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ESPNTheMag.Com Presents: All-World Power Rankings

Who is the best UConn men's basketball player ever?

by Ted Bauer

Getty Images
"Eye of the Huskie."

BEST UCONN MEN'S PLAYER EVER? WE'RE TAKING RAY ALLEN.

What is All-World Power Rankings?

If you watched Celtics vs. Bulls Game 2 on Monday night, you might have wondered to yourself, "Where is Jim Calhoun watching this?" One of his former players, Ben Gordon, was the definition of en fuego (TNT's Kevin Harlan even called him "a flamethrower" at one point). Another former Huskie, Ray Allen, then goes out and bangs the game-winner home. (He referenced UConn alums in his post-game comments.) Got us thinking: who is the best to come out of there? So, we made a list. If you disagree with any of the ideas, e-mail us.

TOP 5
RANK (YESTERDAY) WHAT WHY
1 (145) RAY ALLEN If ya watched the game last night, it is legitimately hard to argue against him as a top-three pure shooter in the NBA. He also now has a professional championship ring, which boosts his stock. Here's some video of him getting drafted. And, yes, we'd be unwise not to show the famed Iverson vs. Allen showdown.
2 (102) RICHARD HAMILTON He, too, has a professional title, and he also hit one of the biggest shots in UConn history.
3 (84) BEN GORDON Doug Collins on TNT last night called him "a guy that can go for 40 almost any time." Flip side of that argument is that he's pretty streaky, and can also go for 5. We heard an urban legend about Gordon from a dude we used to be camp counselors with: supposedly in AAU ball, he was benched for the first half of a game for violating a team rule. Team ends up down about 20. At the end of the game, he hits a three to win it. It was like his 39th point. Ha. One half, people. One half. (That story could be completely untrue, as a side note.)
4 (71) DONYELL MARSHALL Dude gets a little hated on, but in reality, we should probably have put him above Gordon. Marshall played 11 NBA seasons and averaged a lil' over 12 and 7. That's respectable. Here's some old-school UConn video of him playing.
5 (920) EMEKA OKAFOR He has a college title, like Rip and Gordon (Okafor and Gordon were on the same '04 team). Mark this down, though: the Bobcats? They will be next year's Blazers, i.e. the team that heads into the season with mad hype about a potential playoff run. Okafor could go 17 and 11 next year, arguably.

HONORABLE MENTION
RANK (YESTERDAY) WHAT WHY
12 (404) CARON BUTLER Potentially a little high, but the guy can play ball.
28 (99) RUDY GAY Again, hasn't accomplished a ton in the NBA…but if Mayo and him start to shine, with Warrick's athletic ability, and maybe Conley develops into a strong PG so O.J. can play the 2-slot, well…it could be a halfway-decent team in TN.

RISING AND FALLING
MOVEMENT WHAT
HASHEEM THABEET (Seems he will go Top 5, no?)
KHALID EL-AMIN (He appears to be balling overseas.)


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