Best Team Ever

[VandyRedskins21]

It's been awhile since we've had a discussion about College Hoops on here so I thought I'd start one. I feel like this one makes sense since it is time for March Madness.

Who was the best team you ever coached? And have you possibly coached one of the best teams on College Hoops EVER? It's your time to brag!

[goroyals]

Re: Best Team Ever

Not the best team ever, just the best I've coached but here are my 08-09 Kentucky Wildcats starters (ratings approximate):

PG Derrick Jasper- Jr.- (81)- The weak link of the starting lineup for sure, but a decent ballhandler and good defender. Can occasionally cut to the hoop and finish, but a terrible shooter. Pro Outlook: D-League

SG Jodie Meeks- Jr.- (87)- Scoring machine. Drive or jumper. Somewhat inconsistent and not enough size to hang inside at all. Has gone for 35+ several times. Pro Outlook: Mid to Late 1st.

SF DeMar DeRozan- Fr.- (83)- Nasty 3 man in college. Throws it down hard, with a decent jumpshot. Prone to defensive lapses and long stretches of virtual invisibility. Will get better if he stays. Pro Outlook: Mid to Late 1st this year, Lottery if he stays.

PF Patrick Patterson- So.- (91)- As good as advertised. Almost certainly gone. Pro Outlook: Top 10 Pick

C Byron Mullens- Fr.- (76)- Size makes up for lack of complete game. Needs to stay another year or two to hone technical skills and beef up. Good shooter but consistently beaten on the boards by smaller, yet tougher, opponents. Pro Outlook: Euro if he went now, but in time, could be a first rounder.

This team is very inconsistent. I'm something like 24-7 (11-4), with results ranging from a 51-35 road W to a 103-89 home L. I seriously doubt I can win 6 in a row with this squad, but the talent is there. Arizona is probably the best team on paper right now, I will try to post them when I get the chance. Also, Duke is going to be ungodly next season. #10 right now, with most players returning plus John Wall, Derrick Favors, and a 5 star SG coming to town in 2009-10.

[jcofor25]

Re: Best Team Ever

My 2 Siena teams.
The 1st one was led by Gil Corner. A 4 star sf that had tremendous heart and could deliver a clutch basket at any time. Next was Wes McFadgon C and Vincent Len Bullicer SG. Wes was a great rebounder and Vince would be in discussion for best shooter in the country.
Then came DeWitt Warner. He was THE best PG out his class and only 3rd ovr.
Last but not least was Mel Augustin. This PF had a game like Ryan Anderson; good shooter, ok rebounder.
I recruited those kids in that order. Every year we got farther in the tourney but didn't win until this line up was built. Felt like a big accomplishment bringing home the MAAC's first Final Four trip and Championship. Record 30-1 (+-1)
The craziest thing, the next year without Gil we go 36-0. O_o

[GatorChomp2345]

Re: Best Team Ever

May be to early to say, but the UNC team I took over after Williams retired has no starter under an 85 ovr. 4 players project to be chosen in the 1st round with 3 of those jockeying for the top overall. Right now we are 13-0, averaging 92.6 ppg and allowing only 54.3 ppg. Even 3 of our backups are either dark horses or second round projections.

This could be the year I get out of the second round!

[acolbert]

Re: Best Team Ever

May be to early to say, but the UNC team I took over after Williams retired has no starter under an 85 ovr. 4 players project to be chosen in the 1st round with 3 of those jockeying for the top overall. Right now we are 13-0, averaging 92.6 ppg and allowing only 54.3 ppg. Even 3 of our backups are either dark horses or second round projections.

This could be the year I get out of the second round!

With that talent, this BETTER be the year you get out the 1st rd!

[GatorChomp2345]

Re: Best Team Ever

With that talent, this BETTER be the year you get out the 1st rd!

Lol tell me about it. 3 straight years at Air Force with 4, 3 and 2 seeds and not being able to win more than one game a tourney was pretty aggravating.

Involving my current team at North Carolina, were now 27-0 going into senior night against Duke. Draft projections are the same as before. Had three real tests this season, vs. Michigan State, @ Syracuse, and @ Duke. Other than that the season has been a cake walk. (side note: at 27-0 with some impressive wins, we are ranked #2 behind the 27-1 UCONN Huskies)

[jcofor25]

Re: Best Team Ever

Aaahhh. :'-(
That happy-sad feeling when you finally win it all after years of recruiting, coaching, and training.

[chezzie11]

Re: Best Team Ever

The second time I won back-to-back NCAA championships with Wisconsin

First year my whole team were juniors and we were 95 overall. Only lost one player to the draft, had a 98 overall team and lost 2 games the entire year.

[LionsFanNJ]

This is going back a few years but a few years into my open legacy I got offered the job at Memphis and the following year I recruited in a top 10 pg ( I'll never forget his name Mason Wallace 6'5" floppy hair white kid )who was from the region as well as two other five * bigs. This added to a team with an all american unlimited range wing and decent players already on roster.

That year I think I won 30 games in the regular season and just rolled to the title with ease. It was the easiest season I ever completed in 2k8 on AC and I haven't done anything close since.

[waytofailself]

Re: Best Team Ever

The past two seasons in my Kansas State legacy I have recruited 6 five star players, 4 four star players, and got an 80something transfer from another school. While the team is still growing, I really wonder what's going to happen in a year or two of development. The team is already pushing 90 OVR and it's just a bunch of freshmen and sophomores.

Of course, a big factor will be if anyone bolts for the NBA early. But my team has the potential to be great.

[superjames1992]

Re: Best Team Ever

I'm hoping that my 91 OVR WVU team I am currently coaching will be my best ever. The start has certainly been good (9-1). I've won one national title thus far in my legacy (with WVU a few years ago), but I had nine losses that year and my tournament run was kind of a fluke. I've never really had a dominating season, but this might be my year.

Tennessee this year (2025-2026) under Bruce Pearl (LOL) is STACKED, though. They are insane; definitely the best team I've ever seen in this legacy and their experience makes them even more of a juggernaut. My team is really good, but they just shot over my defense like my defenders were invisible. I'm allowing ~61 PPG; the Volunteers easily scored 93.

Their starting lineup:

PG - Theodore Crandle - 87 OVR (SR)
SG - Rashaun Sparks - 88 OVR (SR)
SF - Can Sonn - 91 OVR (JR)
PF - Blaise Halsell - 89 OVR (SR)
C - Harris Ager - 88 OVR (SR)

Yes, four out of their five starters are seniors and they are all 87+ OVR (in-game, they tend to jump into the 90s).

Their entire starting lineup is better than everyone on my team ratings-wise, LOL (my best player is 85 OVR). Let's just say it showed when I played them (93-76 loss).

My team is TALL, though.

PG - 5'11"
SG - 6'4"
SF - 6'6"
PF - 7'0"
C - 7'0"

Two seven-footers can pay dividends.

[acolbert]

Re: Best Team Ever

I think my current LIU team is the best I've ever coached. 2 7fters in the post, 2 wings over 6'7 who can hit the open j and a PG who can make any pass, or make ANY defender look silly going to cup.

Thats not what makes this the best team I've ever coached though, its the fact that I have a bench who can do the EXACT SAME THING. Its amazing, most of our runs come from the energy our bench provides.

[Sportsbuck]

Re: Best Team Ever

Just went 39-0 (18-0) and captured a National Championship in 2023-24 my OSU career legacy. We had won the NC the year before, and returned 4 of 5 starters, and checked in at 97 overall. We went 22-0 v the RPI Top 50.

Starting Lineup
PG - Garry Kent, Sr - 90 OVR
- 6'0 180lbs
- All-time leader in 3PTers made, 4 yr starter
- Averaged 11 pts, 4 assists
SG - Jared Palmer, Jr - 91 OVR
- 6'8 220lbs
- 2nd all-time in points, rebounds
- 1st Team All Big Ten
- Averaged 17 pts, 6 boards
SF - Aly Norman, Sr - 88 OVR
- 6'7 243lbs
- 1st all-time in steals
- Averaged 10 pts, 4 boards, 3 stls, 1.5 blocks
- National Defensive Player of the Year
SF/PF - J.B. Gordon, Jr - 92 OVR
- 6'9 225
- Led nation with 25.1 PPG
- National Player of the Year
- School records for points, PPG, points in single game
- Averaged 34.2PPG in NCAA tournament
- Triple double in opening round game
- 44 pts in second round game
C - Bernard Brittian, Jr, 85 OVR
- 7'1 240lbs
- 5pts, 5 boards, 2 blks per game

Bench
PG Torin Haley, Jr - 87 OVR
- 6'2 200lbs
- Averaged 5pts, 2.5 ast per game
- Sparkplug off bench
SG Ryan Dalghren, Sr - 86 OVR
- 6'4 200 lbs
- Dead eye 3PT shooter
- Great scorer off the bench
PF Jitim Chalmers, RSo - 84 OVR
- 6'11 245lbs
- Averaged 4pts, 4 boards off the bench
C Evan Weber, RFr - 78 OVR
- 7'3 280lbs
- Averaged 2 pts, 4 boards, 2 blocks off the bench

4 of 5 starters went pro, and then Dalghren graduated and Haley also went pro off the bench. So, needless to say, I have a youth movement ahead of me. But this squad was so dominant it was ridiculous. Currently riding a 52 game winning streak including the previous season.

[rje090020]

Re: Best Team Ever

My fourth year with SMU. All the starters were seniors, with Aaron Riley PG OVR 99. We could do everything shoot, play defense, and pass.

We went 29-2 in the season, ranked number 3, received 1 in the tourney. However lost to 16 Harvard on a last second shot. I tell you I stood there looking at the tv screen in shock, for what seemed like for ever. But I play my legacy on the hardest setting.

Next year with all the players gone and me not recruiting because I was going to leave the school. 19-12 missed the tourney and stayed because after that debacle nobody wanted me. Now into year six at SMU.

Recruited my *** off and got four freshman with 80+ ratings. Reminds me of Michigan and the fab five. My only starter is Blankenship and he won freshman of the year of the NCAA. Overall 85.

[JuiceOnTheLoose]

Re: Best Team Ever

My fourth year with SMU. All the starters were seniors, with Aaron Riley PG OVR 99. We could do everything shoot, play defense, and pass.

We went 29-2 in the season, ranked number 3, received 1 in the tourney. However lost to 16 Harvard on a last second shot. I tell you I stood there looking at the tv screen in shock, for what seemed like for ever. But I play my legacy on the hardest setting.

Next year with all the players gone and me not recruiting because I was going to leave the school. 19-12 missed the tourney and stayed because after that debacle nobody wanted me. Now into year six at SMU.

Recruited my *** off and got four freshman with 80+ ratings. Reminds me of Michigan and the fab five. My only starter is Blankenship and he won freshman of the year of the NCAA. Overall 85.

You had a 99 OVR?? How did he not go pro!? I've never seen a 99 OVR player.