will Kornet


Honorable Mention: Dylan Disu, Wade Baldwin, James Siakam

Most difficult choice: Siakam or Roberson for the last spot. Both great 4-year players

Disqualified for lack of time with team: Nesmith, Robbins, Garland - All three would be way up there with 2 or more productive years.

To me, Frieje, Foster and Byars are in a class by themselves. After those three, remainder are up for argument.

[dallasdore]

I agree that Frieje, Byers, and ESPECIALLY Foster are in a class by themselves.

Jeff Taylor is at the top of the tier below the above 3.

I would also downgrade Ogilvy, I just remember being disappointed in that he didn't do more, hence the consistency reference by another poster.

LaChance I definitely agree with. He was a stud. I'd possibly move him up.

No Mario Moore?????? I'd have him on there somewhere.

Wasn't Neltner in the 21st century? I'd put him on the honorable mention simply due to the "Neltner's winning" game against UK.

Corey Smith MUST MUST MUST be on this list. I'd put him somewhere in the top 2 teams. The plays he made in the tournament, how competitive he was, and wasn't he the one with the winning bucket on the full court play with 0.8 seconds left against Wichita State?

[commadore]

Corey Smith?

And Dan Langhi played in 2000. 21st century?

Also, if we deduct for fewer years we need to reward for more years. So Josh Henderson, with a 9 year career, has to be our center.

Technically, 2000 is still part of the 20th century, despite what the press and other idiots said.

[commadore]

I agree that Frieje, Byers, and ESPECIALLY Foster are in a class by themselves.

I would also downgrade Ogilvy, I just remember being disappointed in that he didn't do more, hence the consistency reference by another poster.

LaChance I definitely agree with. He was a stud. I'd possibly move him up.

Wasn't Neltner in the 21st century? I'd put him on the honorable mention simply due to the "Neltner's winning" game against UK.

Corey Smith MUST MUST MUST be on this list. I'd put him somewhere in the top 2 teams. The plays he made in the tournament, how competitive he was, and wasn't he the one with the winning bucket on the full court play with 0.8 seconds left against Wichita State?

Plantar Facitis (SP?) will do that to anyone, especially a 6'11" athlete trying to run up and down a court for 40 minutes.

[GrumpyOldDore]

Happened to have sat behind Ross Neltner at one of the regional games this past weekend. He is obviously doing well financially--he was able to keep his companions, who were three young boys, satisfied with offerings from the concession stand.

[geeznotagain]

Corey Smith?

And Dan Langhi played in 2000. 21st century?

Also, if we deduct for fewer years we need to reward for more years. So Josh Henderson, with a 9 year career, has to be our center.

Technically, 2000 is still part of the 20th century, despite what the press and other idiots said.

Yeah you are of course technically correct. I was in the corporate world at the time and the calendar turning over to 2000 was not just a foray into the new century, but Y2K was a potential harbinger of gloom and doom for IT professionals everywhere. So THAT was the beginning of the new century for many of us.

[abvandy]

Perry Wallace had a great impact on Vanderbilt basketball.

.....but maybe not in the 21st century.

CONQUER!!..., and PREVAIL!!!

[commadore]

Corey Smith?

And Dan Langhi played in 2000. 21st century?

Also, if we deduct for fewer years we need to reward for more years. So Josh Henderson, with a 9 year career, has to be our center.

Technically, 2000 is still part of the 20th century, despite what the press and other idiots said.

Yeah you are of course technically correct. I was in the corporate world at the time and the calendar turning over to 2000 was not just a foray into the new century, but Y2K was a potential harbinger of gloom and doom for IT professionals everywhere. So THAT was the beginning of the new century for many of us.

Yeah, they made the tax department come in on January 1, 2000, in case there was an issue. My comment to the company president was "what, you expecting a tax emergency?" After laughing he made s come in anyway. Still made it home for the first kickoff.

[jeff93]

After reading all of the responses:

I just don't think of Langhi as a 21st century player, otherwise he would have to be on there, maybe first team.

I think Jenkins hold his spot - didn't he lead the league in scoring both sophomore and junior years, on good VU teams? Same with Ogilvy - his three years were pretty impressive, despite a slight downward trajectory due to nagging injury.

I think Disu comes off Honorable Mention - hadn't realized how much of Sophomore year he missed.

So, I would add Corey Smith and Matthew Fisher Davis to Honorable Mention, maybe with Mario Moore as well. Loved Cage, but I don't think he gets there.

Just my opinions.

[AuricGoldfinger]

I don't think Wade Baldwin is getting enough love in this discussion. His stats compare very favorably to a number of the other players mention.

[MrMemorial]

Corey Smith?

And Dan Langhi played in 2000. 21st century?

Also, if we deduct for fewer years we need to reward for more years. So Josh Henderson, with a 9 year career, has to be our center.

Clyde Lee - C
Billy McCaffrey - G
Jan VanBredaKolff - G
Bob Warren - F
Charles Davis - F

If we are taking creative liberty with dates and all...

[ChattaDore]

Rod Odum
M. Fisher-Davis
Lance Golbourne
Steve Tseinghalgangkafnekxbdbaksb

All deserving. Too many to just have three teams.

[commadore]

Corey Smith?

And Dan Langhi played in 2000. 21st century?

Also, if we deduct for fewer years we need to reward for more years. So Josh Henderson, with a 9 year career, has to be our center.

Clyde Lee - C
Billy McCaffrey - G
Jan VanBredaKolff - G
Bob Warren - F
Charles Davis - F

If we are taking creative liberty with dates and all...

Those five together in their prime could win the league today!

[LawoftheWest]

One of my favorites was Riley LaChance. I thought he was not especially athletic. However, in my view he knew how to use his talents and played within his skill set. I don't know where to place him on the list. He was just one of my favorites because of how he played the game, with lots of heart.