Where do you rank Newton among UConn guard greats?

[UChusky916]

2x national champion
2x championship game MOP
2x final 4 all-tournament
AP All American
BET champ
BE reg season champ
1st team all BE

He's UConn's most decorated guard in our storied program, but might still be underrated, somehow.

He's been the "straw that stirs the drink" for this team the past 2 years which has now been immortalized. But he had some great players around him (Hawkins, Sanogo, AJax, Clingan, etc.).

Yet, its difficult to measure him against other UConn greats who carried their teams to championships with less supporting talent (Kemba, Shabazz).

He's UConn's most "decorated", and should be on the wall, no doubt.
But will he be in conversation with other UConn great all-time guards? Does he land on UConn's mount Rushmore of players? Interesting debate.

 

[CardiacAndre7]

I mean, accolades and accomplishments alone he has to be #1. He doesn’t have the pomp and circumstance of Kemba or the intensity and grit of Bazz, but he’s accomplished more. Love the kid to death.

 

[TheHorde]

My Mount Rushmore is Tristen, Kemba, Bazz, and Khalid.

 

[3RingsCT]

I remember reading somewhere that Hurley didn’t want Newton to be a scorer. He wanted Newton to use his whole bag in a “team first” concept. We saw that he could drop 25-30 on any given night, but that’s not what was best for the team.

Somthing that Hurley did, in an era that’s almost unheard of, is complete team play with no selfishness at all.

Newton deserves a plaque in the Huskies of Honor. He’s an all-time great, IMO.

He did what he was asked to do and delivered.

Some of the other “greats” never delivered a championship. Just sayin.

 

[borninansonia]

My Mount Rushmore is Tristen, Kemba, Bazz, and Khalid.

Ben Gordon should be up there too. Won a national championship, averaging 20.5 ppg, 4.7 rebounds, 4.5 assists. Our highest drafted guard.

 

[Chin Diesel]

Sanogo was MOP last year.

But, here we go.

Kemba for what he did carrying 2011 and a key player on 2009 FF team.
Bazz. Four great years, 2 chips, one where he was the alpha.
Ray Ray. Three seasons, an AA and UConn's first national face brand
Newton. Numbers don't lie. Key player on two chips. Great in FF games and under pressure. Unflappable.

That's the Mt. Rushmore.

 

[ctchamps]

My wife it's Kemba.

For me Chris Smith, KEA, Taliek, Kamba, Bazz and Newton are interchangeable depending on what parameters I decide to value the most.

This years team:

Cam was the fiery leader on the court. Donovan and Castle were the defensive leaders on the court. Alex was the player that improved everyone on the court. But Tristen was the player that stirred the drink. He assessed when he needed to take over and when he got other players involved. He was the undisputed leader in running UConn's offense this season and last. He has an understated personality which belies the intensity he plays with. The ball continuously goes through him. He is the player that has the ball late in close games. But what is most impressive is that he kept this team playing at a high level two years in a row. Only Alex and Tristen were in the starting lineup both seasons and Tristen is definitely the player who controlled temp and ball movement. He was an All American for a reason.

 

[Zionn]

My Mount Rushmore is Tristen, Kemba, Bazz, and Khalid.

might add Chris Smith as well

 

[EricLA]

I know it's natural to try to rank them, but I'm not a fan of it. Not that I mind - certainly not complaining that it's discussed, but my attitude is more like...

Hard to really say "who was the best" since they played with different teams, had different skill sets, had different results/accolades... BUT... how awesome is it that we even get to have that debate? With 6 NC's, it's certainly a blessing to have had so many guards (and wings/forwards/centers etc.) come thru the program and give us fans so much joy, and so many great players to debate over!

 

[JungleLobo]

He will be an NBA journeyman just as good as Ollie

 

[ctchamps]

For me Chris Smith, KEA, Taliek, Kamba, Bazz and Newton are interchangeable depending on what parameters I decide to value the most.

Why I love Tristen:

Cam was the fiery leader on the court. Donovan and Castle were the defensive leaders on the court. Alex was the player that improved everyone on the court. But Tristen was the player that stirred the drink. He assessed when he needed to take over and when he got other players involved. He was the undisputed leader in running UConn's offense this season and last. He has an understated personality which belies the intensity he plays with. The ball continuously goes through him. He is the player that has the ball late in close games. But what is most impressive is that he kept this team playing at a high level two years in a row. Only Alex and Tristen were in the starting lineup both seasons and Tristen is definitely the player who controlled temp and ball movement. He was an All American for a reason.

 

[superjohn]

Right there with Kemba and Bazz for best point guard ever and right there with Rip, Okafor, Kemba, Bazz, Ray, Donyell.

 

[TheHorde]

Ben Gordon should be up there too. Won a national championship, averaging 20.5 ppg, 4.7 rebounds, 4.5 assists. Our highest drafted guard.

I view Ben as more of a 2 guard. Taliek ran the point on those teams.

 

[TheHorde]

might add Chris Smith as well

Chris Smith might be the single most important recruit in UConn history. He started the dominoes. Much of this would not have been possible without him.

 

[B1GEast]

Every year we do those build your best UConn team.

From now on, Newton will be on that team.

 

[kobebeanbryant]

Slightly below Kemba and Bazz in my mind.

Each of those two dragged much inferior talent to the promised land and were unquestionably the best player on those teams.

On these two recent championship teams I think you can argue there were other players that were more impactful/critical to winning it all (Sanogo last year and Clingan this year).

Put another way…if you swap Kemba/Bazz with Newton I think we still win it all these past two years. I am not sure that would be the case the other way around.

That is no slight at all to Newton who is an incredible player in his own right. It’s just that Kemba/Bazz are not only UConn greats, but all time CBB greats.