Ranking the All Time UConn teams from Dream Season and on

[freescooter]

2014 is impossible to rank. They were up and down in the regular season, probably a top 10-15-ish team. Blown out by Louisville.
Then they went through an absolute gauntlet to win the title. Three straight games against the pre-tournament favorite, the postseason No. 1 and the preseason No. 1. No one could possibly say they didn't earn it on the court.

This is true. That was such an odd year, too. We were badly under seeded, the whole AAC was. We got lucky in the first game but then knocked off 2 seed Villanova, 1 seed Florida and among others. Plus it was odd to play a worse seed in the finals. I think they are Top 10.

For me the 3 hardest to evaluate I in some ways are 2011, 2014 and 2006.

 

[SubbaBub]

It's like comparing rounds of 59 in golf.

 

[diggerfoot]

A recent sports show evaluating the 2024 team’s greatness commented that we were fifth in the modern era according to KenPom analytics, behind 1999 Duke!

I agree with what I am sure every BYer feels, that this reveals a flaw in the analytics. Both 1999 and 2024 UConn at least should be ranked higher than 1999 Duke. Yet it does confirm that our greatest championship win, our greatest win ever, is held by the 1999 team. It was our first championship win, against the toughest opponent we have yet faced, overcoming the greatest spread against any team in the championship game.

We can speculate that other UConn teams could also beat a team of 1999 Duke’s caliber (with their eventual pros sure to outnumber Purdue),but surely being the only team to prove it should count for something. The sports experts outside of the BY do give the 1999 team their due. I have yet to hear one of the talking heads on ESPN, etc, put 2004 higher than 1999. Only on the BY do folks look at the 2004 roster and conclude that was the better team.

The 1999 UConn team’s only losses came with the absence of Hamilton, our best player that year, plus I believe one other (too lazy to check). It’s not unreasonable to think 1999 might have been an undefeated season had all our starters played every game. Even so, we ended up with our best overall win percentage of all time, and the best BE win percentage of all time, with the #1 ranking for the most weeks.

I am inclined to rank our 2024 team first, but this might be due to recency bias. I don’t see how the main challenger to 2024 UConn being first is any other team but 1999 UConn.

 

[gtcam]

I never say Okafor isn’t scoring on somebody. He had footwork, strength, and a baby hook. He was the above the rim Sanogo. But, I don’t know if Gordon was strong enough to contend with Castle.

I love Stephon and have followed him for the last 3 years,
Ben G was like a bulldog with the finesse and agility of a ballerina. He would have held his own vs SC as he did with bigger guards in the OBE.

 

[HCope]

Maybe because I was a student at the time, but that 2014 team was so much fun. If they even had a hint of a lead at the end of the game they would bury the other team in free throws. Book ending Florida's run was hilarious.

 

[blkknight1]

Clingan vs. Okafor would be an amazing battle.

I give the nod to 2024 largely because of shooting prowess. We can put Spencer on Taliek Brown and have him sag off, and you don't even have to guard Boone outside the lane. Castle checking Ben Gordon would be a great matchup. Karaban might struggle with Villanueva's size though.

Not to nitpick but that 2004 team did have Rashad Anderson who was an absolute sniper and big shot maker from 3, JC nicknamed him the dagger for a reason, not to mention Denahm Brown, to go along with BG.

 

[Jaker]

the 2004 team I beleive was better from 3 then 2024 team. Front court of Okafor, Villanueva, Boone and Hilton Armstrong would be tough for Karaban, DC and Sampson t handle. Newton>>>>>Taliek Brown, Gordon-Castle woulc be a push and Spencer-Rashad would a push too IMO. I give 2004 the edge because of the 3 pt shooting though. And again not sure DC/Sampson,AK could handle 2004 frontcourt-All NBA players.

 

[UC0NN]

It seems many consider a Championship to be considered great. I don't, a final 4 to me is sufficient. Again, the greatest team doesn't win the Championship, the hottest team does.

I have been watching ball since 1990, and all I know is the media has drooled non stop pre and during the tournament over 91 UNLV that lost, 99 Duke that lost, and 24 Uconn. These stand out to me as the biggest droolfests since 1990 where almost everyone was raving about these 3 teams.

 

[UC0NN]

It's hard to rank 2004 as the greatest as they had 6 losses, and should have lost to Duke. Only bc of Emeka foul trouble though. It is the most talented Uconn team tho.

23 Uconn was ridiculously great first 15 games of the year as well as last 9 games or so. Middle of the year funk removes them as well.

 

[Marbles90]

the 2004 team I beleive was better from 3 then 2024 team.

Keep in mind the 3pt line was 19’ 9” in 2004. It has moved out twice since then and is now 22’ 1.75” in 2024.

 

[my2cents]

2024 beats out 2004 by a hair. 2004 had star power, Okofor and Gordon. This years team was just that much better on defense.

 

[Kolumbo]

1989
I'll take the road less traveled and throw 1989 into the ring because Uncle Cliffy deserves some mention. Plus they've been very good a lot longer than 25 years. Nelson did include 1990 though.

Lot's of history on this team. I would have said 1988 but Chris Smith wasn't there yet, although they did lose Jeff King, Robert Ursery, Karsten Kibbe, Greg Economou

Uncle Cliffy
Phil Gamble
Chris Smith
Tate George
Murray Williams
John Gwynn
Willie McCloud
Rod Sellers
Lyman DePriest
Dan Cyrulik
etc

 

[UC0NN]

Isn't it great that we have all these things to debate and of course there will never be a consensus. Great problem to have.

 

[Horatio]

2004 UCONN team had Emeka, Josh, Hilton, Charlie V, Marcus White and Ed Nelson. 2024 has Clingan and Samson. It’s not unrealistic to argue that 2004 was better.

 

[UC0NN]

When you have 6 losses like 04 you are kind of not at the top of the discussion. Then you say Mek was injured. But then 99 had an injury that cost them a game. And 24 injuries cost them 2 games.

24 dominated the tourney, never trailed in the 2nd half. 99 beat the great Duke team in the Duke invitational.

 

[Jaker]

Keep in mind the 3pt line was 19’ 9” in 2004. It has moved out twice since then and is now 22’ 1.75” in 2024.

ok, I did forget about that, not sure how much of a change that has made over the year % wise though?

 

[Dave]

Clingan vs. Okafor would be an amazing battle.

I give the nod to 2024 largely because of shooting prowess. We can put Spencer on Taliek Brown and have him sag off, and you don't even have to guard Boone outside the lane. Castle checking Ben Gordon would be a great matchup. Karaban might struggle with Villanueva's size though.

I know 2004 ran a lot of zoom action and weren’t exactly behind the times. But, imagine 2004 running the 2024 offense. I think you trade Villanueva for Boone as a starter. But, regardless, I think that team would be incredible in the 2024 offense. If done that way, I think 2004

I tend to agree, 2004 wins… especially considering the depth 04 had…Denham, Charlie V, Hilton, Marcus Williams all on the bench. Each team has miss matches too, but if 2024 gets into foul trouble it hurts more than it would 04.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

If any of you have not seen Okafor play college ball, find some games from 2004. He was the smartest, most technically sound frontcourt defender I will ever see at the college level. He saw every defensive possession developing 2-3 passes out.

He had a pretty good defense around him. Taliek Brown and Gordon were good on the perimeter, and Boone was very sound. Anderson was a bit hit-or-miss defensively, but they could hide him.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

It's hard to rank 2004 as the greatest as they had 6 losses, and should have lost to Duke. Only bc of Emeka foul trouble though. It is the most talented Uconn team tho.

23 Uconn was ridiculously great first 15 games of the year as well as last 9 games or so. Middle of the year funk removes them as well.

Okafor had back problems throughout the season. They were close to unbeatable when he was healthy.

 

[nelsonmuntz]

Keep in mind the 3pt line was 19’ 9” in 2004. It has moved out twice since then and is now 22’ 1.75” in 2024.

2004 and certainly the earlier teams were the Rockball Era of basketball, where the refs let A LOT go, especially on the perimeter. Clutching and grabbing was allowed without a second thought.

This is why I like the 1995 team so much. That team shot almost 39% from 3 despite all the physical play that was allowed back then. Brian Fair spent most of his 4 years in Calhoun's doghouse, but he had the best looking shot I have ever seen. He would be an absolute machine from deep in a modern offense. Travis Knight was a 7 footer that was not allowed to shoot 3's, but he had very good long 2 range and with a little work he would have been a very good 3 point shooter. For the time, the 1995 offense was amazing.

 

[UC0NN]

95 and 06 get no credit bc they didn't make the final 4. Hard to ignore how great those teams were.

 

[DRBackup]

2004 UCONN team had Emeka, Josh, Hilton, Charlie V, Marcus White and Ed Nelson. 2024 has Clingan and Samson. It’s not unrealistic to argue that 2004 was better.

Here's the trick. Are we comparing this year's team to the 2004 team as they were constituted in 2004, or considering what each player either was, or would become ? Marcus White played in 4 games that year. Armstrong played 9 minutes a game. Villanueva was still a freshman, not the guy who would play 11 years in the NBA. While Boone's height would give Karaban trouble, Boone trying to guard Karaban away from the rim would have been more trouble.

On the flip side, we have no idea how big of a star Jaylen Stewart may be, nor how much better Clingan will be.

Okafor was a monster, but Clingan has 4 inches on him. Love Rashad as well, but one of the reasons the 2006 team struggled was because it lacked ball handlers besides Marcus Williams. Whoever was matched up with him, be it Spencer, Castle, Newton, or even Diarra would have given Rashad fits.

 

[FlexOnEm]

You can’t put 2024 anywhere but first

I’d argue 2004 would beat 2024 head to head, but 2024 was way more dominant. Having to guard Ben Gordon, Rashad, and Boone is a little different than Braden Smith, Fletcher Loyer, and Kaufman-Renn.

Think you can also say 1999 would beat 2023 head to head, but 2023 was more dominant.

 

[imno1]

I'm old so it was hard for me to believe any team would better than 99 & 04 but by the end of this tournament I had to change my position. This was our first championship I definitely thought we were winning every game and was never stressed. It wouldn't surprise me if we see 6-8 current players in the NBA in a few years